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2018 MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger
001-2018-021
43:35 Master Camera files on Hard Drive, Mp4 on Server and Cloud
2018-05-04
Interviewer - Holly Hobbs
ABSTRACT: 00:10 Taylor tells that he started playing music seriously while living in San Francisco, after growing up in southern California. His father was a guitar player and singer, but never pursued it professionally, and didn’t teach Taylor much, though he’d observe him. Taylor began playing guitar around the age of seventeen, trading a BMX bike for his first instrument. 02:45 Taylor says he has a complicated relationship to his songs, thinking in terms of breakthroughs more than pride. He considers his 2011 album Bad Debt to be one, though he calls it “horrible-sounding.” 05:11 Taylor explains how he got his start around punk and self-taught musicians. He eventually learned some theory and became hooked on harmony. 06:49 Taylor describes how much he learned from his long-time collaborator Scott Hirsch, including technicalities of the guitar. He says he has always relished songwriting, “the words part,” as a voracious reader. He explains that sometimes it’s a question of finding the right melody of words he has in mind, and sometimes the other way around. 09:04 Taylor explains that even when he isn’t touring, which he often is, “travel for music has always seemed an important part of my life.” 09:39 Taylor speaks to his graduate experience in North Carolina, training and working as a folklorist. Seeking out “traditional” music taught him a lot, particularly in learning the variety of interpretations of what that might mean. 13:37 Speaking to the complications of success, Taylor explains that he’s been unsuccessful for long enough that enjoyment is his motivator. While he observes changes in his style, he attributes them more to personal evolution – including fatherhood – than anything else. 20:50 Taylor introduces “Lucia,” sharing that he tracked down Linda Thompson, with whom he was enamored, to do harmony on a version. 22:46 Demonstration, “Lucia” 26:09 Taylor speaks to the influence and awe of John Prine. 26:49 Taylor speaks to his collaborations with Tift Merritt. 28:29 Taylor explains that he doesn’t consciously work thematically, but often sees connections and patterns in hindsight. 31:07 Taylor explains that he’s assembled a steady stable of collaborators, and that despite there being a number of people on his records, in the process the groupings are kept small. 33:55 Taylor describes the influence of Muscle Shoals, which he admires as a “rhythm-forward organization,” emphasizing the importance of rhythm in not losing an audience. 35:36 Taylor explains his goal to make music that feels simultaneously happy and sad. 39:31 Demonstration, “Jenny”
video recording
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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive