1). Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself as an artist and musician?

My name is Taylor Izak, and onstage I simply go by Izak. I’m a folk musician from Detroit, and I play violin and ukulele. Currently I play in two bands; a crust punk band called Fishgutzzz and the Lost and Found Orchestra, and a spooky pop-rock ensemble called the Picassos, as well as writing and performing songs of my own. In my original music, I like to cathartically explore and expose the deeper, more visceral parts of the emotional subconscious that so many find intimidating to navigate and heal.

2). How did you arrive at songwriting? 

Language and writing have been a love of mine from a young age. Writing short stories, comics, poetry, etc. came easily to me, so it seemed natural to write lyrics to my own music. Lyrical content has always been an important aspect of a song to me; the way you can most creatively convey what you’re feeling.

3). Who are some influences on your songwriting approach?

I like a lot of 90’s music, which I think comes through a bit in my own. I would say some of the biggest influences on my songwriting in general have been Green Day, Andrew Bird, AJJ, and Flogging Molly. I grew up on punk music, and my roots in professionally playing are steeped in folk.

4). What have you learned about musicianship during your tenure in bands Stone Clover and Fish Guttzzz respectively?

Being in Stone Clover taught me that making genuine connections with your audience is crucial for success. Because the emphasis that band put on camaraderie and inclusion towards fans is absolutely what helped them get so far; they’ve built an incredibly strong support system and repeat show-goers who have by this point become like family. In Fishgutzzz I learned to leave more space instrumentally—that is, not playing consistently throughout the whole song and therefore giving the violin parts I do play a more dynamic, punctuating effect. Lead guitar syndrome, you know? There’s meaning when the violin comes in. 

5). How has being involved in rock and punk bands influenced your solo work?

Being involved in punk and rock bands in the past is what gave me a foothold in songwriting to begin with; being presented with the challenge to not only write and contribute a song, but to be able to sort of bend it to the aesthetic of whichever band it’s for. I have a tendency to want to overcomplicate songs, but punk rock doesn’t really do that. It’s okay to just write a song that’s short, sweet, intense, and to the point.

6). What’s the best line you’ve ever written? Can you quote it for us and tell us why it’s important in the larger context of your songwriting work?

I think one of my better lines is the one at the end of “Wild Horses”: “Cheers to half of you; the other half’s a trick played on my eyes,” of course referring to drunkenness and double-vision. That song is about the maladaptive coping mechanisms I employed during a particularly dark period in my life, and it’s one of my most raw songs for sure. So much of my work has been originally intended to be utilized as a tool for catharsis and emotional vulnerability is something at the forefront of each song.

7). What do you have planned as far as recording and playing shows in the near-future? 

There will be a professionally recorded album soon—as opposed to the iPhone voice memos recorded in my living room posted online—it’s just a matter of having enough time to do so. In the meantime, there will be plenty of Fishgutzzz and the Lost and Found Orchestra shows this summer.

Taylor Izak started learning how to play the ukulele to keep sane during quarantine, but has been playing violin since they were nine years old. At the tail end of high school, they founded the Irish rock band Stone Clover with Pauly Brady, and since have played in many different projects and bands of myriad genres, including but not limited to Fishgutzzz, the Picassos, and Willa Rae and the Minor Arcana.