Dallas Taylor has always been a prominent figure in contemporary music. Once the vocalist for Underoath, he later started Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, a tribute to his southern heritage. They've recently finished recording their fourth album and have nearly completed a North American tour with Protest the Hero. Dallas was kind enough to speak to Scene Point Blank before their show at The Sound Academy in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Scene Point Blank: First off, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to speak to Scene Point Blank.
Dallas Taylor: Thanks for letting us.
Scene Point Blank: So you guys are just finishing up your tour with Protest the Hero. How's that been?
Dallas Taylor: It's been an awesome tour, it's been a lot of fun.
Scene Point Blank: How do you guys like Canada?
Dallas Taylor: Love it, we did two and a half weeks here when we started the tour, then we did all the states. Now we're back here for another week. Yeah, we love Canada.
Scene Point Blank: After this you head out with Clutch near the end of May. I know this isn't your first tour with those guys. Do you like touring with them?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, they're a great band. Good dudes and a fun band. They have a cool crowd, a different crowd.
Scene Point Blank: It's a similar sound to yours.
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, they have a little bit of an older crowd which is cool for us to play for.
Scene Point Blank: Do you find that translates over to your band? Are you bringing a lot of fans over?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, sure. Some of the best responses we're getting—which is really cool.
Scene Point Blank: Before this you were working on the new album.
Dallas Taylor: Yes.
Scene Point Blank: Do you have a title for it yet? I've read it's not going to be Four.
Dallas Taylor: It might be. I don't think it's going to be Four but it might be.
Scene Point Blank: Still not sure?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, not sure at all.
Scene Point Blank: Was it easier to record than Three? I know that one took quite a while.
Dallas Taylor: This one was actually, up until the recording process, probably the hardest record we've ever done. Just like working and working. We put a lot of work into it and then going into the studio it was probably the easiest. Recording was very fun and laid back, but the work that went into it was probably some of the craziest work we've done.
Scene Point Blank: So are you getting better as a band with the new members that came in before Three?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, we're more used to playing with each other and we went with a new producer. It was really cool.
Scene Point Blank: I've read that lyrically the story is going to branch off a bit from Three.
Dallas Taylor: Yeah it should, it should.
Scene Point Blank: So is this a more personal album for you?
Dallas Taylor: Definitely, yeah. That's all it is pretty much is: really personal stuff. I went through a divorce a year, year and a half ago, and then we've had some really close friends, almost family, that we really had some major falling outs with so this is a real personal record.
Scene Point Blank: Each album you guys tend to progress quite a bit. Is there anything different on this album we can expect?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, it's a way different record.
Scene Point Blank: Really?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, I don't even know how to describe it. It's not as much screaming and yellin' for sure. It's way more grown up a record for us. We made it more straight ahead rather than turning into a bunch of experiments. We made it a lot more straight-focused.
Scene Point Blank: You've gone as far as to say this is the best Maylene album yet. What makes it stand out so much to you?
Dallas Taylor: I think we put a lot more into it and it feels more focused and thought out than before.
Scene Point Blank: I imagine with that southern sound, you have a lot of loyal fans back home. Do you ever feel isolated in that genre?
Dallas Taylor: No, not at all. It's just kind of what we do. We don't try to, it's just kind of what happens.
Scene Point Blank: What's your favorite song to play live right now?
Dallas Taylor: I don't know, I guess maybe “Step Up” is a pretty fun song to play.
Scene Point Blank: Have you had a chance through Maylene to meet anyone you idolized or admired growing up?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, I've met a lot of cool people. I mean, for me, it was just a lot of bands that were really heavy when I was younger that I got to meet.
Scene Point Blank: Is there anyone in particular?
Dallas Taylor: We got to meet Milton—what’s his real name? Brad Lehmann: Uh, the guy from Office Space. I'm gonna Google it right now
Dallas Taylor: It's the stapler guy from Office Space and he played Bill on King of the Hill.
Scene Point Blank: That's really awesome.
Dallas Taylor: We met him through a birthday party at this kid’s house. It was pretty awesome.
Scene Point Blank: He was just there?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, the kid’s dad works on King of the Hill. Brad Lehmann: He owns the animation company. They do the show Bob’s Burgers too.
Dallas Taylor: Stephen Wright! No not Stephen Wright, Stephen something. Brad Lehmann: Oh, Stephen Root.
Dallas Taylor: Stephen Root!
Scene Point Blank: You were close. Great. Is there anything you wanted to say to the readers out there?
Dallas Taylor: Yeah, thanks for anyone who has ever supported us. We're workin' a lot, touring a lot and it means a lot for people to like our band. We're pretty down to earth: come say “hey” if you ever see us and come shake our hands.
Scene Point Blank: Do you have a release date for the new album yet?
Dallas Taylor: Should be late summer, early fall probably.
Scene Point Blank: Well thanks a lot for taking the time to speak to us.
Dallas Taylor: Thank you.
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Photos by Courtney Michaud.
