Guitarist. Drummer. Keyboardist. Reading enthusiast. Dune Nerd!? Ladies and gentlemen please allow me to introduce Mr. Taylor Nordberg.
What is your full name?
Taylor William Nordberg, Esquire…
Do you have any aliases?
Some folks refer to me as “Teets”..but that’s a whole other story.
What bands are you actively involved with?
I play guitar for Deicide, Inhuman Condition, Umbilicus, FORE, The Absence, every now and then I play guitar with a Sweden-based band called Ribspreader, and I play drums/keyboards (also guitar) in another Swedish band called Eye of Purgatory.
What was the first instrument that you played?
I played the trumpet when I was 9, I believe, and I played it for about 2 years until it started getting really crazy when “jazz band” started being introduced and whatnot. I enjoyed the instrument, but it didn’t feel like a forever thing. It wasn’t until I started getting into Aerosmith and Queen and Alice Cooper and whatnot where I wanted to play guitar.
Tell me about one of your first musical memories?
I grew up in central Pennsylvania, and every summer my family would drive to Ocean City, New Jersey and stay at the beach for a week. I remember when I was probably 8 or 9, my oldest brother gave me a cassette-copied version of Metallica’s “Black” album, and I listened to it on the car ride there, the whole week, and the car ride back. I remember really falling in love with the music and didn’t understand what “heavy” meant musically, but I knew I liked how the music made me feel. I used to fall asleep to that album every night too, and my mom would come in to say goodnight and would know all the words.
What was the name of the first band you were in?
We were called Savannah. We had no idea that it was a city, haha. There was a band that my friends were in, and I actually “sang” vocals at a show for them before I got a guitar. Then once I got a guitar I was obsessed with it and played it nonstop, and eventually replaced the guitarist in the band, and continued to “sing”. We did classic rock stuff like Aerosmith, Bad Company, Zeppelin, Beatles, Skynyrd, The Who, Stones.
Tell me about the genesis of Inhuman Condition.
Jeramie and I were invited to join Massacre in the fall of 2019, and were asked to help/write the new album. I demoed some riffs, and the guys really dug it, so Jeramie and I hashed out 14 songs for the record, and some extra as well. We played a few of the tunes live with Massacre in Europe and South America in 2020. Fast forward, the situation in the band becomes one that we could no longer associate with, so Jeramie and I left the band in the fall of 2020. We knew they would regroup and rewrite, so we didn’t want to waste all these killer songs that we felt very passionately about. When we left the band, lots of folks reached out, one of which was Terry Butler, and we all got to chatting, and he asked about the music, so we sent him some. He thought it was killer and it was decided he would play bass, and wanted to do a real band. So, Inhuman Condition was born.
What inspired the name Inhuman Condition?
Since the music was the new Massacre record prior to us quitting, we didn’t necessarily want people to think “oh this just sounds like a Massacre rip-off band”…it WAS Massacre, haha. So we thought it would be great to use Inhuman Condition as a band name. They did an EP in 1992 called that, and Terry actually wrote the title track, so it worked out even better. But to be honest, we all thought it was just a killer band name. We’ve since long-parted with the Massacre association and have since crafted our own identity in the studio and on stage.
How long did it take you to write and record the Panic Prayer EP?
Not long at all! We never really take too long to write anything. We didn’t intend on writing more than a single, but then we said we should have a B-side. Then we said, “well, we don’t want to sell a CD with 2 songs on it, let’s do a cover.” So we added Godzilla. Then Jeramie had an event occur where he was super inspired and wrote the lyrics and drums for Panic Prayer and the next day it was pretty much done.
If you could insert yourself into any one band what band would it be and why?
3rd guitar player for Aerosmith. Why? Because JOE-FUCKIN-PERRY! They are the band that made me want to play guitar - before I knew the difference between bass and guitar - and have remained my favorite band since I was 12. They were my first concert and it was absolutely life-changing. It would be so fun to be in a band like that because it has everything. It has the fast hard rockers, it has the slow moody songs, the bluesy ones, the sad ballads with nasty guitar solos. They rule.
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had written it? If so… What was the song and artist?
I actually say “man I wish I wrote that” so often it makes me sick, haha. I’m so inspired by music and it continually blows me away how good some of it is. A good riff is tough to come by, because once it’s written, it can’t be re-written. There are only 12 notes to pick from. A good riff will stick with you and that’s exactly the point of a song, whether it’s a hook, or a feeling the song gives you and stick with you. I can’t name them all but basically anything written by Joe Perry/Brad Whitford, Dave Mustaine, Chuck Schuldiner, Richie Blackmore, James Hetfield.
Do you have any non-metal musical inspirations?
I have an incredible amount of non-metal inspirations. I grew up on classic rock like CCR, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, BTO, Beatles, Stones, Simon & Garfunkel, Aerosmith, Zeppelin, Skynyrd, etc. I think 60s and 70s rock are massively important to how I play guitar. I think the songs had an honesty “back then” that isn’t around quite as much these days, and there was a raw intensity about a lot of those bands that made them exciting to listen to.
What’s a non-metal song that you'd like to do a cover of?
“Commotion” by Creedence Clearwater Revival for sure! That riff could have been in a Motorhead song.
What band have you played with that has really impressed you with their live show?
Well we didn’t play the same stage, and technically I didn’t see them until a year later, but I recently just saw Exhorder live, and they were super killer! They didn’t have much in the way of a “show” or props or anything, but they kicked so much ass, so I would recommend seeing them.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at?
I don’t know if I have a favorite, really, because they all have their charm, in one way or another. I’ve played with a lot of different level of bands and have been fortunate to play all sorts of venues of different sizes, so it’s not terribly often that I get a “repeat”, but there are some venues that the staff is really cool at, or the sound on stage is amazing, and those are usually the favorites.
Do you have a pre-show ritual?
I just try to warm up for a bit, get into my gig clothes, try to get one last pee in before the intro starts!
What is your favorite thing about touring?
The shows, obviously! It depends on the type of travel, whether it’s bus or plane or van or Buick, but the shows are always the highlight. It’s an amazing high to be on stage, and regardless of what else has happened during the day, the shows usually cover up any blemishes of the day. I enjoy seeing different towns and cities as well. I get to go places that I never thought I would get to, so I’m very fortunate in that regard as well.
What is your least favorite thing about touring?
If you get sick, it all becomes pretty miserable, and it’s usually difficult to recover. I don’t get sick super often, but sometimes on tour, you’re just exhausted and not sleeping great, and your immune system usually suffers. Sometimes I miss just having alone/quiet time to myself, which you don’t really get on tour, but touring is such a treat for me, so I try to enjoy as much of it as I can.
Is there a city that you love to hit while on tour?
I like the city where the people show up to the gig! I’ll play anywhere, really. I like to play somewhere within driving distance of my parents’ house so they can come to the gig.
What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had on the road?
Oh man, that’s a dangerously open-ended question. There have been LOTS of weird things, but I’ll tell one that is a different kind of weird. I was on tour in early 2014 here in the States, and the band I was touring with had an RV that broke down somewhere in Alabama or something. We were stuck at this repair place all day, and the band was having some tension and it was a pretty shitty situation, and when the RV was finally fixed, he came onto the RV and gave us this speech about how he was a man of “God” and how he saw we were struggling and didn’t charge us at all for the repairs. It was mind-blowing!! At first we thought he was going to give us the religion sales pitch, but then he gave us a right hook of kindness. It was unexpected, and that was just really weird because it’s not often that folks are kind just because.
The year is 2006. Where are you at and what are you listening to?
I’m 16, living with my parents in Pennsylvania. I’m definitely listening to one of the following:
Metal Church - self-titled
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Suicidal Tendencies - self-titled
Nevermore - anything
What advice would you give young musicians that are just starting out in the music business?
Don’t let grumpy old fogies ruin your dreams! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a brutal business, industry, and lifestyle to get into, but if that’s what you want to do, don’t let anyone detract you from your goal. Just don’t be a bad person, and that’s the best advice I can give.
What is an absolute band killer?
Alcohol/substance abuse. Lack of communication. Having the one member that drags everyone else down.
Have you ever recorded a song that you really didn’t like, but somebody else in the band really did?
Yes, but not super often. If I really don’t like something, or if someone really hates a song or a part, usually it won’t make the cut, because we can’t have someone hating some piece of work. But I’ve had songs that I wasn’t super jazzed on, and the other guys in the band think it’s the best song of the album and want it to be a single. So sometimes you just have to put your own opinion aside and let someone else do the driving, because maybe they hear the song differently than you do.
If you were to start your own music festival what would be the name of that festival and who would be the three headlining bands?
Aerosmith. Metallica. Paul McCartney. It would have to be called “Lotta Hits”
What’s the longest time you’ve gone without bathing?
I think on my first tour, I went 7 shows before I got a chance to shower. It was pretty gross.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I’m the biggest Dune nerd that I know.
Is the Fistful of DOOM show in the top 10 of your favorite music podcasts?
Nope. But don’t take it personally, I don’t listen to podcasts! I’d have you in the top 10 though if I did…
Do unicorns sleep standing up?
They sleep sideways, in reverse.
Give me three albums that I should listen to immediately, if not sooner.
Captain Beyond - self-titled
Dio - Strange Highways
Alice In Chains - self-titled/three legged dog
You’re driving cross-country and you can only listen to one album the whole time. What album will it be?
Aerosmith - Live Bootleg
What is your favorite song by Taylor Swift?
That one song that’s about a breakup. . . .
Slipknot or Rammstein (if you had to choose)?
Rammstein
Doobies or Boobies (if you had to pick one)?
Wow…brutal. I’m not playing your game; I choose both.
Waffles or Pancakes (if you had to pick one)?
Waffles
Star Wars or Star Trek (if you had to choose)?
Again, this game is not fair! Stop it.
Favorite band t-shirt you own?
Aerosmith - Draw The Line raglan (even though it has some paint stains on it..)
Favorite meal?
Grilled cheese.
Favorite book?
Danggggg. Toss up between:
Dune (all 23+ of them)
Lord Of The Rings
2001 Space Odyssey
Jurassic Park
Favorite movie?
Jaws
Favorite album?
Toss-up between:
Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Aerosmith - self-titled
Death - Human
Beatles - Abbey Road
Favorite video game?
Super C for the original Nintendo.
Favorite Professional Wrestler?
I like the guy that does the big moves, and grunts a lot, and is probably a coke-head…yeah that one!
Big thanks to Taylor for taking the time to answer my questions and for a super entertaining interview. If you are in the mood for some exquisite death metal (and why wouldn’t you be?) then you need to click on the link so generously provided below and help yourself to the Inhuman Condition discography. DO IT!
~El Pedo Caliente (aka Uncle Jameson from the Fistful of DOOM show)
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