Paul Taylor (Winger)
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Paul Taylor (born June 4, 1960), formerly credited as Paul Horowitz, is an American musician, who is best known as the keyboardist/guitarist for the hard rock band Winger (1987–1992, 2001–2003, 2013–2014, 2014–2017, 2018–present). Although he is perhaps most frequently associated with Winger, Taylor has also played with numerous other prominent musicians, including future
Sammy Hagar Sam Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose before launching a ...
and
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
guitarist
Gary Pihl Gary O. Pihl (pronounced "peel") (born November 21, 1950) is an American rock musician and guitarist best known for playing with Sammy Hagar and the hard rock band Boston.
(in his early days), Eric Martin (solo artist and future Mr. Big frontman), Aldo Nova,
Steve Perry Stephen Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and frontman of the rock band Journey during their most successful years from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998. He wrote/co-wrote ...
of Journey,
Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
and
Tommy Shaw Tommy Roland Shaw (born September 11, 1953) is an American singer and guitarist best known for his tenure in the rock band Styx (band), Styx as co-lead vocalist. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with other groups including Damn Yan ...
.


Biography

Taylor was born in San Francisco, California. In the late 1970s he briefly played in a Northern California band called Stark Raving Mad (Paul on lead guitar, piano and vocals, with Donovan Stark,
Gary Pihl Gary O. Pihl (pronounced "peel") (born November 21, 1950) is an American rock musician and guitarist best known for playing with Sammy Hagar and the hard rock band Boston.
(later on with Sammy Hagar and
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
), Jay Causbrook, and David Payne, with Eric Martin (of Mr. Big). Taylor experienced his first mainstream success in the early 1980s as the touring keyboardist in Canadian musician Aldo Nova's backing band, and he appears in the music video for Nova's biggest hit, "
Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
". Prior to forming Winger, Taylor and
Kip Winger Charles Frederick "Kip" Winger (born June 21, 1961) is an American singer and bassist who is active as a member of the rock band Winger (band), Winger and as a solo artist. He initially gained notability as a member of Alice Cooper's band, contr ...
were both playing with
Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
's backing band on the tours for Cooper's mid-80s albums, '' Constrictor'' (1986) and ''
Raise Your Fist and Yell ''Raise Your Fist and Yell'' is the tenth solo and overall seventeenth studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper, released on September 5, 1987, by MCA Records. It features the track "Prince of Darkness", which is featured very brief ...
'' (1987). During this time, the two began composing songs together and, while on break from touring, recorded what would become the first Winger demos. Whereas Kip left Alice's band prior to the European leg of the 1987 tour, Paul remained on board for the European dates. However, in the midst of touring Europe, Paul received a call from Kip, who had been working with future Winger lead guitarist
Reb Beach Richard Earl "Reb" Beach Jr. (born August 31, 1963) is an American rock guitarist. He is a member of the bands Winger and Whitesnake. Career After graduating from Fox Chapel Area High School and attending Berklee College of Music in the ea ...
recording more demos in New York, informing him that he had gotten a record deal. After the European tour was finished, Paul flew straight back to New York, and the Winger project (initially known as "Sahara") began rehearsing and recording their debut album. Taylor remained in Winger throughout the band's most successful period, which included the two smash albums, '' Winger'' and '' In the Heart of the Young''. However, after the tour supporting the latter album ended in 1991, Taylor left the band in early 1992, citing exhaustion and a desire to write and get involved with other projects. Throughout the 1990s, Taylor immersed himself in numerous other projects, perhaps the most prolific of which was recording and touring with Steve Perry for his 1994 solo album. In 1996, he returned to the Alice Cooper band (this time, alongside fellow former Winger guitarist Reb Beach), and once that tour ended, he embarked on a brief tour with
Tommy Shaw Tommy Roland Shaw (born September 11, 1953) is an American singer and guitarist best known for his tenure in the rock band Styx (band), Styx as co-lead vocalist. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with other groups including Damn Yan ...
. Winger reunited in 2001 to record new material for a ''Greatest Hits'' album. Although it is unclear whether Taylor participated in these recording sessions, he did later join the band on the supporting tour. Though Paul was asked by Kip Winger to rejoin the band again to work on their 2006 reunion album, he declined because he was already involved with other projects. More recently, Taylor has become involved in composing music for television series programs and has also been pursuing his passion for photography. He also spent the summer months of 2012 touring with
Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
throughout the U.S. playing keyboards for them. He returned to Winger during mid-2013 and performed with them on select tour dates up through early 2014 and appeared in the Queen Babylon released in late 2014. Taylor played keyboards, guitars and co-wrote on former
Motley Crue Motley is the traditional costume of the court jester, the motley fool, or the arlecchino character in ''commedia dell'arte''. The harlequin wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a fashion motif. The word ''motley'' is ...
guitarist
Mick Mars Robert Alan Deal (born May 4, 1951), known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist and co-founder of the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, being the oldest of the four origin ...
' debut solo album '' The Other Side of Mars''. He also introduced Mars to vocalists Jacob Bunton and Brion Gamboa, who performed on the album.


Discography


With Alice Cooper

*''
Raise Your Fist and Yell ''Raise Your Fist and Yell'' is the tenth solo and overall seventeenth studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper, released on September 5, 1987, by MCA Records. It features the track "Prince of Darkness", which is featured very brief ...
'' (1987) *'' A Fistful of Alice'' (1997)


With Winger

*'' Winger'' (1988) *'' In the Heart of the Young'' (1990) *'' Seven'' (2023)


With Steve Perry

*'' For the Love of Strange Medicine'' (1994)


Guest appearances

*
Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. He became known as the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also launched a solo career. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established ...
- '' Frantic'' (2002) *
Böhse Onkelz Böhse Onkelz (; sensational spelling of (German for "evil uncles")) is a German rock band formed in Frankfurt in 1980. The band reunited in 2014. Despite mass-media criticism concerning their past as skinheads, several of their later records ...
- ''Memento'' (2016) *
Mick Mars Robert Alan Deal (born May 4, 1951), known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist and co-founder of the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, being the oldest of the four origin ...
- '' The Other Side of Mars'' (2024)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Paul 1960 births Living people Winger (band) members Alice Cooper (band) members American rock keyboardists American rock guitarists American male guitarists Guitarists from California Progressive metal guitarists 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American keyboardists 21st-century American male musicians