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Writer's pictureTom Monks

Album.

The album is DONE! But that's just the first hurdle. Now I've gotta get it mastered, do the car test, cheap earphone test, sort out artwork and promotion, work out live arrangements, and... wait.


Songwise I think I've struck the right formula. The 10 tunes on there are the ones that survived years of process of elimination. Being increasingly excited rather than sick of them is definitely a good sign. The people I've shown rough mixes to have left me over the moon with their feedback, and I think it represents me as me.


A few musical allies have kindly proposed "do exactly as I say, and you'll be fine", and they are living a life I'd love to, so I will. And let's see what happens.


Currently I've no release date in mind. It could be sooner, it could be later. Depends what I'm advised. Whenever it is, I'll unleash at least one song in the meantime - plus a video, as is tradition.


I don't want to make the common mistake of rush releasing it, getting a few messages "aww well done" with a song or two played on a station where an upload of a burp will make their airwaves, doing a gig to all my mates in London followed by another twelve up there to exponentially decreasing turnouts, and then have to beg bars and friends if I can play Amarillo and Ziggy Stardust to musically exist as my own tunes are doomed to gather dust.


On the other side of the coin I've no delusions or desire of it making me "famous" - an appealing fantasy when I was 14 that now nauseates me. Being in the company of Paul Weller getting bombarded by swarms of phones, Ronnie Wood entering a car only for it to be disturbingly chased by dozens of rabid paparazzi, and Brian May having to get cordons and Heathrow-level security just to safely get out of his mate's gig - I prefer going to Sainsbury's!


The middle ground I'd love is to play these songs to people who like and know these songs, legends and connoisseurs and people I look up to to say nice things about them, people in need of hope or hilarity or messages having their days made, and maybe inspiring a couple of young dormant musicians to write a song or pick up an instrument. Maybe, in a dream world, a gig at the 100 Club and a home in the town I grew up in that's bigger than a box!


Not anticipating an explosion, but if it's a slightly bigger bang than a spark, I'm content.


Yes, there will be CD's. Vinyl's are... demand dependent. Have you seen how much they cost? A fortune! And being my debut it's impossible to project. I'll play it by ear. Just like at Dennis Greaves's blues jam.


Personally I look forward to existing as an artist rather than just a musician. A fella who makes music rather than just plays it.


In the meantime Another Guy and Out Of Hand are now on ALL major providers, so give them a stream for an idea of what the album sounds both something and nothing like.


Watch. This. SPACE!! X





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