Page 5 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine - Issue 100

BV100 pg05 DeeVer_BV100 pg05 09/03/2019 23:45 Page 1

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 5

YOU Need THIS
YOU Need THIS

illy Taylor of DeeVer tells us that his new band toyed with the idea of calling their debut album ‘Buy This Fucking
BRecord’ because that’s what they want everyone to do. But instead they settled for ‘You Need This’. It’s quite
apt as it IS an album you do need in your life, and music in general is something that we all need. Billy himself tells us he
has realised how much he needs it in his life - so much so that he and his bandmates Stevie Stoker, Phil Appleton and
Higgy wrote their ten-track debut album between March 2017 and January 2018. We decided after hearing it that we
needed to find out more, so got in touch with Billy - and asked what he needed in his fellow bandmates, what he needed
to learn about himself, and why more and more people need validation on social media.

BV: When forming DeeVer what did you want BV: Now you’re singing lead vocals as well satisfy them all’. How has social media af-
or need your fellow bandmates to have? as playing guitar, what do you need to think fected you? Do you think it’s more a female
BT: Aside from the obvious things like technical about on stage, and do to prepare before a thing when it comes to validation, needing
ability and skill, I wanted to make sure we could show? 'likes' and designing a ‘you’ or does it just
work as a group of friends. Driving forwards to- BT: Being the man in the middle is a completely depend on the person?
wards the same goals together. No bad atti- different kettle of fish to just playing guitar like I BT: It’s very easy to get swallowed up by the so-
tudes, no egos and a great work ethic is what used to. There’s so much more to think about: cial media machine. I’ve done it myself in the
makes this work! getting lyrics right, breathing properly, playing past. I still find myself having to throw my phone
the right chords, nailing solos, hitting the right somewhere to stop me constantly being on it!
BV: How much do you need music in your buttons on my pedal board, knowing how to in- Ha! I certainly don’t think it’s limited to just girls.
life? And going back to when you were teract with the crowd during AND between I’ve seen it happen with people of every persua-
younger, when did you realize you needed to songs all at the same time! The list is endless, sion. I’ve also seen both sides of it. I’ve known
perform music for others? haha! I’m lucky to have great bandmates though people who have thousands and thousands of
BT: I’ve always played. I did my first paid gig who are always on the ball and cover my arse if followers who get thousands of likes on every
when I was 14 with a Gibson SG that was bigger things go tits up! As for preparing, warming up post, and people presume that’s a sign of suc-
than me and I’ve never questioned it or wanted both vocally and on my guitar before shows is cess or that it instantly brings you happiness,
to do anything else since. Recently, personal always important. There’s nothing worse than when in reality, this simply isn’t true. People can
events, though, have made me realise how going on stage cold! be too easily persuaded that everyone’s living
much I need music. It’s literally saved my life. these amazing lives just because they post their
BV: You wrote ‘Jim’ after saying goodbye to ‘best bits’ and this can have an extremely neg-
BV: In the video for ‘Fire At Will’, you’re seen your grandad. Did you feel you needed to get ative effect on you if you’re measuring your im-
to be beating yourself up. What things have your feelings and emotions out and pay trib- portance on the amount of ‘likes’ or followers
you needed to learn about yourself over the ute to him? How does the song make you you’re getting! Don’t get me wrong, social media
years in order to be the person you are feel? can be a great thing, providing you’re also living
today? BT: Yeah, most definitely. My grandad Jim was in the ‘real world’ and not using it to compare
BT: We’re always learning and I’m still learning the guy who first put a guitar in my hands. If it yourself to others.
a lot about myself now. I’m a big believer in wasn’t for that alone, maybe I’d never have
treating others how you wish to be treated. How- gone into music. I remember when it was time BV: As a band now what do you need, and
ever, we all have our vices and things we need to leave the hospital and I said my final good- what do you hope 2019 brings?
to work on. For me, I’ve always been a massive bye, I didn’t know what to say so ended up mut- BT: The past year for us really has been leading
overthinker and a worrier. Worrying if things are tering something like ‘see you later grandad’ to up to this. Now we have a record we are all ex-
ok, worrying about making sure everyone is him. I felt like an idiot, and thought about it the tremely proud of, we can’t wait to get out in 2019
happy, getting anxious about things that could whole drive home. As soon as I got back I just and play it to as many people as possible in as
go wrong (even when everything is great). started writing and that’s one of the first songs many places as possible! If we can continue to
Learning to overcome those things has been I’ve written all of the lyrics for before even pick- make music we love, then we’ll be happy! If oth-
tough but one of the most important lessons I’ve ing up my guitar. It was actually a really nice fin- ers enjoy it, that’s a huge bonus!
had to realise is learning to be happy within ger-style acoustic tune originally!
yourself. I’ve had a tendency to rely on other Visit www.facebook.com/thisisdeever for
people or situations for my happiness and that BV: Single ‘Only Enemy’ is about the need more information.
is a very dangerous way of living. But again, for validation through social media and in- Words by Shari Black Velvet
that’s something I’m working on! cludes the lyric ‘design a you and hope you Photo By Tracy Kidd
DEEVER