Name:
Andy Taylor (not of Duran Duran fame!)
Instrument:
Keys / Vocals
Gear:
Stage Gear
MacBook Pro with Logic Studio’s MainStage
This is a new addition to my stage gear in the form of my MacBook Pro and MainStage. MainStage is a brilliant application that comes as part of the Logic Studio collection from Apple. It means that I can develop more complex sounds and builds and that we can start working with more studio sounds in the live setting. I’ve been using Logic Pro (the Studio Recording Application) over the last year for recording down ideas and developing backing tracks for Gill and her team to use when doing Primary Assemblies and such, but for the past few times out gigging I’ve been using MainStage to ensure the sounds that you hear are the sounds that I have developed back at base.
Used in combination with the Alesis (as a Master Keyboard) and the Korg (also as a master Keyboard but with it’s own sounds too) I can produce a whole mix of sounds, and even – for smaller acoustic sets – make use of timed backing tracks to bring a fuller sound.
M-Audio Fast Track Ultra
This USB Audio/MIDI Interface is what I use for connecting the keyboards to the MacBook and ensuring the best sound reproduction back out from the software.
Alesis Fusion 8HD Audio Workstation
The Alesis is a wonderful instrument to use and play and is a bit of a serendipity in the way it came about. My car was broken into and the brick that went through my window was stopped by my unprotected Stage Piano (OWCH!), so a phone call to the insurance company and a bit of work with them meant that coupled with the insurance claim and a generous Christmas present that year meant I was able to get the Alesis. It’s a wonderful machine and can do many things, and is responsible for some rather strange sounds in the Rufus Material.
Korg M1 Synthesiser
This is my pride and joy! It’s a keyboard I have wanted to own for ages and when the chance came to purchase this one from the Blackburn Diocese (having been the only person to play it in the previous 7 or so years) I bought it and begged forgiveness from my bank later! I use the Korg M1 pretty much in it’s factory state, but with a few custom sounds in the on board memory and a few of the original Korg M1 ROM Cards to give, specifically, that drone sound in the break of “Stay”, one of the bands more recent tracks.
Pedals
I use a combination of Boss and Bespeco Pedals for the Sustain and effects changes on the keys and they’ve not let me down yet (so I guess I should prepare for the next gig now when they fail totally!). Ask anyone and they’ll tell you I’m a man of quality, and I believe this to be even more the case on stage where reliability is crucial. The one time I did buy a cheaper pedal set it let me down once in the middle of gig leaving no sustain action for the keys and occasional patch changes in the wrong place!
Off-Stage Gear
I own a few other keyboards from my time growing up learning my art, including an old Yamaha PSS-680, my first proper keyboard with MIDI Functions and everything (note to self to dig out an adaptor and see it is still works and maybe feature it in a Rufus Garside track) and my dads old Analogue Modelling Synthesiser, which really does produce whacky sounds (I always remember my dad using it to produce Star Wars sound effects when I was younger)
For editing of sound and the like I rely on my lovely little Abigail (or Apple MacBook – I once got asked what it’s name was and Abigail was the first thing that popped into my head so it’s kind of stuck) and use the Alesis own sound convertor along with standard tools (Cubase LE and Garageband) to edit down recordings where possible. I’m still yet to create and use my own full sample sound, and keep meaning to sample the good old proper piano in the dining room, but as yet I’ve not got round to it.
What is the strangest place you’ve played your instrument:
I would have to say recently, that would be the back of an lorry in the car park of a local youth and community centre where a church currently meets whilst their new building is being built (Melbourne Street in Oswaldtwistle for those who are thinking “WHERE?!”). Previous to that though, I once toured the Czech Republic with a Big Band and Choir and played the keys in an Open Air gig in the wonderful city of Prague, that wasn’t so much strange I suppose, but just a great experience.
I think the most obscure gig I’ve ever did was performing at the Birmingham Symphony Hall for Yamaha Music Schools, however, the performance was on an instrument I could barely play at the time, my guitar! It was a performance of the Winter Olympics Theme from the 1996 Games and I was asked if I would accompany the students who were performing the main part on guitar along with another guitarist. It’s the one and only time I’ve been on stage in front of around 2000 people and been able to do the cheesy rock ending of holding the guitar up with one hand above my head and waving to the crowd with the other (mirrored on either side of the stage my the other guitarist). It was quite something!
If you could be an animal for the day, what would it be and why?
Oooo, that’s an interesting question. What animal would I be? I guess the obvious one is a bird so I can have that sense of fredom (sorry, did someone else already answer that? teehee!)
Let me think, see, I’ve always been a water freak, so I guess it would be some kind of water based animal, a Dolphin or something, that would allow me to explore the ocean and just get about with that kind of ease. I mean, joking apart the whole bird thing would be quite amazing to be able to soar above the world and just look down on it and choose where you want to do, but there’s so much depth (excuse the pun) to the ocean and such a richness of life, that I think to be able to swim around covering numerous miles and exploring different aspects would be such a privilege.
Which sweet / chocolate would you use to describe yourself?
Hmmm, Galaxy Chocolate, smooth, rich and delicious? – what, why’s everyone laughing?
I can honestly say, that’s a question that I’ve never been asked before. I mean, I know it wouldn’t be a pear drop as they’re not my favourite of sweets. I suppose some kind of mint would be the best thing to describe me as I’m always told I seem to bring a breath of fresh air to situations, so as mint’s a good breath fresheners …
If they made a movie of your life, which actor would play you?
Another tough one, a movie of my life, I guess it depends on which stage of life I was at. College years, I was always referred to as being the Chandler of a situation, complete with all the bad jokes, so I guess Mathew Perry does that role quite well, but more later life, maybe Anthony Hopkins, well, when they find the bodies … erm .. actually .. can we edit that bit?! lol Mmmmm, Chianti.
What article of clothing most closely describes your personality?
A bra – I’m supportive by nature and in some situations, things just fall down without my assistance. HAHAHA!!!
Or a Fleece – I can start off a bit sheepish, but with a bit of refinement I can bring great warmth to any situation.
Have you ever been told you look like someone famous? If so, who?
HAHAHA! There is a funny story actually. I flew out to Singapore and Malaysia for a couple of weeks in December 2003 with a youth project I was involved in at the time, and whilst going through Paris Charles De Gaulle airport I was stopped by this quite frantic man, and the conversation went something like this:
Man: “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe it’s you?”
Me: “Huh? Sorry, I think you might have me confused for someone else.”
Man: “No, it’s you, you were in Love Actually. I saw it the other week”
Me: “No, I’m really sorry, I think you have me confused…”
Man: “Oh, I know you must get this a lot, but could I have your autograph”
Me: “Sorry mate, you really do have me confused with someone else”
Now I explained all this to the group I was travelling with and they laughed hysterically about it. Apparently, I look a bit like “the Porn Star” from it (John, played by Martin Freeman). So I guess, apparently, I look like Martin Freeman.