|
 Tom
Baxter is about to start his three day residency at the Amadeus Theatre, which
will be recorded and released as a live EP.
Originally only slated for two gigs, a third one was added due to
popular demand. It seems Suffolk
born signer songwriter has built up a loyal fan base since the release of his
critically acclaimed album Feather & Stone in 2004. UK Music finds out more.....
So, are you looking forward to the
Amadeus gigs?
It’s
gonna be great for me because it’s similar to what we did before we released
the first record, so I wanted to try and do the same thing with the build up of
doing my second record which was to record a live EP. We did something similar, we released an EP
before my first record Feather & Stone, and then obviously now I’ve been
writing for a year or so, got the material ready, so kind of doing a similar
thing but obviously the music’s different and in a different place and
everything. Yeah, should be good.
Are you nervous about showcasing
the new material?
I
think I’m always nervous about probably everything I do with art or music just
because.. I’m not sure nervous is the right word, anxious is probably a better
one, because I don’t really suffer from nerves on stage, but I think it’s more
that I’m aware that music is this thing and it takes a while to sort of get
comfortable and relax. Before music I
went to art school and I was a fine art painter, so I was always same as that.
People could say ‘oh, that’s great’, but I’d still be nervous until I’d shown
it to everyone. I think it’s the nature of nature when you do something that,
you’ve made it out of nothing and it’s the first time you’ve put it to people.
Fortunately, I’ve been doing a load of warm up gigs and the response has been
really strong so that’s been helping me feel good about it.
What can people expect from the
new stuff?
I
would say that some of it is a different style. Over the last years or two I’ve
been inspired by great guitar players such as John Mcloughlin and this Buena
Vista Social Club vibe. I’ve
incorporated that inspiration into my music as well this modern classical
composer that I’m really into. Basically it’s different, but I’m still the same
person, it’s got a similar passion and vibe to it.
It’s been two years since the
release of your first album, are you itching to get new material out there?
Definitely,
yeah, I think the thing for me is it’s not to rush anything that I want to do
well. I’m keen to get something out, but I’m also keen to make sure that it’s
great.
It’s been a while since we’ve
heard from you, what have you been up to?
I’ve
been doing bits and bobs. I’ve also been living a little bit. I’ve bought a
house, did a whole house up, made a home I suppose, and built a studio in the
house, stuff like that. So just sort of living and writing. Being a human being
I guess.
The
hardest thing for any musician is that as soon as you start to have any
recognition or success, life changes dramatically. You don’t have the same
reference points because you’re not living a normal life so everything that was
a problem is a different problem now. So
for m, I was really interested in getting back into normal life. I moved to the
country for about a year. Lived out in the middle of nowhere, just sort of
lived really.
Your parents were musicians; did
you grow up around a lot of music?
I
grew up with music since the day I was born. They had a career, they were a
folk duo, they toured a lot when I was little then we owned a hotel and they
had a nightclub and they had loads and loads music bands, clowns, dancers. It
was great.
What was it like being surrounded
by all that?
It
was brilliant, really inspiring. It gave
me an opportunity to see that people can do something with their life if you
want, but you have to sacrifice things.
You did things the old fashioned
way didn’t you? You had to do a lot of gigs before you were signed.
I did it because I had to. I didn’t get anywhere with my music in my twenties so
I just kept working and working. Also I was driven try and find out how to make
what I do as good as I could.
Of course nowadays people can
achieve instant fame by simply appearing on reality shows like X Factor or Big
Brother.
Yeah
that’s it. I think sometimes, and I’ve met some of those types of characters
who’ve risen to fame really quickly and it’s dangerous. It’s really dangerous
because if you don’t feel like what you’re providing when you get to the top of
that mountain is fantastic, you feel like a con. I’ve these people who just empty
and all they’ve got to define them is their success and it’s kind of sad
really.
So, as tough as it was, you‘re
glad you did things the way you did it?
Yeah.
I don’t think you can look back and say ‘oh I’d do this differently’, you just
do things the way you do them and you learn. You live and learn don’t you?
Tom performs at the London Amadeus Theatre on the 26th, 27 and 29th September.
For more info: www.tombaxter.co.uk
Words: Helen Duong
 |
I have listened to "Almost There" hundreds of times; I think it's the most poignant, moving love song I have ever heard. It makes me cry every time I listen and I cried at the gig! (I don't get to many gigs because I have renal failure and it's difficult to travel anywhere.)
Anyway, the whole evening was amazing, exciting and memorable.
The Portico quartet used 2 hangs (21stc instruments designed and made in Swizerland.) I have an American friend who plays the hang and I'd like to let him know about Portico but can't remember their e-mail address. I've looked about at loads of pages but can't find it. Can you e-mail it to me? thanks.