Neil recently contacted BigChair85 and sent some recent picture's
If you have the video "In My Minds Eye" or "Going To California" or "Live At Knebworth" You can see Neil in action!
Here are our Questions and Neil's Answers:
Subj: Neil Taylor talks to BigChair85
Date: 5/29/2002 12:38:48 PM Central Standard Time
From: Neil
To: BigChair85
What age did you first learn to play guitar?
13
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How did you meet Curt and what year?
1981,When I joined Neon who Curt was playing bass for Neon (who went on to become Naked Eyes with the hit "Always Something There To Remind Me.")
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How did you meet Roland and what year?
1981,He was a friend of Curts. When I left Neon Roland took my place playing Guitar.
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Who invited you to join TFF?
Curt and Manny Elias who played drums for Neon and later TFF.
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How many live performance did you do while performing with TFF?
Altogether about 120.
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What was it like in the recording studio?
It was normally a very slow process but it was good because there was no pressure.
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Did you appear in the "In My Minds Eye "Video?
Yes.
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Did you tour with TFF during the Hurting period?
No.(Just after to promote "The Way You Are" single.)
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You appeared in the video "Live From Santa Barbara California" tell us a little bit about that performance.
It was one of the best performances ,some of the shots were taken from the Buloxi show because we went on late and it got
dark too soon.
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How many years were you with TFF?
From 1983-1990
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Did you perform at the Knebworth Concert where TFF was rained on? Tell us about that experience.
Yes I did we were the first band on it was great because in the UK it always rains it made the crowd more excited.!!
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What City was your last appearance with TFF, and the year of that performance.
Knebworth 1990.
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When was the last time you spoke with Curt or Roland?
I spoke to Curt two years ago and Roland eight years ago
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What was it like working with TFF?
At the time they were the best band around,their music was very inspiring it was great to be a part of the band
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Do you sing on any of the TFF songs? if so what ones?
" In My Minds Eye " video I sang vocals on Pale Shelter live.
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What make of guitar and amps did you use while touring with TFF?
Messa boogie mk 3, guitar Fender strat.
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What projects are you currently working on?
I worked on Natalie Imbruglia's new album,then was asked to play live with her.At the moment I am touring with her.Also I'm working with Robbie Williams and Char a Japanese guitar player with Jimmy Copley.When I have the time I am working on my solo album I have five tracks finished so far.
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What equipment do you use in your current work?
I use a Marshall DSL 2000 head and a 4 by 12 speaker cabinet ,Hughes and Ketner head and a 4 by 12 cabinet . For guitars I use a Gibson Gold top ,Fender strat ,Gibson SG and a ESP Telecaster.
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You mentioned Jimmy, are you good friends?
Besides TFF, have you worked with Jimmy in any other bands?
If so, what bands?
Yes we are good friends we've worked on various projects together :the Dogwood album (Toothpick's Pillow) Char , Chris De Burgh album(This Way Up) .We have some insturmental music we hope to make into an album.Jim is currently working with Tony Iomi from Black Sabbath,Jeff Beck, Char & The Pretenders.
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Neil please let the TFF fans know all about the guitar solo in "everybody Wants To Rule The World" who wrote the solo, what was your input into it? Please go into detail.
When I arrived at Ian Stanley's studio they already had a guitar sound because Roland had been trying to do a solo. He eventually gave up and said lets get Neil up here to do it. They told me the song was in D major. As far as I can remember they just had the main groove but knew they wanted a guitar solo at the end. I composed the guitar solo, it was finished within two takes, it was the first half of the first take and the second half of the second take. If you listen carefully to the fade out, you can here where the solo falls apart! They seemed to like the bum note and kept it in! The guitar sound was a gordan smith guitar and a jazz chorus amplifier.
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TFF fans are eager to learn all they can about TFF, please add anything else that you experienced while touring and performing with TFF, please add as much as you can remember, I know it was a while ago.
After playing on the big chair album, I was asked to do the 1985 world tour. Unfortunately I had just signed my own record deal , the company wouldn't release me! TFF pleaded with me to do the tour many times! But I was in a studio working on my own album. Even half way through the TFF tour when they changed the guitarist they still asked me to join them, but still I was committed to my own project. I must say to this day it is my one regret of my musical career!
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What are your plans for the future?
To carry on playing Guitar and make a living from the thing I enjoy the most, to finish my solo album and to write and produce other artists.
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Are you currently performing? If so with who?
I am working with Natalie Imbruglia, Robbie Williams, going to Japan to work with Japanese guitarist Char
Neil Taylor Appears on these Albums
A1- A List (2000) Guitar
Oleta Adams-Circle Of One (1990) Guitar
The Beloved- Conscience (1993) Guitar
Naimee Coleman- Bring Down The Moon (2001) Guitar
Chris de Burgh- This Way Up (1994) Guitar
Chris de Burgh - Quiet Revolution (1999) Guitar
Easterhouse- Waiting For The Redbird (1989) Guitar
Hugh Fraser- In The Mean Time (1997) Photography
Natalie Imbruglia- White Lilies Island (2001) Guitar
Howard Jones- In The Running (1992) Guitar
Glenn Kaiser- All My Days (1993) Arranger
Mesh- Fragile (1999)
Kylie Minogue- Light Years UK(2000) Guitar
Kylie Minogue- Light Years (Bonus Hong Kong VCD) (2001) Drum Programming
Kylie Minogue- Light Years Australia (2001) Guitar
Morrissey- Interesting Drug CD (1989) Guitar
Morrissey- Last Of The Famous International (1989) Guitar
Jimmy Nail - Tadpoles In A Jar (2000) Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
New Regime- New Regime Percussion, Drums
Heather Nova- Siren (1998) Guitar
Heather Nova - Siren (Japan) (1998) Guitar
Martin Page- In The House Of Stone And Light (1994) Guitar, Ebo
Propaganda- 1234 (1990) Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
Propaganda- Propaganda (1998) Guitar
Red Box - Circle And The Square (1986) Guitar (Electric)
Skold- Skold (1996) Drums
Curt Smith- Soul On Board (1993) Guitar, Vocals (bckgr)
So- Horseshoe In The Glove(1987) Guitar
Tears for Fears- Songs From The Big Chair(1985) Guitar
Tears for Fears- Seeds Of Love(1989) Guitar
Tears For Fears- Songs From The Big Chair UK Bonus (1999) Guitar
Tears For Fears - Seeds Of Love UK Bonus Tracks (1999) Guitar
Tears for Fears- Shout- The Very Best Of Tears For Fears (2001) Guitar
Tina Turner- Foreign Affair (1989) Guitar, Slide Guitar
Tina Turner- Simply The Best (1991) Guitar, Slide Guitar
Tina Turner - Simply The Best Bonus CD (1999) Guitar, Slide Guitar
Nan Vernon- Manta Ray(1995) Guitar
Robbie Williams- Sing When You're Winning (2000) Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Robbie Williams- Sing When You're Winning (Canada) (2001) Guitar (Electric)
Original Soundtrack- Bridget Jone's Diary (2001) Guitar (Electric)
Knebworth/Tears For Fears(1990) Guitar
Peter Gabriel
Van Morrisson
Neil's Music is available on the Internet- "Toothpick’s Pillow" by Dogwood, a collaboration with renowned drummer Jimmy Copley. It is available by going to www.peoplesound.com and typing in Dogwood.
Want to know more?
Click on Neil to visit Neil Taylors Offical Web Site
INTERVIEW WITH NEIL TAYLOR
We wanted to know more about Neil so we sent him some questions about his experience with Tears For Fears
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