Golden Brown

Rachel Taylor Brown
Genre: Alternative / Indie / Other
From: Portland, Oregon, United States

After a nervous breakdown and a lonely eight years of solitude living as a hermit Portland singer songwriter Rachel Taylor Brown has emerged from a dark, dark tunnel to channel her inner demons into an hypnotic and intriguing world of sound.

Rachel has taken some time out to share her influences, what she'd be doing if she wasn't a musician and how the Devil has destroyed her newly found confidence (for which I apologise profusely).

The Devil: The Devil thinks that you sound a kinda like PJ Harvey having an unsavoury tryst with Kate Bush. Who are your biggest influences?

Rachel Taylor Brown: What a lovely thing to say! I greatly admire both Polly Jean and Kate. Randy Newman because he's so good at humor and ugly beauty, sometimes all at once. Hugo Distler, Benjamin Britten, The Beatles.

The Devil: What makes you stand out from the millions of other artists in the world? What makes you unique?

Rachel Taylor Brown: Thinking about an answer to this question has destroyed my self confidence. (I'm sorry - The Devil)

The Devil: What was the first record that you owned and what was the first you bought yourself?

Rachel Taylor Brown: I don’t think I bought it myself but I was obsessed as a kid with the concept album (NOT the musical theater album) of "Jesus Christ Superstar," w/ Ian Gillan of Deep Purple as Jesus and Murray Head as Judas. It has a skanky, dirty, tattered-at-the-edges-yet-epic sound to it. I wanted to be a hybrid (Jedus) and always sang both parts. I still get chills listening to it.

The Devil: What is the best book you've read and the best film you've ever seen?

Rachel Taylor Brown:

Book - "Cruddy" by Lynda Barry (anything by Lynda Barry).

Film - "Baran" (Majid Majidi).

The Devil: Other than yourself who are the artists that have excited you most this year?

Rachel Taylor Brown: ("other than myself," well...) Anyone who doesn't sound like Billie
Holliday crossed with a little girl. That voice is really getting on my nerves. Tom Jones'--"24 Hours." Tom growls "I'm a MAN!" and you just gotta move. I like The Quavers, out of Brooklyn, NY. And Antonio Saraiva from Brazil--he has this song "O Segredo" that I go back to again and again. Kinda Charles Ives-like.

The Devil: Who's your favourite actor or actress and why?

Rachel Taylor Brown: Sophie Thompson--a fucking amazing actress who's not in enough movies.

The Devil: What's the strangest place you've ever played and would you go back there?

Rachel Taylor Brown: St. Paul's Cathedral in London w/ Cappella Romana. When we weren't singing I went downstairs. The entire basement is a crypt, paved w/ gravestones. It’s mostly military guys. But I stumbled across the composer and minor movie star, Ivor Novello. It was a nice moment, finding him in all the military bombast. He must be lonely. I'd go back, yes!

The Devil: If you weren't a musician what would you be doing?

Rachel Taylor Brown: Probably something menial. I've had a lot of jobs in my lifetime. Picking berries, driving a forklift, filling caulking tubes with what looked like exploding poo. I can write and edit fascinating engineering copy. Having shitty jobs increases your confidence. I figure I can do anything, except become a ballerina.

The Devil: What are you doing to beat the credit crunch? Any tips on saving money for the Devil's readers?

Rachel Taylor Brown: If you cook a bunch of dried beans, remember you need to rinse them and change the water in between, because if you don’t you’re in for gastric trouble. Also, cooking a bunch of beans really stinks up a house and it takes all day. It’s maybe better to just buy cooked beans.

The Devil: If you were interviewing yourself what would be your killer question and how would you answer it?

Rachel Taylor Brown: What would Jedus do? (i'm at a loss--but he would steal the show)

The Devil: Anything else you'd like to say to the Devil's readers?

Rachel Taylor Brown: "Hail Satan! To hell with you!"(borrowed from Mr. Show and The Hail Satan Network). And thanks, The Devil.

Go Try

MP3 - Rachel Taylor Brown - Bruce Wayne's Bastard Son
If anyone from the IFPI is reading this track is published with the permission of In Music We Trust so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright.
MP3 - Rachel Taylor Brown - St Brigid Of Broadway
MP3 - Rachel Taylor Brown - I Love You
If anyone from the IFPI is reading these tracks are linked direct from Rachel Taylor Brown's website and are therefore already freely available so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright.

Go Visit

Rachel Taylor Brown - Myspace // Website

Go View

Rachel Taylor Brown
St. Fina



If you like the sound of Rachel Taylor Brown then check out two other bands that she plays with...

MP3 - The Fear Of Heights - The Love I Fake
MP3 - The Fear Of Heights - User Friendly Guide To Change
MP3 - The Sort Ofs - Sitting Inside A Sinking Submarine
MP3 - The Sort Ofs - XMAS Card From NYC To Anyone Who'll Read It, 1946
If anyone from the IFPI is reading these tracks are linked direct from Chris Robley's website and are therefore already freely available so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright.

Go Visit

The Fear Of Heights - Myspace // Website
The Sort Ofs - Myspace // Website