Taylor Caine - Top of The Pops Interview (2001)
It’s a kind of Magic
We have no illusions about TAYLOR CAINE’s amazing talent, and now they’re ready to cast a spell on you lot!
First thing’s first. How did you meet?
Louise: It was during a woodwork class, when we were about 11. Some of my friends introduced me to Ross. I thought he was very loud and really bubbly. He was funny and I took to him straight away.
Ross: If you believe Louise, then I was being a bit over the top and showing off.
And then, abracadabra, Taylor Caine were born?
Louise: Oh no, the band didn’t get going until about 1998. Ross had been working on some songs with a production company. He had taken his stuff round to a few people who all thought it would be good to get a girl involved, so Ross asked me. But I wasn’t really bothered to start off with!
Ross, how did you manage to talk Louise round?
Ross: Well, I said, ‘Look, I’m not a very good singer. How would you like to sing?’ She was really lukewarm about it. I couldn’t understand it! Lou told me straight, ‘If you get songs I really believe in, then I’m in - but not until then!’ It took a while and some hard work, but I got her in the end!
So what are Taylor Caine all about?
Ross: Pop is so bland at the moment. We’re not doing the same thing as everyone else and I think that’s the point! I think of us as pop missionaries - we’re on a mission to make pop good again!
That’s a pretty hefty responsibility!
Louise: I know, but there’s been no pop recently about which you think wow, that’s totally different. It’s not all mega-samey but nothing really sticks out. Pop’s a bit grey at the moment and we wanna spice it up!
And can you explain exactly how this trick’s going to be done?!
Ross: Our songs are very accessible to lots of different people. We write about real situations instead of all that ‘I love you, you love me’ sort of thing. Our first single is about sex, the second is about fame and the third is about feeling totally lost and wanting to go home. We also have songs with real anger in them, which is different.
Think we know what you’re getting at! So who wears the trousers?
Louise: Oh me, definitely - that’s how it’s always been with us! I’m the one who fronts the band as well, and Ross is happy to be the cog in our musical works! I wouldn’t say I was in charge, but - I look after him.
Ross: There are days when I’ll have something to say and Louise will slap me and tell me it’s wrong, ha-ha! No, seriously though, we talk everything out together so I don’t think either of us is the boss.
So who has changed the most since you’ve known each other?
Louise: I’m a lot more grown-up now and my opinions and views are more adult. Ross, however, is pretty much the same little boy who I met in woodwork class!
Your video has a strong magical theme. Would you say you’re magic buffs?
Ross: I’m into David Blaine. He’s so amazing, he’s almost creepily amazing! I probably watched a bit of Paul Daniels when I was younger, too, but that’s not up my street any more!
Louise: I’m not especially into it but it’s very colourful and theatrical, so it’s a bit like us really. I tell you what though, I love those TV programmes where they expose all the secrets behind the tricks - they’re brilliant!
What tricks do you need to have up your sleeve in order to work with someone who you’ve known for so long?
Ross: None. It makes everything so much easier, it’s unbelievable. Actually, we were only saying that this morning. There are people in bands with people they don’t like and I don’t know how they do it! Me and Lou are really close. We sit in our hotel in the evenings and we hang out together watching films and stuff. Working as closely together as we do, I couldn’t think of anyone I’d want to work with more!
Louise: Aah, thanks, Ross!
OK, you can perform one grand trick for the world. What’s it to be?
Ross: I’d like to flick my wand and make everyone’s videos and CD players change into different random things! No reason for it really, other than it would be a pretty impressive trick. Me and Lou could pack it in after a trick like that because we’d have certainly made our mark on the world!
Louise: You can’t do that, Ross. You should use the power for something good. I’d make the entire population of the world go out and buy a copy of our record. That would be a good one for starters!
Taylor Caine’s magical single, Cabaret Bombshell, is out this month!
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