Daylight

Pennsylvania is home to many of today's great pop/punk/emo acts, with Balance and Composure, Tigers Jaw, Title Fight and the like all championing styles that have matured to become distinctly their own. Recently, they welcome their latest rising star from their city of Doylestown - Daylight. Guitarist and vocalist, Taylor Madison shares with us the many experiences that have come hand-in-hand with the Daylight package, and why their upcoming record, Dispirit, hopes to make listeners "at least consider jumping off their roof."

Okay so first thing’s first, what’s your favourite place to chow down on a Friday night and top 3 video games of all time?

Well, my favorite place to eat on ANY night/day would be Johnny Roc's Pizza Plus. I eat there just about every day. As for video games, I'd have to say (in no particular order) my top 3 would be Oddworld: Abe's Odyssey, Skate 2 (3 is about to come out and I guess that will be better?), and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

My name is Taylor Madison. Daylight came together when my old band broke up and John and I decided to start something new. We played for a couple months with this other jackass on guitar, but he was flakey so we decided to boot him. He quit before we had the chance to. Right before all this, Joe played with us a little on bass. We demo'd some songs with my friend Jake (who now plays guitar and also sings in Daylight) and months later we asked him to join the band.

For the unknowing reader, how would you describe your sound and fashion style?

I guess our sound could be described as emo or punk or rock and roll? I don't really know. It's not like we have some far-out sound that no one else has ever done, I just feel like an idiot calling it something, I guess. As far as fashion goes, I'd have to say we look cool no matter what.

In October ’09 you guys did a tour of Australia on your debut EP, Sinking. How was your experience down here and how’d you find the response to your release?

I will just like to start by saying that Australia is awesome and we very much enjoyed ourselves while on tour there. However, everyone knows the answer isn't that simple. We were brought on tour by this guy named Julian. Pretty sure everyone knows the story, so I won't get too into detail. In short, we didn't like this guy. At all. Unfortunately, his presence put somewhat of a damper on our time in Australia. Aside from that, I had a great time. Met lots of cool people, did awesome shit, saw awesome shit. Our response was pretty cool. Even places where we played and people obviously didn't know who we were, we sold merch and people told us they were into it. I would also like to address the fact that we are all well-aware that it was too soon (considering we had only been a band since the beginning of 2008, only released a demo at the beginning of 2009, and hadn't even officially released Sinking yet) to tour another country. We really only did it because it was ridiculous and we all just wanted to go to Australia. I had fun, so I certainly don't regret it.

From hearing you at some of those shows, you guys seemed to have had a bad encounter with Vegemite amongst other things.

Dude, EW. That's all I will say about Vegemite. I understand that it isn't an American thing, so I probably just don't get it, but jesus christ....that stuff is next-level gross.

What was the strangest experience you had on that tour?

I'm drawing a blank when it comes to strange shit, so I will just talk about the time we found a dead duck floating upside-down in a pond and we fished it out and put it on land. Up until we actually got it out of the water, we were unsure as to whether it was a fake duck (we were at some weird scenic resort thing that we snuck into for the day) or a very real and very dead duck that no one cared to remove from the pond. Once we got it out of the water, we accidentally dropped it in a bush (which made for a pretty funny picture) and only it's legs were sticking out. We got it out of the bush and put it under a nearby tree. I realize that this isn't an interesting story in the least, but it's all I can think of as far as strange goes. Actually, that whole day was strange, but I won't go too much into it because it would take forever. Also, anyone reading this that thinks we are ignorant and cruel Americans, we're not. Jake and I both refrain from eating meat....this shit was just too funny.

Following your Australian journey, you guys embarked on a tour of America, how did that compare?

Well, it was much more of a standard tour, obviously. Nothing as "exotic" as touring another country, but it was cool. For some reason, we had an extremely cold winter, and even areas in the US that never get cold were FREEZING. So, we basically froze out asses off for 3 weeks.

You guys seem to come from a vast background musically – John (drums) also plays in CDC, Joe (bass) plays guitar in Mother of Mercy, Jacob (guitar/vocals) played in All In A Year and you yourself used to play in Bangarang. How has that influenced the writing process of Daylight and the overall sound you guys achieve?

Well, we usually try to avoid saying that we were/are in other bands, simply because we don't want someones opinion of our other bands (whether it be good or bad) affect the way they feel about this band. Not that I mind that you bring it up. As far as writing goes, I really don't think anything comes from any of those bands. All of us listen to a pretty vast selection of music of all different genres.

Titled ‘Dispirit’, you guys are soon to release a 7” on Six Feet Under Records with a track from this featured on the recent MMX compilation. What can fans expect from this upcoming release?

I probably shouldn't admit this, but I kind of hate all the songs on Sinking at this point. I mean, they're ok. But when I listen to our new songs, I feel like we achieved the sound we really wanted to on this record. People can expect better songs, better recording, and sadder lyrics. I hope that when people listen to Dispirit, they at least consider jumping off their roof.

Being together for less than two years, Daylight have attracted a lot of attention and achieved big things in a very short amount of time. What’s your secret?

I don't know. Especially when it comes to Australia. I'm surprised that more than 4 people knew who we were in Australia. It's not like we're huge over there, but the fact that at least a person or two at just about every show knew who we were was cool/surprising. That part is a mystery to me.

Are there any bands that you guys particularly like to tour with/play shows with?

So far, we have only toured alone. But I do enjoy playing shows with Balance & Composure, Tigers Jaw, Title Fight, you know...all those bands. And I'd also like to say that I enjoy playing with these bands because I actually like them as bands and as people. I could really give a shit what label they are on or who they are friends with. Too many bands right now will share a label with a band or go on tour with a band and then automatically think they need to pretend to be that band's best friend, even when they really don't like that band, or the people in it at all.

Aside from Daylight, what do you do to kill time in between being a rock star?

Dude, I wish you hadn't asked this question haha. I am literally the biggest piece of shit alive. I used to live with 2 other roommates, but I moved out right before the Australian tour, and I've lived in my mom's basement ever since. I don't have a job. I don't go to school. I don't do anything. The only way I make money is for doing artwork for bands here and there (any bands that need artwork, holler at your boy xtaylormadisonx@yahoo.com). I live a sad life. The only thing I like doing is going on tour.

Where was your favourite show you have played so far and what made it so special?

Our record release for Sinking was pretty fun. Lots of people were there and a ton of cool bands played.

With your upcoming release, are there any plans for a return to Australia? If so, when?

I don't see it happening anytime soon. Only because it's such an expensive journey. I'd love to come back, though. We'll be back eventually.

The only goal I ever really set when starting bands is to play some shows and put out a demo. So far Daylight as exceeded those goals, so I guess we're going alright.

I think you and Jake are really cute. Do any of you have women to take care of at home? If so, how does that go down when you guys are on tour?

I have a girlfriend, but Jake does not. I'd shout him out and tell all the ladies to get at him, but he literally doesn't talk about anything else BUT girls and it needs to stop. He is like a horny 15-year-old....except he's almost 19. My girlfriend gets bummed when I go on tour, I guess. But she knows I enjoy it, so she puts up with it.

Can you give us a run down of your current plans for the rest of 2010 with Daylight?

We're doing a full US tour this summer. Our new 7" Dispirit should be coming out sometime in June on Six Feet Under Records. There has also been talk of another possible 7" later this year, but I won't get into that too soon. I'm hoping we do a decent amount of touring this year. That's all I know.

To close, do you have any words of advice to all the Daylight fans around the universe?

I made fun of Jake at almost every one of our shows in Australia and said some mean things that I didn't mean. He later expressed to me that it made him sad. So I would like to let it be known that he actually is my good friend and not that bad of a person. Thanks Jem!