Larry "the mole" Taylor

jel · #1 11-12-2007, 06:43 AM

Absolutely love his playing with Canned Heat, can't find an interview with him anywhere on the net. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

ThunderLizard · #2 11-13-2007, 04:50 PM

Jel-
One of my faves also. You might also want to check out his recordings with John Mayall if you haven't already. Lots of great lines to inspire us!
Read a roundtable interview that included Larry in BassPlayer a few years back... I think he was living in CA and teaching. I also think he's the only original member of the Canned Heat still with us. Most of the others 'crossed the river' via drug overdose. I'll see if I can find my issue this week.
Good Luck To You!

jerry · #3 11-13-2007, 05:19 PM

Great player who is doing most of his work on upright these days. Check out the Lighting In A Bottle DVD where he shares bass duties with Willie Weeks.
I listened to a lot of Larry Taylor when I was learning to play.

CapnSev · #4 11-13-2007, 05:34 PM

Larry Taylor is one of my favorties! I saw him playing upright bass for Tom Waits last year (I think) and he was awesome!

The Salt Lake City Weekly did an interview with Tom Waits, and Larry Taylor was asked a few questions also I believe. If I can dig that up for you I will post it. None of the interview really had anyhting to do with Larry's playing styles or gear or anything like that though.

Also, there are some clips of Larry and the rest of Canned Heat talking on one of their old vinyls. I forget the name (I'll look it up when I get home), but it's a 2-disc set with a way psychadelic looking cover. The entire 2nd record is one song called "Refried Boogie" where Larry Taylor has this huge bass solo section. There is some talking at the end of the song. I'm not sure if it's on CD or not though.

m.oreilly · #5 11-13-2007, 07:44 PM

wow, deja vu man. i was just watching him in the pennybaker monterey pop movie, tearing it up. i remember reading and interview of larry in guitarplayer mag (way back in the early '70s), and how he came to take up the upright. psykic, man

jel · #6 11-14-2007, 06:53 AM

Thanks everyone, I'll keep searching using your clues.

I really like the footage of him playing at Monterey and Woodstock, he just looks like he's having a blast.

Mojo-Man · #7 11-14-2007, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

Great player who is doing most of his work on upright these days. Check out the Lighting In A Bottle DVD where he shares bass duties with Willie Weeks.
I listened to a lot of Larry Taylor when I was learning to play.

+1
Larry is one of the West Coasts best upright players.
Check out "Hollywood Fats Band".
Classic Weat Coast Jump Blues.
Also anything by "Kim Wilson" with Larry.
As said, "Tom Waits"
Larry is the MAN !!!

ronniemann · #8 12-25-2007, 11:46 AM

I have a Larry Taylor story for you. I used to play bass in a band with Henry Vestine [Canned Heat guitarist] back in the '80s. They used to get together as Canned Heat and tour a couple times a year. Now Henry knew I was a huge Larry Taylor fan, so he invited me to sit in with the Heat once at a concert in Oregon. The only problem was, Larry and Henry hated each other [a complicated story that actually started the day before their Woodstock performance, which ended with Vestine quiting the band], so I got to play his bass while Vestine sat out and Larry played guitar. So i got to play with the Heat without Henry. Afterwords, I got to talk with Larry. The first thing I said to him was that I knew he had played on the Monkees first record! I couldnt have said anything worse! He blew up and said never bring that up again to him! We got passed that and ended up being quite friendly, with us talking about the best flatwounds to use and he actually inviting me to a Tom Waits recording session that he wanted me to play on. I have photos of this night as well and i will always remember Larry, Henry, and of course the Monkees!

GlennW · #9 12-25-2007, 05:50 PM

I still have their first album, lost the cover a long time ago. He was one of my favorites when I started. IIRC Vestine was on their first two albums, and Harvey Mandel was on Future Blues.

thumpbass1 · #10 12-28-2007, 08:10 AM

He is a great bass player and I still have my old Canned Heat and John Mayall
albums. He is one of my early influences but kid's today draw a blank
look when I mention his name if they should ask me who were some of the players
who inspired me when I started to learn.

He's a true master of the groove and I was elated when I heard he's still playing
and recording. ' The Mole' is truly a legend and I hope he gets the kudos he deserves
someday.