Hello! I hope that my fellow Americans had a wonderful Fourth of July vacation and I always hope for peace, love, good health, and happiness all around the world! It's time for another installment of Behind The Songs. This time, I'll talk about not one but two of the songs from my CD, "The Byron Taylor Songbook." First, "The Raven Trail" is based on a concept I had many years ago about about an African-American raised by Indians after the Civil War. It was influenced by a book I read by William Loren Katz called "Black Indians" which is about an underwritten chapter in American history concerning the relationship between African Americans and Native Americans. They had a closer relationship than what has been hinted at in cinema and literature. They were allies before, during, and after the Civil War and contributed to the vast panorama of American culture. I created a character called Kaw la Na which is Raven in the Cherokee language (I even snuck that name in the song. I loved the idea of putting a Cherokee word in a Pop song!). Later, after I wrote the song which takes place "across North Carolina plains" where they "Hug the earth " and "Kisses the rains." I got so carried away with my own self-made mythology about this fictional character that I even wrote a novel called "The Raven Trail." One day in the near future, I hope to publish it.
The other song I want to talk about is called "Tales from Worldhaven." It is based on the first novel I wrote called "Tarknelion's Quest," which is about a young man who finds a special sword but also finds himself embroiled in a war that has been going on for decades between two wizards that I call Lorecrafters. Worldhaven is a Steampunk realm I created where computers and magic co-exist, where horse carriages are computerized, where great goverrnments rise and crumble. The lyrics in the song basically tell the story about the novel, so listen closely the next time you hear it :). I am striving for it to be published as well as my songs. My primary influences for Worldhaven are the Eternal Champion book series from one of my favorite writers, Michael Moorcock, Robert E. Howard's "Conan" stories, Dr. Strange from Marvel Comics, and the Steampunk movement.
I looked at my discography again today and it reminded me about my life so far. Between the release of "Dreamwalk," and "The Raven Trail," as John Lennon mentioned in his great song, "Beautiful Boy," "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." Life did happen which is why there is such a huge gap between albums. I went to Ireland to study Comparative Literature at Dublin City University for a while, wrote two novels, finished most of what will be a third novel,composed many more songs, performed in different parts of the world, AND wound up getting three Master's degrees in the process. Needless to say, I was busy!:)
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this latest segment of talks; please come again because I have so much more to share with you! BKT