ROCK and soul has never sounded so cool, safe in the hands of rising stars Vintage Trouble.
According to frontman Ty Taylor, a charismatic, cerebral vocalist in the mould of Terence Trent D’arby, the ‘universe needed’ his new band. It’s a bold statement and yet it might just be true.
Rarely has a group of hitherto unknown guitar-toting troubadours captured the hearts and the imagination of critics and fans alike. Yet Vintage Trouble’s rapid ascent reflects their undoubted talent and ear for a soulful rock song – so much so that tonight’s intimate gig on Tyneside will be the first and last time Taylor and company, who are based in Los Angeles, play anywhere quite so small in the North East.
“The universe needed Vintage Trouble and what we do,” said Taylor. “Yes we’re in a hi-tech world but we have to remember where we are and where we’ve come from. We need to show the youth in our industry that you don’t need to have a lot of frills to be in a great band.”
Few frills but guaranteed thrills: that’s the Vintage Trouble mantra. That’s why they secured four residencies in some of Los Angeles’ hottest clubs just weeks after coming together.
That’s why Doc McGee, mover and shaker and manager of Kiss, snapped them up. That’s why Jools Holland extended a personal invitation to appear on his Later… show. And that’s why Bon Jovi suggested they kick off a slew of their stadium shows this summer.
“As a new band we really did luck out,” added Taylor. “But what’s been great for us is that we haven’t missed any steps along the way.
“We started off in a little studio and three weeks later we started playing shows. We got Doc McGee as a manager and he took us to London.
“We did the Jools Holland show and then we were asked to go on the Brian May tour. Right after that we got offered some of the Bon Jovi summer shows and we got to record at Abbey Road. It’s been a good ride and fast climb, but we’ve done things the right way.”
Debut album The Bomb Shelter Sessions has climbed to the fringes of the UK Top 20. Boasting an array of tunes written from the heart it demands repeat plays.
“I grew up on this kind of music and it has been inside me for some time,” explained Taylor.
“It’s one of these situations where I’ve done so many different things in my life but, because I’ve been incredibly lucky, I’ve arrived back at where my roots are.
“Everyone has a story around how their character and their personality was shaped and I grew up with a lot of soul in my life. I was surrounded by James Brown, Otis Redding, Ike and Tina Turner and around that there was R&B and rock. But soul is what I was conceived into.”
The fact Taylor forged his reputation on the back of an INXS-themed reality television show shouldn’t be held against the multi-faceted 41-year-old.
Prior to tonight’s gig at The Cluny, the singer ensured he could tap into the local audience by researching the North East’s rock an soul roots and he added: “I was never aware of just how much Newcastle and the surrounding area has contributed to the music scene. We’re very excited to be playing the home of The Animals, Sting and Brian Johnson!”
Vintage Trouble play The Cluny in Newcastle tonight.