INTERVIEW:Tom Baxter
- Posted on March 19, 2008 12:20 PM
- 1 comment
Interview by Zarina Raja
'Playing in the bottom of a boat or in Madison Square Garden is all the same. You still have to have the quality in your music. You have to maintain the fact that your opportunity could lie anywhere.'
This morning, as I roamed around on MySpace looking for something to ease me into a sunny yet freezing Wednesday, I stopped in my tracks when I reached Tom Baxter's page.
His new single, Tell Her Today, blew the sleep from the edges of my brain in one furious sweep with its fast-paced Latin American vibe. It’s a sad, regretful track, but boy does it shake its Latin ass in your face. It’s kind of Tom Baxter meets Jeff Buckley at a Latino dance-off.
Tom Baxter - as thoughtfully spoken as ever - filled us in on the time between releasing Skybound and now, which has just seen in the relased of his new single.
Last time we spoke to you, you were about to release Skybound. What have you been up to since?
Good question. I have been touring a lot and doing loads of gigs. I have just come back from tour; it was great, really good and really busy; doing lots of radio stuff in the day and gigs in the night. It was sold-out which was great. There were lots of people there; fans from the first album too. We played a nice mixture of tracks from both albums.
What was the best gig of the tour?
Hmn…they were all really good! I enjoyed the gigs we did at Leicester and Milton Keynes. They were really good fun! They are all so different. Each night you have to re-invent it. You’re used to the music so it’s more the things that happen in between that make the night.
You have a gig in Amsterdam on the 17th. Will there be time to soak up the café culture and maybe the red-light district?
Um, I doubt it very much! I have been to Amsterdam before, I went two weeks ago to do promotion, but, yeah, if I get a chance, we will have a little wonder.
What’s a typical day in the life of Tom Baxter at the moment? Are you writing new songs?
No, it’s far from that. It’s just very busy, doing things like this. A typical day on tour has more of a routine but even then you are going to different places every day. At the moment I’m doing a lot of promo, TV and radio. We are going to LA next week and New York soon too. When this album finishes I will start writing again.
How do you feel about doing all this press stuff?
I enjoy it. I like talking to people about music and it gives me an opportunity to get my music out to people. Sometimes it can be quite tiring, doing one after the other. At the same time though you know that they are there trying to help you with your career.
Tell Her Today is out on 17th March. Talk to me a bit about it.
It was a song that I wrote many years ago. I got together with a double bass player and piano player. I was throwing loads of songs about and this was one that we just started playing. It has an American Latin style. It just kind of happened. I like it when that happens. It was fun, even though the sentiment of the track is kind of regretful. It is about someone regretting that they didn’t tell someone that they loved them and now it is too late. The song is telling people to tell the person that they love how they feel. It is from a male perspective I suppose; it’s autographical. It’s typical of men not to say what they feel.
You played a gig in the bottom of a ferry which was battered by heavy winds. Is that what you imagined when you were younger; gigging your guts out in a boat?
I have been doing it for so long now that the idea of it being luxurious – well, that dream was shattered many, many years ago. If you’re doing something and you want it to be good – it’s all about quality control. Playing in the bottom of a boat or in Madison Square Gardens is all the same. You still have to have the quality in your music. You have to maintain the fact that your opportunity could lie anywhere. I always remember the story about The Police. They were touring America in a tiny little van and hadn’t got anywhere. They then played an outdoor festival with only five people watching – one of them was a man and his dog. They were depressed afterwards and saying what the hell are we doing here? It then turned out that the man and his dog worked at a huge label.
There is definitely nothing luxurious in my world but it is a very beautiful thing when your music relates to people and you can make a living out of it.
When do you find it easier to write songs; during your hectic touring schedule or while kicking back at home?
It would be great if I could get to the stage where I have my own bus that I could set up a studio in so that I could use the down time. I am in and out of hotels so I never really have time to play guitar except on stage.
Where is the strangest place you have ever written a song?
There is one track that I wrote walking down Dean Street with my Dictaphone.
Is it always that spontaneous for you?
You kind of write songs in lots of different ways. It normally happens on a moment of inspiration and if you try and do it again, you can’t.
You’re supporting KT Tunstall. Is she a mate of yours?
Well, my old guitar player is now her guitar player. We have crossed paths on the past; she’s really nice and we all get on well. She has a grounded look at it all.
You are doing the Great Escape festival in May. Have you been to Brighton before?
You, I celebrated my 21st birthday there! We got very dunk. All I remember is wondering around in the rain trying to find out where we were going to sleep. We slept in the basement of a girl’s house – seven of us in one room.
What’s your favourite UK city or town to play?
I do like playing Brighton actually. It’s always really nice when we turn up there. I like Newcastle too, Manchester’s good – but its always good being in Brighton, it’s like being on holiday.
Got any festivals lined up?
Yes, Glastonbury, which I am really excited about. I think it is one of those gigs that you really want to say that you have done. It often provides a move up in your career as well.
What’s the best UK festival?
I actually really like the smaller ones. I played at a couple of literary ones; I played at one in Cornwall which I really liked. I played at the Hay-on-Wye festival with PJ Harvey. It was really great; I am a big PJ fan.
What’s your first musical memory?
My dad used to sit us on his knee; he used to sing us these silly little songs. When I was a kid, I used to find it hilarious. My dad is quite a story teller so he has loads of little songs. He is a singer himself. Other than that, as a child, we used to listen to my mum and dad singing because they were in a duo. I didn’t start playing guitar till fourteen but music was definitely in my blood early on.
What wad the last musical experience that made your heart skip a beat?
The last one I went to was Ryan Adams. A couple of his songs are beautiful. Sigur Ros too. I saw them at Hammersmith Apollo. I was sitting next to Chris Martin of all people; he was there with Gwyneth Paltrow. It was such a refreshing experience. It’s like film music – it’s atmospheric. It is not really about the songs but more about the textures, which I absolutely love. I saw Jeff Buckley too – he was incredible.
What’s your all time favourite gig?
The first proper band I went to see was The Stray Cats. I was fifteen and really into Rockabilly. They were the crème de la crème of that genre. It was the first time it made me realize how powerful music can be.
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Comments (1)
paul alston
Very much enyoyed hearing you again at V festival Chelmsford having seen you first time at V festival previous year.
Any plans for local gig, Essex or Suffolk ?
Is it you singing on BBC at the end of their olympics programme.
Thanks
Paul
Posted on September 8, 2008 11:28 AM
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