Taurus Trakker | ms

TAURUS TRAKKER CAME TOGETHER IN 2006. I WAS AROUND IN THE PUNK DAYS- MICK JONES AND I ARE COUSINS, SO I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO WITNESS AT CLOSE HAND THE CLASH- THE MOST INTENSE AND PASSIONATE BAND EVER... SINCE THE LATE 70's I PLAYED GUITAR IN LOADS OF BANDS- IN THE 80's AFTER FORMING BACKLASH WITH ASHLEY MAHER, I WAS INVOLVED IN AND RAN VARIOUS JAM SESSIONS IN SOHO, I GOT TO PLAY WITH SOME GREAT MUSICIANS...JERRY DAMMERS, FISHBONE, BEVERLEY SKEETE (now with Bill Wyman)- MY BIGGEST MEMORY IS PLAYING BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG CITY WITH THE LEGENDARY SLIM GAILLARD. IN THE 90's RELEASED SOME TRACKS IN JAPAN WITH THE PSYCHAEDELIC OOH BABY PROJECT...PLAYED WITH POLY STYRENE, LORA LOGIC, GARY VALENTINE (Blondie) AND THE LATE JACK AIRPORT OF X-RAY SPEX, ABI HERCULES (now in The Easy Tigers)... ALWAYS WANTED TO FRONT MY OWN BAND, BUT IT NEVER SEEMED TO MATERIALIZE... IT BECAME A REALITY WHEN I MET OUR DRUMMER ALLISON P, WHO HAD BEEN IN ATV, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PUNK BANDS, AND UT- A CULT AVANT GARDE PUNK BAND BASED IN NEW YORK. ALLISON HAS ALSO PLAYED DRUMS WITH THE RAINCOATS, ANOTHER SEMINAL PUNK BAND... WITH JUST THE TWO OF US RECORDING TOGETHER, WE TOOK AN ARTISTIC APPROACH AND APPLIED THE PRINCIPLES OF DIY PUNK TO CONSTRUCT OUR DEMO ALBUM- TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION. THE RESPONSE WAS STRONG, AND WE WERE INSPIRED TO TAKE IT TO THE STAGE- WE RECRUITED DENISE PAGE- EX-MONKEY WENCH BASSIST, WHO GELLED WITH US QUICKLY... IN 2006 WE PLAYED THE 12-BAR CLUB AND A LOT OF OTHER VENUES IN LONDON AND BRIGHTON... IN 2007 ALLISON AND I PUT TOGETHER A TRIBUTE GIG AT THE INN ON THE GREEN, PORTOBELLO, TO COMMEMORATE 5 YEARS SINCE JOE STRUMMER'S PASSING- I ASKED MICK IF HE WAS UP FOR PLAYING A SONG OR 2- HE WAS ENTHUSIASTIC...WE WERE AWESTRUCK WHEN HE GAVE US A LIST OF CLASH TUNES TO LEARN! PLAYING WHITE MAN IN HAMMERSMITH PALAIS WITH MICK AND THE GUYS FROM HARD-FI WAS AN HONOUR I'LL NEVER FORGET, AND MICK'S VERSION OF BROADWAY FROM SANDINISTA STILL BRINGS A TEAR TO MY EYE. THAT NITE WAS THE START OF THE VIBE THAT BECAME CARBON CASINO, WHICH WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO APPEAR AT REGULARLY...MICK SOMETIMES JOINS US LIVE TO ADD SOME OF HIS RAUCOUS GUITAR TO OUR RACKET...WE ARE ALSO SOMETIMES JOINED ONSTAGE BY THE AMAZING FLASH (NOW WITH X-RAY SPEX) ON SAXOPHONE.... IN 2008 WE HOSTED ANOTHER MEMORIAL ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF JOE'S PASSING, FEATURING DENNIS BOVELL, AND MICK...IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS AND RAISED MONEY FOR STRUMMERVILLE AND GIRLS ROCK UK... TAURUS TRAKKER'S FIRST ALBUM, "BETWEEN A BANK AND A FUNERAL PARLOUR", IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE- SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS. A NEW SINGLE HAS BEEN RECORDED, MONKS PUNKS AND DRUNKS, (PRODUCED BY MICK JONES) C/W LUCKY. THE SINGLE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE , AND CAN BE BOUGHT IN ROUGH TRADE's W11 STORE. TAURUS TRAKKER HAVE COMPLETED THEIR ROCKNROLL CIRCUS RESIDENCY AT THE INN ON THE GREEN... IN SEPT 2009, TT RECRUITED JOHNNY H TO PLAY BASS, REPLACING DENISE, WHO IS STILL MUCH LOVED, BUT HAS SOME OTHER MAJOR COMMITMENTS... THE BAND ARE NOW BEING PRODUCED BY THE LEGENDARY TONY CLARK, WHO WORKED ON THE BEATLES ABBEY ROAD ALBUM, AND WITH THE PLASTIC ONO BAND, BOWIE, STEVIE WONDER, AND MANY OTHER ICONIC ARTISTS. THE PARTNERSHIP CAME ABOUT AFTER A FORTUITOUS MEETING- TONY HEARD THE BAND REHEARSING IN THEIR STUDIO WHILST WORKING AS A ROSE GARDENER IN THE PARK OPOSITE- HE WAS IMPRESSED ENOUGH TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER... THE RESULTS WILL GO DOWN IN ROCK AND ROLL HISTORY... 2010- TAURUS TRAKKER PLAYED A 6 DATE TOUR OF NEW YORK- THE SHOWS CREATED A STORM OF EXCITEMENT AND INTEREST, AND THERE ARE PLANS TO RETURN TO THE U.S. SOON. .