How'd you get started in music?
As long as I can remember I always had melodies and songs in my head, but didn't play any instrument. I just sang in several cover bands at a very young age. At the age of 20 a girlfriend of mine learned to play the guitar with a book, so I borrowed the book and the guitar and started to learn. Three weeks later I got my first guitar and since then I have been writing my own songs.
Who are your inspirations or influences?
Oh, wow. There are so many, I'd need an extra interview just about that I think, lol. Well, the ones who had a major influence on my songwriting and musical career are without doubt, Tom Waits, J.J. Cale, Nick Cave and Herrman Van Veen, besides of the Smashing Pumpkins, Van Morrison, The Doors, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Talking Heads, Dire Straits, Rage Against The Machine, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, No One Is Innocent, Peter Gabriel, Fatboy Slim, Govt Mule and many more. But there are also songs which are inspired by other musicians I got to know recently, above all in the indie music scene on the internet.
What advice would offer aspiring performers?
Do whatever your heart desires. If you have the urge to make music, do it and get it out to the world. I think you should never regret what you are doing. If you love music, get it out - on the net or on stage, no matter how, show your talent and love for music to the world. There will be critics, but hey... not everyone has the same taste. On the other hand ... if you wanna grow as a musician, get together with as many other musicians as you can you'll always learn new stuff and enrich your own musical talent.
How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?
It is not easy to not sound like the music you love. In my case, I know there are several songs which really sound very close to the artist I admire and which are definitely inspired by them. But I see it more as an homage to them then feeling like copying them. In any case it is always strange when people come up with comparisons, but on the other side it is also a kudo, well, depending on to whom you are compared, lol.
Any new gigs or albums in the future
Right now the band is taking a rest and I'm with solo projects coming along every now and then. Lately I'm also in projects with different local musicians, just having fun and seeing where that leads to. So, stay tuned, you'll never know when something new from T.O.M. pops up on the vast world wide web.
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