Jay Taylor

Booker — Stockport

01Profile

A Jay Taylor Photo

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Jay Taylor. Stockport.

Describe your style in three words?
The Last Waltz.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
The Schizophonics at Night & Day earlier this year was something pretty special.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
It’s always been about everything I could digest - I never wrote off impetus from anywhere, but I’m the son of a bass player and showgirl.

If you could book a line up of any two bands in history to play the club?
The Stooges and Tom Waits.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Johnny Cash.

Of all the venues, aside from your own, which is your favourite?
I played CBGB a couple of times - that place was incredible. Now it’s a God-awful fashion boutique.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
My friend Reid Paley. Because he’s an incredible songwriter.


Jay Taylor is the manager and booker at the respected independent Manchester venue, Night & Day Cafe.

The Cafe venue is just one of the clubs that took part in Independent Venue Week 2018. The week of events brings together Britain's independent venues along with breaking and established artists, promoters, labels, media, bloggers and tastemakers to create a nationwide series of gigs at the end of January. Find out more at www.independentvenueweek.com

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
Sparks - 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us'

A song that defines the teenage you?
Thomas Dolby - 'She Blinded Me with Science'
Geeky, awkward and struggling with girls like everyone else.

One record you would keep forever?
Why get rid of any of them? But if I have to choose one… Minutemen - 'Buzz Or Howl Under the Influence of Heat'.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
Lou Reed and John Cale - 'Work'

"No matter what I did it never seemed enough
he said I was lazy, I said I was young
He said, "How many songs did you write?"
I'd written zero, I lied and said, "Ten"

You won't be young forever
you should have written fifteen
It's work"

Because “Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby”.

A song you wished you had written?
Joni Mitchell - 'Coyote', because it's perfect.

Best song to turn up loud?
Suicide - 'Ghost Rider', because of the pulse, the delivery, the bravery, the originality.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
People really shouldn’t be surprised by me liking anything at all - I’ve never been snobbish about genres. I can play George Formby's 'The Window Cleaner' on the uke, and I love it to bits.

Best song to end an all-nighter on?
Hoagy Carmichael - 'Two Sleepy People' - it’s the drowsiest song of all time.

"Here we are, crazy in the head
Gee, you're eyes are gorgeous, even when they're red
Two sleepy people, by dawn's early light
And too much in love to say goodnight"

Any new bands you are listening to right now?
Absolutely. On repeat currently… Give Me France.

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Jay Taylor. Stockport.

Describe your style in three words?
The Last Waltz.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
The Schizophonics at Night & Day earlier this year was something pretty special.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
It’s always been about everything I could digest - I never wrote off impetus from anywhere, but I’m the son of a bass player and showgirl.

If you could book a line up of any two bands in history to play the club?
The Stooges and Tom Waits.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Johnny Cash.

Of all the venues, aside from your own, which is your favourite?
I played CBGB a couple of times - that place was incredible. Now it’s a God-awful fashion boutique.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
My friend Reid Paley. Because he’s an incredible songwriter.


Jay Taylor is the manager and booker at the respected independent Manchester venue, Night & Day Cafe.

The Cafe venue is just one of the clubs that took part in Independent Venue Week 2018. The week of events brings together Britain's independent venues along with breaking and established artists, promoters, labels, media, bloggers and tastemakers to create a nationwide series of gigs at the end of January. Find out more at www.independentvenueweek.com

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
Sparks - 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us'

A song that defines the teenage you?
Thomas Dolby - 'She Blinded Me with Science'
Geeky, awkward and struggling with girls like everyone else.

One record you would keep forever?
Why get rid of any of them? But if I have to choose one… Minutemen - 'Buzz Or Howl Under the Influence of Heat'.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
Lou Reed and John Cale - 'Work'

"No matter what I did it never seemed enough
he said I was lazy, I said I was young
He said, "How many songs did you write?"
I'd written zero, I lied and said, "Ten"

You won't be young forever
you should have written fifteen
It's work"

Because “Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby”.

A song you wished you had written?
Joni Mitchell - 'Coyote', because it's perfect.

Best song to turn up loud?
Suicide - 'Ghost Rider', because of the pulse, the delivery, the bravery, the originality.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
People really shouldn’t be surprised by me liking anything at all - I’ve never been snobbish about genres. I can play George Formby's 'The Window Cleaner' on the uke, and I love it to bits.

Best song to end an all-nighter on?
Hoagy Carmichael - 'Two Sleepy People' - it’s the drowsiest song of all time.

"Here we are, crazy in the head
Gee, you're eyes are gorgeous, even when they're red
Two sleepy people, by dawn's early light
And too much in love to say goodnight"

Any new bands you are listening to right now?
Absolutely. On repeat currently… Give Me France.