JULIAN SHAH TAYLER – The Singularity of Post-punk
1. You have a new release, ‘The Torment Suite’ EP. Which was the influence to compose and record it?
The whole thing was conceived as a “socially distanced” affair and is written and informed by being separated from the ones we love both by COVID and by brute distance. The torment of separation is both sweet and tragic. A “Suite” in musical context is traditionally a series of danceable pieces for chamber orchestra, I believe, so I tried to combine stately and uptempo for this context. (Plus the “All Good Soldiers” song has 3 distinct “movements” in a pretentious attempt at some form of legitimate experimentation……..
2. You have some notable musicians participating in this release, could you please give us the details?
Yes, I have first of all the Legendary David J (Bauhaus and Love And Rockets) on bass, whose friendship I value very highly, and I always enjoy collaborating with him. His learnedness, his effortless cool and enormous yet understated charisma imbue everything he touches with legitimacy and excellence. Secondly, MGT (The Mission UK/Tricky/The Wonderstuff) did an absolute number on my song “Beautiful World” on guitars and drums/production. He is absolutely quality through and through. Powerful and nuanced in every way. Can’t say enough great things about the man. Also, the “Eyes of Orion” track is actually a remix of Weird Wolves, with Ava Gore on vocals and Raphael Colantonio who sings and wrote the song. I took it somewhere far away from where it began, as I always do with my “remixes” I subsequently did them another remix after winning their remix competition. Ava Gore has such a GREAT voice and looks like a little goth-adjacent model! Raf is just a legend in the Gaming world too, so it’s cheers all around to them.Finally, my great friend from York, England: John Leach did a magnificent job on his remix of Beautiful World. Using only an ipad apparently. He is a legend in my home town, and a brilliant human The artwork is a picture of the exquisite Eva Strangelove (collaborator and Muse) and was prepared by the inestimable Mark Gleason.
3. What do you mean through the following statement about the album? “Touching through music, through screens and everything we have while separated from the REAL”. Do you feel that technology has affected your creativity as a musician?
I have learned as have many of us, I feel that we must stay in contact with our people by any means necessary and that is “Zoom”, “Facetime” and social media at the moment while we are not much able to meet IRL. It has not affected me massively as a musician as most of my work is done at home on my own in the dark! Although it has certainly buckled me down to learn new mixing techniques as there’s been so little touring (my main income source pre-pandemic).
4. “Eyes Of Orion’ track is your remake of a song by Weird Wolves. What were the new elements in terms of arrangement that you did add to the song?
The only thing that stayed were the vocal tracks. the key is different, the arrangement is completely new. Total revamp.
5. The “Beautiful World remix” is a groovy track with background beats and a dance atmosphere. Have you ever thought of using remixes from other tracks to enter the mainstream dance scene?
I would LOVE to get other remixers to come and put me there. I used to be part of a big “electroclash” band called Whitey and I love the dance music scene and context. I try my own stab at that, but I am too informed by Rock context to come out with anything mainstream sounding. One of my favourite albums is “Screamadelica” by Primal Scream which was essentially a remix album by the concurrent crop of house and electro DJs. It propelled the band to the stratosphere ( in the UK at least).
6. Your project The Singularity saw considerable success with TV and film licenses. How different is to compose song for a film than for your personal album?
Most of my licenses were for already extant songs/pieces of music, but the ones composed “to order” are just ones that are informed by the wishes of the client. Mostly I already have something that can be adapted (I have over 400+ pieces of music recorded).
7. You have also recorded a unreleased album with Joaquin Phoenix and Antony Langdon (Spacehog). Would you like to talk about it?
There’s not much to say except that neither Joaquin or Antony have talked about it since we recorded (over 10 years ago) so it seems like the great lost project!
8. What about your next plans in music?
I’m planning a release every month going forward, a greatest hits compilation (to remind people of my history) and an all new stage show which combines the songs with visuals and the dance (featuring Eva) which is in the planning stage, but it will take the form of a narrative with seamless stage presentation. (props and all)
9. How do you adjust yourself to the digital music industry?
I haven’t. I have all the https://open.spotify.com/artist/1vhNv7y2kxwcjbIf2f4CXX?si=7ZdKZt_ERUOHZj7WY9YVOA and thesingularitymusic.bandcamp.com stuff, but trying to make it work as a paying profession is difficult. I have found my acoustic and electronic livestreams to be a lifesaver, as it has at least an iota of connection with my #singularpeople.
Bandcamp https://thesingularitymusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-torment-suite
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/5mB0nUHmy4yVLpbKjFqxhs
Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-torment-suite-ep/1537470044
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/thesingularitymusic/sets/the-torment-suite
Keep up with Julian Shah-Tayler (The Singularity)
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*Interview main photo by Brian Ziff
