By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
April 25, 2003
Carly Simon is his mom. James Taylor is his dad. Unlike many celebrity children, musician Ben Taylor will answer anything about them and loves nothing more than to get onstage with his famous parents.
Now touring to support his album “Famous Among the Barns” (Iris Records) with his own group, the Ben Taylor Band, Taylor took a moment to chat about chick flicks, Britney Spears and Bruce Lee.
Best revenge: [My dad] was the only guy there who got a standing ovation.
Having Carly Simon as your mom: I was always a good 25 percent bigger than anyone in my school, so no one ever said anything about how hot she was to me.
Performing with parents: I get onstage with my dad at some shows. That’s the kind of thing I can afford to do now that my career is established on its
own.
Parents’ best advice: I always want to play one of their songs and they said, “No. You’re going to get slammed by critics.” I still do it sometimes.
Carly or James?: Impossible to choose one or the other–Do you feel like eating or breathing? You need both to survive.
Last good movie you saw: I didn’t want to see “Bowling for Columbine” but I couldn’t help myself.
Favorite movie line: Bruce Lee says to a student in “Enter the Dragon, “It’s like a finger pointing at the moon. Don’t concentrate on the finger or
you’ll miss all that heavenly glory.”
Favorite actor: Bruce Lee.
Last chick flick you saw: I thought “Monsoon Wedding” was going to be one from the way it was advertised. I rather enjoyed it.
Movies or books?: I’d rather read a book than look at the screen.
Book you’re recommending: One Hundred Years of Solitude (Knopf, $14) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Currently in your CD player: The Roots, post-Beatles but pre-Wings Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway.
Last time you listened to your CD: Oh, God. I want other people to listen to it but I don’t like listening to it. It’s hard for artists who aren’t super
cool, emotionally stable or narcissistic to listen to their own records.
Tell us something not well known: I grew up training in martial arts. I love kung fu.
Your lineage: My ancestors are all from Aberdeen, Scotland. I can go Sean Connery if you want.
Acting: The only thing even tolerable about becoming an actor to me is because the movie industry has all the money the music industry doesn’t.
Tell us a theory: I don’t think actors should be allowed to be in more than five movies. You love them the first couple of times you see them and then
it’s like, “Uh, there’s Meryl Streep again.” [Laughs]
Musician-slash-actor: That’s Hollywood’s fault for setting the standard of acting so low that anyone and their uncle can get parts.
Model Ben: [Laughs] I was in a Calvin Klein ad a few years ago. It was their “normal people” phase.
Famous hottie you’d kick out of bed: I have a serious girlfriend so it’s not like this is a possibility. But Britney Spears does absolutely nothing for
me.
Most attractive quality in a woman: The quality of her movement.
Name the tallest musician on earth: Me. I’m 6-foot-4.
Best thing about being you: Getting to make music for a living.
Steak or potatoes? Potatoes. The last time we were in Chicago, we saw this raw organic vegan restaurant we want to try this time around.
