THAD TAYLOR Thad Taylor currently plays with Reyshard, a Seattle R&B/pop artist. The Reyshard band’s debut gig was May 28th 2003 at Seattle’s Showbox Theatre. Thad played on two songs on Reyshard’s debut CD, and hopes his contributions to the project can help push it to the next level. He co-founded Tight, a rock trio that played the Seattle scene heavily between 2000-2002, including regular gigs at Seattle’s Experience Music Project. Tight bassist/singer Jason Naiden and Thad are putting that project aside temporarily to serve as the rhythm section for the Reyshard band. From 1998-2000, Thad was a member of Seattle's Grasshopper, an acoustic-based rock band. He can be heard on their Force of Nature and Garden of Delight CDs. He has been recognized by Modern Drummer magazine (July 2000) and DRUM magazine (April 2001 issue) as a drummer "on the move." He is available for gigging and recording, and he's always up for talking music and drums. Contact Thad at 360-668-2999 or thadtay@hotmail.com. Style: Spontaneous yet solid, disciplined when appropriate, dynamic, musical. My style is rooted in equal parts bombastic rock, syncopated funk, rollicking jazz/rock fluidity, and the ability to give songs the foundation and movement they need to flourish. I am interested in playing with the best players and writers! As time goes by, I believe I get better and better at creating the right part at the right time. Viewpoint: The bands I strive to emulate are those where each member was an integral, highly recognizable personality. The best drummers accentuate the emotion of a song. I also enjoy using a "hired gun" session approach where my talents make someone else's music come alive. Getting Started: At age 10, I heard Keith Moon on Who's Next - that got me going. I first saw Buddy Rich at age 12 and was completely mesmerized. I am influenced by a wide variety of music and players. Other drummers who have had a major impact on me include all the other old-school British rock greats (Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker, Clive Bunker, Barrimore Barlow, Bill Ward, Lee Kerslake, etc.); also Alex Van Halen, Simon Phillips, Tommy Aldridge, Phil Rudd, Dave Weckl, Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Nicko McBrain, Carter Beauford, Garey Williams, Stewart Copeland, Bill Kreutzmann/Mickey Hart, Neil Peart, etc. – the list goes on forever! Woodshedding: I pretty much wiped out an entire block of neighbors working through Stick Control, the Chapin jazz book, and more of those classics. I worked hard on a steady routine of listening, practicing, and playing. I also participated in concert snare drum work, percussion ensembles, etc. That stuff just makes you a better musician and is a lot of fun. Sound: I play with a live, wide open tuning and no or little muffling. As of June 2003, a Yamaha Oak Custom drum set is my main instrument. Wow - these drums have tremendous attack and resonance! I also continue to play my black Yamaha Recording Custom kit, which has bigger toms and that famous Yamaha birch tone. I love to experiment with snare drums in the studio to get the best feel and sound for the song. My snare collection features a 1969 Ludwig SupraPhonic, a Noble and Cooley Alloy Classic, and custom maple snare drum built by RJS Custom Percussion http://www.rjscustompercussion.com located in Cle Elum, WA. Other instruments include a 1983 Ludwig Classic drum set and RotoToms. My cymbal setup is based on Zildjian - I enjoy K.'s especially. I play Vic Firth sticks and a Drum Workshop double bass drum pedal. Also, I recommend Pork Pie drum thrones! Click here to see Thad's Equipment Set-up. Back