Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Watkins. Them and their team share their story with us below:
The year is 2011 in Cincinnati, OH. Taylor Watkins and Scott Harris are introduced through a mutual friend in the beginning of their freshman year of high school. Watkins is a self-taught guitarist and songwriter and Harris is a trained percussionist. The desire to play music together at an early age has snowballed and marinated into the music we hear from these two today. Over a decade later, after countless makeshift studios, a handful of rotating band members, a list of changing band names, and countless moves from state to state, we are brought to the beautiful experiment of sound we hear today. Psychedelic Southern duo, Watkins, has spent these years developing their skills in recording, performing, production, and writing. Taylor Watkins represents Psychedelic Southern duo Watkins.
Taylor Watkins has used this medium to tell his narrative. Mainly spiritual, somewhat satirical, 110% psychedelic, and half-stoned crazy at times, his lyrical expression takes the listener through a journey. Each song shows a glimpse into years full of travel, self-realizations, existential crisis, and staring the duality of the universe itself right in the face.
After the recording of their first record, Watkins and Harris built a studio in Nashville, TN to independently create their sophomore album, Unbiased Eyes. The duo has set out to travel the country to promote the release and to build a community through the connection and awareness of the natural world.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The path to any artistic journey never seems to be a smooth road. Without any pain of suffering, what story would we have to tell? As many of the songs describe, the overall search for belonging and acceptance has been a main theme for these last few years. In the last 4 years alone, I have lived in 6 different states and have used this time on the road searching for a tribe and environment to call my own. As my spirituality and understanding of the world deepens every day, I always struggle with coming to terms with it all. I stand motionless, in a pickle, between letting each day flow naturally and taking complete control over my destiny. My philosophical realizations over the years have brought me such insightful awareness that I feel compelled to take my soapbox to the streets and tell the masses. I want to use my journey and personal struggles to help others who are going through the same issues. The biggest struggle of all is letting go of all the expectations and judgment I place on myself and others, and this theme is the main ingredient to our latest release, Unbiased Eyes.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As an artist, I have always strived to learn every skill I can get my hands on. I tend to collect instruments and tools, with the desire to master them all. Truthfully, I end up spreading myself so thin that I have to take a step back and really direct my focus on one thing. This one thing became my acoustic guitar. At a very young age, I told my parents that I will play music for the rest of my life, even if I end up living on the streets to pursue it. Throughout my childhood, I spent countless hours developing my style of acoustic picking. Including unique palm-muting and chord variations, I finally felt as though I was able to speak through my guitar. My youth was filled with many days sitting alone with a tape recorder writing songs and wrapping my mind around what being a musician for the rest of my life would truly mean.
At the age of 15, I was introduced to Scott Harris and immediately recognized him as a soul brother. We both had a clear and direct yearn to play music forever, no matter what it took. From that moment on, Harris and I spent our days building makeshift studios and investigating how to create desired sounds with the microphones and instruments available to us.
Harris was head snare in the high school band when we met. When college rolled around, he decided to study audio engineering, while I studied art and business. With Harris becoming a wizard in recording and myself developing a deep vision for the sound, our duo had the tools we needed to create our songs.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Short and sweet, you have to put yourself out there. Nashville, especially, is a monster that will eat you alive if you aren’t ready. Once you have decided to be an artist you have to also decide to be honest with yourself and others. If you have a message to tell, you have to own it. There is no room in the art world for uncertainty. If the environment around you doesn’t feel right, then move. If the people around you don’t support you, then leave. Every human has the power and strength to stand up for what they know to be true. Honesty is the fastest way to finding like-minded individuals.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: thebandwatkins.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebandwatkins
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebandwatkins
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChbMsSut3VGU-TfBsLOj-Bg
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebandwatkins
- Other: https://linktr.ee/thebandwatkins
Image Credits
Justice Slone
Taylor Davis
