The Artist

?     Daryl Hayott has been in the music business as a professional since the age of 16 when he became a session drummer for Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Everyone knows the story as well as the extensive discography.

?     Often referred to as a prodigy or genius, the man quite frankly eschews both the concepts and prefers to stick to the actual pleasure of just creating and playing the pieces that roll around in his head on a daily basis.

?     The following is the first of a 2 part interview done by the staff members of Zen stones.

 Daryl Hayott – Genius or Outlaw?

?     ZEN STONES: How many times have you dealt with the question of genius?

?     DARYL: I cannot really say. It’s a different era in expression now. Many mediocre individuals seem to cloak themselves in exaggerated terms in order to sell the same old crap to the ill- informed. The public is bombed daily with shit about “divas, players…” and the public has to face borderline comas in order to get through the day without this mess.

?     ZEN STONES: You  sound a little disenchanted by today’s media.

?     DARYL: Not really, I don’t feed my spirit on cotton candy. It’s essentially fluff. With the software and music upload sites, a monkey can be king for a day. The music is redone until it is simple enough for some new moron to drop his or her lyrics on and call it a hit. Finally you give them award shows out the anus. Self praise is not talent, just the order of the day.

?     ZEN STONES: What is genius? 

?     DARYL: I believe it implies aptitude on a more intense level. It’s subjective, and something that you hear. The key is to look at whatever you have as a blessing. The universe is the genius not the artist.
 

?       ZEN STONES: Why are you perceived as an outlaw?

?     DARYL: I can honestly say I was labeled in London some years past. I was being interviewed about the “British invasion.”  My response was that the British were imitating the Blues that Black artists had been doing for years. However, they couldn’t get the record deals. You had to be white like Elvis. It was even difficult for Jimmy Hendrix to get his due from the guitarists of the day.

?     ZEN STONES: So the term was a substitute for being outspoken?

?     DARYL: Apparently. Rolling Stone Magazine made a sensational piece over it. I do not feel like an outlaw mainly because the only true law giver is the universe. Editors, are usually frustrated artists who decided to dig into their trust funds or hustle investors to start up a magazine full of more cotton candy. They just use staff writers who have desires of Pulitzer (laughs).

?     ZEN STONES: How hard is it to come up with the compositions, when you can play so many instruments?

?     DARYL: Super hard. The more that you can hear in your head, the more you strive for that balance. It’s like catching fish with a sharp stick.

?      ZEN STONES: Why the passion for drums?

?     DARYL: I’m from a culture where drums are the heartbeat of daily life, not just carnivals as seen on television and films.

?     ZEN STONES: Speaking of films, how did you end up doing soundtracks?

?     DARYL: You’re speaking history. I was asked to do a soundtrack based on clips of life in the Amazon. The pulse of the life that depended on the forest and rivers. It was for a movie coming out of Brazil. Ironically the music took off and was well received but the film was centered more around city life (laughs).

?     ZEN STONES: What are your hopes for the upcoming tour?

?     DARYL: Well there’s expectations naturally but not the same type that other’s may think. I’m looking forward to meeting the folks with the newer music but also with the energy of optimism the recent elections have given the planet’s citizens.