Wednesday, August 1, 2018

DJ's Spotlight: An Interview with Taking Names

Hello everyone DJ Dizzy here & its time for another interview this time with a band by the name of Taking Names as they discuss their rise in the music world. So pull up a chair & enjoy!


How'd you get started in music?


I have been playing guitar on and off for 50 years. But I also play keyboard. I can't compose anything on guitar, but on keyboard, it seems to happen naturally and spontaneously. I never really started composing until last year. We are a husband-wife duet. I compose the music, she writes the lyrics and does the vocals.


Who are you're biggest influences & inspirations?


When we were much younger, we were influenced by The Beatles, Elton, and Paul Williams. But over the past few years, my main influence has been Sia Furler. She's an amazing composer. 1000 Forms Of Fear and This Is Acting awakened something in me, and made we want to start composing.


How would you say music has impacted your life?


When I was a child, Roy Orbison's song Pretty Woman totally captivated me. In fact, that style of heavy guitar plucking is reflected in what I would call our "signature sound". Later on, it was all about the Beatles, then Elton. I wanted to emulate them. For my wife, it was Paul Williams. She is what I would call a lyrical listener. Her head is like an encyclopedia of song lyrics, she never forgets anything.


Any advice for any aspiring performers?


We never listen to other aspiring artists. We don't want to be influenced by what others do, or even worse, make comparisons to what others do. Be yourself, and express that through your music. Let your audience find you, the ones who resonate with you. Those will become your fans. Don't try too hard to push yourself on the public, it's not worth the effort, and it won't pan out the way you hoped it would. We don't hype ourselves, that's not our style.


Any new gigs or albums?


We have about a half dozen songs completed, and we would like to release an LP before the end of the year. As a duet, we perform all the instruments and vocals, so of course everything is multi-tracked. We don't have a band, and we don't do live shows. I doubt we ever will. I've never been in a band.

Our main goal is be composers, and hopefully someday we would like to license our music for others to perform. We would also like to do sync licensing for film scores or even commercials. Harry Nilsson was a great composer, but never played a concert in his life. It's all about the joy of composing music.


I wish them nothing but luck in their work & career! So until then be righteous & I'll catch you on the flipside!

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