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Georgia's avatar

Yes I also saw them recently minus Jason. Of course I missed his voice in the songs. I’m just so sad that things haven’t turned out peacefully for them bc they all seem like great blokes and shared so much together. Anyway the other boys did an awesome job and I loved every minute of the show. They sang all their hits and I sang every word of every song. It took me back 20 years when I was totally goo gaa for them.

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Dan Hall's avatar

Hi Brad,

I had a feeling my Youtube comments would eventually get me into trouble somehow! "-)

I was googling the band on a hunt for something else entirely, when I saw this site. Nicely done!

The original, four-frontman line up of Taxiride, that reformed in 2015 after 14 years of inaction, unfortunately stopped touring in late 2017 (that run of shows was the best we ever sounded, IMHO). I decided I needed a break, as I had some personal issues that meant I couldn't always give 100% at that time. A few other issues came up too, that basically stopped the band from continuing.

One issue was that a couple of us were keen to write and record a new album, while others seemed happy just to coast on our former 'glories'. There were other issues too - the same old personality clashes that caused me to leave TR originally in 2001, and then something similar led Tim Watson to leave in 2004. Basically there was a lack of interest in a two-man version of the band by 2005 (the 'Axiomatic' LP was also released independently, and with a much smaller budget). While musically and sonically it was quite good, it was nothing like 'Garage Mahal', and even less like 'Imaginate'. Unfortunately, there wasn't a really accessible, undeniable pop hit on it - no 'Get Set' or 'Creepin' Up Slowly'. Taxiride's original audience had moved on, too, and I can't say I blame them!

In 2020, COVID obviously swept across the world, and shut down the music industry for a couple of years - especially in the Australian state of Victoria (where we are based), which sufferred through some of the longest, continuous lockdowns in the world, from mid 2020 until the end of 2021. Totally useless for an industry already struggling! The government, in their infinite wisdom, supported all different kinds of sport (both financially and otherwise) throughout the COVID era, but sadly overlooked the arts/entertainment community almost completely. As a result, it took a long time to bounce back, and it still isn't fully recovered, 4 years on!

Anyway, there are basically two versions of Taxiride performing now, mainly around Melbourne. There's Jason's version, with three virtually unknown players backing him; and the Tim Watson/Tim Wild version, with the Garage Mahal rhythm section (bassist Andy McIvor and drummer Sean McLeod) with a new, unknown guy named Ripley Smith, who tries to cover Jason's vocals, my vocals and my guitar parts.

Since neither of these groups can legally use the name, there is 'Jason Singh plays Taxiride', and/or 'Taxiride Featuring Tim Watson and Tim Wild etc'. I am not involved in either line-up- one reason being thay it seems like a bunch of seagulls fighting over a chip. And to be honest, it's a chip that no-one really asked for. Neither group is selling out large venues- I think one of them may have drawn a crowd of 500, but not entirely sure.

Please excuse the length of this comment, but that's the basic story as of June 2025.

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