After 8 years of pursuing a diverse career in the music industry, Andy Wilson – Taylor is once again at the helm of the cinematic rock band Midgar. A composer for TV and film by day and session vocalist and songwriter by night, Wilson – Taylor has re-kindled his love with larger-than-life, symphonic rock music by creating a long-awaited new album, which pushes the boundaries of Midgar’s signature sound; classical piano and strings colliding head on with epic, modern rock. The new album, Unity was written, produced, mixed and mastered by Andy Wilson – Taylor at his own studio – Sector Seven Studios – during lockdown in 2020.
Midgar recently became the third band to join Year Of The Rat Records since the companies inception in July 2020. They join Lastelle and The Young Hearts on the labels roster. Midgar will release their upcoming album Unity in 2021 and will start the cycle with their new single “We Don’t Make The Rules”, which was released today.
Speaking about the first single, Andy Wilson – Taylor of Midgar says – “We Don’t Make The Rules” is a song inspired by the story of The Handmaid’s Tale. This year – more than ever – it feels as though a very similar, terrifying, ultra-conservative dystopia is closer to reality than ever. While watching the TV series, I remember thinking to myself, “Wow, this really could only be five minutes away.” Now, the president of the United States has galvanised the evangelical ultra-right by appointing Amy Coney Barrett, who could easily have been a linchpin on Margaret Atwood’s mood board. Meanwhile, women in Poland are having their right to choose taken away from them as abortion has now been made illegal except under very specific circumstances. It feels like the conversation around women’s rights has been dragged back 200 years in just the space of a few months.
“Won’t somebody wake me up from this nightmare?” is the main lyrical hook of the song. When did the world become so terrifying? It really does feel as if we all just arrived in this world we now live in and there’s no going back. World events over the last couple of years really do read like the prologue of the Handmaid’s Tale. I fear that if we all don’t stand up for the rights of women, people of colour, LGBTQ+ and – frankly – all the communities that seem to be consistently having their human rights violated, the future for this world looks really bleak. “We don’t make the rules” refers to that feeling of feeling totally powerless to make a difference. There is too much power concentrated into the hands of too few, and they’re never going to give it up without a fight.
I was surrounded by strong women growing up; my mum and my sister, and now I’m married to one too. I wouldn’t be half the man I am today if it weren’t for the influence of the women around me. Women having their rights stripped away is bad for everybody. I don’t always have the words to express myself in day-to-day life and sometimes I feel like I wish I could do more. Writing songs is the only way I really know how to get my voice heard and I feel as if it would be a waste if I didn’t use it to support something as vital as equal rights for women.
Speaking of my wife, she plays the lead role in the music video. It was actually really difficult to film some scenes in that video. I felt like I was constantly apologising, “Oh god are you ok?” and, “Shit, I’m so sorry!” Watching it back I’m really pleased with how it came out but it was hard for us both to transform into these malevolent versions of ourselves. We borrowed a friend’s Chateau in the South of France (that sounds ridiculous when I say it) and we had the place to ourselves for the whole day. It was just the two of us in this huge place, trying to film this music video but constantly being distracted by the amazing art on the walls, the priceless antiques, and the guns everywhere. So many guns. Hundreds in fact. There was a room at the top of one of the towers that was filled with WWI rifles, a big German machine gun, swords and all sorts, called ‘The War Room’. We decided it was best to leave all that alone! The grand piano was the biggest distraction for me. Whenever I get the chance to sit at an instrument like that, I can get totally carried away. I just want to play all day.”
Check out Midgar’s music video for “We Don’t Make The Rules” below:
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