Boston based Rock group GONE FOR DAYS originated in 2010 after lead vocalist CHRIS TAYLOR had left his current band. His
vision was to pursue a different songwriting direction that was more personal to him as a writer. Through a mutual
management relationship, Taylor had met guitarist JESSE HATCH, who at the time was working on songwriting, radio
promotion and artist development with a Universal record label out of Nashville, Tennessee. Hatch was looking for a similar
songwriting situation as Taylor, and the two forged a long-distance writing partnership. They would soon record what would
be the first songs of the Gone For Days project.
After these initial recordings caught the attention of some label and management firms, Taylor and Hatch decided that it was
crucial to live closer to one another. Jesse packed up his life in Nashville and moved to New England to unite with Taylor to
build the band in its entirety. After a number of lineup changes Jesse called on a friend from Nashville, vocalist and bassist
CHRISTOPHER DICKMAN, who was accepted into the project and like Jesse, left Nashville and all his current recording projects
to pursue Gone For Days full-time. Taylor then enlisted former VEGAS TEMPER band mate and CRAVING LUCY drummer,
JUSTIN PACY. The four would now share the stage as Gone For Days, with the lineup complete.
In 2012, “Guilty Pleasure”, the first single, was quickly picked up by SIRIUS XM OCTANE RADIO, which helped launch the band
and the song to national status. Soon after the song was added to the rotation in April of 2012, it was getting upwards of 8
spins a day. The song was number one at Octane for 16 weeks and was voted into the stations list of the 50 biggest songs of
the year. The band went on to win the “Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands”, received a nomination for “Best Rock Act of the Year”
at the NEW ENGLAND MUSIC AWARDS and spent 2012-2013 playing with many national bands, including STONE TEMPLE
PILOTS, FUEL, FILTER, SOIL, GODSMACK…and many more--including a national run on the "Winter Riot Tour" with TAPROOT,
12 STONES, DIGITAL SUMMER, DORYDRIVE, 3 PILL MORNING and PROSPECT HILL.
In 2015, the band released their new single, "Colorado High", featuring a solo from legendary guitarist DAN DONEGAN
(DISTURBED, FIGHT OR FLIGHT) and is currently working on their next full release.
I had the unique opportunity to catch up with Chris Taylor at JEWELL NIGHTCLUB in Manchester, NH, before JOHN 5 took the
stage. This is also the first time I had partnered up with an amazing fellow ION Photojournalist, MARK MYERS, to “tag team”
this submission.
Dagda: It has been great to see you guys play live over the years and photograph you. Now that your next single is out, what’s
next?
Chris: Just recorded two songs for our next album that will most likely be released in the fall. The album will be a big one. Two
songs finished. First single we put out, “Colorado High”, released on iTunes and Amazon.com, and a video on YouTube. We
are also pushing the single out to the radio stations, OCTANE and other magazines. We recorded at HALO STUDIO with JOHN
WYMAN of RAT PACK RECORDS.
Dagda: You can see that the energy is still running at an all time high with you guys. What keeps you moving forward?
Chris: We like the songs that we play a lot…we like our songs a lot. We feed off of each other. When we play live, Justin is an
animal. I don’t really know what goes on behind me, but I know Chris and Jesse really get into it. We all feed off of everybody.
Dagda: How do you feel after your shows? Your stage presence is pretty intense.
Chris: I am always spent after every show. It’s like doing a lot of squats.
Dagda: You guys are local to the area. How have the fans received Gone For Days?
Chris: We don’t play a lot. We toured nationally last year, which spoiled us a little. We toured with TAPROOT and a few bands
out of Ohio. It was the “Winter Riot Tour” with PROSPECT HILL, Louisiana to Minnesota.
Dagda: What was your favorite place to play on that tour?
Chris: Probably Jesse’s hometown of Minnesota. Playing in Louisiana for Justin’s father. Every place was different and an
interesting experience.
Dagda: After the album comes out in the fall, can we expect another tour?