My two Matt Taylor stories: 1 ) Sitting in my flat in West Footscray in the early 70's, wondering how I was going to pay the rent after my flatmate had bolted while I was at work. I had the radio tuned into 3XY and they had Matt in the studio to do a couple of his songs. Matt, obviously stoned to the stars, ended his set by doing the Surfaris song, Surfer Joe! Too weird but also too funny! 2 ) Sitting in the beer garden of the Principal Bar and Restaurant, in Midland, WA, waiting for some friends. At the next table over was a bloke, drinking a beer and rolling his own smokes. He looked so familiar to me, but for the life of me, I couldn't put a name to the face, and I do have a bloody good memory! So, thinking I must have worked with him on one of the 35+ mine sites I have worked on, I began to go through them all, alphabetically, in my mind. It was no good, I came up empty each time. By then, I was tossing up whether to just go over and ask him where we had met, when he got up and left. He had to walk past me as he went out of the beer garden and that's when I realised I had never worked with him. I had been sitting across from Matt Taylor! To my mind, a dead set Aussie legend!
Matt's music influenced my life profoundly from puberty to present day. I'll never forget the first time I heard him sing..."Grab a snatch and hold it"...I'm due for parole in six months. Thanks Matt.
The great period '78-82 in Australian live band music could see three bands playing in the suburbs of sydney...30 km out of the heart of Sydnet you could see icehouse 3rd on the bill...the strength made Australian bands so tight after 100's of gigs...Eventually management groups came in and demanded more money on the door and the pub owners went back to the disco format....or eventually one singer with a sound system and pre recorded backing. The gig was up.
The lovely Matthew Taylor - authentic Aussie blues singer. Unique voice, loves telling a story, can entertain a crowd of thousands, young and old, or a few drunken old musos in John Lemin's backyard. An icon and a true blue good bloke.
Well, I remember when I was young The Beatles turned me on, I really blew my mind And we'd carry Jack and Pam We'd go and watch a band and have a real good time Then I heard the blackman's blues They really blew a fuse inside my head So with some friends we made a stand
great story telling in nearly every song. his albums after chain in 70's are fantastic. real legend
My two Matt Taylor stories:
1 ) Sitting in my flat in West Footscray in the early 70's, wondering how I was going to pay the rent after my flatmate had bolted while I was at work. I had the radio tuned into 3XY and they had Matt in the studio to do a couple of his songs. Matt, obviously stoned to the stars, ended his set by doing the Surfaris song, Surfer Joe! Too weird but also too funny!
2 ) Sitting in the beer garden of the Principal Bar and Restaurant, in Midland, WA, waiting for some friends. At the next table over was a bloke, drinking a beer and rolling his own smokes. He looked so familiar to me, but for the life of me, I couldn't put a name to the face, and I do have a bloody good memory!
So, thinking I must have worked with him on one of the 35+ mine sites I have worked on, I began to go through them all, alphabetically, in my mind.
It was no good, I came up empty each time. By then, I was tossing up whether to just go over and ask him where we had met, when he got up and left. He had to walk past me as he went out of the beer garden and that's when I realised I had never worked with him. I had been sitting across from Matt Taylor!
To my mind, a dead set Aussie legend!
Great stories - thanks for that
Matt's music influenced my life profoundly from puberty to present day. I'll never forget the first time I heard him sing..."Grab a snatch and hold it"...I'm due for parole in six months. Thanks Matt.
Totally agree with Matt - Countdown and radio stuffed Aus music in the 70's and 80's
The great period '78-82 in Australian live band music could see three bands playing in the suburbs of sydney...30 km out of the heart of Sydnet you could see icehouse 3rd on the bill...the strength made Australian bands so tight after 100's of gigs...Eventually management groups came in and demanded more money on the door and the pub owners went back to the disco format....or eventually one singer with a sound system and pre recorded backing.
The gig was up.
The lovely Matthew Taylor - authentic Aussie blues singer. Unique voice, loves telling a story, can entertain a crowd of thousands, young and old, or a few drunken old musos in John Lemin's backyard. An icon and a true blue good bloke.
Well, I remember when I was young
The Beatles turned me on, I really blew my mind
And we'd carry Jack and Pam
We'd go and watch a band and have a real good time
Then I heard the blackman's blues
They really blew a fuse inside my head
So with some friends we made a stand
Xxx
Chain was deep real blues.
LOVE ME DO