Nigel Thomas is a London-based musician who has released his
debut album ‘Travelling Man’ this year featuring track ‘Fever’ which we have
previously talked about. As well as being a solo musician Nigel Thomas has also
previously been part of band The Foxes as well as being involved with
television work including shows on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic
and KBNE-UK. He also appeared in the music video for Rizzle Kicks’ signature
tune ‘Skip to the Good Bit’.
In a chat to us about the album Nigel told us about ‘Travelling
Man’, which he described as an eclectic mix of styles and subject matters,
spanning from your traditional love songs to tracks about mental health to even
‘Ghosthunter’ which talks about false mediums and clairvoyants. One track
‘Destiny’, covers thoughts on whether we control our own destiny.
“There is a mixture of styles in the music as well. There’s
heavier guitar tracks on there like ‘Ghosthunter’ for example but there’s a
track called ‘Drift’, with gentle guitars and a whole wash of a string quarter
in there. ‘Dancing’ starts with just a harp and vocals so there’s a whole range
of stuff.”
‘Travelling Man’, thematically, is based on the most recent few
years of Thomas’ life and things he’s been through. “There’s happiness, there’s
joy. I don’t know if I’ve started thinking of broader subject matters, which
maybe you do as you get older and stop being obsessed with love in your
writing. I think it definitely shows and it’s a good thing to broaden your song
writing horizon.
“It’s great writing a three-minute pop song on love as it’s
something everyone can relate to but then you start branching out and writing
on other topics.”
The album was launched on the 12th March at a special party in
the Barfly at Camden, an event Nigel Thomas really enjoyed, joining with band
the Lazlo Device.
Delving into ‘Ghosthunter’, inspiration for that track came from
Thomas’ reading of Derren Brown books and late nights watching clairvoyant
shows on television. “They use the excuse that they’re giving people hope when
they’re distraught, that your loved one is still thinking of you, and I think
that’s a bit of a weak excuse that the Ghosthunter gives in the song. It is
false hope in the end and it is misleading people and taking advantage of their
grief. In the end it’s just about taking money from people by manipulating
them.”
On the subject of the artwork for the album, taken in a ‘Record
Your Own Voice Box’, Nigel revealed it was never intended to be the album
cover. “I was with my friend Chris PresswelL [director of some of Thomas’
videos] and he let me know it was one of only two working ‘Record Your Own
Voice’ boxes left in the world; one is in Memphis, and the other has just been
repaired and is doing a little tour of places. That was outside Phoenix Records
on Poland Street, just off Oxford Circus, and it was sponsored by a whiskey
company who asked me to have a whiskey and go in and record two minutes of
something to vinyl.
“I did that and I was just getting ready to play and he snapped
that photo. It just ended up being the best one for the cover, like that was
the one!”
Having completed a version of ‘Fever’ in the booth, which was
rendered out in an old-fashioned 1920s lo-fi style according to Thomas, he
suggested it may resurface at some point as a future bonus track.
On the other end of the modern scale, Nigel has also been
involved in a very futuristic style of music video creation, with his track
‘Que Sera’ having an accompanying 360-degree video, basically a promotional video
you can control and watch from any angle. Though a few artists have done this
it’s the first from an independent artist, directed by Chris Presswell. You can
watch the video now on YouTube.
“It’s going to be something that will get more popular so I thought
I’d get in early!”
With the album under his belt, Nigel Thomas is preparing for
some more live dates including a music festival in Liverpool and more festivals
in the summer, but with one eye on future material.
“I’ve been constantly writing, I’ve got a huge batch of songs,
and I want to go into the studio again this year and hopefully have a follow-up
about the same time next year.”
Before Nigel Thomas headed off we asked him about the title and
where he’d travel if he could.
“I’d quite like to go to one of the most isolated places in
Northern Russia just because I’ve been looking at the maps recently and it’s
such a vast country and isolated, and to speak to people there. Especially
after living in London it would be great to speak to them about their lives and
living in such a remote, cold and distant place and learn something more about
their culture.”
This interview will feature in KBPS #9 available Saturday 14th May.
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