Justin Taylor Questionnaire

Firstly, well done on your debut album 'From Tienie Street'. Where did you record it and with whom?

Since I had to record this album independently, at first with no record label, I had to fund it myself and so money was going to be tight. But a friend of mine J. Oberholzer (outstanding producer) was willing to help me in turn for me having helped him with a few of his own recordings. He had a little laptop with a recording program and a mixing desk. We borrowed a microphone, speakers and headphones from a number of friends and went to a little hotel room out in Krugersdorp which was being managed at the time by a friend. The room had a good sound and Andy McGibbon's Guitar World helped us get the right guitars for the recording and so we ended up recording the whole album just through favours and friendships.

Your music is very tranquil and easy to listen too, who are your influences?

I have a number of influences that don't lend themselves to such easy listening, yet for those I follow in that regard I would have to name Norah Jones, Tuck & Patti and Sting.

I read a story of when you were younger about you having doubts of Justin Taylor making a name in the music industry. How does it feel now that your dream is finally becoming realistic?

It feels like I've been given a second chance at a new path in life, and I feel very ambitious about it. I'm very hungry now that I'm striving for it everyday.

What did you study before you became a full time musician?

First I did my MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and A+ Computer Technician, and then I studied at a Theological Seminary for 4 years

So you immigrated to the states to further your career in music, any chance of you coming back to SA in the near future for a tour?

My immigration process is still underway and the pending case prevents me from coming over too soon. But I love South Africa. It's my home, it's where I was born and I couldn't imagine anything greater than being welcomed back by my own country in the not too distant future.

In under 3 weeks some of your videos drew in over 40 000 views on YouTube, how do you feel about that?

I certainly felt from a business point of view that people were now getting to hear my music and that I was being spread far and wide, but I suppose when I consider people on my own label like Andy McKee who is now sitting on over 17 million views, I feel like catching up in a hurry. Yet no doubt I'm truly grateful to be mentioned amongst names such as his.

You signed a deal with "Candyrat Records". Tell us more about that.

I didn't have any other labels in mind that I thought would realistically sign me until I saw Nicholas Barron on Youtube signed to this label, and I thought then that my music and Candyrat Records were a good fit. So I proceeded to send emails and letters and myspace messages to the company until eventually I did get a reply from the owner of the label who said that I could send my album to him directly and that he would give it a listen.

So I put together a press kit with the CD and some photos and packaged it really nicely to make as big an impression as I could. I followed up further every week to make sure he had received the package and that he was still going to listen to it. I think all my hounding paid off in the end because he did listen to it and did like it. So we negotiated a contract which both of us were really happy about. I then flew up to Chicago and drove out to the home of Candyrat Records to record my promotional live videos which have gone out on Youtube and exposed my music to thousands of people.

It seems that you have been through a lot of struggle to get where you are.

Does this prove that with great struggle comes great reward?

It certainly does if your struggle is well directed and true to oneself.

Lastly, what would your advice be to those who are trying to make ends meet in the music industry?

My advice would be to research more about the industry itself than just playing music. Music is a business and generally musicians don't like to get involved in the business side of music. If you're content just playing music and working a different job, then that's fine. If you're wanting to make money in music, then you got to know how to play the game, and that side of things is worth giving thought and research to. I would recommend Donald S. Passman's book "All You Need to Know About the Music Business."