Alexis Taylor

This article is about the English musician. For the American government official, see Alexis Taylor (government official).
Alexis Taylor
Taylor performing in September 2015
Taylor performing in September 2015
Background information
Born (1980-04-20) 20 April 1980 (age 44)
London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • synthesizer
  • drums
  • percussion
  • piano
  • guitar
Years active2000–present
WebsiteAlexis Taylor

Alexis Taylor (born 20 April 1980) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, keyboardist, and guitarist of the band Hot Chip. He is also the keyboardist of the band About Group and has released solo material.

Early life

Alexis Taylor was born in London on 20 April 1980, the son of a Greek mother and an English father. His mother is a psychoanalyst, while his father is a professor of English at a university.[1]

Career

Taylor formed Hot Chip with Joe Goddard while at Elliot Secondary School in the Putney area of London. He studied English at Jesus College, Cambridge from 1999 to 2002, during which time Hot Chip played a variety of gigs (with various line-ups) at Cambridge's live music venues. In 2007, Taylor and Hot Chip produced a two-song album, Doubleshaw, as Booji Boy High under the pseudonyms Georgios Panayiotou and Mother Markzbow. The name Booji Boy comes from the character created by Devo.[2]

After the release of Hot Chip's second album, The Warning, Taylor released his first solo album, Rubbed Out, in 2008.[3] The same year he formed the improvisational quartet About Group with Spring Heel Jack's John Coxon, pianist Pat Thomas and former This Heat drummer Charles Hayward.[4]

A solo EP, Nayim From the Halfway Line, was released on Domino Recording Company in 2012,[5] and in 2014 the same label released the album Await Barbarians.[6]

In June 2016, Taylor released Piano, the follow-up album to Await Barbarians.[7] An accompanying album, Listen With(out) Piano, was released in March 2017. It features re-works of tracks from Piano with other musicians; both albums can be played separately or at the same time.[8]

In February 2018, Taylor announced his new album, Beautiful Thing. The album was produced by Tim Goldsworthy, co-founder of DFA Records.[9]

In 2021 Alexis released the album Silence, which was preceded by the singles 'House Of The Truth', 'Death Of Silence' and 'Dying In Heaven'. In November 2023 he released the single 'Wedding Song (Palace)'.

Albums

References

  1. ^ "Hot Chip: 'Escapism is the opposite of what we should be doing' | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Booji Boy High". Discogs. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  3. ^ Howe, Brian (21 November 2008). "Alexis Taylor: Rubbed Out". Pitchfork. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  4. ^ Rogers, Jude (31 March 2011). "About Group: Alexis Taylor swaps Hot Chip for jazz improv". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  5. ^ Neyland, Nick (2 January 2013). "Alexis Taylor Nayim From The Halfway Line". Pitchfork. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  6. ^ Fitzmaurice, Larry (25 June 2014). "Alexis Taylor: Await Barbarians". Pitchfork. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  7. ^ Pearce, Sheldon (21 April 2016). "Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) Announces New Album Piano, Shares "I'm Ready"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  8. ^ Day, Laurence (12 January 2017). "Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor announces new Listen With(out) Piano album". The Line of Best Fit.
  9. ^ Hakimian, Rob (20 February 2018). "Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor announces solo album produced by Tim Goldsworthy; listen to title track 'Beautiful Thing' now". The 405. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  10. ^ Clarke, Patrick (15 September 2021). "Alexis Taylor - Silence review: the Hot Chip frontman shows his sensitive side". NME. Retrieved 20 September 2021.