Jazznet Denmark did an interview with composer, multi-instrumentalist, sound manipulator, arranger, producer and record label owner and self taught progressive musician Robin Taylor, in the middle of february 2010. You can follow Mr. Taylor and his many on going projects on the following adress : http://www.progressor.net/robin-taylor/Jazznet Denmark : How did your adventures with music begin, did you have any musical training or are you self taught ?
Robin Taylor : I have listened to music as long as I can remember. At my 8th birthday (I think) I was given my first Beatles record, and I became a fan right away. I felt very attracted to 'electric' music and had this dream about becoming a musician myself one day. My first 'real' instrument was a cheap electric guitar, that I had for my 12th birthday. I never had any teachers; just figured it out myself, learning by doing and listening to records.
Jazznet Denmark : What music genres do you listen to yourself, and is there a certain kind of music that inspires you ?
Robin Taylor : I've listened to many kinds of music: popular music, hard rock, psychedelic, progressive, modern jazz, fusion, classical composers - you name it. I'm inspired by anything I've heard.
Jazznet Denmark : If you should mention 5-10 records that have meant something to you and your music, what would they be ?
Robin Taylor : Tough question... well, if I was going to pick 10 albums, that have meant a lot to me, I'd probably say:
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper
King Crimson: In The Wake of Poseidon
Cream: Disraeli Gears
Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Tarkus
Mike Oldfield: Hergest Ridge
Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire
Weather Report: Tale Spinning
Secret Oyster: Sea Son
Gentle Giant: In a Glass House
Dimitri Shostakovitch: Symphony No. 5
I could easily mention another ten.
Jazznet Denmark : To my ears you are a group of musicians who are in constant movement and going in many different directions from track to track and from release to release. Where do you get your ideas from and what is your secret (if you have one)?
Robin Taylor : My mind has always been bursting with ideas; I don't have a 'secret method', when I compose; I just go through the library in my head - made up from listening to thousands and thousands of records. There's always an echo of something I've heard, that I'd like to do my own version of; refine to something personal - no matter what direction it's in - and I believe, you can always hear that I'm responsible for it.
Jazznet Denmark : Are you a full time musician or are all your different projects your second job ?
Robin Taylor : I'm not a full time musician; you can't do these sorts of things and make a living from them (in Denmark you can't, that's for sure). Some of the others are playing full time, but they have to earn their bread and butter by working with commercial artists in other genres.
Jazznet Denmark : If a new listener were about to buy his first recording of your music, which one would you recommend as the best introduction to your amazing music ?
Robin Taylor : That's also a difficult question - depending on personal tastes. If you're looking for something not too far out, I'd recommend 'Oyster's Apprentice' or 'Soundwall' by Taylor's Universe. Or the Art Cinema (selftitled) album. If you're more of a free jazz (avant garde) aficionado, I'd advice you to check out 'File Under Extreme' by Taylor's Free Universe.
Jazznet Denmark : Your music is hard to put in any musical boxes, because it has so many different styles mixed with each other. In my opinion you belong to the progressive/rock/experimental part of the music world. Do you agree with that? And what are your opinions on that genre, and genres in general ?
Robin Taylor : You're probably right, when using the term 'progressive' on my music, and probably not. Progressive Rock has become a 'genre' with many directions: symphonic, metal, avant garde and so and so on. I'd like to see 'progressive' more as a movement, than a genre; bands and artists with different stylistic backgrounds working together, creating new musical forms - or that's how it all started (back in the early 70's). Today there's a lot of so-called progressive bands, who don't experiment at all; they just copy a way of playing, that made fame decades ago. To me that's not 'progressive', so maybe the term has lost its meaning. It's always restricting when you put labels on music that can't be labeled (because of its diversity). I wish we could use the word 'fusion', because that's what this kind of music really is: a fusion of many genres - but that term has a meaning of its own today (electric smooth jazz).
Jazznet Denmark : You have released numerous recordings over the years, mainly on your own label, Marvel of Beauty. Are there some of them that you see in particular as more important than others, or landmarks, in your massive production ?
Robin Taylor : Hmm... Typically I lose interest, every time an album is completed (I get fed up in the process), but looking back there's a few that I like to think of: 'Pork' (from the early years) and 'Oyster's Apprentice' (both by Taylor's Universe). I would probably add two of my solo albums: 'Deutsche Schule' and 'Isle of Black' - yeah, and Art Cinema (my first vocal album) is pretty cool, I think.
Jazznet Denmark : Of many you have two projects. One called Taylor's Free Universe, the other called Taylor's Universe. Could you try to explain the difference between those, is one of them completely planned before start while the other is not ?
Robin Taylor : After a couple of minimalistic solo albums I wanted to do an album with much more of a 'band sound'. That led to Taylor's Universe - my studio group. In general the music of TU is very structured, but everything is possible - even moments of pure improvisation. After some years of working with saxophone ace, Karsten Vogel, he persuaded me to form a live band, and that became Taylor's Free Universe. The idea was to get some people together and just have a go. No written material, no rehearsals - we just brought in our gear and started playing, whether it was on stage or in the recording studio. The result was quite odd and sometimes really exciting. We played festivals and made quite a few records (even got nominated for a Danish Music Awards Jazz), but it was a struggle to get gigs. The band folded in 2005 (after five years in service), and I returned to studio work.
Jazznet Denmark : How is it to be a musician in little Denmark, is there a live scene for the music you do ?
Robin Taylor : No, the situation is absolutely hopeless.
Jazznet Denmark : When I listen to your music, I can hear some of the same ideas I hear when I listen to King Crimson and Robert Fripp. Are you inspired by him or am I way off ?
Robin Taylor : You're quite right; I'm a big fan of Crimson/Fripp - especially for what they/he did in the 70's.
Jazznet Denmark : What's your best advice for young aspiring musicians, who want to make it in the progressive music world or any world for that matter ?
Robin Taylor : Be yourself. To me originality is the most important thing. And if you can't come up with something of your own, don't play music. We have enough copycats around already.
Jazznet Denmark : Where do you se yourself in 5 years, still making music for the masses ?
Robin Taylor : The point is, I have never made music for the 'masses'; the things I'm doing are too far away from 'mainstream', and if you're not a mainstream (commercial) artist, you can't expect a huge following. My music is a 'minority' thing - unfortunately - but I am being honest to my art, and that's very important to me.
Jazznet Denmark : Finally, what are your plans for the future and what will be the next release from the mighty Robin Taylor ?
Robin Taylor : I haven't got any actual plans for the moment. My latest album was released just before Christmas (we're in February now), but I suppose I will return to the recording studios when spring comes (my energies are a little low this time of year). I've got a few ideas that might turn into a new Taylor's Universe album. We'll see.
TFU : Manipulated by Taylor (Marvel of Beauty)I have to admit, that this cd at first did not appeal to me, but after repeated listenings, it has grown on me and left me absolutely speechless. Taylor's Free Universe are besides Robin Taylor himself on guitar, loops and keyboards, the incredible Danish saxofonist Karsten Vogel (who you will find on numerous other releases from Taylor) on soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, Klavs Hovman on electrified double bass and loops, Pierre Tassone on processed violin, grand piano and bells, and finally Lars Juul on drums and electronics.The 10 tracks on this cd are all recorded at a live gig at Copenhagen JazzHouse on September 15th in 2005. To my knowledge, most of the music by TFU is freely improvised, and it is a real treat to listen to the way these 5 musicians interact with each other, giving their fellow musicians the space needed to create amazing music. Taylor is always a fantastic musician and alongside Vogel and Tassone, he is the perfect front figure for this collective of creative musicians. The result is very convincing, showing how great players they all are, either when taking the lead from time to time, or - more important - when working as a collective in this incredible outburst of improvisation. If you are a fan of free jazz or free music, you got to give yourself the chance to listen to this collective - it is truly a bomb!
Art Cinema : Art Cinema (Marvel of Beauty MOBCD 019).Art Cinema is one of the latest releases, from Danish multi-instrumentalist and composer Robin Taylor. This time he teams up with musicians such as: guitarists Michael Denner (who was one of the members of the Danish metal band Mercyful Fate) and Jon Hemmersam, saxophonist Carsten Sindvald, bassist Flemming Muus Tranberg, drummer Bjarne T. Holm, the vocalists Jytte Lindberg and Louise Nipper, and the amazing violinist, Pierre Tassone. Art Cinema brings you a mix of various music styles - including pop, electronic, metal, jazz and much much more. The music of Art Cinema is song based; sophisticated melodic tunes with a dark, icy cold mood on most of the tracks. The album consists of 7 tracks, all excellent compositions, and if I should choose some favourites, it would be the opener, "White Frozen", the King Crimson influenced, "Crimson Night", and the closing track, "Last Day of Summer", which is an amazing track with great solos. Art Cinema is probably one of the most accessible releases through Taylor's massive career (this is his 25th release) and it is therefore a great introduction to the man and his music. I like this album a lot and I recommend, that you give it a listen - I guarantee, that you will not be disappointed! My only complaint is about the length of the album; 34 minutes is too short. I could easily have digested much more. Highly recommended !!!
Robin Taylor : Deutsche Schule (Marvel of Beauty MOBCD 017).Deutsche Schule is a Robin Taylor release from 2006, containing music inspired from some of the freakier 'krautrock' artists of the 70s, as it says on the inlay of the cd. I have never been much of a fan of krautrock, so maybe this is why this release does not appeal to me. Don't get me wrong; the music is very well performed by Taylor and his partners in crime (Karsten Vogel, Louise Nipper and Rasmus Grosell), but to my ears it is not all that interessting. This project shows, that Taylor is a very wide ranging musician who plays many styles of music. So the bottom line is, if you like the music of those strange German artists of the 70's, then buy this cd - if not, go and look up the many other Robin Taylor releases that are available out there. The choice is yours.
X Position volume 1 and 2 are both compilation albums from the amazing Robin Taylor; albums combining previous unreleased recordings from his long career. Volume 1 concists of 8 tracks, from various recording sessions in the past, that for different reasons never were completed in the first place - plus a couple of live tracks. The material was recorded either in his own name, as Taylor's Universe or as Taylor's Free Universe. Volume 2 has got 10 tracks of very early recordings (from an abandonned album project back in 1985), here available also for the first time - in completed form. Both cd's have some really exciting music, but I have to be honest about the fact, that this is not the right place to start for new listeners, who'd like to check out the magic of Taylor's music. Some of it is not easily digested and will demand repeated listenings and a very open mind, before the music makes sense to you. These releases are first of all for the fans, who have already been around Taylor's many facets in music - and wanting more. I nevertheless find these cd's truly excellent and highly recommended, but start some other place in his huge catalog. There are many other albums available by this excellent musician, and those by Taylor's Universe will surely make a better starting point.