Courtney Taylor-Taylor
The sly, satirical architect of the Dandy Warhols' hazy, hook-laden sound, turning Portland daydreams into an international indie rock mood.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American musician·Birthday: July 20·Generation X
Biography
Courtney Taylor-Taylor is the languid, enigmatic center of the Dandy Warhols' universe. Forming the band in Portland in 1994, he crafted a persona and a sound that was equal parts Velvet Underground cool, 60s pop shimmer, and stoned, self-aware satire. As frontman, guitarist, and primary songwriter, his drawling baritone and knack for insidious melodies became the band's signature. The Dandies' breakthrough came with 1997's 'The Dandy Warhols Come Down' and its slacker anthem 'Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth,' but it was the hypnotic 'Bohemian Like You' from 2000's 'Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia' that became a global hit, fueled by a Vodafone commercial. Taylor-Taylor's vision extended to the band's aesthetic—their retro-futurist album art, meticulously crafted music videos, and the creation of their own studio, The Odditorium. He has navigated the band through major-label pressures and indie resilience, maintaining a dedicated cult following by never compromising his particular blend of psychedelic pop and wry commentary on the music industry itself.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Courtney was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Courtney Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Courtney's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Wrote and performed the international hit 'Bohemian Like You,' which became a cultural touchstone after featuring in a Vodafone advertisement.
- Founded and built The Odditorium, the Dandy Warhols' personal recording studio and clubhouse in Portland, Oregon.
- Co-created and starred in the 2004 documentary 'Dig!', which chronicled the rivalry between the Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
- Has maintained the Dandy Warhols as a continuously active and touring band for over three decades, with a consistent core lineup.
Did You Know?
He legally added the second 'Taylor' to his surname, making it a double-barreled stage name.
He is a trained visual artist and has designed most of the Dandy Warhols' album covers and promotional artwork.
He is a distant relative of President James K. Polk.
The band's name was inspired by a combination of pop artist Andy Warhol and the word 'dandy.'
““We're not a rock band, we're a corporation. We just happen to play rock music.””
