Fabulous piano man Gene Taylor dead
February 23, 2021 9:50 AM Subscribe
Frozen to death in Austin: boogie-woogie pianist Gene Taylor, formerly with The Blasters, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Canned Heat and others.
Interview
Video (text in Spanish)
Interview
Video (text in Spanish)
Oh my God. Frozen to death?
Taylor’s housemate, filmmaker Monty McMillan, said Sunday that he found Taylor’s body in bed Saturday morning. The house had been without heat for five days as a result of statewide power outages related to the recent winter storm.
“I don’t really know exactly what happened.” McMillan said. “I don’t know if he had some underlying health condition, but I know the cold didn’t help.
He sounds like a great player:
Taylor stood out as a pianist because of the “percussive intensity of his playing, which harkened back to early blues boogie players,” Alvin said. “A lot of modern-day pianists, when they play that stuff, sound like they’re coming at it from the outside. With Gene, it always sounded like it was coming straight from the inside.”
I went to a lecture about New Orleans piano and early rock n' roll once - sounds like he played in that old-school idiom.
posted by thelonius at 9:56 AM on February 23, 2021 [3 favorites]
Taylor’s housemate, filmmaker Monty McMillan, said Sunday that he found Taylor’s body in bed Saturday morning. The house had been without heat for five days as a result of statewide power outages related to the recent winter storm.
“I don’t really know exactly what happened.” McMillan said. “I don’t know if he had some underlying health condition, but I know the cold didn’t help.
He sounds like a great player:
Taylor stood out as a pianist because of the “percussive intensity of his playing, which harkened back to early blues boogie players,” Alvin said. “A lot of modern-day pianists, when they play that stuff, sound like they’re coming at it from the outside. With Gene, it always sounded like it was coming straight from the inside.”
I went to a lecture about New Orleans piano and early rock n' roll once - sounds like he played in that old-school idiom.
posted by thelonius at 9:56 AM on February 23, 2021 [3 favorites]
Damn. A musician’s musician.
That just sucks.
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posted by spitbull at 10:07 AM on February 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
That just sucks.
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posted by spitbull at 10:07 AM on February 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
“Before You Accuse Me,” Gene Taylor Blues Band with Dave Alvin, John Bazz, and Bill Bateman, live at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California, January 4, 2014.
posted by villard at 10:19 AM on February 23, 2021 [10 favorites]
posted by villard at 10:19 AM on February 23, 2021 [10 favorites]
I'm not usually a very demonstrative fan, but I saw him playing with the Blasters in the '80's and it was an amazing show. I had to shake his hand. He will be missed.
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posted by evilDoug at 10:52 AM on February 23, 2021 [7 favorites]
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posted by evilDoug at 10:52 AM on February 23, 2021 [7 favorites]
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posted by SystematicAbuse at 10:54 AM on February 23, 2021
posted by SystematicAbuse at 10:54 AM on February 23, 2021
Rippin' it up with the Tbirds
posted by thecincinnatikid at 11:14 AM on February 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by thecincinnatikid at 11:14 AM on February 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
Jesus Christ.
posted by praemunire at 11:32 AM on February 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 11:32 AM on February 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by From Bklyn at 11:45 AM on February 23, 2021
posted by From Bklyn at 11:45 AM on February 23, 2021
This is such a shame and a complete indictment of the current American situation. I don't care if it's a freak event, no one should be freezing to death in their sleep.
I saw the Blasters many times, both with and without Gene. Definitely the craziest, most high energy shows were with Gene on piano. Condolences to his friends and family.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:51 AM on February 23, 2021 [12 favorites]
I saw the Blasters many times, both with and without Gene. Definitely the craziest, most high energy shows were with Gene on piano. Condolences to his friends and family.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:51 AM on February 23, 2021 [12 favorites]
Truly horrid and appalling. Such a loss.
posted by lotusstp at 11:54 AM on February 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by lotusstp at 11:54 AM on February 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
The "." doesn't convey my anger at this unnecessary death. Thank you for the music, Gene, and I'm sorry this happened.
posted by queensissy at 12:07 PM on February 23, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by queensissy at 12:07 PM on February 23, 2021 [3 favorites]
I saw him twice with the Blasters, once in 1985 at the Ritz in NYC and again at a small place in SF during the first Blasters reunion tour in 2002. He was quiet until the music started.
Roll 'Em Pete from that same McCabe's show linked above.
posted by donpardo at 12:15 PM on February 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
Roll 'Em Pete from that same McCabe's show linked above.
posted by donpardo at 12:15 PM on February 23, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 2:11 PM on February 23, 2021
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 2:11 PM on February 23, 2021
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posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 2:18 PM on February 23, 2021
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 2:18 PM on February 23, 2021
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posted by Token Meme at 3:26 PM on February 23, 2021
posted by Token Meme at 3:26 PM on February 23, 2021
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This is tragic. I have always said that NRBQ is the best bar band in the world (ever), but Gene Taylor ROCKS! He alone in whatever band in which he is playing is #2.
posted by AugustWest at 3:32 PM on February 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
This is tragic. I have always said that NRBQ is the best bar band in the world (ever), but Gene Taylor ROCKS! He alone in whatever band in which he is playing is #2.
posted by AugustWest at 3:32 PM on February 23, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by sevensnowflakes at 6:15 PM on February 23, 2021
posted by sevensnowflakes at 6:15 PM on February 23, 2021
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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 6:56 PM on February 23, 2021
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 6:56 PM on February 23, 2021
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posted by The Vice Admiral of the Narrow Seas at 5:08 AM on February 24, 2021
posted by The Vice Admiral of the Narrow Seas at 5:08 AM on February 24, 2021
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posted by LobsterMitten at 6:48 AM on February 24, 2021
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:48 AM on February 24, 2021
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posted by of strange foe at 7:42 AM on February 24, 2021
posted by of strange foe at 7:42 AM on February 24, 2021
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posted by Silverstone at 9:04 AM on February 24, 2021
posted by Silverstone at 9:04 AM on February 24, 2021
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