Roger Meddows-Taylor makes his first appearance at West Norfolk and Kings Lynn Hospital - to a standing ovation no doubt! His parents are Michael and Winifred. Michael was an inspector for the potato marketing board. Meddows was an old family name that had been passed down the generations of Taylor's.
1953
Roger's sister Clare is born.
1957
Roger and his family move to Truro in Cornwall. Now aged eight he attends Cathedral school and becomes a member of the choir. After seeing his cousin play the guitar Roger decides that he wants one as well.
1960
An eleven year old Roger enrols in Truro public school. Truro public school was academically the best in the area. Roger won a scholarship to go their, the only pupil from Cathedral to do so.
1961
Roger's interest in the guitar had begun to wain a little and he had become increasingly interested in percussion. For Christmas he gets a drum kit from his father - much to his mothers relief as he had been pretending her saucepans were drums in the mean time!
1963
In Truro, Roger Taylor has formed a band with some friends called the "Cousin Jacks". Roger was initially the rhythm guitarist but didn't particularly like it, and later took over the drums. They played quite a few gigs - but within a year the band broke up.
Roger:
I remember when I was a really young kid, I was inspired by Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, all the really early rockers. I didn�t even have a record player at the time! My cousin had one though. Later on my big all-time heroes became Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and Bob Dylan. Archetypal influences I suppose, but why not?
1965
Roger joins another band called "Johnny Quale and the Reaction". On March the 15 they enter the "Rock and Rhythm Championship" in Truro, where bands from all over the region attended. They end up coming fourth.
The band eventually become quite well established in the region, playing regularly. September sees Johnny leave, just before they are to play a gig. Roger was the only one that could sing and so steps in to take his place. Roger amazes everyone by singing and drumming at the same time. They subsequently drop the name "Johnny Quale" and become simply known at "Reaction".
1966
Roger and his band Reaction enter the "Rock and Rhythm Championship" again. This time though they win, receiving a special trophy. They also are invited back for next years contest as special guests.
The year is spent playing - with three to four gigs a week. As part of the show Roger's old piano would be hauled onto the stage, micorphoned and then hit with a sledge hammer and get paint thrown on it.
1967
Roger has left Truro School with seven O-levels and three A-levels (in biology, chemistry and physics). Bowing to family pressure, he starts a dentistry course at the London Hospital Medical School, later moving to the Hospital College in Whitechapel.
Roger: I was going to be a dentist once, but that was just a way of getting to London ad gaining the means of support from a student grant. Being a student was cool then.
1968
Roger, meanwhile, has had enough of teeth to last him a lifetime, and switches to Biology at Imperial. During his summer holiday Roger returns to Truro and plays on a specially erected Marquee at the beach with "Reaction.
Eager to continue with his drumming whilst at university, Roger answers a hand-written ad on the Imperial College noticeboard. The ad had been written by Brian and requests musicians, including a �Ginger Baker type drummer to join him in forming a band. Old Hampton Grammar buddie Tim Staffell answers the ad as well, joining Roger and Brian as bassist/vocalist. The bans is called Smile.
Roger also uses his contacts in Truro to get Smile gigs their - and many weekends were spent travelling down their to play either Pa's or the Fleming Ballroom.
