Intro: Official Bio of Future Leaders of The world
Future Leaders of the World (F.L.O.W.) is an alternative/post-grunge/rock group formed in 2002 by guitarist and singer Phil Taylor. Upon moving to Los Angeles, Taylor immediately commanded the attention of Puddle of Mudd’s Mike Flynn. Flynn’s backing of Future Leaders of the World, led to Taylor recording a demo with Shawn Rivera of Az Yet and executive producer Allan Fray in Los Angeles, CA. This demo lead to deal with Epic Records, and Taylor returned to Buffalo, NY to piece together a full line up.
The group signed with Epic Records and released a full-length album, LVL IV. The album reached No. 153 on the Billboard 200 on the strength of the US hit singles “Let Me Out” (#6 Mainstream Rock, No. 32 Modern Rock Charts ) and “Everyday” (#30 Mainstream Rock). The group toured with groups such as Shinedown, Seether, Crossfade, Chevelle, Alter Bridge, Velvet Revolver, Scott Weiland, Helmet, Strata, as well as being a co-headliner of the Sno-Core tour. F.L.O.W. toured extensively from 2004 – 2009.
Taylor’s former label mate, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, is a constant supporter and has compared Taylor’s vocals to a “modern day Kurt Cobain.” More recently, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and Stone Temple Pilots has given nods to Taylor.
In the summer of 2009, Future Leaders of the World relocated to New Orleans, LA. This relocation quickly caused the downfall and rebirth of F.L.O.W. “New Orleans is where the band fell apart; it just felt like God was calling me to come back and pick up the pieces, to start over,” said Taylor. “It has always been a place of inspiration for me, and we’ve always had great support for F.L.O.W. in the gulf coast, ” Taylor continued.
Later in 2009, Future Leaders of the World were back on the scene. They marked this in the release of the Delirium EP with 3 tracks from the forthcoming full-length album entitled Reveal, as well as an acoustic version of “Let Me Out.” In 2010, F.L.O.W. released another album entitled, Bootlegs & B-sides.
Future Leaders of the World’s forthcoming full-length, Reveal, will be released in Spring 2015 Via Pavement Music/SONY RED.
Interview: Taylor Mayd – (vocals / guitar)
Ian Severson – Guitar
1. Why is music important?
Taylor: “I mean, that’s not really a question is it? (laughs). I think it’s one of the most important tools we have in life to make life enjoyable and meaningful. I don’t think it’s the only outlet, but it’s definitely in the top five (laughs). It’s one of the art forms that involves using pretty much every part of your brain: you’re using math; you’re using your verbal side; you’re integrating almost every part of your brain simultaneously. So, mentally and scholastically, music is an art form that really is limitless as far as what it can contribute to people of any age. On an emotional and spiritual level, music allows you to have a glimpse into the soul of other writers from hundreds of years ago, if not longer. Music has timeless value.”
“I was thinking about this the other day, while talking about producing with a client of mine: I look at a record like building a house. You can either build a shack on the side of a hill or you can build a mansion on a solid foundation. Eventually if you have a bunch of mansions, you’ve made yourself a kingdom. I look at it like that because a lot of people don’t put their heart and soul into what they are doing. They just do it for the sake of doing it. I’m not saying this is the case for every person. However, sometimes, people just go through the process of doing it. When you’re writing music, you’re building something that other people can go into emotionally and spiritually. They can go and reside in the music and it can take them somewhere. Only you, writing the music, can take them. It’s an opportunity to give. The more you give to the music, the more others will give themselves to what you have to offer. I think music is one of the most effective means of communication. It surpasses conventional knowledge and societal structures. Music has the ability to really touch people in a way no other art form can. I think music is extremely important. On top of that, I think music is a weapon. It’s a spiritual weapon that can be used in a powerful way. It can make supernatural things happen. I believe that, too.”
Ian: “It’s therapeutic. I was just reading this book called, This Is Your Brain on Music, by Daniel J. Levitin. He has a PHD. It’s a really interesting book. It delves into how music goes back so far in time. It talks about the pleasure of different singing voices. You don’t have to be a scientist to figure it out. You just hear certain voices and know you like them over others. Levitin really breaks it down to music as science: what pitch and what all that stuff does to a person on a subconscious level. At the end of the day, his point is that music is so primordial that it dates back to even before there were instruments. The pitch and tambour of people’s voices is how people selected each other as far as breeding and stuff like that. So, music is ingrained in all of us. I think that’s why it’s such a social activity. People go to shows whether it’s a rock concert or someone spinning EDM. Music is definitely a release. It allows you to zone out. Time almost becomes irrelevant. I can be listening to a record, or I can be playing guitar and three hours go by and I can say to myself, “Whoa, that didn’t seem like three hours.” In summary, I think music is a therapeutic escape.”
2. What’s the history of your involvement with the band, Future Leaders Of The World?
Taylor: “Well, I’ve had experience engineering at two different studios throughout my career. I’ve worked with a lot of great producers so I kind of just winged it. I used that knowledge from my experience with Toby Wright, Garth Richardson, and Elvis Baskette. You know, I just used a little bit of their technique and kind of made things up as I went along and it probably took a little bit longer because of that. You know, if you give an artist as much time as they want in the studio, they’re going to be a little less decisive. However, overall, I kind of taught myself while producing the record. So, it was kind of a trial and error, experimenting process, but at the same time using what I learned from the producers I’ve worked with. It was a lot of fun, but it was a lot of pressure too, though. It was cool. I had a lot of help from engineers too; I’m not going to lie. I can’t take all the credit. It was definitely a team effort. So, it was an exciting experience and we’ll see what happens. I’m ready for the next one.”
“Anyway, we got the majority of the recording done there, in Seattle. After that, we decided to put a band together in New Orleans in 2009. We went down to New Orleans and enlisted a new rhythm section. Russ, our current drummer, was a part of that. So, we toured for about five to six months to push an EP called, Delirium, which had two songs on it that are on the current record, Reveal. The two songs, “Wherever The Wind Blows” and “Our Secrets”, were on that EP. We toured and played a few festivals in late 2009 going into 2010. In 2010, we decided to go back into the studio and record a few more songs in Nashville; one of which, “Live Again,” is the new single. So, we went and recorded in Nashville and then got back together in New Orleans and started actively shopping that record in 2010. We then also toured for the next couple of years pretty heavily. There were four songs added to the record: “Live Again,” “Sink Or Swim,” “All In Your Eyes,” and “Intoxicate.” So there were two different main recording sessions. However, the second session was a lot quicker and a lot more direct.”
Ian: “I got into the band in 2008 when we started some of the earlier recordings for the Delirium EP in Seattle. I was living in Minneapolis and was still playing with this other side project I had going on at the time, Mechina. My band, Ginger Jake, from Minneapolis, ended up doing some shows with them and that’s how we met. We just kind of hit it off. They asked if I wanted to play lead guitar, add stuff to the new record, and help with song writing. I said, “Sure, let’s do it.” That’s kind of how that happened. At the time, I was currently in my band in Minneapolis and recording with Future Leaders of the World. So, I was kind of going back and forth between Minneapolis and Seattle for about a year.”
“Ginger Jake never got signed but we toured pretty heavily, especially around the mid-west. We all had day jobs at the time. However, for an unsigned band, I think we sold close to ten thousand records. I wasn’t quite as commercially successful as Future Leaders of the World’s first record, but it did well. I had been in Ginger Jake for a while. Between the year of 2002 and 2003 is when we started. We’ve made three records and produced a bunch of stuff. We worked with some good producers in California. We had management, lawyers, and all that good stuff. We dropped the record and everything. However, that band basically broke up because my singer, Amanda Harris, was dating our bass player and they broke up about six years into the band. The bass player was the twin brother of the drummer so it made for an interesting situation. They broke up when we were right in the middle of one of our last records. I wanted to see the record through to completion, so we recruited another rhythm section and guitar player and finished that record. It was showcased in the Viper Room in L.A. We didn’t end up getting picked up, so at that point in time I just made the decision to go full time with Future Leaders of the World.”
Photo: From FLOW’s tour in Japan
3. Please talk about the writing process and the ideas behind your new album, Reveal.
Taylor: “I started working on the record in 2008, as a solo acoustic record, at the Rainier Brewery Studios in Seattle, Washington. The album just gradually kept on evolving until it became necessary to get a full band involved on the record. So, I got Ian involved, my guitar player Ian Severson. I had him come out and start working on the record in Seattle. We got a few different drummers involved to play on it. Then, before you knew it, it was a full-fledged rock record and not just an acoustic, solo record. It kind of took on a life of its own. I kind of just locked myself away in the studio and for four or five months they gave me free rein to produce it as well. So, it kind of took on a life of its own, as I was saying. I guess I’m producing this record now too.”
Ian: “We were lucky to work with John King. He’s a producer in Nashville, a young guy. He has a really good sense of music. He’s a singer as well, so he and Taylor clicked. He’s has a very good ear for melody and structure so we all kind of complement each other.”
“As far as the production went, it’s great. We literally got to haul up in his studio for a month and just knocked it out. It’s always nice to be able to finish a batch of songs from start to finish and not have to leave it and come back to it. You can loose momentum in the recording process when you step away from it. In fact, I think I was broke at the time and they were like, “We need you for three more days.” So, John was really generous and said, “I’ll throw you a hundred bucks to change your plane ticket, we need you for another four days.”
4. What are the ideas behind the music on Reveal?
Taylor: “Well, you know, not to be a broken record (no pun intended), it did just take on a mind of its own. Honestly, I planned on doing a really corny, acoustic demo. It ended up evolving into something much bigger than that. So, with the album title being called Reveal, I feel what was going on creatively with myself and the guys was about the process of turning darkness into light. The music started revealing things in myself and bringing them to the forefront. I went through the process. The emotions I wrote about started to come out after the writing process.”
Ian: “I have to give Taylor credit. He started Reveal as a solo acoustic project. Around the time he met me, he had laid some heavier guitars on it. However, I think he was running into whether to continue to do it on his own, or bring somebody on board. When I came into the project there were good chunks of songs that were finished already. Taylor had the structures for the songs. I’m pretty good at coming in and vibing off existing chord structures, etc. I ended up tracking some of the heavier guitar parts. We went on tour and the record got shelved for a minute. However, when we came back we decided to add songs to the record. However, we couldn’t find a label to put it out. Then, we had the opportunity to go to Nashville. So I think we both decided to come up with some heaver, rocker-style songs. In January 2011, after we got back from tour, I wrote the song that would become “Intoxicate.” It will probably be the second single on the record. I helped co-write “Live Again,” which is the first single. Both of those songs were a part of the sessions we did in Nashville.”
“I try and play guitar every day, as much as I can. I like collaborating with people.
It’s cool to co-write, whether it’s with Taylor or John LeCompt from Evanescence. Then, there’s those times when you’re sitting around and you get an epiphany and you come up with an idea and you create a song that way. It’s kind of a mixed bag.”
5. What’s the history of your involvement with the band, Future Leaders Of The World?
Taylor: “Well, I’ve had experience engineering at two different studios throughout my career. I’ve worked with a lot of great producers so I kind of just winged it. I used that knowledge from my experience with Toby Wright, Garth Richardson, and Elvis Baskette. You know, I just used a little bit of their technique and kind of made things up as I went along and it probably took a little bit longer because of that. You know, if you give an artist as much time as they want in the studio, they’re going to be a little less decisive. However, overall, I kind of taught myself while producing the record. So, it was kind of a trial and error, experimenting process, but at the same time using what I learned from the producers I’ve worked with. It was a lot of fun, but it was a lot of pressure too, though. It was cool. I had a lot of help from engineers too; I’m not going to lie. I can’t take all the credit. It was definitely a team effort. So, it was an exciting experience and we’ll see what happens. I’m ready for the next one.”
“Anyway, we got the majority of the recording done there, in Seattle. After that, we decided to put a band together in New Orleans in 2009. We went down to New Orleans and enlisted a new rhythm section. Russ, our current drummer, was a part of that. So, we toured for about five to six months to push an EP called, Delirium, which had two songs on it that are on the current record, Reveal. The two songs, “Wherever The Wind Blows” and “Our Secrets”, were on that EP. We toured and played a few festivals in late 2009 going into 2010. In 2010, we decided to go back into the studio and record a few more songs in Nashville; one of which, “Live Again,” is the new single. So, we went and recorded in Nashville and then got back together in New Orleans and started actively shopping that record in 2010. We then also toured for the next couple of years pretty heavily. There were four songs added to the record: “Live Again,” “Sink Or Swim,” “All In Your Eyes,” and “Intoxicate.” So there were two different main recording sessions. However, the second session was a lot quicker and a lot more direct.”
Ian: “I got into the band in 2008 when we started some of the earlier recordings for the Delirium EP in Seattle. I was living in Minneapolis and was still playing with this other side project I had going on at the time, Mechina. My band, Ginger Jake, from Minneapolis, ended up doing some shows with them and that’s how we met. We just kind of hit it off. They asked if I wanted to play lead guitar, add stuff to the new record, and help with song writing. I said, “Sure, let’s do it.” That’s kind of how that happened. At the time, I was currently in my band in Minneapolis and recording with Future Leaders of the World. So, I was kind of going back and forth between Minneapolis and Seattle for about a year.”
“Ginger Jake never got signed but we toured pretty heavily, especially around the mid-west. We all had day jobs at the time. However, for an unsigned band, I think we sold close to ten thousand records. I wasn’t quite as commercially successful as Future Leaders of the World’s first record, but it did well. I had been in Ginger Jake for a while. Between the year of 2002 and 2003 is when we started. We’ve made three records and produced a bunch of stuff. We worked with some good producers in California. We had management, lawyers, and all that good stuff. We dropped the record and everything. However, that band basically broke up because my singer, Amanda Harris, was dating our bass player and they broke up about six years into the band. The bass player was the twin brother of the drummer so it made for an interesting situation. They broke up when we were right in the middle of one of our last records. I wanted to see the record through to completion, so we recruited another rhythm section and guitar player and finished that record. It was showcased in the Viper Room in L.A. We didn’t end up getting picked up, so at that point in time I just made the decision to go full time with Future Leaders of the World.”
6. What are the ideas behind the music on Reveal?
Taylor: “Well, you know, not to be a broken record (no pun intended), it did just take on a mind of its own. Honestly, I planned on doing a really corny, acoustic demo. It ended up evolving into something much bigger than that. So, with the album title being called Reveal, I feel what was going on creatively with myself and the guys was about the process of turning darkness into light. The music started revealing things in myself and bringing them to the forefront. I went through the process. The emotions I wrote about started to come out after the writing process.”
Ian: “I have to give Taylor credit. He started Reveal as a solo acoustic project. Around the time he met me, he had laid some heavier guitars on it. However, I think he was running into whether to continue to do it on his own, or bring somebody on board. When I came into the project there were good chunks of songs that were finished already. Taylor had the structures for the songs. I’m pretty good at coming in and vibing off existing chord structures, etc. I ended up tracking some of the heavier guitar parts. We went on tour and the record got shelved for a minute. However, when we came back we decided to add songs to the record. However, we couldn’t find a label to put it out. Then, we had the opportunity to go to Nashville. So I think we both decided to come up with some heaver, rocker-style songs. In January 2011, after we got back from tour, I wrote the song that would become “Intoxicate.” It will probably be the second single on the record. I helped co-write “Live Again,” which is the first single. Both of those songs were a part of the sessions we did in Nashville.”
“I try and play guitar every day, as much as I can. I like collaborating with people.
It’s cool to co-write, whether it’s with Taylor or John LeCompt from Evanescence. Then, there’s those times when you’re sitting around and you get an epiphany and you come up with an idea and you create a song that way. It’s kind of a mixed bag.”
Future Leaders of The World: “Not Forsaken”
7. Since the band started how have both the music and ideas evolved over time?
Taylor: “It’s evolved a lot. Whatever you’re dealing with, whatever you’re trying to put out in your music emotionally, it’s going to come out in your music one way or another. I think the first record was along the lines of getting away from my parents: decompression from my childhood, and so forth, and so on. That’s what the early music was about, coming out of me at that time. Then, what is it they say, for your first record you’ve got your whole entire life to write it, but your second record you’ve got a minute.” However, for me, it was the opposite. I was doing the opposite. I immediately got presented with the opportunity to write the first record, and so I did it and put it out. I almost had to reinvent myself and do another record. It’s just the way that the process happens. Things had to change in myself in order for me to get a different result. So, I dug in a lot more playing guitar on this new record. I play a lot of lead guitar. I play bass on the record. It was a lot different because there was a lot more responsibility. It was a lot harder, but in the end there were skills I learned by doing it, not just by reading about it or going to school. I was simply forced to have to do it. That pressure gave me skills to build on: to have a career doing production and engineering, which I’m doing now. It was probably the toughest thing I’ve ever done, growing-pain wise, but probably the most valuable thing as well. We’ll find out, hopefully.”
Ian: “I heard this the other day (from another interview, or maybe it was an initial review of the record) that Taylor was younger, around 19 or 20 years old when he wrote the first record. The article made the comment, and I think it’s true, that the earlier music had a little bit more angst in it. So, I think there is a little bit more added maturity to our current songs. Taylor is six years younger than me. He grew up a little bit more in the Nirvana era then I did. When Nirvana came out, I was still into the stuff that influenced Nirvana, like Gang of Four and Dead Kennedys. I liked a lot of 70’s punk rock. Then, I really got into death metal and thrash metal. I played in a lot of bands with that style. So, stylistically, I think it’s a good match with Future Leaders of the World, because we meet in the middle somewhere, around Soundgarden, I guess.”
“I think the new songs are just a little bit more developed, or even a little bit longer. They fall somewhere in the five to six minute timeline. In addition, we have new material we are writing. We are experimenting with different tunings. From my past, playing heavier stuff, I got really into bands like Napalm Death, Carcas, and stuff like that. They all tuned down. So, we have some new songs on this record that will probably surprise some people because they might be a little bit heavier. I think at the end of the day we all just appreciate a good song. I don’t think there is going to be a Future Leaders of the World song that doesn’t have a melody to it. Taylor’s a talented singer. Not only can he scream well, he can actually sing.”
Photo: fan art (Facebook)
8. How has writing music with the band changed you? What have you learned from it? What specifically do you feel changed about you? What did you learn from seeing your emotions arise from darkness into light?
Taylor: “All in all, basically God has a plan and He’s going to find His way to pull it out of you whether you know it or not. You think you have control of your life and you’ve got it all figured out. However, at the end of the day, if God really wants something to happen, He’s going to find a way to make it happen. If your heart’s in the right place, that’s the bottom line. If you hearts not in the right place then you’re really not going to go anywhere. That’s what I believe, at least.”
Ian: “That’s a tough question. What have I learned about myself? I don’t talk about myself a lot. Writing a song can be very, very difficult. Sometimes you have no inspiration and you say to yourself, “I’m giving up. I can’t. I’m not going to write music anymore.” You can get frustrated. You can get stuck in a rut. However, I guess the fact that I’m still doing it is a testament of my love for music. That’s what I taught myself: sticking to what you love and pushing yourself to keep doing what you love. That can inspire what you write. As you get older, you take in more music. You see the young kids behind your writing, what they’re writing. It’s kind of similar to the writing process of authors and writing books. There’s a term called “intertextuality,” which basically states you can’t write any new ideas that aren’t somehow related or based off stuff you’ve learned before. Everything’s related on a knowledge base. That’s how it works with music too. Unless you live in a black hole, other people’s music is going to influence how you write. I think that’s a good thing to embrace. You can sit there and worry about whether or not what you wrote sounds like something else. I think people need to be less worried about that and just write what they write.”
9. The name of your band reflects the future. What do you hope the future leaders of the world are like? What do you want to see happen?
Taylor: “Well, it’s funny because when I first came up with the band’s name I was posing the question, “What are the future leaders of the world going to be? What is the direction of the world? Where are we going?” It was more of a social commentary-type name. I wasn’t really defining anything, it was more like, “Where are we going as a society?” It was more of a tongue-in-cheek title. Now, I feel it can be applied in a few different directions. Yes, it has that connotation still. We’re the future leaders of the world; however, I have a little bit of a different perspective: spirituality. I’m a Christian. I believe people are going to rein with Christ. So, that is what my current perception is. It might not be popular.”
Ian: “That’s a loaded question because I’ve always struggled with whether or not to bring in politics and music together. My dad has actually run for political office a couple of times for state representative of Minnesota. I remember being at parades when I was a kid. I remember some of the first records I listened to on vinyl (because of my father): Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols, and stuff like that. These bands were overtly political. I remember talking with my friend Tommy Stinson, from the Replacements and who’s playing in Guns ’N’ Roses now. We were hanging out one night in Minneapolis. I had to ask him something based on his stories he was telling me about playing at Carnival in Rio in front of three hundred and fifty thousand people. I said, “So Tommy, you are the person to ask, do you cross music and politics?” He said, “Absolutely not. You have to keep them separate man because you run the risk of potentially alienating fans.” I said to him, “Well, I’ll have to agree to disagree I guess.” To summarize real quickly: I think the current state of affairs with American politics is that foreign policy needs to change. This is me speaking personally, not for everybody in the band.”
“As far as the band name, Future Leaders of the World, I guess I would encourage kids these days to always remember that people are more valuable, not material items. Go through life with a humanist approach. Money isn’t everything. If money was everything I wouldn’t be playing music for a living. I guess we can leave it at that.”
“Music, for me, is awesome. I’ve had soldiers from Iraq send me emails when I was with Ginger Jake, and then with Future Leaders of the World, saying, “Your song got me though the day today. I was in my Humvee in the middle of the desert, hating life, wondering why the fuck am I here, but listening to your song got me through the day.” I support the troops from that standpoint. Obviously they’re out there. You can argue all day long about why America sends troops to various different countries. However, the fact of the matter is that there are young kids out there losing their limbs and their lives. They are making it possible for us to live the way we do in America. They are making it possible for us, and sometimes I joke, to be deadbeat musicians. That’s a luxury in life. Not a lot of people can put a hundred percent of their time into music. I would just encourage people these days to question why we fight wars and things like that. A lot of the time it’s over resources. You have to question how much we really need in our lives to be happy. So, I’ll leave it at that.”
10. How important do you think choosing a band name is in general? How much of an impact do you think the band name has on the success of the band?
Taylor: “With some bands the name is not that amazing but the music’s great. I think, however, the name can help sometimes too. At least, in our situation, I think the name catches people’s attention. I think its thought-provoking. That was the whole idea behind it. When I first thought of the name I was just trying to pose the question, “Where are we going? Where is the world going? What are we doing with our future as a society? So, I think the name of a band can help. I think it definitely does make a difference; however, I don’t think it defines the band entirely. The music defines the band and the message of the music also defines it more than the name. However, if you have the name and music cohesive with one another and all tied together, then that strengthens the band for sure. I think the name can strengthen and put a good seal on the music and the brand of an artist. This is something we really focused on.”
Actually, this time around, I’m starting a clothing line, which is going to be the basic band-touring merchandise. We will be co-branding our band logo into this clothing line. We want to have a little bit of something different to offer. It’s fun for me. I like doing things to branch out and be creative with visual art as well. So, we are branching out with these clothes as well.”
Ian: “I mean, it can make or break a band. But then you have a band like Korn. I mean, what the hell does that name mean? So, at the same time a very simple, nonsensical word, with the “k” turned around, can just roll off the tongue really easily too. On top of it too, who doesn’t know the name Korn? So, it’s kind of like you come up with something crazy like System Of A Down, or something that’s really long like, Rage Against The Machine or Future Leaders Of The World. However, then it’s a pain in the ass to type it out every time you’re emailing somebody (laughs). I learned a few years ago, when you’re coming out with a record, make a bunch of templates and personalize the first paragraph when you are sending everything out to radio stations, media, and outlets like that.”
“I think a band name is definitely important. For one, it’s important to the people who named it. You have to be happy with it yourself first. I’ve never named a band. I’ve named record titles and song titles. It’s hard to come up with a good band name. I think a lot of times people come up with band names that have something to do with personal things as well. Papa Roach is an example.”
11. How do you decide what visual artist(s) you want to work with?
Taylor: “We ended up working with Matt Wells, out of Minneapolis. We have continuously been in connection with him, and linking up with him. He seemed to be the only one patient enough to deal with my long-winded, zany ideas (laughs). He’s a good artist. He saw my ideas as fun and intricate and saw how we could start really building a brand with what we were doing. I could get behind it because at the end of the day I feel those kinds of people are the ones who are most creative: the ones who don’t need to have a five-figure budget; the ones that don’t need to have all of this extra stuff; the ones who really like a project and will pull something out of themselves to make something special for the simple fact that it’s their passion. Matt and I saw eye-to-eye on that. We didn’t have any money. He saw the vision of what we were doing. He’s still with us right now and he’s a business partner in what we are doing. So, it all worked out. “A little bit of faith goes a long way,” that’s what I say.”
12. What are some of the musicians, or bands, who have left a lasting impact on you, similar to the way your song “Let Me Out” has helped others?
Taylor: “I listen to a lot of different kinds of music so I’ll give you a few from every genre. Definitely Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Korn, Bob Marley, Eminem, Nirvana, Sound Garden. Those are a few off the top of my head. I’m sure there’s more.”
Future Leaders of The World: “Let Me Out”
13. Is there anything you would like to add to what we discussed? Is there any information you want to give to further connect people to your music?
Taylor: “I would say I’m excited to have the opportunity to get this record out so everybody can hear it. I think it’s all happened for a reason. God is good and I’m excited to see what He’s going to do next.”
“I really feel that God put Future Leaders Of The World back together for a reason. We really didn’t even have anything going on with this band . It’s just bizarre the way we got linked up. All of a sudden we got signed and we’ve been working on this record for about five years. God has definitely given me a purpose, a direction, and a hope. I’m excited to see what His plan is for the band.”
“I grew up Catholic, but my mom’s Jewish. So, I grew up under a law-oriented mentality, not really having a relationship with God. I think that is how a lot of kids grow up. As a result, that really drove me away from the church. Eventually this story is going to be a book, one day. All glory to God. Eventually it’s going to be a book. At the end of the first incarnation of Future Leaders Of The World, I was wondering the streets of Jackson, Mississippi during the second to last show we ever did at that time, in 2005. I was wondering what was going on with the band, what was going on with my life, career, etc. I ended up meeting this kid who was just wondering the streets. I thought he was going to rob me, but I said, “What’s up?” He said, “Jesus, that’s what’s up.” I was like, “Ok.” Long story short, without getting into the whole entire story of what happened during the time I got saved, he just started talking to me about God. I could tell there was something about where he was coming from that it was beyond him. I always believed in God, but I never, as an adult, felt that I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior as an adult. I was twenty-two at the time when I met this kid on the street. I became aware that I had never really accepted God as my savior. I know God was there but was He really involved? I didn’t know. I just felt like God was reaching out through this kid; that he was anointed. He was walking in the spirit for sure. When I talked to him, I felt like the opportunity came to really give my life to Christ. It was an opportunity I wanted to take. After this, I gave my life to Christ and He prophesied over me. He said, “If Taylor is supposed to continue with this group, let him continue. If not, give him a new group, new management, new team and bring him into a place where he can be beneficial to your kingdom, and for your works.” Literally, that next day, we found out we were dropped. The whole band was over. At that point I was like, “Wait a minute, what’s going on?” Everything got destroyed, but everything got destroyed so it could get rebuilt. God wanted to rebuild my heart and gave me the tools to do what I’m supposed to do. That’s how I see it, looking back at that.”
14. Are your lyrics connected with your faith?
Taylor: “On this new record, yes, definitely. My spirituality is going to come out in whatever I’m writing about. There are certain songs on there that are really, very God- centered. “Not Forsaken,” is one of them. This was the first song that was released. The song, “Dominion,” is one; “Mirror” is another one. “Live Again,” is pretty literal. I definitely see, moving forward, my faith is going to be a lot more prevalent, obviously. This is especially true for where I’m at right now because I have a lot more music left inside of me. This is not going to be the last Future Leaders Of The World record that people will hear. It’s not going to be another ten years. I believe there is something God is using me for: to be patient and teach people to be patient. As much as I necessarily didn’t want to be that example (laughs); but, that is not in my hands, that is part of God’s bigger plan.”
15. What would you say are the greatest accomplishments you’ve had with this band that were important to your personal connection to music?
Taylor: “I honestly think our best works are ahead of us. I really do believe that. I think we have a fresh start right now. We have a new label, a new record, and a new team all together. I would say that our best works are definitely ahead of us. However, as far as what’s been done, I’m not really sure. We’ve sold a lot of records and we’ve played big shows. However, to me, it’s the little things. For example, our song “Let Me Out,” which was a big song ten years ago, is still moving people now. It’s still has a profound effect on someone’s life. To me that’s really inspiring because just knowing a song has that much power is incredible. Somebody who’s in jail, somebody who’s in rehab, or somebody who’s fighting overseas for their life has mentioned “Let Me Out” has helped them. To me, that’s like, “WOW!” You don’t realize that stuff when you’re sitting in the studio writing a song. “Let Me Out,” was really effective not only as a hit single, but the way it has had such a lasting power. Not only has it sold some records, but it’s had a lasting effect on people’s lives. It’s something that they’ve attached to in such a strong way. To me, knowing that is the accomplishment, not the simple fact that we have a hit song. People actually let me know that “Let Me Out” affected their life in a way where it gave them hope in a dark place. That’s more valuable then, “Oh, I sold ten million records.” Way more valuable.”
“Now that the band’s coming back out with another record, we are starting to get more stories about the songs and how they helped people.”
