With a line-up of performers that sounds like a who's who of the local foreign music scene, it's not surprising that the The Money Shot Horns' manager, Patrick Byrne, is touting the band as a "supergroup."
Most of the band's members - Roger Smith (keyboards), William Lloyd (electric guitar), Andy Francis (trombone), Darren Jorde (bass) and Byrne (saxophone) - have variously played with Schlumpy, Milk and Boogie Chillin'. Francis is now also involved in side projects with Public Radio and Johnny Fatstacks.
I've seen Hanro "Jubba" van Wyk, playing or jamming with three different bands in the last month alone, and Wesley James has played with The Sound Clashes and The Anglers.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF HANK WESTHEIM
In an interview on Tuesday, the members of The Money Shot Horns lavished praise on their lead vocalist, relative newcomer Dooley Chandler.
Byrne and Smith first saw Chandler performing with AdHoc at Grooveyard in Taichung. "Dooley did one song, they were maybe two chords in and Roger and I looked at each other simultaneously and said 'he's our vocalist'," Byrne said.
The Horns rehearsed only four times before they started playing shows.
"We're working with guys who have all played with such great bands and are very, very professional, and very experienced. Every one comes in with stuff," Byrne said.
"Someone will come up with a song they want to work on, and will show it to the others and try to get across how they want it to sound. We'll jam on it, and do chord progressions," Francis said. "We wanted to put together the best band in Taiwan."
The Money Shot Horns have been together for only a year, but have already honed a hard-driving, energetic funk sound that gets audiences up and dancing.
"When we play, people are immediately up and on the floor," Byrne said. "I feel like we are on the crest of a wave that hasn't died down yet. Usually things level out, you kind of peak with your fan base, but we are feeling a lot of momentum."
The variety of musicians and instruments in the group, especially such a large horn section, produces a sound that is groovy and which combines funk, rhythm and blues and rock.
Band members collaborate on writing the music, with Chandler, Byrne and James co-writing the lyrics. Chandler also writes lyrics to accompany instrumental songs from a previous band of Byrne's, 'round midnight, which they then bring to the group to jam on.
"Everyone in the community of music here is very open," says Francis. "Music is a great common denominator."
Money Shot Horns play tonight at Bliss, 148, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段148號) from 10pm.
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