annie

Q&A WITH TOM 1: MUSIC AWARENESS & MUSIC INFLUENCES
Nic: Seeing as Tom is sitting right next to me...
Tom: Damn!
Rachael: We planned it that way, you know.
Nic: Um, I’m going to ask you when you first became aware of music. I think your mom played guitar, is that right?
Tom: Well, actually, it’s a really sad story...but it goes beyond that and we’re in Topanga Canyon, we’re in hippie
country...so, I think it’s alright for me to say this...
Nic: Careful now.
Tom: ...and feel, feel not too ashamed. But actually, um, before I was born, my mum she used to play cello. And so she would have the cello pressed up against her. And and she would be playing this. And I never knew she played cello because obviously I wasn’t around to see it at that point. I was...you know...a couple of inches underneath the skin. And...
Nic: So she was playing cello while...
Tom: While she was pregnant.
Nic: While she was pregnant.
Tom: Yea and uh, and that was my first, that was the first thing that I think—if I’m really being honest and not too Topanga Canyon about it—was was was my first experience with music. Because later when I first started to write songs, it was um...my record company said, “Well what sort of bands do you want, what instruments do you want on this record?” And the first thing I said was, “Cello.” And I didn’t even know my mom played cello when she was pregnant with me because she sold it to buy a fridge freezer...we were that poor.
Nic:I feel a Monty Python sketch coming on. But, uh, the first music you heard. Was that a guitar?
Tom: Yea well, my parents were...they were fairly...bless them...they were fairly uptight. They were...they were very, very religious, very Christian. They were both...they were both vicars in the Church of England. And so there was no pop music in my house. The closest thing we came to pop music was Simon and Garfunkel and Burl Ives and folk singers like that. And that was my first experience and I completely fell in love with that stuff. From my earliest memories is putting on “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and you know, trying to do the Art Garfunkel part because, to this day I don’t have the most masculine voice. So that perhaps seemed appropriate for me.
Nic: Did you...did you start playing um Simon & Garfunkel songs? I mean what was the first stuff you started playing?
Tom: I tried, but damn, that Paul Simon he can play guitar. So you know, I got the Simon and Garfunkle songs in three chords. So if it wasn’t G, D, or C I couldn’t play that then...so...And that’s actually what spurred me to start writing my own songs: was my inability to play any one else’s to the point where people could recognize them. And I still get that to this day. People say, “Oh! You should cover this, you should cover that.” I go, “Ain’t gonna happen.” Maybe the Sex Pistols, I could just about do one of theirs. But that’s it.
Nic: Two chords.
Tom: Two chords....wait, wait, wait. There’s more than one? I’m screwed.
Nic: Do you remember the first song that you wrote? I mean...a lot of people start off...I’ve interviewed a lot of people over the years and sometimes they remember some kind of song they wrote about their cat or their best friend or something. Do you remember the first song you wrote and is it something that you can play or show us a bit of?
Tom: No. That’s a really good question.
Nic: Do you remember the second song you wrote?
Tom: I actually do remember the first song I wrote. It was, I think, I’m not alone in this, but when you’re at that age when you’re starting to play air guitar in front of the mirror and you’re starting to notice girls, every song is about trying to attract potentially the opposite sex. It may not be true for everyone but for me it was. And the first songs were always love songs “Why does she not look at me?” “She doesn’t notice me” “I love her, she doesn’t love me” (Rachel: I can relate to that) “Why doesn’t she look at me, Rachael?” And to this day, it’s pretty much the same. Nothing’s changed.
Nic: I don’t know if anybody here’s seen Tom playing, he’s been down at the Hotel Cafe quite a lot while he’s been in town.
(Cheers & applause)
Tom: Incidentially no girls there, ever.
Nic: Well, where I’m leading you with this, and I hope you’re going to follow me now, is to play one of your early songs. Maybe the first song that you feel comfortable...that you wrote, that you can dig back into your memory and play...something that you wrote early on, one of your early songs....don’t say no.
Tom: See, this is where I knew I should’ve called you before I did this. I shoud’ve said yeah, yeah, I’ll go back and figure out those songs. When you make your first record, I don’t know, maybe like a lot of people I spent...actually I spent the best part of ten years trying to get a record deal. And your first record is relatively easy because you have a whole bunch of songs. And one of the only songs that stayed with me from the time I was starting to write and really figure stuff out to the point where I was happy to present it to the world was a song called I Ain’t Scared of Lightning which ended up being the last song on my first album. And it was the demo that I’d done years before. And I tried to better the demo, I recorded it 15 times at least, and every time it got better and better. And I thought, I really sound like a singer, this sounds like a record. And everytime I put it against the demo, which sounded like me doing a terrible, fake American accent trying to be a country singer. You know it was really embarrassing, to this day I can’t really listen to it, but it was still the one that just captured me at that time, trying to write a song and trying to express something. I can play you that.
Nic: Yea, that’d be great.
Tom: The beautiful thing about this song, perhaps the only beautiful thing about this song, is it’s really short.
[I Ain't Scared of Lightning]

Q&A WITH TOM 2: SONGWRITING AND COMPROMISES
Nic: So uh…let’s sort of move this along then. We started off talking about early songs, early influences. Uh…Tom, you started talking about…uh…making your first record. And that by the time you make your first record, you have a lot of songs…hopefully. You played us one of those earlier songs. A lot of people who have record deals talk about how record companies can start to influence the song writing. Um, and I’m wondering if that’s something that you’ve experienced; if it’s something that’s happened to you. How your songwriting has maybe had to evolve as somebody who is in the music business performing…and this is how you make your living. Do you…do you have to change? Do you have to adjust? Or do you just do your thing and hope they go along with it?
(Silence and scattered laughter)
Nic: This from a man who just finished a record.
Tom: You have to lie…is what you have to do. Um…
Abba: And bend over.
Tom: Yea. Take it like a man. Honestly? It’s funny that you should bring this up because the first record I made was hell on earth for me to make. It was…I was the first signing to an independent label, I was the first thing they were going to go with, they then licensed me to a major label. Without my knowledge they took a song of mine, they re-mixed it, they added backing vocals that I didn’t sing, they got other people in…and the head of my label came one day and just threw this cd down on the desk and said, “That’s your new single.” And I said, “No way. That’s not…you cannot do that. If you put that out I will not tour.” And I never ever heard that version of that song anywhere…until I was in LA. (Audience laughs) Driving to a session for KCRW. You tunned in, 89.9, and that re-mixed version was playing to me. And I went, fuck! Who gave you this? And I had to come…and I was, I was so heartbroken that whole session. I was going: it’s out there, it’s too late, it’s out there, the world knows you suck.
Nic: I know, you were pissed.
Tom: But…that…it’s a fine line. When…if you…if you wanna try and make any form of art with any one else’s money, you’ve already sold your soul. It doesn’t matter. You’ve already signed, you’ve done the deal. And at that point you’re fighting until you sell, you sell…ten million records. And at that point you have collateral, you turn around and you say I’m doing what I want to do. And up until that point you’re always fighting.
Nic: But there’s very few people who find…you know…find themselves in that position. There’s very few bands…I mean you can count them on…you know…one or two hands I would guess. You know, somebody like a Coldplay or a Radiohead to, you know, name some recent bands are probably in that position. But most people never get there, do they? So I guess the question as a songwriter is…you say you lie…but I mean how…do you compromise the songwriting? I mean do you have to deliver a single or do you just do what you do anyway? I mean, I think that’s what I asked before, so I don’t know if I’m repeating myself.
Tom: Okay, well, there’s a really boring answer which is: if you don’t do what you do, you’ll always regret it, so you have to always do what you want to do. Because at the end of the day it’s not your A&R guy, it’s not the chief executive officer, it’s not the president, it’s no one who has to go out up front of a crowd, or sit in a room full of journalists and defend what you do. They…they…they crunch the numbers. I have to get up everyday and if I don’t believe in something, I can’t do it. This is, this is…I’m someone they will write off as a tax loss…probably after my next album.
(Audience laughs)
Tom: So for me, all I have to do is, can I believe in this? Can I go out, can I find an audience? And at the moment, that’s that’s the
thing that you cling to. Is, is…I’ll take their money, I’ll try and do what they’re trying to do to me first. And then if I get dropped, you know, we’ll take it from there. But really, you can’t…I don’t…I don’t think anyone really thinks they compromise. I don’t think anyone goes, “Uh you know what? I think I’ll let this one slip.” Because at the end of the day, especially if you’re solo…if you’re a solo singer songwriter, you sit down in your living room just you and you put your album on. If you can’t believe in it you’ve got no one to turn to and go, “Is this good?” It’s not like you’re in a band. you can’t go, “Yea! We did our best.” If you don’t believe in every single move, you’re screwed.
Nic: I’m going to try to guide you to a song somehow, through this.
Tom: Please.
Nic: Uh, is there anything that you’ve recorded that is on any of those…let’s talk about the first two albums cause the third one I, you know, you just finished it, you haven’t even mixed it yet. Is there anything on those first two albums that you’ve made that you had to insist on, on putting on the record? Is there any song that you had to fight to get on the record?
Tom: (pauses) Yea…thirteen of them. It was…it was…yea…it was a little bit of a struggle. Um…
Nic: Well pick one.
Tom: Okay. I’ll play you the one, I’ll play you the one they made me re-mix.
Nic: Okay. This is the version that I should have played on the radio.
Tom: Trust me, you’ll know why you didn’t. This is called Hidden Camera Show.
[Hidden Camera Show]
Nic: I just want you to know that I broke that CD. You know the one with the mix song? Right after you were there I broke it. It’s gone, it’s never gonna see the light of day ever again.
Tom: Thank you.
Nic: Thanks for reminding me for ruining your day that day.
Tom: And many days since.
Nic: (laughing) We try, you know.

Q&A WITH TOM 3: IMPACT OF L.A. ON SONGWRITING
Nic: You just made another record Tom, you’ve been spending uh…you’ve been in LA for eight months you just told me.
Tom: Yea.
Nic: You’re ready to leave as well, you told me.
Tom: Absolutely.
Abba: Oh, come on.
Tom: No, I need weather.
Abba: What’s that?
Tom: I need, I need, I need to wake up and not see the sun and blue sky; have people smile at me on the street for no reason. I need, I need high rise cynicism right now.
Nic: I was going to say because, you know, a lot of your songs…I mean you’ve spoken to me in thepast and you’re very self uh depreciating in your in your um in your gigs when you talk about your songs; you’re always talking about how (mock sad voice) “I’m very happy.” Um…I mean, I mean what kind of impact has being in LA had on your songwriting?
Tom: Well obviously I’m in recovery right now…And I’m working on a screenplay (audience laughs). Which I hope to direct.
Abba: And star in.
Tom: Obviously. Actually I did come here, I did I did wanna see what impact somewhere with with eternal sunshine would have on me. And all I discovered was actually I stayed inside and pulled the curtain and lived that vampire life. I just…that’s it, fuck it. I‘m a nighttime guy…so. I love it but it’s time to leave people.
Nic: But…you know, it’s interesting because you know, people do have uh different responses to to weather, people do have different responses to towns; uh travelling can you know, make people feel differently about how they write. I mean, we’re joking…I think we’re joking when you say you just drew the curtains and didn’t go out. Um…has LA had any impact on your song writing? See I’m asking the question again. I don’t think you noticed that.
Tom: It’s kinda leading…Where are you going with this? Uh yea, yea well obviously it has. I think, I think…this is, this is my third record now and I’m…you…If you’re the sort of person that wants to write about the only thing you really have authority to write about–which is your life–then you need to keep finding out stuff, you need to experience stuff. And coming somewhere from…I grew up in the countryside in England in the middle of nowhere. Coming to LA was…totally twisted my head around.
Nic: A dream come true, surely.
Tom: Woah, absolutely, yes, in so many ways. And you see different things, literally…the things that just…the tiny little things that everyone who who’s lived here for awhile or…or grew up here would take for granted. The tiniest things you absorb and you think, well that’s fresh for me. And even if someone’s written a thousand songs about that before, I haven’t So it’s all about what you can take from the everyday and mold and make something new for you from. So it has an impact. I can’t tell you exactly what, but it’s definitely there.
Nic: Can you play us a new song? Do you feel like playing us one of your new songs?
Tom: No. Can we carry on talking?
Nic: You have to play two for that.
Tom: Um…I was joking about the, the drawing the curtains and not going out in daylight.
Nic: You probably weren’t actually.
Tom: No, I wasn’t. You can see me. I’m the guy in Starbucks, nine o’clock in the morning going, “Well…um, my name’s Tom. And uh…I’ve been sober for…fuck it, an hour.”
(Audience laughs)
Nic: You do have…I don’t know if you can see it out there. Tom actually does have a bit of a suntan, so…
Tom: I do but please, please, please don’t tell my record company. ‘Cause singer-songwriters should be miserable. They should stay inside. They shouldn’t see daylight. They shouldn’t be fed. As it is I’m looking too healthy. So can I play my song?
Nic: Yes, please do.
Tom: It’s called My Vampire Heart.
(Audience laughs)
Tom: It’s sad.
[My Vampire Heart]

WRAPPING THINGS UP
Nic: I’m not sure how we’re doing on time here. Um…if somebody could give me a bit of an idea of uh…of how we’re doing…
Voice from audience: It’s eight thirty…
Nic: Do we just keep going? (Scattered laughter) It’s getting kinda cold up here…
Inara George (in distance): It’s ten so…
Nic: So maybe if we could get everybody to play one more song, you think?
Inara: Yea.
(Audience applauds)
Nic: And Tom? You can pick whatever song you wanna play. From uh…
(Audience cheers)
Tom: About fuckin’ time!
(Audience applauds)
Abba: Tom, I have to go home with him, be nice.
Tom: I thought I had to go home with him.
Nic: You’re all coming home with me.
Tom: Am I let off tonight?
Nic: We’re all going back to our uh our commune after after this. Thank you for coming to our party. Uh…maybe you could just finish off with a song that you, you know…
Tom: (expasperated) Let me decide…
Nic: That you feel like…(trailing off) you feel like playing.
Tom: For once…! (Audience laughs) Okay, whatever.
Nic: Will you tell us about the song you’re gonna play? Explain it to us a little bit? Where’s it come from? Where’s it going?
Abba: Who wrote it…
Nic: Was it really written in South East Asia?
Tom: (sighs) It’s about hating people. It’s about wanting to kill people. It’s about death, destruction. It’s about what we all write about. Good enough?
Nic: Like the other ones you play…
Tom: Yea, absolutely. It’s called Boy with the Bubble Gun.
[Boy with the Bubble Gun]

SEPTEMBER RELEASE PARTY
Nic: I'd just like to let people know who don't already know. Tom's released two albums up until now. Third one just finished recording. That'll come out next year, hopefully?
Tom: Uh, next year here.
Nic:Next year...And the second album...uh...The first album was self titled, came out in 2001. The second album which was released last year did not get a release in the states until...next month. It's coming out next month, right?
Tom: September 23rd.
Nic: Absolutely. By the way, that's my birthday your cd is coming out on.
(in unison)
Tom: No fuckin' way. Is that your birthday? Seriously?
Rachael: That's your birthday? That's my birthday! Are you serious? September 23, are you serious?
Nic: Me, you, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen...
Rachael:Yes, John Coltrane.
Nic: And Coltrane.
Tom: And who?
Rachael: And my twin brother. That's so freaky.
Nic: So anyway, so Tom's next...uh...Tom's album Just Like Blood
Tom: Wait wait wait. We're talking about me right now...
Rachael: (joking) Right Tim. Go ahead, go ahead.
Nic:: Will be out next month. September 23.