Mr Rock!

"They call me Mr Rock cos' rockin' is all I do!"

This compilation album was specially created to consist of rare archive material by Dave Taylor, some of which is here made available on CD for the first time. The tracks featured include Can't Stand Those People and Mind Your Own Business, both written in the early 1980s as a retort by Dave against the immigration and law-enforcement authorities in Finland for giving him a hard time with work permits and visas, and ultimately deporting him in 1983. Won't You is regarded by many as the most 'commercial' recording ever made by Dave. The backing musicians here were 'on loan' from Joe Jackson and Elton John's bands. There's Boogie Woogie, as featured on the popular TV show VIP-Vision in 1993, and Blast Off!, which became, and still is, the signature tune for the legendary Radio Caroline. Don't Say Goodbye at the Station was one of the first songs ever composed by Dave back in 1972, but it was not until the 1990s that the song was ever recorded. The outstanding guitar solo is by Judd Proctor, of Ray Ellington fame. The last three recordings mentioned also feature the impeccable tenor sax of Nick Pentelow, who was a member of Roy Wood's Wizard in the 1970s. Millennium Rock presents Dave's contribution to the 21st century. It was written by Dave for his special Millennium CD release for a London PR company, MAGIC. Bonus track 1, the recording of Rock Me, is an alternate version to the one released, recorded in a different studio and with a different band. As bonus track 2 on this CD is included The Girl in Beaver Jeans, which was adapted from Rock Me to use as a promotional theme song by the top Scandinavian designer jeans manufacturer in the 1980s, Beavers Jeans. The song was released on a flexi-disc of which 100,000 complimentary copies were distributed to customers on purchase of Beavers products. This compilation features over one hour of explosive Big Band, Boogie 'n' Jive!

Stella Silver, September 2004


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ROCKIN’ DAVE TAYLOR

THE BIOGRAPHY

The well known pianist, composer and performer, Dave Taylor, has created a unique blend of Big Band Rock*n*Roll, Rhythm*n*Blues and Jump Jive rolled into one. A critic once said: "I don't for one minute think that Dave has sat down and contrived the history of Rhythm*n*Blues, but he has succeeded in doing so nonetheless. There are plenty of Blues, Jump Jive and Big Bands about but nothing comes close to this for being difficult to categorise. Dave's musical roots can be clearly heard in the likes of Merrill E. Moore, Louis Prima, Wynonie Harris, Moon Mullican and Count Basie."

~ A PRELUDE TO THE HONKY TONK TRAIN BLUES ~

In the early years of the 1960's, Dave began to show an interest in the piano located in the sitting room corner. This grew into an ambition, and Dave would eventually have to be dragged away from the keyboard. He always played the only way he knew how, and one day an 8 year old Dave asked his mother what his style of playing was called. She told him it was Boogie Woogie. She was also of the opinion that Dave should learn to play 'properly', and so Dave was sent to piano lessons. In his early teens, prior to entering the music scene, Dave was part of a group of Teds in Nottingham. They spent most of their time going from pub to pub in search for excitement,..and music! Dave was only 13 or 14 at the time and couldn't get served in pubs ...not a problem, as there was always someone who at least looked old enough to buy the round! They could not find much entertainment, so inevitably Dave ended up providing the music by playing piano in the pubs. At weekends, they went from record hop to record hop, including the legendary Boat Club, where Dave could be found every Saturday night watching bands such as Shakin' Stevens & the Sunsets and Rock Island Line.

In 1972, the highlight of the year for Dave was to see his idol, Bill Haley, perform in Nottingham, where Dave recalls Rudi Pompelli stepping off stage into the audience, playing his saxophone and shaking hands with everybody, including Dave. After the show, Dave wanted to obtain Bill Haley's autograph but could not gain access to the dressing room. One of the roadies agreed to grab it for him, although it later transpired that the roadie had been signing the autographs himself! "Still, I got the real thing when I played on the same bill with Haley (pun intended!) a few years later" Dave remembers. "His amplifier had broken down just before going on stage and he asked if he could borrow mine."

During the early days of his career, Dave auditioned with Rock Island Line, then managed by Phil Bailey, and met with Crazy Cavan & the Rhythm Rockers to discuss joining their band, although, after due consideration, in 1972 Dave decided to form his own band, Little Dave & The Rhythm Band. Dave, at that time 15 years of age, knew nothing about running a band and it soon fell apart, but Dave went on to join a local professional band The Earthquakes, while working on the assembly line at Raleigh Industries in Nottingham, with fame nothing more than a dream.

~A CLASSICAL START ~

By the age of 17, Dave had left his day job and made a living playing in various Rock*n*Roll bands in the Midlands, one of his earliest bands was ‘Little Dave & the Rhythm Band’ which he put together in 1974. He went on to study classical music for a six year period, which helped teach Dave his inimitable Boogie Woogie playing technique. The last year of his studies culminated in the students' piano competition, featuring a compulsory classical composition as well as a second, optional piece. Dave chose Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata as his first number and, faithful to his conviction, Honky Tonk Train Blues as his second number. Due to the conservative attitude of the panel, this, however, brought a brisk end to his studies at the classical institution!

In 1975, Dave replied to an advertisement in the Melody Maker for an audition at the Adam & Eve, a well known Rock*n*Roll venue in Homerton. At the audition, Dave was snapped up by the then popular Rock*n*Roll group, the Hellraisers, who were in fact looking for a saxophone player! Having tried out a plethora of sax players, the band decided to give the job to Dave, and the very next day he found himself sailing out to Denmark to perform at the famous Hard Rock Café in Copenhagen. Two years of hard touring followed and, as well as working with the likes of Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, B.B. King and Shakin' Stevens, the following years consisted of tours throughout Europe and Scandinavia together with continuous session work. Along with the Hellraisers, Dave was also booked to play with Jerry Lee Lewis, but Jerry Lee would not permit other pianists on the same show. Dave played with Chuck Berry several times. In a concert at the Isle of Man TT Race in 1976, however, Chuck Berry refused to tune his guitar to the piano, which is standard practice, but he insisted that the piano be tuned to his guitar. As there was no time to find a piano tuner, Dave had to transpose every song up a semitone. Dave ended up walking off the stage in the middle of the set, when Chuck Berry insisted that a piano tuner be called half way through the concert!

Dave performed with The Hellraisers at The Pickett's Lock Festival on 15 May 1976, and their live recordings were featured on the compilation album Rock*n*Roll is Still Alive released on Charly Records. This was Dave's first record release and featured his own number, Dim Light Boogie. Since then, Dave has penned a catalogue of over 200 songs. Eventually, the experience Dave obtained led him to front his own band, Dave Taylor & Dynamite. The group had their debut concert at the Lyceum Theatre in London's West End, on 20 May 1977. After a conflict of musical tastes, Dave left Dynamite and began playing piano sessions for countless Rock*n*Roll bands throughout the UK and Europe. At one stage or another in his career, Dave has played with many British and U.S. artistes, including Sleepy La Beef, Screamin' Lord Sutch, Sonny Burgess, Terry Dene, Brian Poole, P.J. Proby, Billie Davis, Wee Willie Harris, Janice Martin, Big Jay McNeely, Jet Harris, Graham Fenton's Matchbox, Gene Summers, Mike Berry, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Tommy Bruce, Jess Conrad, Buddy Knox, Don Lang, Hayden Thompson, Heinz, Eddie Bond, Big Daddy and Marty Wilde.

Famous Showman and Politician Screamin' Lord Sutch had this to say about Dave: “Over the past four decades, I have worked with some of the best in the business: Eric Clapton, Charlie Watts, Jeff Beck. Dave Taylor, in my opinion, as a musician and showman, falls in the same category with these top guys.” He went on to say: “Dave doesn’t just ‘tinkle the ivories’, he hammers the keys to death!!!!”

~ BBC RADIO ONE ~

In January 1977, Dave was asked to attend a recording session for the Dutch label, Rockhouse, with Little Tina & Flight '56. The album contained two tracks written by Dave: Don't Ever Go and Twelve O'Clock Rock, as well as his first release of Honky Tonk Train Blues. (Dave's first recording of this number was on BBC Radio One in 1976, during his guest appearance on 'It's Rock*n*Roll', hosted by Stuart Coleman.)

During this period, Dave formed another band called Red Hot, with which he toured throughout the UK, until the band folded in late 1977.

The road then led Dave from extensive bookings in France and Holland on to Portugal, where he spent several months playing the Casinos of the Algarve whilst negotiating with Bobby Boulter, the owner of the Solar Penguin Hotel, who had been involved with the organisation of Dave's first tour of Finland with the Hellraisers. (Later Bobby was to become Dave's Road Manager and long time friend.)

~ THE FINNISH CONNECTION ~

Dave was only 20 when he took up an invitation to return to Scandinavia. Dave loaded his piano into the back of his Thames van and headed for Finland, where he spent the first six months playing piano in local bars. The very first demo recording, made in the summer of 1978 in Finland by Dave and his newly formed Rocket 88 band, was Razzle Dazzle/Dim Light Boogie. It was produced by Mikko Alatalo, who is now a well known TV presenter and household name. Then, in 1978, Dave became an overnight sensation while performing at The Culture House in Helsinki where the biggest Rock*n*Roll event, The King of Rock, took place. Dave was immediately signed by Levytuottajat Oy, one of the largest Finnish record companies. When the authorities discovered that Dave was working without a work permit, he was deported to the nearest non Scandinavian country, Germany, where he stayed for two weeks, grappling with the Finnish Government officials in order to obtain a work permit. Fortunately, this meant spending two weeks in the notorious Reeperbahn area of Hamburg. "That was the hardest two weeks of my life, not to mention trying to obtain a work permit", recalls Dave.

Jyrki Hämäläinen Chief executive of the top Pop Music Magazine ‘Suosikki’ said: “Dave Taylor, is the most sensational act in Finnish show business today.... Dave became an overnight sensation while performing at the Culture House, Helsinki, where the biggest rock’n’roll event, King of Rock took place. He was the absolute top of the bill that night and received raves from the critics, and the Dave Taylor fever was a fact!”

He further added: “Dave Taylor is without a doubt, the most promising and talented performer in years on the Finnish rock scene. And he certainly has something to give to every true rock’n’roll lover no matter where ever in Europe he is heard.”

With the assistance of record company executive, Vexi Salmi, Dave was able to return to Finland and in the following months recorded the singles Dim Light Boogie/Mona Lisa, Peggy Sue/All By Myself and Cadillac Car/Rockhouse as well as his first solo album, Rockin' in the Same Ol' Way, featuring such tracks as Cadillac Car, Don't Want Tyin' Down Girl, Dave's Boogie and a revised version of Twelve o'Clock Rock. The album also contained Hey Little Girl which, some 18 years later, saw the addition of a full orchestra. The album was licensed to Charly Records in the UK and sold around the world. Cadillac Car became a hit among the Rock*n*Roll circles and its sales were boosted by the feature of the track in the Finnish film release 'Life, Here I Come' ('Täältä Tullaan, Elämä').

Raimo Henriksson General Manager of Warner Chappel Music said:

“Dave Taylor, as far as I am concerned, is a synonym for Rock'n'Roll at its best, purist and most flourishing form. Ever since our first meeting at Midem, Cannes, in 1986, I noted that Dave often referred to the same names and professional phrases which I myself like to use when talking about music. This professionalism can clearly be heard in Dave's recordings.”

and went on to say:

“To this day, there are still stories told about Dave's performances (playing the piano upside down or performing unnerving acrobatics during his stage shows; his unique entrance to the venue by parachute and his inimitable Boogie Woogie playing technique, yet, never compromising the quality of the music).”

1980 saw the release of Dave's new single Lonely As I Can Be/I've Lost Her Again and his second solo album, entitled Countrybilly, or perhaps better known as Jive Jive Jive, as it was called on its UK release. The album was inspired by Dave's interest in Rockabilly and Western Swing as well as Dave's own favourite, Merrill E. Moore. His combination of these produced the unusual, dynamic sound of the recording. Later in 1980, Dave was commissioned to write the theme to the film Midnight Rock, in which he was also due to star, although the film project was never realised.

Seppo Elonen, celebrated journalist of Blues News Magazine, quoted: “No better rock’n’roll record has ever been made in Finland! Taylor’s music has to be categorised as rock’n’roll even though his style is original to such an extent that Dave’s own definition of swing rock describes his music a great deal better.” And added: “Dave Taylor is a convincing vocalist and a positively brilliant piano player.”

By 1981, Dave was firmly established in the Scandinavian music scene, doing regular TV appearances and radio interviews and driving audiences wild with his inimitable act, playing his full size piano with virtually every part of his body. Standing on his head. Tilting the 200 kg instrument across his body while lying on the ground. Or perhaps performing an acrobatic somersault off the top of the piano. He was not named the 'Acrobat Pianist' without good reason! The ecstatic audience would often carry Dave's piano, with him standing on it, around the auditorium, sometimes with hilarious consequences, not least the long cable to the microphone becoming entangled around the audience! Dave tells of one occasion when his piano was taken through the auditorium and out onto the street, with Dave hanging on and still playing. This caused bewilderment among the local police, who forced the audience to set him down, although Dave continued playing the piano! "I was about 400 yards from the band who were still on stage in the auditorium and I was probably playing 4 seconds behind them because of the time delay", recalls Dave.

The renowned Finnish author Väinämöinen had this to say: “Dave is an exceptional phenomenon in rock music circles; Dave Taylor knows his business, there’s no doubt about it, Dave’s latest album, Rockin’ in the same ‘ol Way is definitely the best rock album of the decade.”

Having gained extensive knowledge in all aspects of the music business, Dave formed his own record label, DT Records, to gain total control of his career. It played host to such releases as the LP Mr Rock; 1982 (DTLP100), single Mind Your Own Business/Rock Me; 1982 (DTS001), EP Steppin' Outa' Line; 1986 (DTEP100), LP Happy Birthday Boogie Woogie; 1988 (DTLP200) and the single Won't You/Under the Moonlight; 1988 (DTS002).

~ ENGLISH SOCIETY'S BEST KEPT SECRET ~

After spending five years in Finland and having performed in every venue from Helsinki to the most Northern tip of Lapland, Dave decided to return to the UK in 1983 to form a 10 strong Show Band line up, which featured some of England's top musicians. The group toured extensively in the UK and Europe and, whilst performing in a London club, was approached by a Royal Aide offering a season of private bookings in the Society party circuit, with venues ranging from the Hurlingham Club in London to private manor houses and yachts. Dave topped the bill at the wildest of all night parties, offering the ultimate in showmanship to impressive guest lists, which could have been copied directly from the pages of 'Who's Who'.

Michael Gelardi of Magic Entertainments in London quoted: “In my 25 years in the entertainment business, I have produced many good and indeed great artistes from Sammy Davis Jnr., the consummate talent, to Jose Carreras, the prince of opera. Dave Taylor, however, is a one off. His high energy performance and amazing stage acrobatics, combined with his Rock & Roll piano playing and a jumpin’ band, make a good evening great every time. His is ‘must dance’ music and entertainment with a difference; Dave will even make an entrance to venues from the sky with his parachute display team, the Skyjivers. A rare offering which, deservedly, puts Rockin’ Dave Taylor in a class of his own.”

One year later, Dave appeared as a guest for the British tour of an American Rock*n*Roll group, Big Daddy, who achieved a Top 10 hit in the UK charts. Dave appeared in radio and TV shows, such as the Kenny Everett Show, the Old Grey Whistletest, Pebble Mill at One and Razzmatazz. A booking was also arranged for the Top of the Pops but the arrangement was cancelled at just one day's notice due to a new chart entry by Sir Paul McCartney!

It should be mentioned, too, that Dave was sworn in as one of Screamin' Lord Sutch's Savages, as well as being one of Brian Poole's Tremeloes. Brian Poole also recorded his own version of Dave's Hey Little Girl.

~ FROM THE MIDNIGHT SUN TO THE RISING SUN ~

By 1985, Dave's reputation had reached the Far East, where he was offered a six month contract by the Hong Kong agent, Crazy Larry. The tour proved a great success, adding to Dave's record sales throughout the world and leading to a succession of Oriental tours, taking in such exotic new locations as Japan, Macao and of course Hong Kong. During his third tour of Hong Kong, Dave was performing at the British military bases. In the Philippines he played in a 1950s U.S. style Rock*n*Roll town, Angeles City, home of the volcanic Mount Pinatubo. The volcano erupted in the summer of 1991, destroying the entire City.

Dave was subsequently invited to open ‘Joe Bananas’, one of Hong Kong's top night clubs, in 1986. To commemorate the event, Dave's gold lamé drape jacket and blue suede shoes were placed on permanent display in a glass cabinet inside the club! While in Hong Kong, Dave obtained rave reviews by the Hong Kong public and a great deal of press coverage, for example, in the 'Hong Kong Standard' and 'TV Times', as well as appearing in a number of TV and radio shows, such as Edward Bean's popular 'Fizz Bizz'. Dave recalls that on the eve of the early morning recording of 'Fizz Bizz', where Dave played his then new track, You'd Better Listen to Me Now (Midnight CD705 Cadillacs & Moonlight), he took a taxi to the famous Hong Kong Peak. Unaware, that there would be no return transport after midnight, nor any means of contacting someone, Dave was deserted until the next morning, with nothing more than a six pack for company. He only made it back by walking all the way from the Peak to the filming location in Kowloon just in time for the recording of the TV show, shattered and complete with bloodshot eyes, having spent the entire night admiring the vastness of Hong Kong from the Peak!

Back in London, Dave could again be found in the recording studio, featuring on trombone Dave's friend of many years and star of the '6 5 Special', the late Don Lang.

In 1987 Dave headed for Barcelona, to perform an outdoor concert to his largest ever audience, totalling in excess of 100,000 people. Dave is said to have been the first Western Rock*n*Roller to hit the Soviet Union in 1988, headlining a concert for the Youth Communist Party... Dave returned to Russia on the collapse of the communist regime to perform for the Reformed ex Communist Youth Party!

Despite leaving Finland, Dave continued close collaboration with his Finnish arranger colleague, Paul Fagerlund. Tragically, Paul Fagerlund passed away on 3 July 1994. The fruits of this collaboration can be heard in some 50 memorable Big Band and Orchestral tracks recorded by Dave.

In 1992, Dave toured the U.S. for the first time travelling from New Orleans to Memphis and Los Angeles, and even across the border to Vancouver. The Boogie Woogie instrumental CD, Boogie in the City, was recorded by Dave later in the year, following a suggestion by Joop Visser, record executive, to produce a 'modern' Boogie Woogie album. Dave performed in the country of another of his favourite artists, Louis Prima, in 1995, the venue being the Forli Rock*n*Roll Festival, Italy. Hooked on Jive, containing 20 non stop Dave Taylor jiving tracks, was released by K Tel in late 1996. A further Hooked on Jive release of Dave’s material took place on the Emporio label in the latter part of 1998.

In October 1998, Dave was engaged to play at the Cannes TV Festival by a US cable TV network, HBO. He performed there with the 8 piece Italian band The Good Fellas. The show was such a success that Dave and The Good Fellas were booked to appear at the launching of Austin Powers’ The Spy Who Shagged Me at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1999, performing to VIP guests including a host of Hollywood stars and producers; Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Val Kilmer, Charles Bronson and Sir Richard Branson among others.

From July 2004, Dave spent 15 months on bail as he fought to clear his name after being arrested and threatened with 14 years in jail, charged under the 1971 Immigration Act on two counts of “facilitating the illegal entry to the UK” and “knowingly harbouring” once in the country his Brazilian fiancée for five years. Only hours before he was due in court, prosecutors dropped all charges.


~ MIDNIGHT ROCK RECORDS & MIDNIGHT ROCK STUDIO ~

Dave has established the Midnight Rock record label and continues to produce recordings at his Midnight Rock Studio, taking time off to tour the world. Dave's songs have been licensed to companies worldwide and appear on countless compilations, including promotional albums for Coca Cola and the Co Operative Bank, among others.

In celebration of Dave's 25 years as a 'Professional Rock*n*Roller', a comprehensive collection of his recordings is being released by Midnight Rock Records in the ‘Good Time Series’. Vol. 1 of the collection, Cadillacs & Moonlight, was released in the summer of 1997. Vol. 2, Shotgun Boogie, came out in June 1998 and vol. 3, Still Rockin’ in the Same Ol’ Way was released in 2000. Vol. 4 in the series is scheduled imminently.

Apart from a busy touring schedule in the UK, Spain and Italy over the turn of the Millennium, and a party on Millennium Eve being hosted by Sir Dai Llewellyn, at which Dave was performing, in December 1999 he also released a limited edition special Millennium CD, Time for Rock & Roll (Midnight CD 2000).

In 2004, Dave was voted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame! New releases in 2004 consisted of This Is Boogie Woogie! (Midnight CD 404), a compilation of explosive piano Boogie Woogie by Dave the way Boogie Woogie should be played, as well as Nordic Dream (Midnight CD 405) a light classical album Dave wrote and recorded back in 1991. It is a musical account of his impressions of Scandinavia, inspired by the various Nordic towns and landscapes, and influenced by the extraordinary music culture. In these light classical compositions can clearly be distinguished the traditional melancholy of the Scandinavian character and music, contrasting severely with the sensitive tranquillity and beauty of the Nordic nature as well as the impetuous seasonal divergence. The 19 recordings featured on this CD represent the inheritance of many years of collaboration between Dave Taylor and Scandinavia and a celebration of the Nordic Countries. Never knowing quite what to do with these recordings, they sat on his studio shelf for 13 years until Dave finally made the decision to release this CD!

The Nordic Dream album was shortly followed by Before the Dream (Midnight CD 406). Within it, are featured the original compositions, ideas, melody lines and arrangements which, 15 years ago, formed the foundation for the Nordic Dream project. This CD has a compelling character and essence created by its natural purity. Allow the music to guide your senses to explore its innocence, beauty and sensitivity, and it will bring you immense pleasure

In 2005 Dave brought out Big Band Boogie & Jive (Midnight CD 410). This compilation album was specially created to consist of rare archive material by Dave Taylor, some of which is here made available on CD for the first time. The tracks featured include Can't Stand Those People and Mind Your Own Business, both written in the early 1980s as a retort by Dave against the immigration and law enforcement authorities in Finland for giving him a hard time with work permits and visas, and ultimately deporting him in 1983. Won't You is regarded by many as the most 'commercial' recording ever made by Dave. The backing musicians here were 'on loan' from Joe Jackson and Elton John's bands. There's Boogie Woogie, as featured on the popular TV show “VIP Vision” in 1993, and Blast Off!, which became, and still is, the signature tune for the legendary Radio Caroline. Don't Say Goodbye at the Station was one of the first songs ever composed by Dave back in 1972, but it was not until the 1990s that the song was ever recorded. The outstanding guitar solo is by Judd Proctor, of Ray Ellington fame. The last three recordings mentioned also feature the impeccable tenor sax of Nick Pentelow, who was a member of Roy Wood's Wizard in the 1970s. Millennium Rock presents Dave's contribution to the 21st century. It was written by Dave for his special Millennium CD release for a London PR company, MAGIC. Bonus track 1, the recording of Rock Me, is an alternate version to the one released, recorded in a different studio and with a different band. As bonus track 2 on this CD is included The Girl in Beaver Jeans, which was adapted from Rock Me to use as a promotional theme song by the top Scandinavian designer jeans manufacturer in the 1980s, Beavers Jeans. The song was released on a flexi disc of which 100,000 complimentary copies were distributed to customers on purchase of Beavers products. “They call me Mr Rock cos’ rockin’ is all I do!” Indeed.

2005 also saw the release of another new CD, Songs from the Other Side (Midnight CD 509). This is an uncompromising album, which immerses us deep into the other side of Dave Taylor, the composer, best known for pounding piano Boogie Woogie, Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll. This CD contains a fantastic and extremely diverse collection of recordings written and arranged by Dave, ranging from an operetta to heavy rock, from pop to classical and beyond, which were never suitable for inclusion on his various Rock & Roll albums. Ever since his early teens, Dave has been composing songs, his first song, She's Got Class, he wrote at just twelve years of age on guitar in the back garden of his home in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, while sitting in a makeshift tent of a blanket thrown over a clotheshorse! This album leaves no doubt about Dave's broad musical knowledge and accomplished skill as a powerful songwriter, arranger and performer, whatever the style of music.

In December 2005, Dave Taylor was approached by record producer/manager Phil Bailey to record vocal and piano and re mix, at Midnight Rock Studio, Phil's original recording of Choo Choo Ch' Boogie. The track was recorded, at Abbey Road Studios. There had been a double booking that morning with the result that, when they got there, the studio was reserved for Paul McCartney & Wings! Paul had not yet arrived, but Wings drummer, Steve Holly, was already there, and agreed that Phil could use Paul McCartney's studio time for the morning session. When Phil's drummer then phoned to say he was going to be late, Steve Holly offered to step in and played drums on Choo Choo Ch' Boogie. The track also features Tim Green on guitar (Mungo Jerry) and Alan Carvell on backing vocals (who is featured on other Dave Taylor recordings earlier in the 1980s).

All Dave’s CDs are available by mail order through CD Baby in the United States, www.cdbaby.com/all/rockindave.

An agreement has finally been reached between Dave and Warner Bros. for the reversion of Dave’s publishing rights, which means that Dave now owns the rights to all of his compositions, with the exception of one track, which is still owned by Charly Publishing who refuse to negotiate. But that’s another story…

~ COSTA MIDNIGHT ROCK! ~

Dave is currently building a new recording studio facility on the Costa Blanca, Spain, where the Midnight Rock operations will be relocated in due course.

~ THE ULTIMATE JUMP & JIVE ~

As part of his show, Dave has parachuted to various venues with his Skyjivers parachute display team. When booked, in July 1990, at the Imatra Big Band Festival in Eastern Finland, Dave challenged fate by skydiving from 10,000 ft. onto the roof of a multi storey building in the town centre. Having successfully landed on a roof (albeit not the roof designated as landing area!), he climbed down a skylight and, to onlookers' surprise, found himself behind the bar of a local pub! Unperturbed, with the parachute over his shoulder and still dressed in his skydiving jumpsuit, he casually placed his order for a pint of beer!

So, for Rockin' Dave Taylor, even the sky's not the limit....

Stella Silver

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