In our next Band Spotlight, we chat to electronic rock act, TAYNE.
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S] How important is the visual element of the band?
Very important.
When I started writing the album I felt it as coming from a very vulnerable place.
Also singing was something I had never done before so I knew I wanted to create a visual aesthetic that I could hide behind. I’m a big fan of the likes of Gazelle Twins and Fever Ray who also do amazing things with their appearance so all those types of bands are very relevant to me.
S] What inspires you, outside of music – think specific people and places?
Music aside, I’m actually a tattoo artist, I work in Evil from the Needle in Camden, it’s been there 32 years and it’s one of London’s oldest and best so I am honoured to be part of the team.
A lot of my friends in some shape or form are involved with art or make art for a living, whether it be tattooing, fashion, make up, performance, Film, music, photography, art basically anything creative output I find inspiring. I think I’m a very visually driven person so anything with an interesting context or aesthetic I’ll most likely be into.
S] How do you define success as an artist?
Interesting question. TAYNE started playing shows in 2017 and we have racked up a sizeable amount of shows (not to gloat). Before the year is out I think we will have played well over 100 shows, which is kinda nuts! So I guess that could be seen a success. But, I feel I would define my success right now as being comfortable and confident in pursuing playing music.
S] What are the biggest challenges you face at the moment?
I would say the biggest challenge would be getting the platform to reach people who like my music. This has been a DIY labour of love project from the start.
S] Can you talk us through the inspirations behind your debut album ‘Breathe’?
My music is very self-serving, when I started writing these songs I think I was subconsciously doing so in a very therapeutic approach. The only parameters I gave myself whilst writing this record was that I wanted it to feel “honest”. Usually, with other projects, there has always been a conversation of who we sound like or what the sound should be, that wasn’t really the case with TAYNE. 3/4 of the tracks on the record started off with a completely different sound to how they are on the record, I rewrote and reshaped things over and over until they felt “honest” to me. With that being the temperament I think the lyrical direction then came from the same place too.
They are all inward reflections and contexts, the only thing I felt I could be honest about whilst writing lyrics were my own feelings and emotions, hence it being so thematically heavy. It’s all reflections of my own anxieties, insecurities, fears, hopes and expectations and mental health.
TAYNE’s new album, ‘Breathe’ is out November 2 via Strange Brew.
