Taylor
Line-Up:
Keith Norris (Drums / Percussion)
Steve McDonald (Keyboards / Vocals)
Kevin Bayley (Lead Guitar)
Rick White (Rhythm Guitar)
Clint Brown (Bass Guitar)
Taylor were a Wellington based rock band formed in 1971. Although only around for two short years, the band produced one excellent, and now very rare album. All members of the group had professional experience, coming from varying backgrounds, and Taylor provided them with a stepping stone to better things.
Keith Norris and Clint Brown had been playing together since 1969, starting in Wellington's Rebirth. In mid-1970, the pair left and headed to Australia, thereby ending Rebirth, and they joined up with expatriates Dave Brown and Milton Parker to form Tangent. This group disbanded in March 1971 and Brown and Norris returned to Wellington, where they joined up with guitarist Kevin Bayley, keyboardist Steve McDonald and guitarist Rick White, to form Taylor.
Kevin Bayley had been playing lead guitar with Chapta for a period in 1970. Steve McDonald had previously played with his brother Eddie in a group from Wellington called the Strangers, before joining Dizzy Limit in 1966. He stayed with them during the transition to Timberjack in 1970, before moving on to Taylor. Rick White probably had the longest introduction. He started back in 1964, while still at school, with a Wellington pop called the Relics. They recorded a single in 1966, disbanding shortly afterwards, with Rick going on to form Tom Thumb. He stayed with them until 1970 and then joined Farmyard for a short time, before becoming part of Taylor.
Taylor had moderate success, releasing a single "Hard Life"/"Simpson's World" in 1971, recording an excellent self-titled album which contained both songs from the single, in 1972 and also securing a much sought after residency at John's Place in Auckland.
When Taylor broke up in mid-1973, Brown and Norris returned to Wellington, where they met up with Wayne Mason and Carl Evenson from Fourmyula. This pair had just recently returned to New Zealand from Britain for a holiday, after having formed Flinders prior to their departure from London with fellow New Zealanders Bruce Robinson on guitar and Richard Burgess on drums. All four had returned to New Zealand, giving up on the task of making it in Britain. Bruce Robinson joined Mark Williams in Face, replacing Mack Tane, while in Wellington Brown, Norris, Mason and Evenson began jamming together. After Mark Williams went solo, the Face ended, so Bruce Robinson joined the rest of the guys in Wellington, providing them with a much needed guitarist. Bruce Robinson had originally been in the Pleazers and later Troubled Mind. Calling themselves Rockinghorse, they began rehearsals in late 1973, and made their debut shortly afterwards.
Kevin Bayley later joined Rockinghorse and when this group called it a day in late 1978, Kevin Bayley formed Short Story in 1979, while Clint Brown was later to play in the Warratahs. .
Steve McDonald had a short stint with Human Instinct and then began recording solo, before going under the name Spinfield.