We are proud to continue the LIFESTYLE’s Feature series with Taylor Mann. Taylor has been an active creator- producing and writing music throughout Washington State and Madrid Spain. In Madrid he continues to perform throughout the city in various neighborhoods at venues such as Triskel Tavern, El Hombre Moderno, and more. As Fala Gringo, he released a self produced EP of original tunes this summer. Check the interview below for his unique perspective on Reflection and Response and links to his tracks Hole and The Bad Seed.
Leading off with some basics, where are you from? And where are you at?
TM: I’m from Seattle by way of Camano Island, Washington, a little rural island about an hour to the north of the city. It’s beautiful and quiet and everyone knows each other. It is a pretty typical American small-town sort of place in that guns, country music, church and high school football rule the day, but I enjoy roughly 50% of those things so it’s not so bad. I moved to Seattle at 18 to attend UW and have become depressingly urban, with soft hands and tendencies toward snobbery. Instead of going to law school, I moved to Madrid where I spent the last year working as an English teaching assistant. I like Madrid and I don’t know when I’ll leave (although I wrote this as I was visiting my home island, sitting in my parents’ house and realizing that my natural habitat is being surrounded by water and pine trees).
What does Reflection and Response mean to you?
TM: It’s often hard to really absorb many of our experiences while they’re happening beyond that which is visceral and immediate. You could define reflection as a post-game breakdown of sorts, or like that part at the end of a political speech where men and women in suits argue about what it all means. I think the things that have happened to me that were the worst in the moment have provided the most interesting fodder for reflection. Response would probably be what your reflection leads you to do.
How does your music fit in with that definition?
TM: I suppose my songs are usually me trying to work through something, so they let me sort of look at what I’ve been thinking when I’m not in the moment. I don’t really know whether that’s reflecting or responding.
What else have you been working on recently? What are you looking to work on next?
TM: This summer I self-recorded an EP called The Swoon EP with the help of my friend Alex Madden who played most of the drums and percussion and the bass on Strange Physics. I’m calling myself Fala Gringo because it sounds more interesting than my name. The album is made up of 5 of the songs I wrote over the last year I spent in Madrid and you can download it for free at http://falagringo.bandcamp.com/ if you want. I’ve been recording myself since high school, but this is the first cohesive group of songs I’ve ever put out as a complete work. I’m back in Madrid and writing songs again, but I’m also beginning the planning for a second EP with at least 5 more of last year’s songs. I hauled over all the relevant gear in my suitcase so I can set up a recording room in my piso here. I’m also going to be helping my friend Sam with some electronic based songs he’s made which is something I’m really excited about.
Who or what inspires you?
TM: Hard-core drugs, mostly.
Is there anything else you would like the Collective to know?
TM: I don’t actually do hard-core drugs.
Shout out to…?
TM: The Soup House. RIP.
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The Bad Seed:
Holes:
Reflection and Response.
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