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Big Note Featured Artist
Woodstock Taylor
Alien, medium or large?
Genuine originality is a claim
made by many and merited by few. Media comparisons between Woodstock
Taylor and artists such as Marianne Faithful, Edith Piaf, Michelle
Shocked, Maria Muldaur and Tom Waits only tell part of the story.
Allegations of truly original talent, fine quality and gutsy,
feline delivery have also been leveled by reviewers. Taylor captivates
audiences across the board with accessible, poppy melodies, deceptively
complex harmonies and incisive lyrics observing subjects from
aliens, the disappearing English countryside and the relationship
between religion and the fear of female sexuality to all the usual
love stuff.
Having begun in Edinburgh as
a barroom pianist and bedroom songwriter, Woodstock submitted
a home-taped a cappella recording of one of her earliest songs
to a BBC Radio One producer, who featured it in a major documentary
about political music (with Billy Bragg) which was broadcast worldwide.
!n 1994 Woodstock was awarded a grant from the Scottish Arts Council
to attend what turned out to be the first of four intensive songwriting
workshops with the man generally considered the godfather of the
current British songwriting wave, Ray Davies. During this time
Davies encouraged her to take up the guitar, and Woodstock swiftly
became a regular performer at the Edinburgh Songwriters' Showcase
and London clubs such as the 12-Bar, Bunjie's, The Music Cafe,
the Hope & Anchor and the Purple Turtle, as well as making
numerous broadcasts for local and national radio and TV.
Aside from the more usual songwriting
circuit appearances, other live gigs have included supports to
Nick and Roy Harper, a popular run at the Edinburgh Fringe with
Zoot Money, a feature spot alongside Boo Hewerdine and Carol Laula
at the music industry's "In The City" conference and
music for "The Monday Lizard" at the Traverse Theatre,
Edinburgh. August '98 brought critical acclaim as Taylor teamed
up with fellow Edinburgh-based songwriters Polly Phillips and
Holly Tomas for "Women on The Verge", a triple-billed
run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the Famous Spiegeltent
programme (the Edinburgh Fringe's hippest dedicated music supervenue).
There were also regular unplugged appearances at the nightly New
Music Club stage at the same venue plus live TV/internet showcases
from Prince's Street Gardens on www.festivalrevue.com, followed
by a successful tour - including two nights at the Soho Jazz Festival.
A debut EP, Sunny Days In London,
released in 1997, completely sold out, and copies of the 1998
compilation "Big Note Songwriters Recorded At Carm Studios",
featuring two of Woodstock's songs, are now collectors' items.
Woodstock Taylor's debut album, "Road Movie", was produced
by British blues legend Zoot Money and the bets are on as to whether
it will be released before, after or concurrently with the follow-up
EP to "Sunny Days In London", to be entitled "This
Time It's Personal". Meantime, Woodstock and Zoot are due
back in the studio to begin work on "Road Movie 2".
In addition, a limited solo release, "Draft", is selling
well.
Newly relocated to London,
Woodstock has recently teamed up with Australian cellist Stephen
Hughes, who's played with, amongst many others, Page & Plant
and Mikis Theodorakis. Together they form the core of a new alternative
musical performance project, Alien Kabaret. Unusual musical arrangements
and tight, polished shows are ensuring a hugely positive response
wherever they play (gigs so far include the Big Note (Hope &
Anchor), Zarathustra's and support to Andy White at the 12-Bar).
e-ma Aug 1999
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Music
bites
"Tongue Tied"
©W.Taylor
(taken from the Big Note Songwriters CD)
"Faded Picture"
©W.Taylor
"Glasshouse" ©W.Taylor
(taken from Woodstock's Draft E.P.)
For further information go to the recorded
material page.
For Further
Information
Website
http://cupparecords.com
E-mail:
woodstocktaylor@woodstock.com
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