PlaylistSubs Talk #8 - Interview with Stephen Paul Taylor

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Stephen Paul Taylor
Even though it's already the 8th interview on PlaylistSubs, it's probably the first one with a musician that a lot of you already know. Stephen Paul Taylor aka SPT is, at least in Berlin and Europe in general, a living synth-pop legend. Not just that his song Everybody Knows Shit's Fucked went viral in 2015 and accumulated over 10 million streams across platforms, but his incredibly energetic and fun one-man-shows enchant millions of people all over the world.
Stephen Paul Taylor played on hundreds of stages in 23 countries all over the Europe and he's also well-known for throwing performances on streets of Berlin and other European cities. His last album Synthpop is Dead from 2020 was focusing on more serious topics and one could say it was a bit darker than SPT's previous music. Nevertheless, with his new singles and the latest Dirty Touch, SPT has returned to a playful, energetic and fun synthpop music. Furthermore, here's what he says about his ​forthcoming album: "I'm going back to my roots. This is pure Pop (neo-Synthpop-Punk) and I think my fans will love it."

Listen to Stephen Paul Taylor on Spotify

PlaylistSubs' Indie Pop Spotify Playlist
I know Stephen Paul Taylor since 2017 when I stumbled across his performance in Czech Republic. His show absolutely blown me away, I've probably never seen such a spontaneous, energetic and fun show ever before and it felt more like a theatrical performance than "just" a concert. I've been a big fan of SPT ever since and so the very fact that he agreed to this interview is definitely the highlight of my PlaylistSubs project and I hope you will enjoy this interview as much as I did!

Interview with Stephen Paul Taylor

When did you first start making music and what was your first instrument?

When I was 5 years old, I started learning violin. I quit at 7yo. When I was 11, I started studying trombone. At 16, I picked up the guitar. I studied it (eight lessons) at 24 years old. I learned a LOT​!

And when did you "discover" keyboard?

Hmm. I used to play my mom's organ when I was a kid (it's since fallen apart... sad) It was a pump organ. I couldn't play it well but I fooled around on it. Then I'd play the piano endlessly in my grandparents' basement. At around 14, I discovered the keyboard! I wrote a song back then called "Under The Moonlight". I think that was the first song I ever wrote on a keyboard. It was kinda jazzy/poppy.

Your latest album "Synthpop Is Dead" was released in 2020. Do you work on another album? Or do you focus on something else?

I've been releasing singles since then. I've experimented with different styles (Stream-of-Consciousness Rap, progressive Dutch House, and a cover of Falco's Der Komissar, for example) but this year I'm now working on another full album. I'm going back to my roots. This is pure Pop (neo-Synthpop-Punk) and I think my fans will love it.

When will we hear it?
I don't have an exact date but it's in the works! I'm speaking with a production company to find a good date. I do believe the first single will come out in early 2024 and quite honestly, it's a banger!
" We live in a lucky time because there are many chances to go off on your own and carve out a niche for what you do, but at the same time, the market is super over-saturated because making music is much easier than, say, 20 years ago."

SPT on Street Team

Street Team is a fairly new platform for musicians and their fans. SPT is pretty excited about Street Team and he even created a FREE Starter Pack for new members:

"It’s like an SPT care package: button, fridge magnet, holographic sticker, link to a free mysterious song and a SIGNED PHOTO...​I mean everybody has a fridge and everybody needs an SPT fridge magnet!"

How hard is it to get some attention as an artist?

It is incredibly hard. I've even gone viral and toured 23 countries and it's still VERY difficult to get attention when I have a new single, no matter how good I think it is, how great the music video is or how much faith I have in it. The problem for me is that I still don't have a big publicity machine to help my music get heard. ​Having said that, I do think that with a lot of work an artist can get heard more so, but that requires many many hours either writing journals and blogs, collaborating with bigger artists, or even spending money on a publicist. If you're extremely lucky (or smart, or both) you can get into important magazines... I think you need to think outside of the box.

Would you consider a record deal with label or do you want to stay independent no matter what?

​Complicated question. I was on a label for a long time but they didn't have me on their official roster. There wasn't much in terms of A&R or promotion. They didn't know how to fit me with the other artists. So they were sort of like an umbrella for my own company, "Name Drop Records". We mutually decided to part ways and right now I'm really focused on spreading my music on my own.
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​I still work with a publishing company and distributor - Morr music. In all honesty, I feel like if you want massive exposure, in most cases, you need a label. I mean, a big label can dump a lot of money into publicity, newspapers, magazines etc. and immediately get you tons of exposure. They hold the magic keys. You get occasional artists, like Macklemore, who do it on their own, but that also requires a great deal of luck and definitely a team on your side. You can't go too far without a team. There are too many shoes to fill...
But right now I'm learning a lot about the industry, how it works, how to apply for Spotify playlists, how to market your music and how to grow in an industry that is absolutely clogged with musicians. We live in a lucky time because there are many chances to go off on your own and carve out a niche for what you do, but at the same time, the market is super over-saturated because making music is much easier than, say, 20 years ago. So there's the challenge of not only making great music, but making music that is still somehow original and authentic. It's a challenge. I love it, though. I find these times exciting.

So to answer your question, I would say yes to a label if it afforded me the chance to do what I want without too much interference. From my experience, a lot of labels are afraid of "edgy" material or songs that somehow push expectations. I'd like a label that is open to discussing how I can be myself and make great music that might not always be super clean, commercial pop ... but maybe sometimes it will be...
"I do sometimes worry about the government but it's also not something I tend to think about a lot. I'm much more interested in being creative, seeing great movies, having great conversations and inspiring one another."

Your song "Everybody Knows Shit's Fucked" went viral in 2015 and today it has over 10 million streams across streaming platforms. How that changed you as a musician? Do you still like to perform the song Live or do you hate it already?

It changed my exposure. It gave me millions of fans all over the world. It basically gave me a career. I have played all over Europe and Russia four times (although I'm not sure when that will happen again). I'm grateful for the exposure. The challenge now is learning how to navigate this industry, leverage the fans I have now and keep growing. It's always a challenge. A fun challenge, in the end. I love playing it. I never do it the same way twice and I love the effect it has on people, so I don't get tired of it

When you composed "Everybody Knows Shit's Fucked", did you think "Yeah, this might be a hit!"? Or was it a complete surprise to you?

No, I had literally no idea. That totally took me by surprise. I thought it was funny to be so in-your-face, lyrically and have lyrics that make people think and laugh at the same time... but I had no idea it'd pop off the way it did.

SPT - ​Everybody Knows Shit's Fucked 

​Everybody Knows Shit's Fucked is Stephen Paul Taylor's most famous song and music video. This particular YouTube video has nearly 4 million views. The song became viral in 2015 and since than it accumulated over 10 million streams across streaming platforms.

Everybody Knows Shit's Fucked is a heavy criticism of the US government. Do you still feel the same about USA as you did back in 2014 when the song was released?

I do in a way. But at this point, there are a lot of bad apples all over the world. I don't want to point fingers, but clearly there are a lot of scary, totalitarian governments everywhere (many even worse than the States). I do think there is a global consciousness that is quite exciting that exists beyond politics and government and that it's great to see people being more inclusive and accepting of others overall. I think it's nice to see that people are more open to alternate ways of living and coping on this planet (even things like micro-dosing and holistic medicine, meditation etc). It's nice to see that people are collectively working on evolving as a species.

I do sometimes worry about the government but it's also not something I tend to think about a lot. I'm much more interested in being creative, seeing great movies, having great conversations and inspiring one another. Governments are almost always flawed and devisive. We could talk for countless hours about the horrible things certain governments have done but in the end, will it change anything? Probably not. It'll just make us angry and bitter... and feeling hopeless, like we can't change anything.

SPT - ​Sexually Confident Male

"I released a single a few months ago entitled "Sexually Confident Male". In it, I parodied the Pick Up Artist scene. It was a song I really thought would blow up, but again, without a machine behind you, it's just not that easy. It did, however, piss off a few people (who shall remain unnamed). They thought it was "too edgy". But I'm proud of it. I like the video with the puppets, I think the director did a bang-up job!" - Stephen Paul Taylor

If everyone in the world listened, would you say "Shit's Fucked!"? Or do you have more positive message?

No. I'd say "Let's all transcend our limiting beliefs and negative self-talk and do incredible things that will amaze us and inspire other people."

Do you sometimes think that your new song is a banger but it doesn't perform as good as you expected?

I think that about many of my songs. However, I also feel that now I'm actually taking things seriously and working with producers who know how to make "radio ready songs". That, for me, is quite exciting. If a song doesn't perform as well as I'd hoped, these days I just kind of go "oh, well" and I focus on the next one. Not every song will be a EKSF and that's okay.

​I really just want to make great music that first off all impresses me, and hopefully impresses my fans. I also really look forward to having a proper PR team behind me because as much as I know it's important to push a single both before and after it comes out, I often don't have the energy. I'm usually more inclined to let it go after a certain point and look into the future.

You use a lot of costumes, your shows are energetic, playful and funny yet your lyrics are often brooding and powerful. So, who are you in "real life", outside the stage?

Quieter, but energetic, playful and funny to those that know me. I don't open up easily. I can be friendly but I'm reserved until I know someone. I don't trust easily. That being said, when I like someone, I truly feel like I can be myself and I'm a good friend (at least I think I am, but I'm biased). I also like to be alone sometimes, walk around, read, chill out, meditate... I need to recharge myself sometimes

Who would you like to meet in person and why? 

David Byrne. Because he created some of the most amazing music I've ever heard... and he's also a great writer, artist etc...

Do you have something you want to say, but no one have ever asked you?

My guilty pleasure is going down YouTube wormholes. At the same time, YouTube is highly addictive, so ... be careful, kids!

What are your other interests besides music? 

Movies, YouTube, Reading, Conversing, Dancing, Hiking (when in Canada), Travelling...

It seems that you are really into YouTube. Can you see yourself as a YouTuber? Would you enjoy to perform in front of a camera and to have your own YouTube show?
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David Byrne
David Byrne is a Scottish-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, visual artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American new wave band Talking Heads.
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Source: Wiki
​Actually being a YouTuber is a big aspiration of mine. I've made many YouTube videos in the past. I've done commentary, humor, music (obviously) and a lot more. The last video series I properly did was "Deep Dives" where I dove deep into stories behind songs. That was enormously fulfilling. I've been meaning to resurrect the series, or at least start something a little more consistent. Let's see. I have some ideas. I just need to make time. I LOVE watching YouTube though and I find it very inspiring.

Follow Stephen Paul Taylor on social media platforms:

What are your favorite YouTube channels?

That Chapter, Turkey Tom, Dreading, Repzion, Patrick cc, Whang, Zeducation, j Aubrey, The Right Opinion, Evan Carmichael, Gabi belle, Leon Lush, Sunnyv2, penquinz0, John Swan, Subtrist, Kitboga, KiraTV, PianoSecrets, Ape Huncho, and many more I can't think of right now.

What's your opinion on TikTok? It's considered the best social media platform for musicians...

It seems a little ADHD. I've enjoyed my fair share of TikTok videos. I like it, but I still haven't really submerged myself in it. I know it's basically essential for any self respecting musician, but I also know it takes time to really make it work. They say posting three times a day to really grow it in the beginning. I want to do it but I feel like I need a strategy... hmmm....

SPT's Latest Music Video
​» SPT - Dirty Touch «

If you met your future self, what would you ask?

How did you make your life so awesome?

And what would you say to your past self?

Smarten up! Focus more! Stop playing video games all the time!

Where can we find a list of your upcoming concerts?

On my website! www.stephenpaultaylor.com It's right there on the homepage.
Thank you!

Listen to Stephen Paul Taylor on Spotify

PlaylistSubs' Indie Pop Spotify Playlist

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Stephen Paul Taylor - SPT