It was busyness as usual when we Zoom-called Joanne Shaw Taylor. With her faithful hound, Hank (a miniature Dachshund, aka ‘The Psychosausage’), by her side she was already in the middle of a writing session for the follow-up album to . “Well, I’m trying to write, if Hank will let me,” she says.
“He keeps barking at everything and he has a rabies vaccination this afternoon. It’s all very rock ’n’ roll and unglamorous over here!” A period of intense touring had preceded today’s interview and, with the new album poised for release into the world, she was eager to detail her recording experience, which included working once again with legendary producer Kevin Shirley. “I didn’t, no; we used studio musicians.
Well, we used other musicians, they don’t just work in a studio. But, to be honest, I’ve always really liked that. The main reason being is I have a fantastic band and I love them dearly as musicians and people, but there’s something nice about going into the studio with musicians who don’t know me as well.
“So they don’t think as much about what I would want for the song and [they think] more about what’s actually right for the song. I’m sure the guys in my band are probably sick of me after a tour and glad I’m going off for three weeks to do something else without them!” “I love working with Kevin. It’s 50 per cent that he’s a fantastic producer who absolutely knows what he’s doing – in that he knows my genre of music.