"Unwashed and overdressed we stared into the faces of the night.
We scarcely understood the grace; we were alone, it was alright..."

Amy Madden is a songwriter and bassist who began as a 1980’s regular at CBGBs and other New York venues. A writing member of the New York bands The Shivers, The Gift, Electric Skin, Cruel 13, the Theoretical She's and Friction, she recorded and toured in the mid-1980’s with Seattle-born rocker and Geffen artist Adam Bomb, sharing the stage with members of Poison, The Cult, Motley Crue and The Rolling Stones.

Moving to London to pursue a solo career, she achieved creative recognition and significant airplay for her EP ‘Minor Disturbances’ recorded with Jon Gordon (Suzanne Vega, Madonna). Her single ‘Hotel Ruin’ featured the accordion of Charlie Giordano, currently a member of Springsteen’s E street Band.

Back in New York since the 1990’s, she has appeared regularly with blues artist Jon Paris and drummer Steve Holley for more than 20 years, opening for George Thorogood and Johnny Winter on tour, and as a band, supporting artists from Phoebe Snow to Johnny Copeland. She appears on all 3 Paris cds, as well as several film soundtracks. As bassist, she has been praised for her appearances with John Lee Hooker, John Campbell, Paul Butterfield and countless artists in New York and Europe. More recently she participated in Rhys Chatham’s The Crimson Grail performed and recorded live at Lincoln Center. She also played with rocker/songwriter Alan Merrill, Swedish guitarist Clas Yngstrom, and contributed bass and vocals on several original Swedish projects while in Stockholm. Currently she appears regularly with Jon Paris at BB King's and other NYC venues, as bassist/vocalist with Alan Merrill's electric 'New Arrows' trio, and a member of Dig With Caution / Nightcrawlers (Richard DevGreene/Mark Brotter), among other projects. Recently she has been appearing in the New York area with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Ricky Byrd as a member of his power trio Deuces Wild, with Bobby T Torello on drums.

In July 2012 she completed a project of all-original music written for an indie film soundtrack with guest appearances from Holley, Paris, Jon Gordon, former King Crimson composer and multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, jazz violinist/cellist Rob Thomas, and saxophonist Danny Walsh. Titled 'Discarded Angels', the 14-song cd was released in Sweden on Belpid Records and is now available on iTunes, cdbaby, Amazon, etc. While in Sweden, she provided bass and background vocals on Belpid band Un Rodo Cora's recent release, and performed and recorded with fellow label artists Stellan Wahlstrom (Drift Band) and Patrick Westoo (Latvian Radio).

In August 2012, Amy was inducted into the NYC Blues Hall of Fame.

A digital version of 'Minor Disturbances' including the single 'Hotel Ruin' is now available for download on cdbaby and iTunes, along with several previously unreleased tracks from the 80's. One of her original compositions will also be featured on a forthcoming Jon Paris release. As an acoustic act, she presents her songs on slide guitar, sometimes accompanied by the brilliant tenor sax of Danny Walsh. The duo performance is completely original-- unique, bluesy and compelling.

As a writer/poet, she maintains a website of essays (www.writerless.blogspot.com) and as Amy Madden Taylor she has also published a novel 'Losing My Accent' which is available for download on Amazon/Kindle. Her poetry has appeared selectively in the US, Canada and the UK; and in June, 2015 Belpid books released her first full-length volume of poetry called 'Scars' which is receiving rave reviews on Amazon, etc.

In May 2020, Amy was featured in a New York Times article describing the difficulties facing local musicians during the pandemic. Her longtime musical partner Alan Merrill sadly passed away from the virus.  Meanwhile she produced an extraordinary volume of poems which chronicled life during quarantine published by Belpid Books, Sweden, and available since June 2021 at the Strand and Corner Bookstore in New York. https://www.strandbooks.com/product/9781942722298?title=urbanities

Titled Urbanities, it is suffused with the lyric insight of a seasoned songwriter; bluesy and oddly familiar, it reads as the score of a stunning urban opera.

Recent video Douglas Jessee made for the song ‘Killing’ from the Discarded Angels album:

April 2023 news: Amy’s 5th poetry collection was just released.  Titled My Shadow on Your Street, it is her most poignant and compelling compilation so far.  Available for purchase along with Urbanities, As Though Through Glass and Light Sings of Wear in NYC at the Strand Bookstore or the Corner Bookstore.  In Stockholm, sold at Hedengren’s.  Alternatively, contact the website to order.

Soon to be on Kindle, with the other titles.

In 2024 Amy is releasing, via Belpid Records, an album of 8 original songs produced by seasoned musician Patrick Cowden, a songwriter in his own right, who contributed his multi-instrumental talent to every track. Called Harlem Demos, it is available for download on most streaming platforms (spotify, apple, amazon, etc). Song samples are at Reverbnation. Click here for a PDF of the lyrics ...email me for a CD. 

Discarded Angel lyrics

'Kathy' video from 'Discarded Angels'

'The Red and the Blue’ video from ‘Discarded Angels’

'All Standup' video from 'Discarded Angels'

Belpid Records

email Amy



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