After a ten-year love/hate relationship with the Australian music industry, being signed to various labels, managers and bands, Grass Taylor was born out of the ashes.
I took my fathers stage name from the 60’s as I thought it would be cool to keep the legacy of the name alive, but it means more to me than just that, it’s metaphoric in a way. Grass (earth) and Taylor i.e. Tailor (mends material) is the intention I try to encompass in my music and lyrics.
The last 8 years I have worked on and off in the NGO and Charity sector, Fundraising and volunteering for various organizations in between my touring schedule. Whether it’s animal welfare, conservation or human rights, they are all important to me and I guess combining my passion for music and helping the world was just a matter of time.
So here I am, Grass Taylor.
You’re taking part in Scorcher Fest’s 10th anniversary tour, what does it mean for you to be part of this amazing celebration?
Any celebration of music is a good celebration in my book, and Scorcher Fest have been celebrating for 10 years now, so you know it’s going to be a great party.
In 2010, you spent 5 weeks living with Shamans in the Amazon, what effects has this had on the music you are now writing?
I am deeply interested in healing and natural medicine, I have recently just finished a course in Naturopathy but at the time I needed to see how these Shamans get such amazing results with their healing.
They use a combination of medicinal plants called Ayahuasca and sonic driving through singing specific healing songs called icaro’s to you in the ceremonies. Under the influence of the medicine your boundaries dissolve, you feel total love for everything and you must face certain aspects of yourself that you may have suppressed for a long time.
It was the most amazing experience while being one of the hardest experiences to go through in my life. I think it’s awesome how they use singing & music to help heal people, so my big realization was that I could also use my music for something more beneficial, and help people too, hence why I continue on this musical path.
You been around on the scene for a few years playing in other bands, what was the defining moment to go solo?
OK, here’s the story. I was flown from Sydney (where I was living) to Adelaide (where our band was based) for a band meeting with our Manager. Nothing new, I’d fly back and forth every second week for rehearsals and writing sessions etc… This time however, we all got the news that our label had decided not to take up the option for a second album due to the musical landscape changing (we weren’t the ‘in’ style of music anymore), our manager told us he wasn’t willing to continue on if we were going to try to do it independently, and a few of the guys in the band put up the white flags and said ‘well what’s the point’.
For me, I’d just spent 18 months flying back and forth writing an album which was ready to go, which I’d busted my ass writing, and which had some cracking punk rock songs on it, for my band mates to say they were not interested in continuing unless we had a label/manager. For me, it’s about the music and not about the status of a label or manager or whatever, so the band broke up.
This was the second time this situation had happened in 5 years for me with two separate labels/managers/bands, so when I decided to do this new project I wanted it to be totally independent. I set up my own management company, and along with my project, we have helped a number of other independent Aussie bands out and will continue to promote independent music.
In short, I now have full control over my career and this is what I advocate to all up and coming acts.
What’s your earliest memory of performing and who inspired you to start?
Coming from a musical family I think it was always going to happen at some point. I remember putting on concerts at home when I was 3 or 4 and playing my dad’s drums and lining up all my toys as the crowd. The first song I ever wrote was called ‘Tiger Snake’, I was six.
You must answer this question honestly. What and where was the first gig you went to?
Officially, Kiss in 1994 at Rod Laver Arena… not a bad start.
Spotify or Deezer for streaming services?
I hear good things about spotify.
How do you find new music?
My girlfriend and my best mate ‘Cisco Rose’ are always bringing new music to my attention; they are my lifelines to what’s new and decent coming out. If it were left up to me I’d miss out on so much good new music, I spend more time creating it rather than listening to it.
Do you have any particular ritual before you go on stage, or even a lucky charm you take with you?
Frantically searching for my guitar pick is pretty much a nightly event. I buy packs of 100 and I lose them all in 3 months, I have no idea where they disappear to. Other than that, I grab a beer and just get on with it.
If you could curate your own festival, where would it be, who would be on the bill, how many people would you let in and what features would it have?
All of Australia’s best Punk, Hardcore & Metal bands set up right opposite soundwave festival with free entry for all.
If you could put together supergroup who would be in it and why?
This is one of those games you play on the long drive between Cities on tour, so I have some experience with this one. I think you have to split this question into categories, so the people I choose are Liam Gallagher, Courtney Love, Axl Rose and Lars Ulrich for the biggest Ego’s in rock tour… and just for fun I’d have Gordon Ramsey as the tour manager.
Where we can see you play next, what releases do you have available and where can we get them?
Scorcher Fest Summer Tour Nov/Dec 2012 hitting Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth & Sydney with my album ‘Poets Notes & Hidden Tone’s coming out on December 21st this year.
I also have a DVD called ‘This Art – The Grass Taylor Story’ coming out with the album. You can preview the DVD or grab a tour bundle package that includes ticket, album & DVD at: www.grasstaylor.com
