Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor

Subject: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: rogerontheoldtraps
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 01:50 PM

I'm interested in meeting other fans of Chip Taylor. I suspect that several visitors to this site will be familiar with Chip's music. I will check this thread often to see who posts. Cheers!--rogerontheoldtraps from Abilene, Texas, USA

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: scouse
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 03:44 PM

The bugger brought the place down at the Tonder Festival in Denmark this year, with, I might add "The Quote of the Festival." (Hope I got it Right.."I'd like to sing a little song I wrote, way back in '63"... And then launched into"Wild Thing." Well the place went Ballistic..It was a sing around with other guys like Bruce Guthrie and Dougie McClean.. It's the second time I've seen him at the Festival.. He's a Gas.. As Aye, Phil

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 04:10 PM

John Voight's brother too - and a heck of a songwriter. He plays around here about once a year.

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: fat B****rd
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 04:15 PM

I saw him on a singer/songwriter programme and he got Jimmy Webb to play "Wild Thing"

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 08:48 PM

The only songs that I know of his are Wild Thing and Angel of The Morning. I heard him interviewed once, apparently he wrote Wild Thing in a cab on the way to the Studio. The Trogs were there, he got a call saying that they needed a song and for him to get over there. He said the riff came to him just before the cab got to the studio.

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: rogerontheoldtraps
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 09:42 PM

Actually, I believe Taylor originally wrote Wild Thing for Jordan Christofer & the Wild Ones, a band from NYC. The Troggs didn't get the song until sometime later, but they did make it a worldwide #1 hit. I've got to say, being new to this music forum, I decided to throw out Chip Taylor's name to see what response it got. I'm very impressed by the response, thus far.

To anyone who has yet to hear Taylor's music since he returned to writing, recording and performing, you *must* hear the songs he is producing! I've long been a fan of singer/songwriters such as John Prine, Paul Brady, Guy Clark, Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Noel Brazil, and others. In a very short time, Chip Taylor has become my favorite songwriter of all time. In my humble opinion, which I prefer (smile), there simply is not another songwriter that is writing on a par with Taylor.

If you're interested in a place to start, allow me to recommend his last *solo* CD, Black & Blue America. There simply is not one song on that CD that does not reflect pure songwriting genius. Also, each four of the CDs Taylor has recorded with singer/fiddler Carrie Rodriguez is a pure joy throughout.

Before unlocking the overlooked vocal talents of Ms. Rodriguez, Taylor had written and recorded a number of brilliant duets with Lucinda Williams. With all due respect to her considerable songwriting skills, I still maintain that Ms. Williams never sounded better than she does when singing one of Taylor's songs, my favorite example being the song Could I Live With This.

It is a little known fact that Taylor is credited with discovering 'Sweet Baby' James Taylor (no relation), producing his very first album, The Original Flying Maching, back in 1967. That album reportedly caught the attention of Paul McCartney and the rest, as they say, is history.

I'm glad to have found this forum and I will be checking in regularly and contributing from time to time.

Cheers,
Roger-on-the-old-traps

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: bobad
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 10:12 PM

Welcome to mudcat Roger and would you care to elucidate on yer moniker?

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: Splott Man
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 10:08 AM

Big fans here in Wales. Pat & I have 2 of his songs in our set and we're working on a couple more.

Splott man

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: GUEST,rogerontheoldtraps
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 11:52 AM

Thanks for the welcome, bobad. As for my moniker, rogerontheoldtraps, I am the drummer for a local band called Slim Chance & the Survivors, here in Abilene, Texas. During a visit to Abilene, Chip Taylor sat in with us on a gig. The next day, he played for us a song he had written about our band. When he released his next CD, a double CD entitled The London Sessions, we were delighted that he had seen fit to include "our" song, which he had entitled "Lefty Frizzell." Our bandleader, Slim Chance, if you will, is a fellow named Lane Frizzell who is related to the country music icon. In the song, Chip named the members of the Survivors, and he referred to me as "Roger on the old traps." That's my story and I'm sticking to it (smile), and thanks for asking, bobad.

Has anyone listened to a beautiful song Chip wrote called "Oh Ireland?" Makes me wish I could visit there!

All the best,
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: Beer
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 09:05 PM

To follow up on Bobad, Welcome in. Your a refreshing person to listen to. I met Bobad and his wife a month back and they are great people. They were the first Mudcatters I've met. Next month I will be housing for a night Mrs Duck, Geoff Duck and their ducklings. All coming in from England on a Canadian tour. The reason I say this is that get ready, you never know what the future will bring.

For a time I had been watching Austin City Limits and I must say that a lot of my favorite singer/song writers come Texas. Or I think they do. Such as Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clarke, Nancy Griffith, Jimmy Dale Gilmore and the lists goes on. What great talented folks. You have named a few persons on your thread that I am going to check out as soon as I finish this. Although I know the songs that you have mentioned by Chip Taylor, I have to admit that I'm not familar with his stuff. As well I have to look into Paul Brady and Noel Brazil. John Prine and Guy Clarke are my prime singing/songwriters that I try and imitate. Here is one for you. David Massengill
Beer from Quebec

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: Beer
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 09:29 PM

You got me...........I'm hooked. Finished listening to a few clips.
Beer

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: rogerontheoldtraps
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 11:41 PM

Hello, Beer, nice to meet you. Guy Clark sang a song with Chip on his Seven Days In May CD, a song titled One Hell Of A Guy. I love Guy's music. His Boats To Build CD is awesome. A friend of mine met Guy in a club in Austin right after Guy had released the original version of the song The Randall Knife. My friend found Mr. Clark to be so imposing a presence that it was not easy to think of something to say that wouldn't come out sounding stupid, but he tried anyway. He said, "Guy, The Randall Knife is such a great song! Is that a true story?" He said Guy just stood and looked at him for a moment, then deadpanned, "Son, you don't make up shit like that!" LOL!

I'll check out David Massingill.

rogerontheoldtraps
Abilene, Texas

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: Beer
Date: 17 Sep 05 - 10:02 PM

David Massengill c/d titled "The Return" has many great songs. Especially number one and ten. You could also check out Ray Materick, a great Canadian singing/writer but not very well known. Try his earlier stuff.
Beer

Subject: RE: Singer/songwriter Chip Taylor
From: GUEST,H. Holt
Date: 21 Sep 05 - 01:55 PM

Roger,

I too have been a huge Chip & Carrie fan. I've seen them here in Nashville twice and once in Houston. Wonderful collarboration. Great music.