Mark Taylor

ahem...

I've been playing the guitar since I was about 12, the other instruments are more recent obsessions, in fact, I hear that I was a quiet child, which explains why I try to make such a variety of pluckings and slidings now.

My Dad took me to my first concert, BB King, around that time. I remember the excitement of hearing his guitar before he even walked on stage. Life changing stuff.

I've been in bands that played soul, punk, Brazilian music and avant garde noise, but ultimately, I'm a country boy.

I think there are few sounds sweeter than the pedal steel, few things more white-knuckle thrilling than bluegrass fiddle.

My favourite musicians? I love Bill Frisell's guitar playing and he's a fine composer too. I've always wanted to be able to play like Richard Thompson, or even Steve Cropper. On the mandolin I like David Grisman. There are too many singers and writers to mention but I think that I would take songs by Lucinda Williams, Cole Porter and Neil Finn to the desert island.