Trespassers William

Trespassers William crafts dreamy indie rock through the combined efforts of Ross Simonini on bass and keyboards, Anna-Lynne Williams handling vocals and guitar, Matt Brown on guitar and keyboards, and Jamie Williams at the drums. Matt Brown and Anna-Lynne Williams formed the project as a duo back in 1997 amid the peak of the Southern California punk revival. Ross Simonini joined two years afterward, prompting the independent release of their first album, Anchor. West Coast performances and college radio airplay soon followed. Jamie Williams completed the lineup on drums by 2002, turning Trespassers William into a complete ensemble.

Simon Raymonde of Bella Union discovered the group’s expansive sonic textures, leading his label to release the second album, Different Stars, in the United Kingdom during that same year. Touring opportunities then emerged alongside the Chameleons UK's Mark Burgess, Morrissey, Tim Booth, Damien Rice, and Lisa Germano. Further exposure on KCRW, KEXP, and XFM fueled rising interest in the band. In 2003 Nettwerk offered a formal recording contract after the music had already surfaced in episodes of The O.C., Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and MTV’s The Real World and Road Rules. Nettwerk reissued Different Stars in fall 2004, with additional material appearing two years later.