Bio
Bio: The Elastic Hoax
The Elastic Hoax was formed November 2008. Lead singer and lyricist Alex P. Taylor had already recorded two full solo albums in 2007 and 2009 and began looking to collaborate with other musicians. Upon meeting electric guitarist Adam Wilson through an ad on Craig’s list, the two began searching for their acoustic guitarist. They would soon find Joe Mandravelis. As the three began to build a strong connection with each other, Jonathan Lichtig joined on as the band’s percussionist. Performing all together for the first time May 2009, The Elastic Hoax has played several hot spots in CT including Black Eyed Sally’s, Murphy and Scarletti’s, Sully’s Pub and Up or On the Rocks in Hartford. They will be playing at The Hungry Tiger this November.
***Band Highlights Include:
Nominated Best Indie Band in the Hartford Advocate Grand Band Slam 2009.
Appeared on the Fox Morning Show to debut “If” on August 13th, 2009.
Radio 104 Battle of the Bands Finalist. (Round II: October 29th)
Currently Working on Debut Album at East Lake Recording Studio in Massachusetts with Producer Enoch Jensen. www.myspace.com/elastichoax ***
Connecticut’s Alex P. Taylor’s debut CD “Stop Signs and Red Lights” featured the tracks “On My Floor,” and “Great.” These songs will begin our leading man’s story.
A.P.T. wrote the lyrics to his first song when he was nine, but it wouldn’t be until early summer of 2005, dealing with the death of a good friend and co-worker, that he would rediscover and truly embrace his passion and gift of songwriting.
“The night I came home from Adam’s funeral, I was literally ‘on my floor’,” explains Taylor. “Henceforth, it became the title to the first song I had written in several years.”
After meeting with several producers, it wouldn’t be until March of 2007 that Taylor would begin to record his debut album at SherStudios in Southington, Connecticut, under the wisdom and guidance of Jamie Sherwood. Sherwood, whose twenty-five years of experience in the recording, performing and producing world of music, would be in for quite the surprise…
Using only a pen, paper and micro-cassette recorder was how Taylor constructed his songs. He created and caught the melodies in his mind using only these three items.
Through no use of any instrument, songs are born to Taylor. “I like to refer to it as using my antennae to pick up what my world is telling me,” confides Taylor. “Sometimes a song will come to me at the most inappropriate time and I have to find a way to store it somehow or it could be lost forever.”
Sherwood, unknowingly, would become somewhat of a Rosetta Stone and together the two would transcribe and collaborate on 15 tracks meeting twice a week until the end of August 2007.
“Within each one of Taylor’s songs there lay true aspects that exist in everyone’s lives- happiness, sadness, sympathy, strength and above all, survival,” a source close to Taylor confides. His lyrics have been called intelligent and from the heart with “a whole lot of soul to back it up.” His voice: “strong, edgy, and very distinct with a mesmerizing quality that makes you stop and listen.”
“My first album, titled “Stop Signs and Red Lights“, was truly a form of therapy for me,” explains Taylor. His song “Great” is evidence of this. “My wish was for people to listen to my words and find answers to some of their issues. There is a lesson to learn in each one of my songs.” The album was independently released on October 24th, 2007, Taylor’s birthday. “It was the best birthday present I have ever received,” sentimentally recalls Taylor. “I learned and grew so much from my first album. I feel so proud and rewarded to have another album now under my belt!”
While “Stop Signs and Red Lights” was a Rock/Pop album full in sound with a heavy dose of electrical guitar, Taylor chose a different direction for his sophomore album titled “Don’t Miss the Bus.”
“For ‘Don’t Miss the Bus’, I really wanted to pull it all back and take a more acoustical approach this time,” states Taylor. The shift of genre from Rock/Pop to Rock/Folk is quite apparent. “It feels more like me. The experience of recording my first album gave me a valuable gift…insight. This time around, I got to truly find my voice and niche. At the end of the day, I am a singer-songwriter.”
Taylor also began organizing and started booking fellow singer-songwriters for The Corner Pug’s Featured Songwriter Series, dubbing the music room as “Mac’s Lounge.” Through the creation of this series, strong bonds have begun to form in the songwriter community in CT. Every Wednesday, a new artist is showcased and performs original material. The response has been incredible. “I couldn’t have asked for a more fun and refreshing way to bring together a group of really talented musicians,” cheerfully exclaims Taylor. “I love that I have created something that unifies us and is building strong friendships. That is what it’s all about!”
Taylor has also been working with other musicians in the writing department as well. Notably, he has worked with R&B singer Latanya Farrell, co-writing two tracks for her debut album, “Feelin’ Alright.” “This House” and “Try and Try Again” have become two of Latanya’s favorites to perform at her shows.
With the addition of his new full-time band mates, Adam Wilson, Joe Mandro and Jonathan Litchtig, Taylor has been playing dates this summer on their Right on Time Tour. Currently, the Amp Radio Network is playing twelve of Taylor’s songs at gas stations throughout his home state of Connecticut.
“Don’t Miss the Bus” is now available!
“Stop Signs and Red Lights,” Taylor’s debut album, is also available at www.cdbaby.com/alexptaylor and on iTunes.
