Why I Love Huddersfield, sponsored by Wild PR, is a regular feature where we ask a well-known Huddersfield personality what the town means to them. Here we chat to world renowned composer, record producer and electronic musician BENSON TAYLOR who recently became the first Composer-in-Residence at the University of Huddersfield.
Tell us something we don’t know about you.
My third great grandfather was George Davison, who was also the maternal uncle of John D. Rockefeller.
What does Huddersfield mean to you?
Huddersfield means a great deal to me, it’s the town where my children were born, it’s the town where I met some of my closet friends. I’ll always be grateful for being adopted by this wonderful place!
How would you describe Huddersfield to a stranger?
I’d describe Huddersfield as being a huge array of beautiful, breath-taking green valleys. In the centre of those valleys is a town which boats an incredible cultural scene, bustling with diverse University of Huddersfield students from home and abroad. Also, musically as a town it’s really got it’s foot in the door with recognised festivals like the Contemporary Music Festival and the Marsden Jazz festival. Love it.
We’ll take you out for a meal in Huddersfield. Where would you like to go and why?
The Woodman at Thunderbridge! It’s my really close friend and business partner Graham Leslie’s place. Jokes and politics aside, it’s an incredible pub/restaurant which we’ve been going to for over a decade – because of both the menu and its incredible location. There’s nowhere else like it. Everyone with a young family knows that feeling of being in the Woodman with a new-born in front of the fires.
The Huddersfield Blueprint is going to change the face of the town centre over the next five to 10 years. What one thing would you like to see in the town centre?
I’d really like to see a ‘medium’ sized venue to attract national and international artists that command a specific sized audience. There’s so many cool independent places like The Parish and obviously we can have Sir Elton John at the stadium, but it’d be so good to have something in-between so we can attract more music to Huddersfield.
We all love Skelmanthorpe’s Jodie Whittaker, of course, but who’s your favourite Doctor Who?
I’m gonna have to stick with Jodie as she’s a friend and she’ll kill me. God knows what she can do with that (sonic) screwdriver!
How did you spend your time in lockdown and has the Covid-19 pandemic changed you?
The first half was spent in Huddersfield working on my last film Chick Fight and the second half was spent in Tuscany working on my new projects here so I can’t complain. I’m used to travelling for my projects so when we fully locked down it was challenging working with the teams spread across Los Angeles, Paris and the Hudd. We made it though. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
We’re packing you off to a desert island for a month. What one item would you take with you and why?
My phone, so I can call for help.
And finally, a few quick questions…
Dixon’s Milk Ices or Marstons Chicken Shop?
Marstons Chicken Shop every time. Every time. (Sorry Dixons!)
Greenhead Park or Beaumont Park?
Beaumont Park.
Castle Hill or Emley Moor TV mast?
Castle Hill.
Strictly Come Dancing or I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here?
I’m A Celeb.
