Parting the seas and stepping out from behind the scenes towards centre-stage frivolity, Tom’s record represents the culmination of years of songwriting and quiet experimentation. Blending his guitar-driven alternative sound with expansive arrangements and cinematic texture, the record carries a nostalgic feel while also nodding to the present cultural landscape – a sentimental collection laced with modernity.
Tom’s musical ability is something that has been evident since birth. From humble beginnings in the small village of Ecclesfield in Sheffield, he joined the group Milburn at the age of 14, whose indie sound drew in a devoted following that latched onto their buoyant, hypnotic noughties melodies. This led to the four-piece achieving strong chart success, including two Top 40 singles and albums.
And now, he has unlocked a fresh, intimate and unmistakable sound, generously sharing it with the world. Official Charts sat down with Tom to discuss his complex journey and the long-awaited release of his debut LP.
What was the songwriting process like for Moses and the Drone and how special is it to finally release your first, full material into the world after so many years?
I kind of touched on it before with a few people – I’ve always been writing songs, but I have never gone that step further and released them. This is a new experience and the fact that they’re actually out there now, I ask myself, why didn’t I just do this sooner?
Because it feels so good knowing that it’s there and people can listen to it. That’s what makes it real; it’s not mine anymore, it’s everyone’s. I’ve always wrote songs, only this time, there’s an album!
I think now the album’s been released, and it’s not as scary as I thought it was going to be, I’m looking forward to another one. I would love to get in the studio next week and do another one.
How does it feel to have people sing your material back to you at live shows, as opposed to Arctic Monkey’s songs?
Well, before the album came out, it was tough because people didn’t know the majority of the set or the songs. They knew about three of four, but we had a gig in Sheffield on Saturday, and that was a real turning point.
It felt completely different. Everybody was singing every word back to me, so that felt great. I was a bit taken aback by it but having reflected on it, we’re playing in Manchester on Thursday and I can’t wait to experience it all over again.
Having grown up in Sheffield, a venue that must have been pivotal in your adolescence and throughout your life was The Leadmill. How pleased were you to see it re-open and tell us how crucial grassroots venues like these are to not only musicians, but whole communities?
Yeah, these venues are hugely important.
There were a few pubs in Sheffield such as The Grapes, which is famous for the Monkey’s first gig, which isn’t a venue anymore. There was also the Boardwalk where everybody of played, and that’s not a venue anymore either.
So, when The Leadmill did shut down, it felt as though that was it. But luckily, it’s reopened and by all accounts, they’ve done a really good job on it.
It’s so important to encourage bands to come to Sheffield because being in the Milburn’s, it’s great because you can go and play at these incredibly intimate places, but also going and watching bands there is special.
There was a time in the last couple of years when no one seemed to come to Sheffield because there were just no venues.
I remember me and Louis [guitarist from Milburn], went to watch The Hives when we were 15. It was such a big moment for us.
This was a band doing what we wanted to do and afterwards, we were just writing Hives rifts for months.
It’s so important for young kids to come and watch bands in these venues, be inspired, and go on and do their own thing.
Alex Turner contributed to the album. What was it like to have his expertise within the creative process?
Yeah, it was great. He worked on one song and it definitely helped that track. We originally recorded it, and then he heard it back and had an idea where it could be more stripped back, which is something that I didn’t really consider.
But then as soon as we started re-working it and Alex was explaining why and how they were doing it, we knew it would be good and it ended up being better than the original thing we did.
In terms of working with him, it felt like what we do all the time anyway. We have talked about songs and working on songs for years, so the process was seamless.
You will be also supporting Inhaler soon on their tour in June. How excited are you to open for such an iconic group?
I can’t wait. It’s only three gigs unfortunately, I wish it was more.
I love gigging in Europe. We did a few gig with The Lathums. They were really, really nice kids and that was a great experience because it’s been a while since I’ve done something like that.
You can go on and do half an hour in front of a load of people and try and win them over and then when you’re finished, you can go and enjoy watching the main band, having a beer, and relaxing. For that reason, I can’t wait to do the gigs in Europe!
I’ve met the Inhaler lot before, they’re all really sound. They supported the Monkeys a few years ago so I’ve got a lot of respect for them.
Moses and the Drones is out now. Click here for more information.
Images: Pedalo Photography