Taylor Mills

[donald]

As I sit and listen to BWPS and LOS, I am once again appreciating Taylor's contribution to the band, both on record and in concert.  She was not with the band when I saw them in Virginia at the outset of this summer's North American Tour.  I understand she was also absent from  subsequent concerts.  Is she really gone for good?  Are there any reports of why she left?  Has she appeared with them at any point in this tour?  Date of her last show with the band?   She had become such an integral part of the sound and the stage presence that it is odd that she would just simply disappear.   Is she touring her own albums?   Raising a family?  Singing with another band?   Was there conflict with Brian's organization?  If this has all been covered somewhere on the board, I have missed it.

[Jason]

As far as I'm aware she hasn't been sacked, but I'd watch the Brian camp a little more closely. Keep in mind, they rather poorly kept the Jim/Bob situation secret.

[37!ws]

Really, am I alone in feeling that she didn't really add anything except eye candy?? I've been to two Brian concerts since June, and not once did I think "Oh, yeah....this is where Taylor would have come in...." Don't get me wrong, she's an excellent singer, but I don't think she musically contributed much at all...just the call-and-response from "I Wanna Be Around," the "Marcella" intro, tipping over a little toy that makes a "baa-a-a-a-a-a-a" sound, clinking a triangle once, and maybe belting out some background vocals on "Your Imagination."

Odd that she would disappear? Nothing new...Andy Paley, Mike D'Amico (twice), Darian once or twice (although it was pretty well-known why), Todd Sucherman, Steve Dahl, Jim Peterik, the "Tasty Brothers" (seriously, where on earth does that name come from??? I Googled that once and, well..did NOT get Bob and Jim! Wonder if Jeff just made that up or if it was an inside joke...)....mostly gone with little to know explanation, or with some kind of implicit understanding if you could put two and two together and get something close to 4....

BTW, wasn't she pregnant some time ago??? I'm sure that might have something to do with it, especially if Todd's on the road with Styx....

And the reason Jim and Bob going was secret? Because they FLAT OUT MENTIONED IT. It was no secret, ever. Hell, Melinda talked about it on the Bluebird a lot at the time. When the band played in Chicago in 2008, Jeff or somebody else in the band said that Jimmy was in the audience....

[Mikie]

Taylor Mills doesn't even have to sing.  Just having her stand there and smile is good enough for me.

She said recently on her web site/blog that she would be re-joining the band soon. "Soon" isn't soon enough. They need her in the vocal blend and they need her wonderful stage presence. I'm sure she's missed by many.

[donald]

I disagree that Taylor was no more than eye candy.    I miss her as a key part of the harmony.   But to each his own.

What is the story on Jim and Bob?   I missed that one too.

[37!ws]

They simply quit. I know Bob was playing bass in the house band for the Chicago performances of Jersey Boys. Don't know about Jimmy...

[Andrew G. Doe]

They simply quit.

No, they didn't. Nothing simple about it.

[donald]

OK AGD.  What was it?  (pm if not appropriate for public consumption)

[37!ws]

Agreed on the PM, considering how Melinda denied up and down that they were fired and "we loved them."

[Mikie]

Jim and Bob got the shaft.

[TdHabib]

Well, Taylor doubled a fair amount of Jeff's parts, so that is missing in the blend. She also had some parts specifically suited to her, especially on TLOS where she has a few moments of her own ("Good Kind of Love" and "Southern California" spring to mind) and she did the highest "have you seen the grand cooley" on "Cabinessence," so I miss her musical contributions, even if they weren't directly heard, or if her visual element (as a straight man) was more evident.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Well, Taylor doubled a fair amount of Jeff's parts, so that is missing in the blend. She also had some parts specifically suited to her, especially on TLOS where she has a few moments of her own ("Good Kind of Love" and "Southern California" spring to mind) and she did the highest "have you seen the grand cooley" on "Cabinessence," so I miss her musical contributions, even if they weren't directly heard, or if her visual element (as a straight man) was more evident.

Taylor as a straight man. Nope, can't see that one...

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I still think Brian needs to give his band lead vocal spots!

Imagine Taylor doing Surf's Up, for example??? 

This way, he could give his voice a rest and really work himself up for a good showcase or two or three or four each show.

Establishing his band as vocal personalities (like he did with The Beach Boys) would give the whole thing more character and then if Brian ever retires, his band would be the logical personnel to keep the show on the road, so to speak.

[SMiLE Brian]

Could somebody PM me the reason they got fired as well? If not, i will understand with me being a relative newbie (since April) on these boards.

[TdHabib]

Well, Taylor doubled a fair amount of Jeff's parts, so that is missing in the blend. She also had some parts specifically suited to her, especially on TLOS where she has a few moments of her own ("Good Kind of Love" and "Southern California" spring to mind) and she did the highest "have you seen the grand cooley" on "Cabinessence," so I miss her musical contributions, even if they weren't directly heard, or if her visual element (as a straight man) was more evident.

Taylor as a straight man. Nope, can't see that one...

Ahem, pardon me, what I meant was thus "even if her visual element (to a straight man) was more evident." Sorry for the confusion Andrew. 

[Amy B.]

Don't get me wrong, she's an excellent singer, but I don't think she musically contributed much at all...just the call-and-response from "I Wanna Be Around," the "Marcella" intro, tipping over a little toy that makes a "baa-a-a-a-a-a-a" sound, clinking a triangle once, and maybe belting out some background vocals on "Your Imagination."

She was all over the harmonies and backing parts, and being an excellent singer...well, she's a backup singer, so she was doing her job well. I thought there was something missing last time I saw a Brian show. She really does add to the blend, whereas if some (not all) of the others in the band stopped singing, you might not notice. I was never clear on why Jim and Bob left either--except that on this board people hinted at the time that it was not their decision. From Taylor's messages, it sounds like she left voluntarily and planned to come back. I thought at the time she might be pregnant or trying to get pregnant. I thought that was more likely than something musical, since she said it was for "personal reasons." Plus, she didn't even stop touring with Brian to promote her solo albums, so this had to be something else.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Well, Taylor doubled a fair amount of Jeff's parts, so that is missing in the blend. She also had some parts specifically suited to her, especially on TLOS where she has a few moments of her own ("Good Kind of Love" and "Southern California" spring to mind) and she did the highest "have you seen the grand cooley" on "Cabinessence," so I miss her musical contributions, even if they weren't directly heard, or if her visual element (as a straight man) was more evident.

Taylor as a straight man. Nope, can't see that one...

Ahem, pardon me, what I meant was thus "even if her visual element (to a straight man) was more evident." Sorry for the confusion Andrew. 

Anyone with an avatar like yours gets a free pass. 

[TdHabib]

Aha really, never knew you were a Gabriel-era Genesis fan! I was hooked since "Supper's Ready" years and years ago.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Aha really, never knew you were a Gabriel-era Genesis fan! I was hooked since "Supper's Ready" years and years ago.

They used to rehearse in The Maltings in my home town in 1969. Rutherford's parents lived here. Charterhouse isn't that far away.

[37!ws]

Could somebody PM me the reason they got fired as well? If not, i will understand with me being a relative newbie (since April) on these boards.

Well....AGD didn't explicitly say they got fired; he just said "No they didn't" to my post that "they simply quit" -- which to me implies that there's still the possibility that they QUIT, but it wasn't a "simple" quit.

[TdHabib]

Aha really, never knew you were a Gabriel-era Genesis fan! I was hooked since "Supper's Ready" years and years ago.

They used to rehearse in The Maltings in my home town in 1969. Rutherford's parents lived here. Charterhouse isn't that far away.

Fascinating stuff, I wish I lived in England sometimes. Great group.

[37!ws]

Oh, btw...I should mention that while I don't think Taylor added much to the mix (btw, I MUCH prefer her on "Good Kind Of Love" over Carole King, who sounded just too screechy), that does NOT mean that I'm happy that she hasn't been with the band; just that I don't really notice the difference...again, I've heard some of her music and she's absolutely talented by all means...

[SMiLE Brian]

Could somebody PM me the reason they got fired as well? If not, i will understand with me being a relative newbie (since April) on these boards.

Well....AGD didn't explicitly say they got fired; he just said "No they didn't" to my post that "they simply quit" -- which to me implies that there's still the possibility that they QUIT, but it wasn't a "simple" quit.

I got the whole story from AGD, so its all good.

[Jim McShane]

Oh, btw...I should mention that while I don't think Taylor added much to the mix (btw, I MUCH prefer her on "Good Kind Of Love" over Carole King, who sounded just too screechy), that does NOT mean that I'm happy that she hasn't been with the band; just that I don't really notice the difference...again, I've heard some of her music and she's absolutely talented by all means...

I agree on Good Kind Of Love, and I completely disagree as far as her not being an important part of the mix. Listening to the CD of BWRG it's impossible not to hear her contribution. She sweetens the top harmony very nicely, and eases the load on Jeff (who I AND OTHERS reported was off key - sharp - at a couple recent shows, he was really working hard to project and that may be why he wasn't up to his normal standards). She has a big role in TLOS and BWPS, and I wonder if her absence wasn't what was missing in St. Charles.

Sure she's great to look at, she has a lot of stage presence too. But I hear her all over the place on the recordings and from prior live shows. If she doesn't return I think they need to find a replacement. I think they miss her a lot.

Remember, even Brian said back in the real early days of his band how much she added - he mentioned sweetness and "rounding" of the chords specifically.

[Jim McShane]

Nothing new...Andy Paley, Mike D'Amico (twice),

I thought it was well known that he (Mike) had to stay home for a while with his kids. That was not a secret.

the "Tasty Brothers" (seriously, where on earth does that name come from???

That's the name of a Chicago based trio they play with. Look here for more info:

http://www.luckykraig.com/livemusic.htm

BTW, wasn't she pregnant some time ago??? I'm sure that might have something to do with it, especially if Todd's on the road with Styx....

This is the first I've heard of that, I'm not aware of that being the case. It's pretty much none of my business either.

And the reason Jim and Bob going was secret? Because they FLAT OUT MENTIONED IT. It was no secret, ever. Hell, Melinda talked about it on the Bluebird a lot at the time. When the band played in Chicago in 2008, Jeff or somebody else in the band said that Jimmy was in the audience....

Scott Bennett gave a shout out to Jim at the TLOS show in Chicago in '08.  IMHO they were very fortunate to get Mike D'Amico back to play drums, because Jim Hines was one HELL of a drummer. I have nothing against Brett Simons - and he seems to be an excellent player - but so was Bob Lizik, and he and Jim were important parts of the chemistry. While capable players took their positions it just doesn't feel the same without them. With no Taylor it feels even worse.