PipemanRadio Interviews Taylor Roberts of 12 Stones at Louder Than Life 2025

0:04 Hey, you love then too? Here that's sure? Fore wow where. You This is pipe Man here on the Vengrooms pipe Man W four c Y Radio, And I'm. Here with Taylor Roberts from Taproot twelve Stones and riding with Killers. Oh my god, You're like the busiest freaking musician ever. And then on top of it, you know, I've got the painting business, so. Like I just I don't sleep, I ever, I know ever feeling ever and I love your hat. Thank you. So Sean May he was the bass player for the band Switched if you remember them, and they're early two thousands.

0:46 Hell of the bass player. He is now a luthier and he makes some of the finest basses, even some guitars every now and again. But he does all of my setups before I go out on tour. Like every guitar or bass, depending on what ban I'm with, it always passes through his hands because I can do my job and not think about playing my instrument. Nice. Yeah, he's the man. So I'm gonna give you a trivia question, okay that you have to ask him, all right, and you'll see it if he can get it right. So ask him, who is the most famous bass player that is only a bass because the bass player because they already had two other guitarists, so he drew the short straw and he had to be the bassis.

1:29 Okay, you want the answer, you know the answer. I'm not gonna answer because I'll probably say the wrong thing and then like it'll be so obvious and I'll be mad at myself. Paul McCartney, Oh yeah, okay, fair. So now you can know this to Beatles songs and listen to his bass, because that's why I did. I'm like, oh my god, he does sound like a guitarist. He's a guitar player. He's like, I'm like, Paul McCartney, is what you're saying. Yeah, that's what I'm picking up from this, that's exactly I'm a guitar player playing bass, right, see say. That's why it's relevant, but it is true. It's kind of different when I think when you're a guitar player that goes to bass, you put something extra into it. For sure.

2:09 I like, I will say, I've been a guitar player for god what like twenty five twenty six years now, and this is my first US. You know, I'm playing bass for Twelve Stones, and it's my first professional bass gig. But like, I have been having so much fun because I've been so used to one thing for a quarter of a century and now I'm doing something different and helping, like controlling the low end of the band and the heartbeat with the drummer. Like it's it's been a fun rewire for my brain. But it's just it's something new. It's exciting, and I've been having a lot of fun and especially revisiting like those are the first two Twelve Stones records where Eric was playing bass and that guy was a monster, and just like learning his parts, it's been a cool challenge.

2:52 I really enjoyed. I love hearing that and it must be great too when you're a musician. First of all, I know, like I always been a sucky at playing everything, but I always like I want one of those. I want one of those. I want one of those. And I think as a musician, it's like you want to dip your toe into all kinds of instruments. Oh it's I mean, it's it's an industry for addicts in a way, right, because like it's one of those things you get a guitar. Well, now, I need another, And then you learn about studio gear. Now you got to buy all that, and it's like it's it is an addiction, but it's like it's the most fun toys in the entire world because you use it to create exactly, you use it to create beautiful art and all of these horrible things that we've experienced, we turn it into something beautiful and relatable, and it is addicting. It's a drug in itself. But yeah, worked at Sweetwater for a while.

3:46 I did a ten year stint at a guitar store called Pinkston. So like, I am a gear slut. I have way too much gear already. I need a bigger studio, I need, I need more gear. It's just it never ends with the radios to like I've sweet Water and musicians friend on speed dial. Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, you know. So we're here at Louder than Life. We are. We almost escaped the first ever Louder Than in Life that did not have a Code red killed today. Yeah. I thought we were gonna make it me too. I uh, And of course is the Code Red kind of cut into our time slot, So we unfortunately didn't get to play today. But it was still cool to show up and dressed for all nine innings because that's what you do.

4:32 Man. You don't always get to win, but you show up ready to play. And Kilty, our stage manager, was so wonderful and like he was apologizing, like dude, like this is out of your hands, man, Like you are so great to us upon arrival, and we were just happy to be here and I'm glad we're still here because we're still talking. Like I've seen so many friends, my management with tap Root and like just all these other bands that I've been playing with the last couple of years, and I'm like, yeah, man, I'm sad I didn't play today, but like I still get to hang out and be with my people and feel like I'm normal for a weekend. You know what's cool about it, too, is like the consensus of people around here is they all say the same thing about you. What a great dude, You are a great human. You are stop totally totally, And this is why stuff like this, because so many artists they would get cut, they may get pissed off, they may get upset like you can't control the weather, and then they just bail. But you're here because you're here because you want to be here, and you know what, it feels not great to not be able to play, but you still love the music, the industry and everything so much that you still want to be here. And like you said, get in uniform and even if you're on the bench, you're gonna make that bench it's warm and spossible.

5:58 Oh and I have to say an apology out to Mercedes and the rest of the girls and Kittie. We got stuck in the craziest traffic on the way down. Like I was, I was coming to see Kitty, and then I had some other friends playing, but it was mainly to see Kitty. And when we played with him at twenty twenty four, I got introduced to the whole band. Ended up having coffee with Mercedes and her husband and it was the best time in the entire world. And she and I have been talking all week and like I was like I'm coming, I'm coming, and then like we just didn't make it in time, and by the time we got to the hotel, I was like, I'm dead and I just like passed out. Not that like it was world ending that I didn't show up, but like I hate that I didn't make it out last night, and I. Heard that they absolutely killed it, as they usually do.

6:40 But I just wanted to say sorry to Mercedes and all that you. Were such a great human because you have actually give a shit about all that stuff. Well, dude, like, and I. Feel like we touched about on this a little bit of incarceration, but like, man, like, I grew up without my dad, so already some stunted growth right there. I've had seven reconstructive surgeries on my left eye and like, it doesn't look like anything now, but when I was younger it was awful. I was picked on relentlessly. I was made fun of. I was the guy that got cheated on by his girlfriend. Blah blah blah blah. But like, rock music always gave me a safe space. It said all the things that I wanted to say but I didn't quite know how to say because I couldn't articulate my thoughts and my emotions. And this music was what gave me a voice, and it gave me a place in life, kind of like you know, mud vein man. I saw them I think late last year around this time, and I was side stage thanks to Marcus and my brother Sean, who was teching for all the remains, got to side stated and I started just bawling my eyes out and Macy looks over and she's like, are you okay? And I was like, yeah, I'm fine.

7:47 But like when I first saw the Dig music video, I didn't know you could do that. I didn't know you could look like that. I didn't know you could play music heavy. Like that's when I was starting to get into the mud vein slipping out in all the new metal. But it was like I felt normal when I saw those guys, and it was like them, along with Corn Taproot, popa Roach, Lincoln Parks, Slip Kno, it was like they all just kind of grabbed me and they said, hey, kid, you're normal. You belong, You're not a freak. And that's why I fought my entire life to get to where I'm at, And now that I'm starting to arrive, it feels like the first time every time, because I'm finally getting to rub elbows with people that made me feel like I was not a freak and that I was okay and I did belong. And that's why this still matters, man, because it gave me life and I'm.

8:37 A dumb ass kid from South Mississippi. Bro. I had to crawl out the Bible belt to get to hear. And that's why I. Am grateful for it, man, because like, not many people get to do this and like this, and I. Think attributes to the type of human you are. I think it makes a difference in like out there, none of us are outsiders, none of us are exactly We're one big family. I think that's what's even cooler today than in the old days because in the old days we weren't even that cohesive of a family. It's like all the freaks were separated, right, And it's like I always saw it was stupid, like why wouldn't we band together? Like I remember my school there were like five of us metal heads, five punks. The punks and the metal had hated each other, but still the jocks were bullying both of us.

9:30 So why didn't we band together? Because divided we fall, but united, we're gonna kick your fucking ass. Now they're afraid of that, right exactly. It's true though, man, Like, dude, could you imagine if everyone just like put differences aside and we were just all friends like we would be an unstoppable force, and we would advance and love life, science, everything, like like all of it. We would just advance so much. Did I tell you at Ink my solution to the world's problems? No you did not. Oh I got a solution to the world. Oh God, It's not the final solution, right, No, no, no, thank God Jesus. No, it's the one that we finally can all be united against the people that are trying to divide us.

10:13 Oh yeah, So here's my solution. Have one big music festival, preferably in the rock metal arena, because we are the ones that are the most family united oriented. Everybody in the world's required to attend, and we just work everything out at the music festival. Cool. I will say just to just to give some love to my EDM crowd, because I'm a big I'm a big EDM fan, and you know, Macy's really introduced me to that world the last four or five years. And I've gone to like Bonnaroo is more of like a hippie fest, but like like Electric Forest in Michigan. Just a great example. Our Okachobe down in Florida. I do ok back, I do Okachobe Fest. And that's dude, same.

10:56 I agree. I have never had more positive, soulful, meaningful interactions that you know what I'm saying, Like just off the cusp of going into a new genre because I already knew about the rock and metal world right and jumping as a new comer and an outsider, welcomed with open arms, and everyone is just. Always so polite, respectful, happy. I mean, we're all doing happy party drugs, but it's cool, man, Like, I've never felt the need, oh my god, I might have to punch this person if they like invade the space or start some shit. Like everyone it's just it's a good community. So I just wanted to give a shout out to the EDM crowd and just thank you for being you. You know what. I have something to say about that from Okeachobe fests.

11:36 But I also have something to say that that also weirded me out last week at Bourbon and Beyond. So we were at the Fish show and I was with my friends who are dead heads, you know, and I I'm actually I love the dead too, even though I'm a metal head. Yeah, but Fish was on and my friend she got she like totally loves Fish, but she's like fishheads are all assholes. I'm like, that doesn't make sense to me. Why would you be in that kind of music and be an asshole? You can attract some pretentious people with intelligent music. Yeah, that's that's part of it. And I think it's when you get to that kind of a level. It's hard to articulate sometimes and it maybe comes across a shitty But that's also me being too nice and giving everybody the benefit of the doubt and trying to see the good that I can.

12:25 But so back to okachobe Fest. I had this viewpoint, stupid viewpoint, but disproves how people like they have their perceptions of stuff and they need to experience everything. Yes, okay, because I was like, why would you ever go to a concert for a DJ? Like I'll go to nightclub for a DJ, but that's just stupid. And then I was at I was there for Scroaics and base actor. I'm like, a basic actor. Boo, sorry he fucked up. Yeah. I don't know much about it. All I know is they were both there. But I just saw the show and I was like, I get it.

13:08 I get it now. And I wasn't even on drugs. And I go, well, next time, do Molly and you'll get it even more right, Well, like I got it. Was funny because that fish too. I was like, man, I'm missing out by not being on hallucin Cheggs for this because I could see what these people are seeing that I could see it in my head. I could see it like when the lights were going, and like they have their own light system and stuff, and it's designed totally for when you're peeking. Well, and that's the other thing, dude, Like they they know what they're doing, like the lights. Everything is very well thought out. And I'll tell you one of the most religious experiences I've ever had was being second row center at Red Rocks for Dead Mouse and Cascade.

13:51 Oh my God. Like I was literally probably seven eight feet away from Joel, Like if I would have tossed a lighter, I would have hit his little cube. We watched it, dude, chainsmokes, cigarettes, drink seven Coronas, and DJ his ass off. That's a cool thing. Like, yeah, a lot of it is computerized. But like when you start looking at like the Acai NPC or you get into the machine plus and like these these pads and everything, and like like there's a lot of DJs that are doing this in real time. Like, yeah, there are fake people out there, much like there are people that lip sync and rock and they're tracked in rock. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with tracks. Everybody uses them. But if that is your main crutch and you're not actually playing, that's a problem. But like there are DJs out there that they're doing it on the fly and they've got sense Midi keyboards, they've got these padded instruments, and then they've got their their decks and they're flying in these sounds on the spot.

14:43 So like it does take musical you lose it. You have to use it, like you couldn't just people think they could just be a DJ. No, no the hell you can't, dude, it's insane. I have a lot of respect, and I have even more respect after seeing it live because I was like, I used to. Share the same thing as you, because I was like, oh, Djabna, you're not a real musician. And then like I started working at Sweetwater and I started getting into the technology side of it and learning the retail side because the guitar shop that I worked at in Gulfport, like we were guitars, basses, some keyboards lives and that's it because that's all that our market could handle, like like monetarily wise, you don't have people that are spending tens of thousands of dollars on pro tool rigs or Denn turntables and this that, and it's just not where the market is.

15:30 But then I get somewhere like Sweetwater and they basically train you. You have to go to a Sweetwater University as they call it, and like learning about the technology and then seeing demos and seeing people do this stuff in real time. It's like, no, you're a musician too, You're just a different kind of musician that most people aren't really used to. And like once you dive into that world, it's it's really cool. It just it just is. Yeah, totally. So I love that you're all so diverse too. So that's cool too because it's not artist is maybe because they're not exposed to it. Well, and this goes back to one of my favorite comedians, Bill Burr. He said, you got to hang out with everybody to learn everything because not just one group of people have the answers. And that's the way that I feel about music, like because if I just listen to rock music all the time. I'm going to echo that, I'm going to repeat it. I'm gonna have influence, and then my songs are going to sound the same. But if I find something with EDM or jazz or lo fi or orchestral or polka even like or bluegray, whatever it is, I want to find inspiration from different genres, so I'm not bringing something to the table that's already there and not to mention, like I don't want to be on one hundred and twenty with rock music all the time.

16:45 I want to have calm moments. I want to have thinking moments or meditative moments or whatever it is that the music can because music influences our moods and I just like branching out. Man, It's kind of like the more diverse people you can to meet from around the world, the more well rounded of a human it makes you. I feel like the same way with music, Like it's just making me a better musician at the end of the day by appreciating other artists and their ability to manipulate and mold sound and create their art. I'm with you one hundred percent in every walk of life, Okay, Like even with everything's going on today in politics. I remember being in college and when you debated, you had to debate both parts of the argument, not just one.

17:32 You didn't go to one source for research. And I think everybody, no matter what side they think they're on or whatever, why don't you. Listen to the same side everyone you're on the same side two. I always say two sides are the same coin. Or here's the other thing, just related to the US and Eagle needs the left and the right wing to fucking fly. I just shared that from who you know. David Drayman posted that and I shared it because that's freaking Brilliant's true. Man, We don't have to harp on this, but like, I just hate how many people take the device, the dividing devices. It's just eating a trick in the book Divide and Conquer. Yeah, And I'm a total libra, so I don't pick aside.

18:16 I don't want a fucking label either. If I say something, it's my opinion. It's not because I'm a Republican or a Democrat, or right or left. It's maybe because of my experiences, maybe because of what I've been been through. You don't know why people are thinking the way they do, maybe you should sit down and find out. Right first, the minute we stop having conversations with each other, that's the minute that the real problems happened. But like, dude, I'm I'm a member of the human race, and that's that's it. That's my political party, that's my that's my my affiliation whatever. I'm human, dude, and I'm here to hang out with other humans. I don't care what color. I don't care what religion, what race, what orientation. I I fuck with everybody until you give me a reason not too. Because I ideal an energy, you know what I mean, And that's the way that I want to live my life. And it gets me walked on, sure, But I would rather get walked on and stay the same person than to let someone else's actions harden me and just completely go off the rails and not be myself anymore.

19:20 Like fuck that. Yeah, I'll get hurt a million times over, but if I'm still me, that's all I care about. Yeah, I'm not looking to be picked on kickball team. That sucked too when I was in grammar school. It's like, just be on all teams, all human times. Lot of somebody is a good person and isn't intentionally try and hurt anybody else, right, you know what you do you and. That's going and we're bringing this all back to music. That's why I love music so much because, dude, one hundred thousand of us, depending on what festival, I guess eighty thousand for Louder than Life this year more, but like eighty thousand of us are going to be listening to the same thing and united. We're all feeling it for differ reasons, but we're all united with one sound and like that's beautiful, man. It brings everybody together. That's why music, to me is the last true sacred thing on this earth.

20:10 Yeah, and it's the true uniter. That's why I want to do that music festival. There we go, we're setting the ground work for this there it is. Just have me come play. I got three bands for you to choose from. You can all three could play. You'll have a different band each day. Yes, So that and that's what I made a post on Facebook earlier and I was like, hey, like we didn't get to play, but still thank you Danny Wimmer for the invite, because still thank you Danny Wimmer for the invite. Like I'm hanging out with you a lot it in life. I'm seeing all my friends, We're eating great food, We're being taken care of. And I was like, we didn't get to play today, but maybe next year we can bring twelve Stones back. We can bring tap Free back, and then you can get my band riding with killers and I could play all three days. Like that's that's my goal. I want to hit the trifecta. That if I can do three days of the festivals with all three, that would be so sick one day.

21:02 I make We're gonna make that appen. Okay, for sure, let's go. I'm in. Well, listen, you give me an avenue to work. I'm gonna work my ass off because that's all I want. I don't want to fucking handout. I need a path to work. Let me do the rest. And you are a true musician cause radio. Sorry, I was just joining in. I know that was great. I love it. I love you man, love you too. D Thanks for having me, Bro, thanks for being on. The adventures of pipe Man once again, and even being such a consummate pro to come down here and do this interview even after being cut due to mother nature. I want to have missed it. Man. We plan this together, and when I make plans, I keep a man regardless if I have to pivot and adjust, that's what we do.

21:46 But thanks for having me still. Bro, and that's why all three bands are definitely gonna be on the festival. Let's go. Let's make your having Danny. Thank you for listening to the adventures of Fight Man. I'm w for see Uhi Radio Sh