Bob Taylor has the distinction of being the guitarist on Duane Eddy’s first recordings, including “Rebel Rouser.” He was an enterprising Phoenix musician and producer who followed in the wake of Lee Hazlewood, using the same musicians and artists to make his own productions. He was not the only one to do so. Lee was based in Hollywood and came down to Phoenix primarily for the productions.
Bob Taylor and other Phoenix “twang gang” members were there all the time, making music and giving Jamie a chance to put it out.
Bob Taylor had more time to work on his own productions because he was with Duane for only a short time. Bob Taylor admitted, “I just never got along with Lee personality wise. I was very aggressive on the drums. I was part of it and Lee wanted to have control. At least Lester Sill always gave me credit for the double bass drum thing I did on those early sessions because no one really had done that before.”
According to Lee Hazlewood, Bob Taylor “was a cowboy drummer with a bad eye who never drummed in his life since, before or ever. He just played cowboy drums –boom-di, boom-di. I wanted him to play other things and he just couldn’t do it. He was six foot three and I’m five foot seven and I used to stand there and scream at him, threaten to kill him and he’d just stand there and look at me and shake. Then he’d go back and play his **** off. Then it wouldn’t be right and I’d yell at him again and he’d think I hated him. Then I’d take him out and buy him a drink then take him back into the studio.”
