He sang his classic hit – Little Bit of Love, his new single – Shadow Boxing, and an incredible cover of Without You by Harry Nilsson. He chatted with Vernon about sport, Amy Winehouse, RAYE, the joy of performing, BBC Introducing giving him his first break, reflecting on the past and growing into himself, how he’d love to do some acting, and his favourite teachers at school.
Caller asked if there was a song Tom wishes he had written:
Tom: Loads of songs I wish I’d have written, but I always say, like, Amy Winehouse is still my Queen of England […] I still put on an Amy record as much as I can just to remember how good she is and, just, the songs are just a joke, but I always have loved You know I’m No Good and I think lyrically it’s just an amazing song, so yeah I’ve always said that song and it won’t ever change.
Asked about his mindset when writing the new album:
Tom: I was actually in a good space, but I think as like … growing up, being 21, coming into the music industry, then going through different things in my life where like I was definitely going down different roads and finding myself in different circumstances where I was like, ‘No, this is not the person I want to be,’ as well as trying to navigate in the music world. Addictive personality, definitely, inside me and just understanding that, just understanding who I wanted to be growing up and I’m 29 now so I’ve grown into an older man I suppose […] into myself. It’s all about that, it’s all kind of like […] reflects on the past, friendships, relationships, my own inner stings that are going on. But at the time of writing it I was actually […] I was in a pretty good place, and I just think for me I was ready to open up to the people who were listening to my music. I feel like I’ve never truly been honest with my fans, even though I’ve been as honest as I can be in my music, I feel like this is the first time I’ve gone, ‘Do you know what, I’ve actually got a lot of stuff going on in my head and I have to work at this every day.’ ‘Cause if I don’t, then I’d probably, yeah […], I don’t know what I’d probably do. Probably be a little bit mad!”
Vernon asked if he was to compile a playlist, would he put one of his own tracks on there?
Tom: If it’s an unreleased song, yeah. As soon as a song gets released, I kind of don’t ever listen to it again. I don’t know why, maybe because it then becomes somebody else’s and I like to see what … I think that’s just the seed, and see the tree grow […] It’s kind of like, plant the seed and see if it sticks, see if it grows. But before they come out I’m constantly in the car just listening to my own music, it’s yeah… it’s a bit egotistical but I love it.
Vernon: Oh that’s all right, I watch reruns of Family Fortunes! Nothing wrong with that. [laughs]
Tomorrow, Mica Paris performs for Radio 2’s Piano Room month and her classic cover will be a Bob Marley song, on what would have been his 80th birthday – listen live or afterwards on BBC Sounds.
