Phil Tayler had plenty to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day – and he isn’t asking for much this Christmas. He figures he’s already way ahead of the game.
Just a few years ago, Tayler unexpectedly found himself homeless in San Francisco after moving there from his native Buffalo, N.Y., to live with a relative, go to college and start a band. His relative kicked him out, leaving him to survive more than six months alone on the streets.
Today, he’s living his dream: fronting his own band, Future Leaders of the World. Powered by the radio-friendly first single “Let Me Out” (Hear here via iTunes), their GGGarth Richardson-produced album, “LVL IV” (Epic), has sold more than 30,000 copies since its Oct. 5 release.
“People have been through worst things than I have. I’m thankful to be supporting myself playing music,” Tayler said recently. “I’m just thankful to be alive and being able to feed my belly.”
In the tradition of Nirvana, Puddle of Mudd and Rage Against the Machine, Tayler’s passionate lyrics target injustice and corporate hypocrisy and even gives a little dig to popular music (“Kill Pop”).
Though his socially conscious songs reflect his struggles, Tayler says he’s not one to dwell on the past.
“My No. 1 focus is the band,” he said. “I’d like for us to one day to be a headlining band and have fans know every lyric on our albums. I’d like us to have our own studio some day, maybe even our own label.”
Beaming a day after receiving his first publishing-advance check, Tayler now has “money we can actually spend.” To celebrate, he helps ring in Pause & Play’s annual Get Me Music for the Holidays – a guide to help you shop for music lovers in your life.
BOX SETS: “The Nirvana box set might be cool,” Tayler said. “It has some bootleg stuff on there, which might be crap, but it’s still Nirvana. I’d also love to get that Miles Davis box. He’s a musical hero of mine. He was crazy. I can really relate to him.”
P&P recommends …
- “With the Lights Out,” Nirvana (DGC/UME, released Nov. 23) – Three-CD, one-DVD collection features mostly previously unreleased tracks, spanning Nirvana’s entire career, from a recording of Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” at the band’s first show in 1987 to solo acoustic performances from leader Kurt Cobain in 1994.
- “The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1,” The Beatles (Capitol, Nov. 16) – Digitally remastered in this four-disc set, “Meet the Beatles,” “The Beatles Second Album,” “Something New” and “Beatles ’65” are presented in both the original stereo and mono mixes. The only drawback: no bonus tracks. C’mon, Yoko.
- “Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection,” Michael Jackson (Epic, Nov. 16) – The self-professed King of Pop may have been dethroned (we’re not even sure anyone has claimed the crown since the head case’s fall from grace), but you can hear all his hits (and some misses) on this 57-song, four-disc compilation covering his Jackson 5 days to his remarkable solo career.
- “Beyond Description (1973-1989),” Grateful Dead (Grateful Dead Productions/Rhino, Oct. 26) – The mammoth 12-disc set features post-Warner Bros. albums, dozens of previously unreleased outtakes, live tracks and alternate versions.
- “Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis,” Miles Davis (Columbia/Legacy Jazz, Sept. 28) – Just like the description says: The seven CDs chronicle the formative period of Davis’ “Second Great Quintet” from its first arrival, bassist Ron Carter in the spring of 1963, to its last, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter in the fall of 1964.
- “Autumn Thunder: 40 Years of NFL Films Music,” various artists (Cherry Lane Music, Sept. 14) – Composers Sam Spence and Tom Heddon’s unmistakable, often imitated but never duplicated music is packaged in this 10-disc set, which will tug at every NFL fan’s heart strings. For those too squeamish about the price and size, consider the single-disc “The Power and The Glory: The Original Music & Voices Of NFL Films” (Tommy Boy, 1998). John Facenda’s voice is sheer poetry. We also have a fondness for the jock-rock compilation “FOX Sports Presents Game Time!” (Priority, 1999).
- “The Immortal Soul of Al Green,” Al Green (Capitol, Sept. 7) – The greatest soul singer of the 1970s is celebrated in this fabulous 75-song, four-disc collection. A tip o’ the hat is in order to Green’s longtime producer, Willie Mitchell. What a pair.
- “Faces: Five Guys Walk Into a Bar … ,” Faces (Warner/Rhino, July 20) – The four discs capture the wit and charm of the five Faces – Rod Stewart, Ian McLagan, Ron Wood, Ronnie Lane and Kenney Jones – from 1969 to 1975.
- “Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978),” Black Sabbath (Warner/Rhino, April 27) – Ozzy and company rock you to the heavy-metal bone through all nine discs, which includes eight albums recorded by the original lineup.And you can’t go wrong with …
- “Bonfire,” AC/DC (Epic, 2003)
- “Sound + Vision,” David Bowie (Virgin, 2003)
- “Let the Buyer Beware,” Lenny Bruce (Shout! Factory, 2004)
- “UnEarthed,” Johnny Cash (Lost Highway, 2003)
- “Join the Dots: B-Sides and Rarities, 1978-2001,” The Cure (Elektra/Rhino, 2004)
- “Walking to New Orleans,” Fats Domino (Capitol, 2002)
- “The Complete Studio Recordings,” The Doors (Elektra, 2003)
- “The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992,” George Harrison (Capitol, 2004) – with bonus DVD.
- “The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II & III,” Queen (Hollywood, 2002)
- “Singles 1963-1965” and “Singles 1965-1967,” The Rolling Stones (ABKCO, 2004)
- “The Studio Recordings 1972-2000,” Paul Simon (Warner, 2004)
- “Once in a Lifetime,” Talking Heads (Warner/Rhino, 2003)
- “Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens: The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans,” various artists (Shout! Factory, Oct. 26)
- “Get Down Tonight: The Disco Explosion,” various artists (Shout! Factory, Nov. 16)
- “Left of the Dial: Dispatches From the ’80s Underground,” various artists (Rhino, Oct. 12)
- “Soul Spectacular! The Greatest Soul Hits of All Time,” various artists (Rhino, 2002)
- “This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960-1975,” various artists (Trojan, 2004)
- “In a Word: Yes (1969- ),” Yes (Atlantic/Rhino, 2002)
- “Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box,” ZZ Top (Warner/Rhino, 2004)STOCKING STUFFERS (the best of recent greatest-hits collections): P&P recommends …
- “Once More With Feeling: Singles 1996-2004,” Placebo (Astralwerks, Nov. 30) – includes a new track, “Twenty Years.”
- “Polaroids: A Greatest Hits Collection,” Shawn Colvin (Columbia/Legacy, Nov. 23)
- “rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991-2003),” Pearl Jam (Epic, Nov. 16) – 2 CDs.
- “Sandbox: Mark Sandman Original Music [CD/DVD],” Mark Sandman (Hi-N-Dry/KUFALA Recordings, Nov. 16) – Sandman is the late singer of Morphine and Treat Her Right.
- “This Is Music: The Singles 92-98,” The Verve (Virgin, Nov. 16) – includes the previously unavailable “This Could Be My Moment.”
- “Greatest Hits,” Neil Young (Reprise, Nov. 16) – also available as CD/DVD package.
- “Number Ones,” Bee Gees (Polydor/UME, Nov. 9) – 19 tracks, plus a bonus cut titled “Man in the Middle,” a tribute to Maurice Gibb; a limited edition of the CD includes a bonus DVD, which features performances from the U.K. TV program “An Audience With.”
- “Best: 1991-2004,” Seal (Warner, Nov. 9) – 2 CDs; includes a new cover of “Walk On By.”
- “Travis: Singles,” Travis (Epic, Nov. 2)
- “Legend Of The Wu-Tang: Wu-Tang Clan’s Greatest Hits,” Wu-Tang Clan (BMG Strategic Marketing, Oct. 26)
- “Words & Music: John Mellencamp’s Greatest Hits,” John Mellencamp (Island/UME, Oct. 19) – 2 CDs; includes new tracks co-produced by Babyface, “Thank You” and “Walk Tall.”
- “The Definitive All-Time Greatest Hits,” John Denver (RCA, Oct. 5) – 2 CDs.
- “50 Number Ones,” George Strait (MCA/UME, Oct. 5) – 2 CDs.COOL STUFF: “I want to get some musical equipment,” Tayler said. “I’d really like a digital 24-track that Apple makes. It’s about the size of an iPod. I’d also like to get a new acoustic guitar. I had to sell my ’69 Gibson Dove acoustic. It had beautiful cherry wood on the side.”I’m not going to spend my advance money on crap. I want stuff that will make myself a better artist; it’s like an investment to keep going. Some day, I’d like to own a Moog sythnesizer and maybe even a trumpet. I used to play the clarinet when I was in grammar school.” P&P recommends …
- “Apple 40 GB iPod” – We have one, we love it, we never go anywhere without it – well, nearly anywhere.
- “Apple 20 GB iPod U2 Special Edition” – It’s jet black, with a red click wheel and the autographs of each U2 band member on the back. It includes an iTunes Music Store coupon you can use to get $50 off the purchase of “The Complete U2.”
- “Altec Lansing INMOTION iPod Portable Speaker System” – It’s perfect for taking around the apartment or house, without being intrusive on loved ones or neighbors.
- “Sony MDR-NC6 Over-Ear Noise-Canceling Headphones” – It’s a great way to cancel out anything by Ashlee Simpson.
- “Case Logic TW-48 CD Wallet”The Perfect Gift for Music Lovers in Your Life – iTUNES GIFT CERTIFICATES!READ ALL ABOUT IT: Give the gift that keeps giving every month: a magazine subscription. P&P recommends these music magazines …
- “Alternative Press”
- “Billboard” – only for the VERY serious music lover.
- “Blender”
- “Paste”
- “Rolling Stone”
- “Spin”
- “Tracks”
- “Vibe” And these books, calendars …
- “When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?” George Carlin (Hyperion, Oct. 12) – More brilliant, razor-sharp observations from the best comic of them all.
- “Chronicles, Volume One,” Bob Dylan (Simon & Shuster, Oct. 4) – Memoirs of the rock legend’s life and career.
- “The Wilco Book,” Wilco (PictureBox, October) – The scrapbook of photos, observations and random notes also contains a bonus CD.
- “Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics,” Alicia Keys (Putnam, November)
- “{The New} Rolling Stone Album Guide: Completely Revised and Updated Fourth Edition” (Fireside, Nov. 16)
- “The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Revised and Updated for the 21st Century)” (Fireside, 2001)
- “The Beatles: Ten Years That Shook the World” (DK Publishing, Oct. 1)
- “Sinatra,” Richard Havers & Jonathan Schwartz (DK Publishing, Sept. 20)
- “The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America’s Greatest Band on Stage and in the Studio,” Keith Badman (Backbeat, October) – P&P wrote about this highly recommendable book in early October. Read here.
- “iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Second Edition,” J.D. Biersdorfer (Pogue Press, Feb. 3) – A guide to the iPod’s full range of music and non-music capabilities.
- “All You Need to Know About the Music Business,” Donald S. Passman (Simon & Schuster, 2003)
- “The Beatles: Calendar 2005” (Signatures Network)
- “The Simpsons: 2005 Fun Calendar” (Harper Entertainment)BULLY FOR BILLBOARD: Serious music collectors can’t do without the music bible’s ultimate reference books, most of which were compiled by Joel Whitburn. Here are just a few P&P recommends …
- “The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits,” Fred Bronson (Billboard Books, 2003) – The fifth edition of the book that provides the best summations of each No. 1 song of the rock era.
- “Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Sixties,” Joel Whitburn (Record Research, 1995) – Every weekly Hot 100 chart from 1960 to 1969.
- “Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Seventies,” Joel Whitburn (Record Research, 1990) – Every weekly Hot 100 chart from 1970 to 1979.
- “Joel Whitburn’s Billboard Top Pop Albums 1955-2001,” Joel Whitburn (Record Research, 2002)
- “The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits,” Joel Whitburn (Record Research, July 2004)
- “Joel Whitburn’s Billboard Top Country Singles 1944-2001,” Joel Whitburn (Record Research, 2002)
- “Joel Whitburn’s Billboard Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003,” Joel Whitburn (Record Research, May 2004)
- “The Billboard Encyclopedia of Classical Music,” Stanley Sadie (Record Research, February 2004)
