It's been a long time since Julian Shah Taylor has featured on the blog but, under his new alias A. Jude, Tayler has written and recorded three tracks, which are soon to feature in the sets of his live band The Singularity, for a the hit-motion picture Plush which stars Emily Browning (Suckerpunch) and Xavier Samuel (Twilight). The erotic thriller is set for release this month, and A. Jude had a hand in the initial recording phase for the soundtrack to the film.
Jude is no stranger to working with big names, having collaborated in the past with Joaquin Phoenix and Courtney Love and is excited to add Browning and Samuel to this list. Speaking of the project, Jude tapped into the unique side of his writing and recording techqniues that features the electronic/rock 'hybridisation' of bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, flavours of which are both evident in the new tracks.
This is an excellent opportunity added to the repertoire of a very talented artist who gives a lot back. Tayler is also directing the LA-based charity 'Art Angeles' that provides musical intsruments and education for inner-city children which sounds like a wonderful initiative. Somehow he also manages to find time to place his music in up-coming Australian film 'The Messenger' and is the musical director and composer for web series 'The Mysfits' for which he has written the theme.
You can listen to samples of the new album from The Singularity here, and watch the official trailer for Plush below.
Showing posts with label Joaquin Phoenix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joaquin Phoenix. Show all posts
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Q&A with Julian Shah-Tayler
I've secured a Q&A session with the previously featured artist Julian Shah-Tayler. Read below as he discusses working with Joaquin Phoenix, where he takes inspiration from to write and what's new for him right now. Enjoy!
Hi Julian, it's great to be able to send some questions your way. Firstly, the one I'm sure all my readers are dying to know about; how did working with Joaquin Phoenix come about? How was it?
So my friend Scott (Adamandevil) and I moved across to Los Angeles from England around the same time, and met up with an old friend, Alan McGee (Creation Records boss) who used to manage "Whitey" (my old band) to discuss him supporting our music with his new label. Alan had previously set us up with an audition for Courtney Love (another story!) and mentioned that he was considering managing a famous actor, whose new material was amazing. That actor turned out to be Joaquin.
Scott and I recorded and played with him for around 2 weeks, in which time we recorded on around 8 songs. (I played piano and percussion and contributed vocals) alongside Antony Langdon, (Spacehog) on main vocals.
The project was rehearsed with Wildcat Will on drums, but never ended up going to a live format, as Joaquin was called to do another movie and the momentum fizzled, Alan went back to live in retirement in Wales.
Joaquin was an experience to work with. His type of crazy comes with an enormous amount of creative flair and much more focus than people give him credit for. His songwriting (I understand in collaboration with Antony) is very tasteful and I love the songs.
Blah Blah Blahnik takes on a variety of musical genres compared with Un Ange Passe which tended to stick to just one. Why did you feel the need to mix it up on your latest offering?
I don't think that is the case at all. The "Un Ange Passe" EP is more diverse by far than BBB.
It varies from complete electronica to very organic and "real" instruments.
Compare "Lullabies" to "Wetter" from the UAP ep, and I think you will see the massive gulf!
I think BBB is much more homogenous comparatively.
I deliberately made the second EP sound "raw" and "rock" to illustrate that I could be more consistent in style than the first one.
I have a completely electronic EP in the pipeline as well as a totally live recorded one as well as the finished album....
Most of the artists I love have always managed to straddle different genres.
What is it about writing music that makes you want to keep doing it, and when did you first decide this was the career path for you?
I love music, and have been singing professionally since I was 5 years old.
I tried to quit, and worked in TV for a while. Much much more money, but I realised that I was not happy with the results psychologically, and I care very little for money per se.
I live for the audience. I love the fact that in the context of one song, you can reach people on both an emotional and physical level at once.
It is scientifically postulated that any concept can be articulated and memorised much more easily when set to music. The feeling when I have finished a song beats anything except the excitement that comes across peoples' faces when you play something you know has connected on a deep level with them.....
Where do you take inspiration from when writing your music and lyrics?
Everything and everywhere. My life. My music is my diary and my secret lovers and my open book and my own soul laid out for everyone to experience and interpret and for me to remember and reappraise on each subsequent listen.
A song that has a genuine resonance with me will always have a much more important life than any other song.
If it means something to me, it means something to people that are listening. One important lesson I had to learn!
'Show Me Your Soul' is a great track. How and where did that begin life?
Thank you! Actually that song has had a very long and troubled birth. My friend, Antony Green is an artist in life and paint.
He recently met Imelda Marcos, the ex premiere of the Phillippines.
She is very famous for two things: shoes and mismanagement of the Phillippines.
Antony is preparing an exhibition of shoe paintings with her permission. He asked me to write the soundtrack to the exhibition and specifically a song that would accompany the event as a multimedia portion of the press campaign.
Subsequently, I read a lot about Imelda; her thoughts and writing. I chose to focus on her intentions as a great figurehead who was misinterpreted by (or misinterpreted) the people she was representing.
She has a very interesting and very thoughtful soul that could be said to be lost in the shuffle in the wake of her deposition from the ruling position. Understand that she was one of the most powerful people in the world for a long time, and an icon of feminine power for so many worldwide.
The song, I wrote in one Los Angeles night in november last year, and finished it the next day.
How do you feel about the music industry in general at the moment? Are you excited or anxious for its current state and future?
I am excited, as it enables people like me (with no label support and no desire to be creatively straitjacketed by other peoples' opinion on what will "sell" ) to make music instinctively without the pigeonholes that ruin the inspiration that make it desirable in the first place.
What's new for you at the moment, and what does the future hold?
New for me is the pleasure of producing for other people, as my debut was very well received and I am being approached all the time to work with other artists to arrange, record and produce their songs.
I also put a new band together recently, and we have a residency at the R Bar in Koreatown, Los Angeles so we can build the live show to the best of our ability......
The future is today. One of my new songs, and a lyric that I love : "If tomorrow's what you want, then today is what you need. The future's always sliding out of reach......."
I wish to carry on doing what I enjoy - making music and making love.
Finally, can you tell us a secret?
The secret is that everything you could ever want or be is within you.
Each moment contains the fabric of every moment that is or ever was.
Realise that, and nothing will ever challenge you again.
A really wonderful piece of philosophy to round-off a great interview. I hope you enjoyed it :)
Hi Julian, it's great to be able to send some questions your way. Firstly, the one I'm sure all my readers are dying to know about; how did working with Joaquin Phoenix come about? How was it?
So my friend Scott (Adamandevil) and I moved across to Los Angeles from England around the same time, and met up with an old friend, Alan McGee (Creation Records boss) who used to manage "Whitey" (my old band) to discuss him supporting our music with his new label. Alan had previously set us up with an audition for Courtney Love (another story!) and mentioned that he was considering managing a famous actor, whose new material was amazing. That actor turned out to be Joaquin.
Scott and I recorded and played with him for around 2 weeks, in which time we recorded on around 8 songs. (I played piano and percussion and contributed vocals) alongside Antony Langdon, (Spacehog) on main vocals.
The project was rehearsed with Wildcat Will on drums, but never ended up going to a live format, as Joaquin was called to do another movie and the momentum fizzled, Alan went back to live in retirement in Wales.
Joaquin was an experience to work with. His type of crazy comes with an enormous amount of creative flair and much more focus than people give him credit for. His songwriting (I understand in collaboration with Antony) is very tasteful and I love the songs.
Blah Blah Blahnik takes on a variety of musical genres compared with Un Ange Passe which tended to stick to just one. Why did you feel the need to mix it up on your latest offering?
I don't think that is the case at all. The "Un Ange Passe" EP is more diverse by far than BBB.
It varies from complete electronica to very organic and "real" instruments.
Compare "Lullabies" to "Wetter" from the UAP ep, and I think you will see the massive gulf!
I think BBB is much more homogenous comparatively.
I deliberately made the second EP sound "raw" and "rock" to illustrate that I could be more consistent in style than the first one.
I have a completely electronic EP in the pipeline as well as a totally live recorded one as well as the finished album....
Most of the artists I love have always managed to straddle different genres.
What is it about writing music that makes you want to keep doing it, and when did you first decide this was the career path for you?
I love music, and have been singing professionally since I was 5 years old.
I tried to quit, and worked in TV for a while. Much much more money, but I realised that I was not happy with the results psychologically, and I care very little for money per se.
I live for the audience. I love the fact that in the context of one song, you can reach people on both an emotional and physical level at once.
It is scientifically postulated that any concept can be articulated and memorised much more easily when set to music. The feeling when I have finished a song beats anything except the excitement that comes across peoples' faces when you play something you know has connected on a deep level with them.....
Where do you take inspiration from when writing your music and lyrics?
Everything and everywhere. My life. My music is my diary and my secret lovers and my open book and my own soul laid out for everyone to experience and interpret and for me to remember and reappraise on each subsequent listen.
A song that has a genuine resonance with me will always have a much more important life than any other song.
If it means something to me, it means something to people that are listening. One important lesson I had to learn!
'Show Me Your Soul' is a great track. How and where did that begin life?
Thank you! Actually that song has had a very long and troubled birth. My friend, Antony Green is an artist in life and paint.
He recently met Imelda Marcos, the ex premiere of the Phillippines.
She is very famous for two things: shoes and mismanagement of the Phillippines.
Antony is preparing an exhibition of shoe paintings with her permission. He asked me to write the soundtrack to the exhibition and specifically a song that would accompany the event as a multimedia portion of the press campaign.
Subsequently, I read a lot about Imelda; her thoughts and writing. I chose to focus on her intentions as a great figurehead who was misinterpreted by (or misinterpreted) the people she was representing.
She has a very interesting and very thoughtful soul that could be said to be lost in the shuffle in the wake of her deposition from the ruling position. Understand that she was one of the most powerful people in the world for a long time, and an icon of feminine power for so many worldwide.
The song, I wrote in one Los Angeles night in november last year, and finished it the next day.
How do you feel about the music industry in general at the moment? Are you excited or anxious for its current state and future?
I am excited, as it enables people like me (with no label support and no desire to be creatively straitjacketed by other peoples' opinion on what will "sell" ) to make music instinctively without the pigeonholes that ruin the inspiration that make it desirable in the first place.
What's new for you at the moment, and what does the future hold?
New for me is the pleasure of producing for other people, as my debut was very well received and I am being approached all the time to work with other artists to arrange, record and produce their songs.
I also put a new band together recently, and we have a residency at the R Bar in Koreatown, Los Angeles so we can build the live show to the best of our ability......
The future is today. One of my new songs, and a lyric that I love : "If tomorrow's what you want, then today is what you need. The future's always sliding out of reach......."
I wish to carry on doing what I enjoy - making music and making love.
Finally, can you tell us a secret?
The secret is that everything you could ever want or be is within you.
Each moment contains the fabric of every moment that is or ever was.
Realise that, and nothing will ever challenge you again.
A really wonderful piece of philosophy to round-off a great interview. I hope you enjoyed it :)
Saturday, 27 March 2010
EP Review: Julian Shah-Tayler - Blah Blah Blahnik
The month of May marks the release of Julian Shah-Tayler's latest EP entitled 'Blah Blah Blahnik'. Julian has had a busy first year, as the official press release below documents:
It has been a good 2010 so far for Julian, he has been featured in the Huffington Post, and interviewed by E! about working with Joaquin Phoenix.
He has signed a publishing deal with Music Sales for the first album by his duo “Adamandevil” and seen “Wrap It Up” his co-write with “Whitey” featured in the Hollywood feature “Whip It”
He has also had many of his songs used in the indie features: “Prudence” and “Youthful Journeys Of The World” as well as an Australian Television show - “West Coast Diaries – Almost Famous.”
His debut performance with his new live band was for Angie Bowie, and their second show was an online TV broadcast on Bandome.com. He also performed with Macy Gray and Rolan Bolan for the Hallowe’en special at Superhip LA nightspot Bardot
His debut EP: “Un Ange Passe” was released on 1st January to universal acclaim:
“Wetter is Massive, It will make (Julian) a star” – Alan McGee (Creation Records)
“Very Impressed” – David J (Bauhaus/Love and Rockets)
“Massive talent” – Boom Boom Chik
“A breathtaking talent” – Mojophenia
“Songwriting and performance is quite stunning” – Beehive Candy
“Wonderful Vocals…Production is superior” – Mark Fisher
“A superb ep” – Yorkie – aiiradio.net
“Julian is seriously talented” – I Am The Programmer
“Extremely catchy” - Bomarrblog
“It’s like a magic carpet ride” – Mark Walbaum
“London new wave at its danceable best” – Dabelly.com
“The brilliant Julian Shah-Tayler…..Stupidly good” – Liberty London Girl
“I was astounded to see the amount of energy he brought” - Geekweek.com
You can download your copy of Blah Blah Blahnik for FREE right here (or offer a donation) in advance of its 1st May release date on iTunes. Below I've included a track-by-track guide.
Show Me Your Soul - A great hooky electro/rock number that sounds really fresh and now. The vocals sound wicked against the grooving drums and great sounding guitars, this song sounds like a hit. There's a cool synth journey in the second verse and the backing vocals in the chorus add a real depth to the track.
Force of Habit - The guitar work on this EP really shines through; the overall sound of the music has a far grittier edge than what I've heard from Julian before. This song is packed with great guitar-riff work; his voice is deep and sensual which reminds me of Ville Valo (HIM) against a cool upbeat background.
Butterfly - This is a real pub-rock anthem; chugging electric guitars, poppy drums and a real singalong chorus. The Lo-Fi feel after the first chorus is cool and I like the synth/guitar notes pushing against the straight grooves throughout the second verse. The guitar break after the second chorus is cool but I'd love for it to really push for centre stage with a huge solo on top of the mix; it just sits equal to everything else, show it off and take the song home!
Electricity - A virtuoso piano part sets the scene, differing itself from the dance-rock feel that the track's predecessors showcased. A calmer piano-driven ballad was exactly what the doctor ordered for track four and Julian's vocals sound great on this track. A really nice song.
Blood Destiny - We're sticking with the calmer feel again with this track which is nice; I'm in that mood thanks to the previous track. When the track gets going I love the drums with the acoustic guitar and Julian's deep vocals really top it off nicely. It's not a real stand-out track but is great in its own right; the track builds cleverly and the acoustic guitar work is top class.
Say What You Want (Jason Air remix) - A real grooving dance track to cap off the EP in style; it's a perfect ending. The track is a real foot-tapper featuring great samples and some wicked beats. It's eclectic and odd and this is what makes it perfect; it's a real cooking pot of ideas.
Overall it's a great display of Julian's talents and of his variety in music making. The EP is a real musical journey; taking us from grooving pop rock, chilling out with some more mellow tracks and finishing with a real rave of a tune. I urge you to download the EP now!
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