Interview with Deever lead singer Wil Taylor

Following their debut performance in Glasgow this month, we caught up with Deever frontman (former Inglorious guitarist) Wil Taylor to talk advice for new bands and plans for the future. And tattoos...

RC: How did you meet / get together as Deever?

Wil: Phil (bass) was an obvious choice. He's been one of my best mates for years. I used to live with him and I'm his daughter's Godfather. We've always made music together and he's always supported everything I've done, so I knew it was right to get him on board. 

Higgy (drums) we found through having lots of mutual friends. He had been playing and doing session work with a few different bands that I have friends in, so he came with some great testimonials! As soon as he walked into the audition and nailed Oblivion by The Winery Dogs, me and Phil gave the simultaneous nod of approval. 

Stevie was the last piece of the puzzle. He's well known around the North East as he's been kicking around the scene since he was a kid. He's a strong writer, guitarist, vocalist and performer which is exactly what we were looking for. We're extremely lucky to be so close (geographically) and have the same outlook, plan and work ethic as each other. All being from the North East definitely adds a much more home-grown feel to the band.

RC: Where did the name come from? 

Wil: I like one word names and ‘Deever’ phonetically obviously means something else which I'm sure most people will jump to. However, there are two definitions if you consult the urban dictionary….one is an unexpected or unwanted gift and two is 10lbs of shit in a bag that can only hold 5….(laughs) Both of these definitions can be interpreted in lots of ways,which I like. I'm aware given those we are essentially advertising as unwanted and a bag of shit - but we like that. Set the bar low so it's easier to impress! (Laughs)

RC: So is this new band, new direction musically?

Wil: Definitely. A new group of musicians and influences will always bring that.

RC: You seem to have a few new tatts and a bit of a gungier look over the past few months…

Wil: Yep and many more planned when I have the time! One of my school friends recently opened a tattoo shop in Bedale (One One Sixx) with some seriously great artists, so it was inevitable I'd end up with more.

As for the look of the band, it's not been staged or styled. It's what we are comfortable in and fortunately suits the sound we are creating. 

RC: Do you find this new venture allows you the freedom to do more of what you love? 

Wil: It definitely allows more freedom in all aspects. Every member of this band is on the same level. All decisions are made together and nothing is hidden so that allows everyone the freedom to love what they are doing.

RC: What are the immediate plans for new music and touring?

Wil: We’ve just done our first gig in Glasgow with Mason Hill and we've got a good chunk of tracks already down. We went to Parr Street and got together with Tony Draper, who I used on the second Inglorious album. He's an amazing engineer and also mixed the first single Fire at Will. We are continuously writing too so the initial plan of an EP may rapidly change to a full album. We shall see though as an album would take longer to release.

RC: How do you find it being the lead singer as opposed to the guitarist? Are you facing new challenges? 

Wil: I've sung in bands for years and I was relied upon heavily in the last band for my backing vocals, so singing and playing isn't a new thing for me. I'm still a guitarist at heart. The only difference now is physically I can't run around quite as much on stage as I'll be spending more time on a mic.

RC: What hurdles have you found yourselves having to cross as a new band trying to make it? Does social mediahave an effect? Are you utilising as many tools as possible?

Wil: We can and will face the same hurdles everyone else faces. Getting our music heard and shared is top priority at the moment. Social media is obviously very important, it is the best way of connecting not just with fans, but other bands and parts of the industry.

RC: Any advice for other start-up bands?

Wil: If you're going to do it, do it properly and as best you can. Be logical with what you share and make sure you are always working hard at the next step or goal. Setting goals, dates and targets is important and will ensure your wheels are always moving. 

The biggest piece of advice I’d say is there are a million versions of you trying to do the same thing. Some are better, some are worse. Put yourself in the best places possible and DO NOT be a dick. That shit gets remembered and it doesn't matter how talented you are, if you have a terrible attitude, you will eventually fall. 

So, to sum up, work hard, make sure everything is done for a reason, be the best version of yourself and don't give in to bad attitudes.

RC: You must have had experiences of sharing stages with people you admire - are there any more that you’d like to hook up with?

Wil: Yes, plenty! I've been very fortunate the past few years to not only tour with some amazing players I look up to, but become friends with them also. For that I'll always be thankful. As for who I'd like to hook up with in the future... Alter Bridge has got to be up there. Tremonti has been a big influence on my playing for a while and I am a big AB fan, as are the rest of the boys, so playing with them would be great.

RC: Where do you hope to be with Deever in five years?

Wil: Releasing more albums and touring!

Catch Deever on tour with Mason Hill in December. More details at: Facebook.com/thisisdeever