e8: The Hope State

Courtesy of the Artist

Taylor Johnson spent his for formative years in the prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada where he cut his teeth writing songs and performing in various indie rock bands.

At the age of 18 he relocated to Los Angeles where he studied music business and began ghost writing songs professionally for the leading songwriters and artists in pop, country, hip hop and rock which have topped charts in counties all over theworld.

Although always thankful to be continuously working, Taylor felt a large part of his artistic freedom and general happiness were being compromised working as a ghost writer. A longing for writing more personal, meaningful songs and performing those songs was ever present. With that, Taylor began writing and performing as The Hope State.

Now living in Toronto, Canada, Taylor released his debut album, Skeletons, an introspective and intensely honest look at regret, depression, addiction, love and loss on November 30th 2018. And here, he answers his e8 where he discusses the album and songwriting, offers touring tips and thoughts on drinking at gigs, and more.

​Is there a story behind your album’s title? 
The song title came first and when we were getting everything ready for the release I felt it was the most fitting. Skeletons is about falling apart and not being able to tell anyone what’s wrong, and not really understanding it yourself... but wanting to get better above all.
​
When/where do you do your best writing?
I tend to do my best writing when I’m traveling. It opens that part of my brain in a really nice way. Seeing people of different walks of life, living their lives in ways that are very different than what I’m used to helps me create stories. I also tend to get into writing mode when I’m trying to fall asleep... it’s not ideal but I’ve learned to accept it.

Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
A combination. Most of my writing is about real things but often told in a way that tells a better story. Story songwriters like Bruce Springsteen have always been my favorites lyrically, so I guess I draw a lot from that. Everything comes from a real feeling I’ve connected to in some way or another.

---

What’s your favorite/”go-to” food on the road?
Honestly, it’s burgers. I am obsessed with them. I need to stop this habit though. Being on the road is my favorite thing in the world and I always treat it like vacation, with that comes terrible diet... with a lot of long haul road trips coming up I need to be more conscious of this addiction. 
​
Do you have any touring tips?
Drink lots of water. Try to sleep as much as you can. I’m terrible at sleeping, so taking extra efforts to fall asleep is vital. Be nice to everyone. Always tip the bartenders. Appreciate everything. Respect people’s habits and personal space. Take probiotics.

How do you kill the long hours in the van/bus/etc?
Looking out the window. I have a really bad ADD, so you would think I need more stimulation, but I love exploring new places so much that just driving around and seeing new cities, small towns or nature keeps me content. If it’s not a particularly visually appealing stretch though I’ll read or listen to a podcast or music, typical stuff. 

What’s the most frustrating thing about being on the road?
I love pretty much everything about it, but I would have to say feeling disconnected from everyone back home. Or feeling like you don’t have a home at all. It’s all so exciting and beautiful, but you always have a lot of time on your hands, and with that can come a lot of introspection and loneliness. It’s easy to feel lost... both literally and metaphorically. 

Is drinking at gigs a positive or a negative?
I’m mixed on that one. I don’t think alcohol should be used as any type of payment for a band. Having free drinks or discounted drinks included in the payment structure seems unethical. There are many times I don’t want to drink but almost feel forced to because we have a bar tab to use. It’s a weird thing to have to think about. I went for a very long time where I refused to be anything but completely sober before and during shows because I just felt so sloppy in my abilities. It was a very hard thing to do because I’m a nervous wreck before shows. Now that I have more control over my voice and playing I’m ok with having a few beverages. For some people it works to lock in and get the vibe flowing a little easier. For some people they have a drink and completely fall apart rhythmically or technically. It’s important to know how it effects you and to be honest with your abilities and relationship with drugs or alcohol. ​


Facebook / Instagram 

---