Artist Bio
Influences: What to put this year? Hmmm. A quick scroll through my Spotify history for the last four months brought up the following, all of whom I've found in some way inspiring: Joanne Shaw Taylor, Lana Del Rey, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Paul McCartney, GA-20, Todd Rundgren, Ry Cooder, St Vincent, Lil Nas X, Royal Blood, Wolf Alice, Snail Mail, Arlo Parks, The War On Drugs, Rodney Crowell, Pepe Belmonte, Self Esteem, Sam Fender, Clairo, Silk Sonic, Laura Marling, Little Simz, Tom Cardy, Beck, The Coral, The Pannacotta Army, The Beatles, Bobby Bland, Taylor Swift, Paul Simon. So let's go with that.
David Taro spends most of his life in a box room in South London either doing his day job in publishing (boo!) or writing and producing music (yay!).
It's FAWM number three for me. And this time around I'm keen to work with as many of you sexy people as possible. Just let me know if you'd like to collab and, time and spirit allowing, I'll jump aboard. I also want to pluck up the courage to do a skirmish this year...
Songs (22)
| #1 | The Woodsman |
53 Feb 2022 |
|
| #2 |  Buckets Full of Wisdom @geoff61 @davidtaro @katestantonsings @katestantonsings
|
60 Feb 2022 |
|
| #3 | Get Myself Together |
39 Feb 2022 |
|
| #4 | You Slay Me (updated version) |
34 Feb 2022 |
|
| #5 | Judy |
59 Feb 2022 |
|
| #6 | Remorseful Love @ajna1960
|
14 Feb 2022 |
|
| #7 | Quality Of Life @nahlej381
|
38 Feb 2022 |
|
| #8 | Love Through a Broken Heart @sunnymae |
47 Feb 2022 |
|
| #9 | Where Does It End, Jeff?  |
29 Feb 2022 |
|
| #10 | Hit Man @greengrassgirl @jibbidy34 @richaaaay @davidtaro @richaaaay
|
53 Feb 2022 |
|
| #11 | I'm Not Bitter @geoff61 |
34 Feb 2022 |
|
| #12 | Remorseful Love @ajna1960
|
29 Feb 2022 |
|
| #13 | Pick Me @themelgoexperience |
19 Feb 2022 |
|
| #14 | Something On Your Mind @seemanski
|
29 Feb 2022 |
|
| #15 | Same Mistakes @hbusse |
30 Feb 2022 |
|
| #16 | Drag Me Down- David Taro Edition @quoththellama
|
17 Feb 2022 |
|
| #17 | Fit right in @nadine
|
36 Feb 2022 |
|
| #18 | The Moon Song |
35 Feb 2022 |
|
| #19 | The Big Man |
23 Feb 2022 |
|
| #20 | Stratigraphy @brisk |
10 Feb 2022 |
|
| #21 | Jekyll & Hyde @fonte |
16 Feb 2022 |
|
| #22 | Take It On The Chin (@davidtaro edit) @eas3637
|
26 Feb 2022 |
Soundboard
-
@wolfkier Mar 2022
fine.... you miight get a chance to brush up on that particular skill....
I'm working on it. We are 3 so far.
Gimme a few days. -
@wolfkier Mar 2022
ok, great, Thanks, I'm just sending out feelers for participants and considering "rules of engagement" but if I start a new one I'll add you to a provisional list, which i can tell you for certain, won't be the order of exchange....
BTW ever played organ in a church? Just wondering? :) -
@wolfkier Mar 2022
if there was one more GIMME15 would you play again? asking for a friend.
-
@beacon Mar 2022
David, thanks for all your support this FAWM. I've been amazed at your work that you've been able to do here, and it's been inspiring. If you can think of any project that would be complementary, I'll be around for 50/90 and would be honored if we could collab.
-
@nahlej381 Mar 2022
Going back through your tracks before I start working my soul sucking day job…and I feel better now lol you should be incredibly proud of your fine musical accomplishments this month (and always) you’re a pleasure to work with and a wonder to listen to. So wonderful that I ended a sentence with a preposition!!!!! Thanks again for all the support and you taking the time to make some music with me. Looking forward to this corpse with wolf! Hope you know that even tho we’re an ocean apart (plus a substantial chunk of land) that I consider you a close friend that I have the utmost respect for. (So much so that I ended another sentence with a preposition) much love good sir!
-
@arthurrossi Mar 2022
I would like to thank you very, very much for your wonderful, that thoughtful, wise and generous words on "Yugoslavia". I am very happy what Karl did here... Your comment means a lot to me and I enjoyed reading it several times. I appreciate it a lot... Thanks so much!
-
@dzdandcunfsd Mar 2022
Got it! This should be a fun one.
-
@rshakesp Mar 2022
That would work for me - I registered last year but did nothing- so maybe that will get me in gear this year - I’m having a crack at spintunes this month too
-
@rshakesp Mar 2022
I’d be really interested in working on something with you - if you would be up for that - somehow I think we could do interesting stuff?
-
@wolfkier Mar 2022
-
@richaaaay Mar 2022
No idea that I had actually missed listening to two of your songs. Mistake corrected…Just realize I want to hear it all!!!
-
@sunnymae Mar 2022
Hey David,
So glad you got a kick out of my sausage song and my insane rant! Those skirmishes just pop my brain sometimes. G-d knows what else is in there!! -
@rshakesp Mar 2022
Thanks for comment on toast - interestingly (for me at least) there is hardly any reverb in the intro instead it heavily EQ’d chopping out most of the top and bottom which gives you that echoey closed in phone box feel - I was going after a lofi 40’s 78 type feeling
-
@stephenwordsmith Mar 2022
Thanks for all your kind comments! I do indeed do 5090, and tend to be at least as productive, lyrics-wise. Would be fantastic to get the chance to work with you this summer/winter.
-
@cts Mar 2022
I caught that (lyrical presentation). I wasn't sure if that was a nod to the factory or not and I wasn't about to be presumptuous, but thanks for the bit of a shout out of sorts. Man, you just don't know how much I dig you. In time, you will though. Believe it.
-
-
@radiobenedetto Mar 2022
Hey David! Hope you're still around! Sorry for the radio silence. Work jumped up and bit me just as fawm was ending. Thanks for listening to so much of my concept album. I appreciate your feedback as you're one of my favorite artists on here. The pedal steel plug-in is from Impact Soundworks. It's a bit spendy but it gets the best reviews and it sounds great on its own. I'm not happy with how it turned out on Burning Embers but I think it just got overcompressed in the final mastering stages as I tried to tame that big guitar sound on the choruses. I don't think that particular song represents as well as it actually sounds. I'll need to take the time to perform and mix it properly at some point. Anyway, I'm looking fwd to listening to more of your stuff in the coming days/weeks of the post-fawm comment catchup!
-
@gm7 Mar 2022
Thx for the kind words this FAWM. I have loved your work again this year. Some of your collabs have been jaw droppers...or you may say "Gobsmacked" ...hey Jeff...lol
Stay safe. -
@nadine Mar 2022
Thanks a lot to listening to "Take The Black". This track is fun! But you know my worse feelings about MIDI instruments in handmade music genres, so I hope our team will do real crazy stuff with real instruments. @dreamscuba owns one of the most badass amps I heard so I'm positive that this song will explode after the re-recording.
-
@nadine Mar 2022
Oh yes I feel the same! I just can't leave my demos as they are xD
-
@greengrassgirl Mar 2022
David, Thanks for your comments on Green Eyes. I was really happy with the way Georgie ran with this one, and bringing in Gwyn was genius. They are so good together! Lucky me!
-
@katestantonsings Mar 2022
"The ending hand claps and double vocal are halfway between church and a dirty river." We got this comment on Buckets. How cool is that?! Thanks for all of your comments and encouraging words this FAWM! I owe you one #Tit4Tat :)
-
@fourzeroes Mar 2022
Hey! On that four track tape My Whole Life (Waiting), all the dynamics and drops and stuff were added by @fonte at the mixing stage. Originally the drums, synth and guitar were pretty constant throughout. I'm glad you said I sounded like Damon Albarn. I must be getting better at singing, because it's usually Graham Coxon.
-
-
@owl Mar 2022
Thanks for all the comments, I’ve enjoyed your stuff too and would be happy to collab next time around if you drop me a note soon enough (sometimes it gets a bit jammed up later in the month!)
-
@wolfkier Mar 2022
Thanks David, GradeA feedback as usual. I've 35 songs on my payback dancecard ahead of you so I'll be back and then after that, when things slow right down in a week or two maybe we can finish sweeping each other's floors! :)
-
@tukayandryan Mar 2022
So good to find you here. Congrats on smashing the fawm finish line. :)
-
@seppo Mar 2022
Thanks David.
I never wrote lyrics or sing because I always thought that's way too hard for me. This time I just decided to do so, and cause I have no idea what am I doing, is just make a silly rhymes and try to get some kind of story going :)
That was my first lyric in 15 years and overall second ever.
I've succeeded to make 3 of those this year and I'm super surprised about that, even tho they are all kind of stupid, but who cares :)
I also made "last song" to say thanks for all the people who took a time to comment my stuff. -
@nuchoyce Feb 2022
Hey David. Thanks for your insights on my music. I have been using the Audio-Technica 2020 to record vocals for FAWM. I'm happy to share screen shots of the chain I use.
-
@actualjulian Feb 2022
David! Always good to see you around these parts :) Glad to see you rocking on this year again. I always love hearing from you and it helps me keep going to know that you're listening. This is now year three for us both isn't it!? Loving the growth. And I love that you leaned in on the collaborations this year! I focused on pushing through the finish with my mixes and trying to write a more modern pop style instead of just living in my acoustic folk wheelhouse. Keep in touch this year and maybe let's do a collab for our 4th time around next year? May the FAWM be with you ALWAYS
-
@oswlek Feb 2022
Thanks for giving "Tiny Grass" a whirl, David. I don't know how you can be so prolific and still find time to stop by my little page, but I appreciate you doing it!
-
@crutherford Feb 2022
Thanks David. You've blown me away once again this year. I'm going to take a few days to catch up and listen. I don't want to miss any of your tunes.
-
@ayehahmur Feb 2022
Cheers bud, but not as much catching up as I have! You've been EVERYWHERE this year!
-
@fonte Feb 2022
Ha, also, am not going to tell my daughter that you thought she upstaged me. I need to retain some kind of editorial control. She's already such a diva in the vocal booth lol.
-
@fonte Feb 2022
Thanks for stopping by again David much appreciate your comments and time listening! I'm hoping to spend much of March listening so will go through your album in full :-)
-
@fonte Feb 2022
No probs, was a pleasure working on it. Just glad we got something done especially as the idea was quite ambitious!! Think we got there though!
-
@serene123 Feb 2022
Thank you for all the lovely comments on my songs this Fawm.. that last one on feeling my way was lovely. I've massively enjoyed working on songs with Rich! You've been very prolific and I'm having a catch up on some of your epic pieces now!
-
@jibbidy34 Feb 2022
I went to the Iron Horse last week on Valentine’s eve. Impromptu drop in so didn’t play. They were all asking after you!
-
@jibbidy34 Feb 2022
Thank you for all your amazing comments! Not been around much due to work but will be catching up on all your new songs this weekend!
-
@richaaaay Feb 2022
Of course he sing, and write, and be charming and….
DT, you are the best. No two ways about it. Your boys are lucky to have you as their father. -
@richaaaay Feb 2022
Did I hear Daniel singing or was I mistaken about that? Either way, what a wonderful song!
-
@nadine Feb 2022
I'm glad you enjoyed our "Disco Blues". It's been a fun experiment! I started improvising acoustic guitar on a random blues backing every Sunday morning to learn pentatonic scales on different frets. I really don't know why this is so relaxing on guitar whereas I have REAL troubles jamming on the keys. The piano part took me 15 (!!!) takes on two days, whereas the tiny acoustic lick has been only 2 takes even having some basic hammer ons. Okay, yes the complexity is different but the feeling aswell. I look forward to work on this after FAWM.
-
@katestantonsings Feb 2022
One of them actually plays tenor sax! Enjoyed it and said you have a good voice!
-
@katestantonsings Feb 2022
FAWMtalk radio played just played Remorseful Love. I had my lighter out at work! In the air for the guitar and sax solo :) !!! Congrats!
-
@rshakesp Feb 2022
Thanks - your comments meant a lot!
-
@mandolinda Feb 2022
I have been reading, listening to podcasts, doing some online lessons, all to expand my music knowledge. I still do not have “the speak”, but I can identify components that reflect in the productions. I call it my COVID sanity project. Being a senior and not having places to go for the past two years has had its downside, but I can continue to learn. Thanks for the lovely comments.
-
@ayehahmur Feb 2022
Thanks for the nice comments on the new one! The phaser is on the piano sound. It's a built in patch on the Nord that I really felt suited the vibe. And the vocals, yeah I really just want to hear what an Edim7 sounded like with five voices.
-
@shallowcarrot Feb 2022
Thanks for your lovely comment on 'The Ribbon Song.' Really appreciate it :)
-
@serene123 Feb 2022
Lol no way is she getting 5 quid!! Haha you're hilarious
-
@jayjay Feb 2022
Thank you for your kind comments
-
@ayehahmur Feb 2022
Well, it's another 7 now.... I'm half way there! Honestly? I don't know but I'll give it my best. I've got another one almost done. And another 2 or 3 sets of lyrics, so I'm not far away really. A big superskirmish weekend might do it for me.
But it is frustrating, I'm not giving these quite as much thought as I'd really like to, so I'm just going to have to resign myself to the fact that I'll need to go back to them all. It has been a good month for learning some different recording things, which was a personal goal, so... all in all I can't complain.
Bathroom looks great. After the remaining walls have a coat of paint it'll look even better, but it's 95% ace. -
@fonte Feb 2022
Just mailed you something. Slightly too much caffeine today so no idea if it’s any good or not....lol
-
@halfwayhome Feb 2022
Cheers again for even more of your kind words, and recommending the 'God Damn, I Feel Better' track in the forum - thanks to you, it's now just BLOWN UP!. Sort of.
It's funny seeing the Elton comparisons - I hadn't purposely tried to push my voice that direction, but I did think pretty early whilst writing the song that it was going to end up pretty Elton-y, whether I wanted it to or not! -
@coolparadiso Feb 2022
I rather think the Jumping Junipers might have to make a few encores over the years! Perhaps with guests :-)
-
@nadine Feb 2022
You got the blues man! How come you don't know about 7ths xD It's the stuff I'm trying to learn for months but I still don't understand 7b5 #9 no3 weirdness... maybe only a real jazzed does...
-
@nadine Feb 2022
Wow David thanks for your comment! I'm blushed all over! You know that I take your words seriously because you're a damn skilled musician.
When I recorded "Love lasts forever" I didn't have any clue what I did there cause its not my style, not the type of chords (7ths! 13th!) I'm used to and I never felt like a vocalist. Just following my inner goth and my twisted dark humour. The plastic poncho and the garment are paraphrasing / understating a shroud which makes it even more weird. No idea how I came to this lol xD -
@andrea Feb 2022
Thank you for your thoughtful and kind comments on Caped Crusader. I am so thrilled with this song. Justin is amazing!
-
@hbusse Feb 2022
Well, in that case, happy to help you win! I'll have a victory drink tonight in your honor. :)
-
@hbusse Feb 2022
Hey, you won FAWM today! Congrats!
-
@nahlej381 Feb 2022
Thanks brother! I have positively loved every track you’ve posted this year
-
@richaaaay Feb 2022
Five days without a DT song...I was suffering withdrawal...
-
@oswlek Feb 2022
Thanks for buttering my muffin, David. Coming from someone as skilled as you, it means a lot.
The chord is a barred Dm with the high E string left open, so you get the lovely dissonance from the E and F notes ringing off each other. :) -
@katestantonsings Feb 2022
Thanks for the kind comments, David! It always means a lot coming from you--you're a rock star! Happy homestretch my friend.
-
@oswlek Feb 2022
Wow, David. Just, wow.
-
@kahlo2013 Feb 2022
I would LOVE that!
-
@spazsquatch Feb 2022
Your comment "if he (Bowie) only had the guts to experiment a little" has had me snickering for days. Quite the compliment.
Thanks for the comment on the cover art. I try. They are usually pretty rushed, but I appreciate the nod. -
@ajna1960 Feb 2022
Are you up for another for FAWM ? Or wait till after and then chat re work and sync etc. ? Let me know :)
-
@fonte Feb 2022
How can you go wrong with ‘big hair harmonics!’. Sounds like they should make a shampoo as well! Sounds great anyway :-)
-
-
@gm7 Feb 2022
David thanks for the kind words on my songs and collaborations. Your words are uplifting and inspiring......the wonders of FAWM. You have had your share of great songs this year just love your stuff..but you know that. Cheers and good luck in the home stretch .
-
@ajna1960 Feb 2022
Loved it - thank you ! Post away (just sent you an email reply). :)
-
@daveyboy103 Feb 2022
You have to come see us live David, we should be able to organise that
-
@fonte Feb 2022
I respectfully disagree sir. I sense a virtual drum off at dawn!
Which would I guess be kind of like a cross between crossroads (the film with Ralph machio) and Tron. Which is to say, awesome. -
@fonte Feb 2022
Ah I forgot, those drums were from Addictive Drums 2. I really like their sounds and just find the whole interface easy to use. I’m slightly obsessed with dry 70s kits they have...
-
@hamiltonpoolhall Feb 2022
Also realized you had asked about Superior Drummer earlier on. I like it a lot, though I feel I've barely scratched the surface. I stick almost entirely to the Roots/Mallets/Brushes add-on kit, and mostly muddle through playing in the parts myself – just kick, snare and the occasional toms, then using live hand percussion in place of programming cymbals.
-
@hamiltonpoolhall Feb 2022
Thanks for the comment on "Bottomless Well" (among others :-). The reverse sound...it's mostly just a software trick. Inside of Native Instruments' Guitar Rig program, there's a delay model called "Psychedelay." It's got a Reverse button on it, and if you set the dry/wet mix at about 75-80% wet, you start to get mostly those ambient flickers instead of hearing what you're actually playing. Then you put another, regular delay after that, and maybe some wash-y reverb, and bring the whole thing down in the mix. For what it's worth, after I winged my way through a pass or two, I went in and cut out every other phrase or so, to get that call-and-response effect with the main guitar rather than having the main part buried in psychedelia...
-
@brisk Feb 2022
Ha yes, bonkers it is. I think I'm actually going to revise the hospital "refrain" as I've noticed an obvious improvement. The lyrics were inspired by a conversation with an old man with cancer who was in the bed opposite me when I was in hospital with a grumbling appendix in 2001 or so. He was saying that he had taken some incredibly powerful painkillers, but the best was I think morphine, because when he took that then grass grew up between the beds so they were all like islands, and tigers stalked the wards. I was just thinking of him again today, and about the places a human mind goes in times or disaster or horror or whatever.
PS - and yes, it is the Mrs Mills Spitfire. I'm not sure what use it is, but I feel like it is nice to have. And it isn't quite so kooky sounding as the other one they do with foils or whatever. The twangy, harpsichordy one. -
@mariekevinkmusic Feb 2022
Thanks so much for your considered comment on Pretty. Much appreciated.
-
@n24 Feb 2022
Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment on my song. You are always very considered in your feedback and I really value that! Also we can totally geek out about Eels on the weekend.
-
@greengrassgirl Feb 2022
David, I've probably told you this about a thousand times now, but thanks for the great job you did on Hit Man. I've been playing it a ton all day because I can't quite believe I got to be a part of this! So much fun!
-
@serene123 Feb 2022
Your Fawm image is hilarious today.. I think you should write a song about Putin next
-
@sbs2018 Feb 2022
Did I thank you for the “Slow Down” comment? I so appreciate it!
-
@celineellis Feb 2022
Thanks for your kind words on the collab between Geoff61 and me. That last chord of the chorus is a D to a Dm which gives it a nice melecholic feel before heading back to the A. Just felt perfect for this.
-
@hamiltonpoolhall Feb 2022
Ben Folds! High praise indeed. Thanks for the thoughful close listen; I look forward to reciprocating!
-
@nadine Feb 2022
Thanks a lot for revisiting and commenting :)
-
@owl Feb 2022
Ha, I actually appreciate the negative reaction, because it makes the positive comments seem more sincere ;) glad it won you over, more or less, in the end! Thanks for listening and commenting, as always.
-
@nadine Feb 2022
We're one step closer on "How are you". This will be a great song when done! Check out if you wanna hear the update.
-
@karlsburg25 Feb 2022
Check out my falling song . Was totally channelling Kula shaker on that one matey
-
@nuno Feb 2022
Thanks for you kind words on ‘Writer’s Block’ - Yes lyric generators really are a thing, and those are genuine lyrics from the options that I was given. So, when life gives you lemons………
-
@brisk Feb 2022
Just a specific point in your comment on "Cherry Pie Smoothie" - you said "Also the structure and some of those jazzy chords are most definitely not simple!" - to which my response is: jazzy chords are easy, you just press down more keys at the same time and they just happen!! And the structure was dictated by McTown I think, so I take no responsibility...
-
@cts Feb 2022
That's cool. I just wanted to touch base with you. I'll be in the office later today...is it OK to call you? If so, shoot me an email. If you prefer a different form of communication, just fill me in.
-
@n24 Feb 2022
Randy Newman is a huge influence for me :p I might do the music? Some of these I’ll come back to if I have the time later in the month. I’ve got my eyes set on that sweet 14 song target
-
@cts Feb 2022
My dude - what's your schedule like tomorrow? I'd like to catch up with you.
-
@nuno Feb 2022
Thanks for your kind comments on my tracks. Somehow it's felt a bit of a struggle to get in the zone this year. Loving listening to your work this year.
-
@nadine Feb 2022
Sounds like a good idea. My next week will be insane and I'm busy preparing chord sheets. Let's see what my co-writes do.
-
@coolparadiso Feb 2022
thx for your continuing support and encouraging comments! It might not look it from my prolific songwriting but i am having considerable struggles this year - with other issues! so thx again
-
@halfwayhome Feb 2022
Cheers for piping your red-hot wisdom across my latest couple of songs.... always a handy reminder that someone other than you is hearing your music, and that their fresh ears (ha!) will hear something very different....
The voice on Memory #3? Number one, I hate it, and number two, the light airiness of which you speak, well, I was literally having to whisper the vocals so as to not wake the house, no production trickery there! There might hopefully be a new, amazing voice in place of mine at some point on this track - I think I might want to listen to again then :) -
@nadine Feb 2022
David wow you're already half way and collaborating as hell! It's fun to watch your profile.
I'm already reaching my capacity limits but I remember we wanted to collab this FAWM. Or should we save / postpone later the year? -
@brisk Feb 2022
Ha ha, I'm glad the mumbleswear found some love - sometimes happy accidents can be cultured in a petri dish! Thanks for the comment. I'm getting behind on yours and others - I'm going to crack on and do some listening tomorrow. Bed now as I have over FAWMed recently and it is talking its toll.
PS - and I just took the bass on Step Out Of Time down a further notch, because it was obviously too high - weird how I have very poor spider sense for levels. It may even still be too high -
@gm7 Feb 2022
Ha Thx man. Blues..yes I love the blues. let's see how the time goes...it's the Feb. 9th already.. wow