This time on The NAS 10 Questions, we get to know Unobliterated, a collaborative project which is the brainchild of Gary Taylor. Gary isoriginally from the UK but now resides in Portugal. Influences include Pearl Jam, U2, and Placebo to name a few for this indie rock project.
The track "Feels so Good" is featured on NAS Playlists.
Link To New Artist Spotlight Playlists:
1. Tell us a little about where you are from and what you are currently doing.
I was born in the UK but moved to the Silver Coast region of Portugal 4 years ago, just before the Brexit deadline [don't get me started on that topic]. I work full time and have young kids, so I have to fit my music making around that. Often I'll get some free time for music around 10pm and before I know it it's 2 or 3 in the morning. I live in a perpetual state of sleep deprivation.
2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?
I started playing guitar around the age of 20. My mum is wonderful pianist and song-writer and used to teach piano when I was growing up. Somehow I never took to piano, but I fell in love with the guitar almost instantly - I just loved the instant gratification of being able to strum along to tunes after just a month or 2. I remember it was the guitar solo in U2's New Year's Day that made be decide to start learning guitar. I just love how The Edge played that solo - not super-fast or technical, just a beautiful musicality to it all - the right notes in the right places and the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end. For me, what music's all about.
𝟯. Who are your biggest musical influences? How would you describe your style or genre?
Well, beyond early U2 that I mentioned above, Pearl Jam, Placebo and Live were probably the biggest musical influences [are you picking up an old-skool vibe yet?]. Pearl Jam's Ten is one of my all time favourite albums - perfect from start to finish. The Placebo guitar work is beautiful and has had a huge influence on my playing style. I'll give a special mention to Rage Against the Machine and Beastie Boys as well, though they probably influenced my attitude more than my musical style! People have also made comparisons with Foo Fighters on some Unobliterated tracks, though I wouldn't cite them as an influence. It's really hard to peg a definitive style or genre on yourself [for me at least] - I could only summarise it as saying it's melodic guitar music with a strong focus on edgy/gritty lyrics.
4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?
In the past [with other bands] I've harboured dreams of fame and fortune, but those days are long gone. Now, I just want to be heard. I want people to connect with the music and particularly the lyrics/message. Spotify and the online platforms are great insomuch as they instantly make your music available to millions & millions of people - but also terrible in that there's just so much new music out there that it makes it really hard to even get listened to. The struggle is real! That's why I love NAS so much. Firstly the music get's listened to my hundreds of people but beyond that, there's so much encouragement and support. It really does feel special. So thank you NAS and fellow NAStronauts 🙏
5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.
Believe it or not, singing in the car plays a large part in the song-writing process for me! Sometimes I've got some chords and or a guide track and I'll sing to build up the lyrics over the top. Other times, I'll get a vocal line and just record it into my phone. Quite often it's a slow process because of the day job etc and because I'm a bit of a perfectionist [within my capabilities], so sometimes it can take a few weeks for a song to fully crystalize. The final melody/structure/lyrics are often quite different from the initial ideas. Beyond that everything is done in Cubase in my home office that doubles up as a rather inauspicious recording room. Oh, fun fact - I generally work standing up... my desk goes up & down but it's rarely in the down position.
6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?
I'll give you 100 to 1 that you've never heard of this one! It's called "Kris Kristofferson" by "Dirty Beatniks". It's beautiful and absolutely nothing like Unobliterated. It's more EDM/Ambient - perhaps more along the lines of my side project "Mega Mega White Trash"
"...when you're on stage you should aim to create moments..."
7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?
I went to a music conference in Nashville earlier this year. There was a guy there who does stagecraft [I don't know the proper terminology] for the likes of Taylor Swift. His advice was really simple but incredibly effective [he went through a practical demonstration with a band onstage an after just 40 minutes, the transformation in that one song was unbelievable]. His advice was that when you're on stage you should aim to create "moments", It's hard to describe now, actually, but moments that touch people or take people by surprise. Moments that people will remember. You can create them in lots of ways - eg. build-ups, harmonies, musical pauses, changes in vocal register or maybe some movements on stage. Since receiving this advice, I've tried to incorporate some of these things in my recordings and I think it's working pretty well [despite it not being a stage show]
8. Proudest accomplishment?
Well, I'm really proud to have got some music out on Spotify etc - it was a dream of mine for a long time but for some reason I thought it was impossible [in that it was prohibitively expensive]. However, I think my proudest accomplishment was the iOS game "Hurlin' Merlin" that I developed single-handedly. Just because it covered so many different skills (not least actually learning to code!) - coding, animation, graphics, soundtrack, video creation, promotion and more. The game's gone now, but the [short] promo video is available if anyone's curious (link at end of article.)
9. Just for fun! What's been your most embarrassing moment so far?
In my second band, I was the one with car so had to drive the rest of the lazy feckers around to every single gig. Anyway for one gig (Leicester Uni), I was working away and had to get the train. I took full advantage of my no-driving status and drank a load of vodka on the train. By the time I got there I was pretty far gone. On stage, I forgot all the words, then how to play! I ended up falling flat on my back just giggling. I was too drunk to care at the time, but looking back... not one of my proudest moments!
𝟭0. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.
I'm not going to dwell on a low point… to quote from "The League of Gentlemen": "It's a sh*t business!" and the lack recognition for your efforts [and talents, perhaps] is hard to take at times. The high point has to be a trip down to London with a former band to record an EP with well-known [sadly now deceased] producer Pat Collier at his Greenhouse Studios. It was a really exciting time for the band and so the whole weekend was just one big high [in more ways than one] - and not just the time spent recording [which was fantastic], but the laughs we had as well, makes that the stand-out experience, for me.
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It’s really cool to meet you, Gary, and to have you in NAS!
I love how you draw inspiration from iconic bands like Pearl Jam and Placebo. Your description of your style as “melodic guitar music with a strong focus on edgy/gritty lyrics” really resonates with me. Even though I’ve delved deeply into electronic and dance music, my passion for guitar has been strong since childhood. It’s clear that your dedication to creating meaningful connections through music shines through.
Your creative process, especially the part about singing in the car, is so relatable and shows your commitment to perfecting your craft. I’ve only recently discovered your music, but I’m already loving what I’m hearing. Keep up the amazing work, and…
I also love thar solo from New Year's Day. I also like the guitar line when they come back in to the last verse! It was cool to read a bit more about you! Feels So Good is a cool tune, man!
Funny and interesting! I have a similar writing process with the recording of a line of vocals, and singing in the car haha 😅
Definitely a character that Unobliterated had me laughing with you most embarrassing moment not that you was sober enough to care. I'll also try out the advice given to you about moments probably give the song more of our character
Great interview loved the questions asked keep up the good work 👍