It’s been several years since we reviewed Not Now Norman on Indieterria. They made such a huge impression on us that we kept following the band and looking for another opportunity to write about them. And today is the perfect time for us to do so – first of all, Taylor Grace celebrates her birthday (all the best from us!), but also Not Now Norman are again touring and they are doing absolutely brilliantly. We sat down with Taylor-Grace to speak about the band, plans for the nearest future and new music! Keep reading as the band’s name may be Not Now Norman, but it is definitely their time to shine!
We never had the pleasure to speak to you before. Please introduce your current line up to the readers of Indieterria.
Taylor-Grace: Hello there! I’m Taylor-Grace, I’m the lead singer. We have my Dad, Zander Brown, on guitar. Julie Plunkett on Bass and Ivy Hollow Mead on the drums.
Who is Norman and why not now?
Taylor-Grace: Norman was a cockerel that we had years ago. One thing about chickens is that there is nothing chicken about a chicken! And when it came to Norman, there was just full on rage. They’re very much my little sisters’ birds and for months, you’d think that animals would associate her with food and accept her as part of the flock. Not Norman! He would run up, chase and kick her around the garden. So, she would have wellies that go past her knees (she’s 5ft 1), a dustbin lid full of chicken food and a broomstick handle to fend him off. And we always knew she had fed them because all we heard from the garden was “NOT NOW NORMAN!”. That’s why we have feathers, and chickens all over our stuff. It’s Norman. Unfortunately, Norman died defending his flock from a fox, but we recently rescued another cockerel and we have Norman Oswald the Second.
According to the MMF (Music Managers Forum) the median age of a rock band member in the UK is 24 and all members are usually within the same age bracket. Not Now Norman is different. Your members come from several different generations, from Gen X to Millenials. Please tell us, does the significant age gap between members offer more opportunities for a rock and roll band or more challenges?
Taylor-Grace: I think it offers both. We come from a small town in Northumberland, so finding like -minded musicians is very hard. There’s way too much division in this world, so I think when people see a band of Boomers, Gen X and Millennials, I think that shows that age should never matter in music. Some people look at us and don’t know what to think, but I think that’s the best part because I love a challenge.
It’s been a while since you released your last single – “Feral” came out nearly two years ago in 2024. Are you working on any new music?
Taylor-Grace: We are indeed. We have a couple of singles we’re working on with one being called “SABATAGE”. It’s a track that came from a very raw place but was very cathartic to write. The past year has been a rollercoaster for us so being able to sit down and focus on writing has been tricky, but now things have settled, we have been writing like crazy.
Talking about new material: so far, Not Now Norman recorded two albums “It’s Not This One” from 2022 and “Go HARD or Go HOME” from 2024. Is the album number 3 in the works? Please say yes!
Taylor-Grace: Oh yes! We’re working on our third album called “Nuclear War Egg” and it’s our heaviest yet. Ivy had just joined us by the time we wrote most of “Go HARD or Go HOME”, so it’s exciting to see how it’s turning out. Ivy is in another Death Metal band called Misery Channel so her influence has definitely affected the direction of this album. We’ve got one track in particular that already people are chanting at our gigs called “I Hope Your Abuser Dies”.
Our favourite song of yours is “What I Want”. We always wanted to ask about the inspiration behind it. And it’s great to see the track receiving 10k of streams on Spotify. It seems it is a fan favourite song as well!
Taylor-Grace: It’s certainly one of our favourites too. One day I just walked into the home studio and just screamed “What I Want” down the mic with no clue on how to develop it further. When you think about it, it’s quite fitting because the track is about knowing what you want and taking it for yourself without people trying to bring you down or expecting something out of it. There’s a lot of people in all industries making false promises to a lot of people. It’s about taking control of your life and not listening to all the naysayers and achieving your dreams.
You appeared on our radar five years ago when we reviewed your single “Little Frankenstein”. The band has gone a long way since then. You have played across the country, received support from BBC Introducing, Total Rock, Planet Rock Radio, you were reviewed by rock and metal magazines in the UK and US, you amassed over 20K followers across social media platforms, over 40K streams and over 30K views on your videos on YouTube. This is nothing short of incredible for a fully incredible band. You should be giving masterclasses to other artists on the circuit!
Taylor-Grace: Haha, it’s been incredible. I often get terrible imposter syndrome from the whole thing. I would say I’m still an amateur overall as there’s still loads to learn. But there’s a few things I could teach. Like going to other bands’ gigs and making yourself known to them, networking with as many people as possible and posting every day about anything. Sometimes, I just ramble on about my inner thoughts. Make yourself the most noticeable person in the room. I got told that years ago and decided to crank that up to 100. And probably the most helpful piece of advice would be never tell yourself that you’re nervous. Tell yourself you are excited to get rid of stage fright. Get weird with your performance and put on a show, and you will enjoy it more than anything else in the world.
In the past you appeared at major festivals such as Call of The Wild or Lindisfarne Festival and supported Beth Blade and Beautiful Disasters and JOANovARC on tour. If people want to come and see you, where are you playing in the coming months?
Taylor-Grace: We’ve got loads of gigs coming up and the best part is we’re getting more and more every week. We’re playing in Canterbury on the 7th of June for a Loud Women gig at The Lady Luck Bar, headlining Trillians on the 23rdof July with Bang Bang Fire Cracker and newcomers Liminal Drift. We’re also playing at Savfest, Wildfire and Winterstorm this year. These are just a few of the gigs that we have on the books, there are a lot that we can’t announce just yet.
Not Not Norman are also receiving endorsements from Darkglass Electronics and Blackstar Amplification – that is another rare feat for unsigned musicians. Are such deals still making a difference for musicians these days?
Taylor-Grace: I would say that endorsements help a lot of bands and musicians. Equipment is very expensive so endorsements can help with a band’s budget. It also helps with getting more opportunities. It tells people that the band is seen highly enough by this company, maybe they’re worth seeing live. It’s a good feeling when you get one because the recognition makes you feel like your heading in the right direction.
You are known for your advocacy for artists with disabilities and is very open regarding her own diagnosis of HME (Hereditary Multiple Exostoses). We would like to know your opinion – has anything changed for the better for disabled artists since the pandemic? If not, what definitely should change?
Taylor-Grace: Accessibility is still difficult for many people, especially because a lot of venues are located in older buildings. That being said, there are a number of venue owners who make concessions where and when possible. There is still a lot of work to be done, especially when it means different things for different people. More viewable sitting areas is a good place to start, or if that’s not possible. Trillians for example, have screens around the venue so that people can see from different angles of the room. Things are changing slowly, but we can’t just stop here and call it a day. Disability is one of the few outcomes of life that can happen to any person at any time.
Last questions on Indieterria are always a bit of fun. In our house “Not now, Norman” is a regular mantra as we are proud owners of a black cat named – well you guessed – Norman who pesters us for food. Do you have any band pets and how do you handle your faithful companions?
Taylor-Grace: We have loads! Dad and I have two German Shepherds named Khan and Vixen, an African Grey Parrot called Jake, chickens and Norman! Ivy has three cats, Goblin, Lunar and Mogwai. We don’t have the space to bring them on tour with us, fortunately our loved ones give them love and attention. Special thanks goes to my mum, my sister Nita and Alex for looking after them!
Please say hi to your Norman, ours is very chatty!
Taylor-Grace: I will do! He certainly loves the sound of his own voice!
Follow Not Now Norman online:
https://www.notnownorman.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NotNowNorman
https://www.instagram.com/notnownorman
https://x.com/now_norman
https://www.youtube.com/@notnownorman
https://notnownormanmusic.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/notnownorman
Rita, Malicia and Norman the black cat (Indieterria CEO)
Indieterria 