Criminal: "The Big Lie"
Podcast: Criminal
Host: Phoebe Judge
Guest: Gavin Bain (of Syllable and Brains)
Date: February 13, 2026
Theme:
This episode tells the extraordinary story of Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, two Scottish friends who—after facing prejudice and rejection as Scottish rappers—reinvented themselves as “Syllable and Brains,” a fake American rap duo. Their audacious charade fooled the British music establishment, leading to a major label deal and escalating deceptions, before everything unraveled.
Episode Overview
Phoebe Judge interviews Gavin Bain, exploring how he and his friend Billy Boyd took on American identities to break into the UK music industry, the emotional and practical fallout of their elaborate hoax, and what the experience reveals about authenticity, perception, and the power—and risk—of a big lie.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
First Encounters and Early Rap Dreams
- Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd meet at Dundee College (01:15)
Gavin describes their first meeting—him being late and anxious, Billy relaxed and cool outside the building.
“First person I meet looks really cool and I just like made an enemy out of the first person.” – Gavin Bain (01:29)
- Bond over shared musical tastes (Rage Against the Machine, Wu Tang, Korn, etc.) and start freestyling together the first day.
- They create the rap-battle game "porcupine" to push each other creatively (03:55).
Hitting A Wall: The Industry’s Stereotypes
- Inspired by Eminem’s rise and seeing an "Are you the next Eminem?" audition, the group travels to London to try their luck with record labels (05:09).
- After pushing into the audition by battling others in line, they're dismissed by label scouts for being Scottish rappers (07:32).
“Scotland is not rap. We can’t sell that.” – A&R talent scout (08:22, paraphrased by Gavin)
- A second attempt at getting attention (with Dave Loeb from a hip-hop magazine) yields a similarly crushing response:
"You fucking sound like the Rapping Proclaimers." – Dave Loeb (09:49)
The Epiphany: If You Can't Beat the Stereotype, Fake It
- Devastated, Gavin contemplates giving up, but inspired by a scene in the movie The Secret of My Success, he imagines: “Why don’t we just become someone else?” (12:18).
- Gavin experiments with recording raps in an American accent, using substances to ease the process (15:04).
- At a party, he tricks everyone (including close friends) into thinking it’s an American rapper; the ruse is a hit (15:40).
The Lie Takes Off
- Brian, a close friend, enters their American-accented song in a national radio contest. They win, beating acts of all genres (17:34).
- With new momentum (and in tribute to Brian after his sudden death), Gavin persuades Billy to take the leap: “Let’s do this for Brian.” (17:34)
- Sony Records hears their song on the radio and arranges to meet them in London. The duo goes full method, speaking in American accents 24/7—even with their girlfriends (18:02).
"We would have sex in American accents. Which our girlfriends thought was really fucking annoying." – Gavin Bain (18:21)
Constructing Their American Identities
- They build personas: Gavin is "Brains McLeod"; Billy becomes "Syllable" (19:00). They choose to be from Hemet, California, and develop backstories using movies like Friends and Back to the Future as reference (19:00).
- Their first meeting with Sony’s scout almost gives them away due to a slip into Scottish slang (20:24).
“The first person, the first A&R that interviews us is Scottish. We’re screwed at that point.” – Gavin (20:24)
- After regrouping, they perform at a London showcase and impress an Island Records scout, although they almost blow their story by mixing up hometowns (21:48).
Living the Lie: Success & Paranoia
- Island Records’ Chris buys their story, asks them to freestyle insult-label staff during a meeting (25:45).
- They land management (Jonathan Shallet) and boldly claim they won’t wake for less than £70,000—he agrees (27:11).
"We don't get out of bed for anything less than 70k." – Gavin Bain, in character (27:11)
- Sony officially signs them for more than £50,000 upfront (31:45).
Highs, Close Calls, and Mounting Pressure
- Appear on MTV’s Total Request Live as Syllable and Brains. An old friend outs them on an online forum, but Sony doesn’t confront them (34:11).
- The duo develops a "lead and recover" technique for dodging difficult questions about their fake backgrounds (30:23).
The Hoax Peaks — And Frays
- Their success escalates—touring, endorsement deals, but the stress grows. Billy’s girlfriend in Scotland gets pregnant, straining their partnership.
- A tour with Eminem and D12 is set, and they're terrified of being caught by real American rap royalty (37:37).
- Their lawyer confronts them backstage after reading online posts exposing their true identities, but ultimately doesn’t turn them in (40:48).
Collapse and Aftermath
- Band breaks up before the album is released, meaning they don’t have to repay their advance due to a contractual clause (43:28).
- They simply disappear instead of announcing the truth to fans.
“We kind of just didn’t. We just kind of went away. We went quiet.” – Gavin Bain (44:05)
- Gavin struggles with identity post-hoax, working odd jobs, using his American accent in applications, and eventually revealing the truth during an emotional benefit concert after a friend’s death (45:02).
"I turned to the crowd and I said, 'I'm not Brains, I'm Gavin, and I've never been to America.' ... They started to rap my lyrics back to me. They cared only about the lyrics." – Gavin Bain (45:02–46:05)
Resolution
- Gavin and Billy reunite briefly in 2012 to finally release the Syllable and Brains album.
- Gavin continues his music career, now embracing his Scottish accent (46:28).
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- On Facing Industry Prejudice:
"Scotland is Groundskeeper Willie. It’s Braveheart, it’s Sean Connery. Scotland is not rap. We can’t sell that." (08:22, industry scout, paraphrased) - On the Power of Pretending:
"Why don’t we just become someone else?" – Gavin Bain (12:18) - Method Acting Extremes:
"We made this agreement that we would speak to each other all the time in American accent. Everything we did, we did in American accent. We would have sex in American accents." – (18:02–18:21) - On Keeping Up the Charade:
"The lead recover system is that one listens, one answers. If I start to stutter, Bill jumps in… or throws a hand grenade." – Gavin Bain (30:23) - On Coming Clean:
"I'm not Brains, I'm Gavin, and I've never been to America… they started to rap my lyrics back to me. They cared only about the lyrics." (45:02–46:05) - Phoebe on Contradiction:
"I mean, it really feels like two opposite ends of the spectrum to be Eminem on stage and Chandler off the stage." (23:31)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Meeting and chemistry: 01:05–02:39
- First battles & “porcupine” game explained: 03:47–04:27
- Eminem contest & industry rejection: 05:09–08:33
- Devastation and “why not become someone else?”: 11:17–12:18
- First American accent song dupes friends: 15:04–15:40
- Radio competition win sparks 'go for it' moment: 16:40–17:34
- Inventing the Syllable and Brains personas: 19:00–20:24
- Lead/recover technique described: 30:13–31:45
- MTV appearance & being outed online: 33:01–34:11
- Eminem & D12 tour; close call with lawyer: 37:42–41:17
- Band breakup & post-mortem: 43:28–44:49
- Emotional confession at benefit show: 45:02–46:05
Tone and Style
Phoebe Judge’s signature calm, curious presence guides the interview. Gavin’s storytelling is candid, humorous, and self-aware, often punctuated with self-deprecating jokes, lament, and moments of raw vulnerability. Throughout, the conversation balances farce and pathos, ultimately offering a reflection on identity, ambition, and authenticity.
Final Thoughts
"The Big Lie" chronicles an audacious act of musical deception—equal parts performance art and survival tactic. It’s a window into the pressures of the music industry, the lengths people go to chase a dream, and the complex aftermath of living a lie, told with wit and heart. Listeners walk away asking: if the music moves you, does it matter where—or who—it came from?
Recommended episode for:
Fans of stranger-than-fiction true stories, explorations of identity, music industry insiders and outsiders, and anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t “fit the mold.”