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About

Tommy Pickett’s songwriting is up-tempo and folky, with a heartbeat.
He has a unique and engaging style, displaying a social conscience and lyrical sense which draw the listener in.

“If a cluster of Paul Simon songs collided in outer space with a pile of Neil Young songs, then the whole flaming inferno was hosed down by a Leonard Cohen fire-truck, and the pieces were swept up, after hours by Jack Johnson, whistling a Paul Kelly song … Tommy Pickett would probably be to blame for the whole mess.”
––

05.11.2023

New Album “Streetlights” Out Now!

Tommy Pickett Streetlights


With a flourish I give you. My album, Streetlights.

Three years ago, after the release of my album Rivertown, a handful of new songs poured out of my guitar and brain quite quickly.

I said to Ben, "Can we record these?, You know... just in case Rivertown makes such a splash that Taylor Swift is on the phone wanting to meet me and I can't walk down the street anymore without wigs and stuff and some industry person says, "SO, Smartass. What ELSE have you got?"

Three recordings turned into six then two lockdowns happened and I spent some months in a dark hole and got bitter and decided never to release any of them. (I figured I'd just listen to them at home and play them to Cajou. She's my Mum's tiny dog. She has a similar tortured, neurotic temperament to mine and TOTALLY gets me). But now the sun is out, like the man said, and It's time to send this out too.

So thank you:
Ben King,
Mark Hughes,
Mike Burrows,
Tom Broome,
Goldie Rutherford,
Greg Johnson,
Andy Keegan,
Lisa Crawley,
and Dave Kahn
...for the sublime playing of your instruments on my record.

Thank you Robin for the album cover design.
Thank you Ellie Beigbeder for taking that photo.
Again, Thank you Ben King for the hundred hours you spent sculpting these recordings into what they are.

They are nine original songs.
Some new.
Some older.
...and one Paul Kelly song as a cherry on top.

Here it is:
Streetlights.




01.06.2023

New Zealand Tour 2023

Tommy Pickett Tour 2023

June 9 Interislander
June 9 Le Café Picton
June 10 Red16 Nelson
June 11 Railway Hotel Hokitika
June 16 Monteith's Brewery Greymouth
June 17 Ross Pub Ross
June 18 Cook Saddle Fox Glacier
June 26 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
July 3 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
July 8 Amberley Hotel Amberley
July 13 Seumus' Irish Bar Picton
July 14 Interislander
July 15 Brewers Apprentice Palmerston North
July 16 Brewers Apprentice Palmerston North

17.07.2022

Winter Tour 2022 Installment 5

(van break-in part added later. Earlier readers may want to rescroll).

I have a mouse living in my van.

I think he's a Murchison mouse. That's where he seems to have arrived on board. I'm calling him Ford Prefect because he's done exactly what Ford and Arthur did in the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.
He hitched a ride on a passing spaceship.
When he eventually departs the van he'll be thousands of miles from everything he's ever known.
I haven't really met him yet but I've formed a mental picture.
He's almost certainly brown. From his leavings, I can tell he's very tiny.
...and INTREPID!
Man! The decisions little folks recklessly make!

I'm at Monteiths Brewery in Greymouth, eating their garlic prawns in front of an open fire.
I'm all set up and sound-checked. My P.A seems to be behaving. (Effects nobs are turned down to nothing because this room is a boom chamber).
Gerry the manager is friendly and welcoming and PAID me already, which I find to be the height of good taste.
It's nice here. I don't even care if I have a crowd or not tonight. I'll happily play to five people. I'm just keen to play.
Eighth days of no gigs mid-tour a happy Tommy does not make.

Ok. Recap: Staying with Simona and family was a blessing and a haven. We ate sumptuous dinners, played foozeball and watched Simpsons marathons.
I parked my van amongst the olive trees and slept late every day.
..except on one of those days I started driving to Golden Bay then changed my mind and parked at Kaiteriteri beach all day instead, watching the stormy sea and eating snacks in my van. When nighttime came I parked up at a campground in Mapua.
Through the night It rained NON-stop for 12 hours. The next day the Kaikoura road was officially buggered which put the last nail in my secret plan to book a gig down that way and attend Greg Johnson's Friday gig in Christchurch.

I found a cafe to eat and warm up in, and randomly bumped into an old friend. James Burns. James is my mate Reuben's father and a man my friends and I were in awe of, in our twenties.
Not just because he's a giant, who I once observed put two kids on one shoulder and a heavy bench seat on the other and walk off like it was nothing, but because in the midst of hardships and crises he always conducted himself with impenetrable honour. If you needed wisdoms he had them. Not in any presumptuous way. Just plugged soundly into some power source of love for everyone around him. The word 'mana', applies to James like no one I ever saw.
We spoke for two hours and I drove away with somekind of new perspective on my life.

On Thursday Ben messaged me saying "Hey man. Come to our Nelson gig tonight". (The legendary Ben King that is. Currently touring with Greg J).
..which is how I came to attend an excellent show at Room25. A seriously cool venue, run by Geoff Sherlock and his wife Sheree at their HOUSE.
The music was sublime, and afterwards I got to hang out with Ben, Greg, Wayne Bell and a bunch of other good folks.
Greg encouraged me to visit L.A some time, and gifted me two big cans of fancy IPA to take to bed with me.
I was so inspired afterwards I walked to Richmond main street and sang karaoke at the only pub that was open.
It's amazing the yawns and blank stares you get when you sing Paul Simon songs to a roomful of SIX60 fans.

The next day I drove to Murchison, and camped at that Riverside campground; which is where Ford Prefect joined me.
Compelled I know, by the crumbs that were left in an empty chip bag on my front passenger floor.
The chip-bag rustled all night, then it was MOVING in the morning. I had to remind myself that I'm not in Australia. I'm back in NZ so it's not a snake or a funnelweb spider and that the chip-packed is probably just posessed by a demon so I should relax.
I haven't heard him today.
(I'm now writing this on Sunday in Greymouth. It's drizzling).
Maybe he's decided to live in Greymouth. It's terrible weather Bro! Why not stick with me til Queenstown? You can eat snow chips.

Monteiths Brewery was a riot.
I was prepared for it to be somewhat up-market and reserved. It's pretty flash and always full of dressed-up people.
...but also prepared for it to be MAYBE a little grim and serious because, in the past I've found people in Greymouth can be a little.. grey. You know, around the mouth 🙂
But it was a roomful of top-notch rowdy singers, dancers and enthusiasts.
So great!
Gerry and his wife Sue made me promise to come and play again in summer, which I fully intend to.
After I finished we played songs unplugged round the table. Patrick knew Pogues songs. Rick knew Townes Van Zant songs. Jordan is related to me because her Dad was Ritchie Pickett.
Amanda and I sang a riproaring Glycerine by Bush. We all ended up at Rick's house with his two motorbikes in the lounge and his walls covered in ukuleles. One of those nights.

I slept warm and comfy in dorm-room, all to myself at Noah's Ark backpackers.

Arrived at my van this morning to find someone had broken into it during the night.
The only things they took, that I can tell so far, were my two old iphones, from the dash compartment; Both useless except one that was full of music I still listen to because it plugs into the van stereo.
Luckily all my music gear was still at the venue and my guitar and valuables were in the room with me. My Roland P.A. was in the van but, I guess the bunji cord and grubby towel I keep wrapped over it put them off.
Or maybe Ford prefect chased them off. I feel like he'd probably do that for me.

Now my mild headache and I are about to drive to Ross pub, where I'm playing tonight.

Tomorrow I go bush, and visit my Dad for a few days.

The sun just came out.


14.07.2022

Winter Tour 2022 Installment 4

July 9.

I had a hilarious shower this morning.
I put my token in and carefully turned the turny thing.
Wsssshhhh. freezing cold... freezing cold... Clunk.
No water... No water... Keep turning. wssshhhh.. SCALDING hot.
Ow ow.. keep turning. Clunk. No water. Wssshhhh.. freezing cold. I'm already freezing, (and my token only gives me 8 minutes) I commence shouting, "F#*% you, you f#*%ing son of a motherless, f#*%ing wh%r$!!
I finally discover that if I have it in one exact spot, it's roars and rumbles with a Raaaaaaaghgh giggiggigg sound, and I get a trickle of lukewarm water, under which I can bend and stoop.
I sense everyone in the whole campground turning their heads toward the sound-which is as loud as mulching machine- and saying, "Ah! He's found the lukewarm setting. Now he can use his last 1 minute to get clean. Bless you sir!"

I'm writing this in a bustling cafe in Nelson.
It's sunny today.
It's been a weird few days.
The auto electrician in Blenheim plugged my van into his diagnostic machine and said, "It's weird. My computer can't seem to communicate with the part of your van that deals with your airbag light".
He recommended a guy in Nelson, so I drove there. That guy started shaking his head before I finished a sentence. Not keen at all, to embrace my airbag light puzzle.
I looked up nearby Auto electricians on the Googlemuncher and drove to the nearest one.
He said, "It's weird. My computer can't seem too communicate with the part of your van which..." etc.. Gah!!

I set up at Liquid NZ at 8:30, for a 9:30 start. Their house P.A system is big and grunty and I LIKE it!
I like Liquid NZ, but this gig fell a bit flat.
My mate Rory, who I know from Milltown came along with his ladyfriend. Nice to see them.
The other lovable Liquid locals from previous times, however ,weren't around this night. Some dodgy characters were there and they were starting shit and being difficult.
Diego the bar manager was on by himself.
He used good instincts. He read the terrain, kicked everyone out and closed early. Probably a good idea. Some nights have a certain vibe and it's best to take notice.
Like a well-organised van-dweller I'd parked, earlier, for the night, in a suitable spot nearby and installed my blinds.
I climbed into bed and ate rice crackers with peanut butter until I fell asleep.

The next day I got my windscreen replaced then checked into the Brook Valley Holiday park. Home of the famous comedy shower. I spent a total of three nights there. It's actually a great place. Affordable and friendly.

July 10.
Friday, the Boathouse day; was a stormy one. Not conducive to people wanting to go out to see live music.
I arrived there around 2:30, met the staff and set my P.A up. There's been a crackle in one speaker lately (The one I blew up in Queenstown three years ago then drove to Dunedin where the talented Danny Buchanan fixed it for me. Although he warned me at the time, he'd had to bypass a thing and solder a thing to another thing and there's no guarantee how long it'll continue to work) and I was nervous about it, so I turned things way up, during soundcheck and gave it a bit of a bollocking to see what would happen. Crackle crackle.. Just from the mic it seems. Try mic in different channel. Crackle crackle. Unplug the Beta 58 mic and Try my cheaper shure mic. No crackle..
Solved. For now.

An hour before start time my eyes were heavy so I drove to the top of a windy hill, parked, had a gulp of vodka and slept for half an hour.
When I arrived back at the Boathouse there were quite a few full tables, and the weather outside was Harry Potter weather. The managers, Anthony and Olivia agreed I might as well start a bit early and maybe I can keep these folks here.
I played from 7:30 til around 10. mostly original songs. People were nice. Polite applause. By halfway through there were three tables of people left. They stayed with me until the end though, and were very attentive.
They all came over afterwards, expressed their appreciation and tucked various monies in my hand.
So all in all, it was a classic Tommy empty room gig.. But I blamed the weather and left feeling generally positive.. and the venue people seemed cheerful. I took a walk through Nelson main street later. Felt too tired and solitary to step into a bar though, so I drove back to Brook Valley, ate a well-earned noodle/tuna/broccoli soup, curled up and slept like a hobo in a box car.

I'm writing this in my van in the Countdown carpark in Motueka.
I'm staying with Simona, Simon, Tiana, Keanu and Mikio (My lovely Waiheke housemates from a couple of years back). It's nice to be around friends/people I know, after quite a few days occupying the inside of my own head a bit too much.
Last night there was green ginger wine and latenight kitchen table philosophies.
Tonight I've announced I'm cooking us dinner. A Cottage pie it shall be, with lashings of melty cheese on top!
Simona mentioned something about sweet Feijoa wine too.

I have no gigs booked until Monteiths Brewery next Saturday but I might rustle one up here in Motueka before then. I'm especially keen to play at Moutere Inn; NZ's oldest pub.

I went there and spoke to the lady..
She was like,"Dave's not here man".
I've messaged Dave.
C'mon Dave.. Hit me back.


12.07.2022

Winter Tour 2022 Installment 3

'Delicia' cafe.
Blenheim.

They're evidently short-staffed today and the girl here is running everything by herself.
Cooking, taking orders, serving and patiently answering dumb questions about the wifi (Me) whilst remaining cheerful and helpful.
Also the food and coffee are excellent. Five-star rating from me.

The Barracks gig in Whanganui was hard work.
Quite a few locals were in attendance. Definitely not there for the music though. I played to their backs and the silence after songs was deafening.
Twenty-year old me would've taken it personally. Older me remembers to consider this a paid 'practise' and run through songs I need to brush up on.

Mercifully Jo, Mark, Hugh and Jo's friend 'Jo' arrived, and supplied me with some claps and smiles. Thanks guys!
During set three I harangued the table full of dangerous-looking dudes, nearest the front enough that they had to acknowledge I was there. They seemed to enjoy my song 'No Compromise'.
I asked them if they had a request for me?
...which is how I came to be playing the Gambler, to great uproar, in Whanganui on a frosty Friday night in late June 2022. Thank you Kenny.

I chose a shady, leafy spot a block away to park, put my blinds up and slept.
...for 2 hours.

Then it was 4:30am and time to commute to Wellington to catch my 8:15am boat (7:15 final check in). Bluebridge! Nice.
Same.
smaller.
Would've been SO good if I could've slept in my vanbed for 3 hours during the crossing, but safe safety rules have to be saftened and kept safe so I curled on a lounge seat with my arse hanging in space and my head resting on my nice lumpy bathroom bag and dreamed of roadworks and dental work for a couple of hours.

Hello Picton.
Seumus' Irish Bar looks the same. Not open yet so I taped one of my posters in the front window, and drove off to find a pretty place to park and sleep longer.

Also popped in to 'Le Cafe', had a soup of the day. Good to see Peter and know that Le Cafe retains the warm heart and charm it always had.

I set up at Seumus' at 7. Great to finally meet owner/operater Vanessa, after these many years.
Other front of house staff members are James, Myra and Amelia (Sorry kitchen staff. Not intending to disregard you. We didn't get the chance to meet really).
Absolutely top-notch humans. All of them.

WHAT a gig!
Soothing balm on my musical nodes after the test of courage that the Barracks was. (No aspersions cast on the Barracks. Lovely place The luck/destiny of customers in attendance is left entirely up to Vishnu).

I couldn't sing or play a note wrong.
Full room. Open fire.
A group of a dozen or so young guys got very involved. They danced, sang, requested songs and only crashed into my mic stand once. (I did my little speech that goes "Do me one favour guys. Glance behind you here and make a quick note of where the mic stand is. If you can avoid smacking into it, I can avoid losing my OTHER front tooth". Then I flash them my toothy gap and see the guy's alarm, wondering if HE did it).
Also a more senior lady, named Cheryl. Probably my Mum's age.
She had a very direct gaze, indicating she was not to be trifled with and would not be easily impressed, by these rowdy activities. When I played 'Catch the wind' she brought her beverage and sat closer. She then sang along to Jambalaya, and Mrs Robinson, and a few others and before long the boys dragged her up to dance, and that was it. We were in a happy riot.

I'm now booked to play at Seumus' again on my Northward leg, on July 30th.
Hilariously I'm playing in Queenstown the night before. This will make for an interesting July 30th. There will be need of a comprehensive coffee-plan. Maybe some steroids.
Actually, what I THINK I'll do is have a careful, sober gig the night before, then drive as far as I can THAT night, so July 30th becomes more doable.
Pfff... Harder challenges have been risen to.

Woke up in Seumus' sunny carpark (for those of you joining us at this point, I have a van. I'm not waking up, under some cardboard, by the bins. Too cold for that plan right now. Homeless, alleyway touring is strictly a summer gig).

Weekends are currency and If I had my shit more together I would've had a Sunday gig organised in Picton or Blenheim.
Alas, not this time (Chatted to the nice fella at Mikey's pub. Give him a shout in summer he reckons. fair call).
I was actually pretty happy later,however, to have a night off.
I checked into a campground with NO one else in it.
Tidied my van, had a HOT HOT shower and put ALL my thermals on. Hadn't realised how cold I'd been.
Took a walk into town. Bought salami, pasta, broccolli and a tomatoey can. There was a guy busking loudly to nobody in the middle of the median/parking thing. He said he was trying to raise $6 to buy a cigarette. I gave him a handful of change and tuned his guitar for him.
He offered me a can of fizzy booze and invited me to join him for a drink and a song.
I declined, with thanks, and walked back to cook my dinner.

Slept looooooooong!
Ok.. present day. Delicia cafe. Pistacchio ice-cream.
I'll be in Blenheim for a night because a mechanic here has agreed to investigate my never-ending flashing airbag-light situation at 8am tomorrow.

Then LIQUID NZ tomorrow night!
THEN a new windscreen on Wednesday!
THEN a mental health day on Thursday, to try and prepare for my NELSON BOATHOUSE gig on Friday which I'm nervous about.

You know... Doorsales. Promotional stuff. My ad in the paper the same size as the ad for the Feelers right next to it. The kind of gig where people sit and listen. It's all i can do to not flee to Stewart Island. No one will find me there. I'll hunt deer.
Oooookay.. Deep breaths. One could reasonably ask why, over the last 15 years I've spent every spare dollar I have recording 35 original songs, and the last 6 years bouncing around the country in my van playing every gig I can book.... if not to play gigs where people actually listen and someone might know someone who knows someone etc.

One could certainly reasonably ask that.


03.07.2022

Winter Tour 2022 Installment 2

Tommy Pickett Tour 2022

The tour currently looks like this:

June 24 The Currach Great Barrier
June 26 Common Room Hastings
July 01 The Barracks Wanganui
July 02 Seumus’ Irish Bar Picton
July 05 Liquid NZ Nelson
July 08 The Boathouse Nelson
July 16 Monteiths Brewery Greymouth
July 17 Ross Pub Ross
July 21 Monsoon Fox Glacier
July 22 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
July 23 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
July 29 Pub on Wharf Queenstown


Wanganui … Another comfy bed.

My sister Jo and her husband Mark are providing me with accommodation that I'm bound to remember whimsically in a few weeks when I'm shivering and putting snow on my sandwiches in Queenstown.

I realise I've already left it too long between writing. It's a labour trying to remember as far back as Friday.

So.. the wonderful Currach (a week ago):

A table full of diners -Many eating the amazing Thai lamb chilli capsicum noodle dish that I'd had- were rowdy and cheerful so I put plenty of bottom end in the mix and played simple, unintrusive digestively beneficial songs while they ate.
Then in my second set, someone dragged someone else up to dance and they coaxed their mate's wife's friend etc. So I pushed the bar-stool aside and stood up to play and turned everything louder. Orla handed out percussion instruments. It was really a fun night.
I remember my friend Jennifer grinning at me from the bar as if to say, “Look at you, you big fat showoff smartypants! People are dancing while you play. Don't let it go to your head!”

(When I was 18 Me and another friend gatecrashed Jennifer's 16th birthday and kidnapped her to Claris club, after I first promised her Mum we wouldn't let her get roaring drunk or fall in the gorse or anything. I kept none of those promises. We've been close friends ever since).

The next morning I reminded myself to put Candycrush away and appreciate Waiheke as we flew over it. Hi Mum!

Was reunited with my van at the Park n Ride carpark ($40 to park for 2 days. 5 minute free bus to and from the airport. Totally worth it).

Ok Oscar, you handsome white fairylit devil. It's just you and me now!! It took me about 17 hours to leave Auckland. My GPS kept sending me back to long-term parking, and the motorway South apparently didn't exist. Navigation spastication is just one of my many talents. Killed an hour in Taupo trying to eat and shower. Superloo closed. Fuckadoodledoo.

I had a level of excitement about getting to Hawkes bay because, in addition to all my close friends who live there, my LONGTIME friends Mika and Tiina (who, in my formative twenties, taught me a lot about navigating this life) are over from Finland.

I felt unwilling to show up, in their midst, grimy and unkempt so I pulled in by a freezing river and bathed in it. Wade. splash. Crouch. shiver.. swear a lot. Rise out if the water like Rocky. New undies. Clean jeans. Scarf. Hat. Deodorant. Best new hat (Thank you Sophia. Sorry Elan)

Arrived at my mate Steve's house around dark feeling brand new.
There were Steve and Mika looking wise, on chairs outside Steve's music room where all the guitars, amps, pedals, and tasteful lampshades live. We drank good beer, sang songs and discussed important shit until a very civilised 3am.

The next day I was sick and feverish.
A nasty cold that everyone seems to be getting. (Not Covid. I did that already. Blah blah fuckmumble). Acutely aware as I was of my impending gig at the Common Room in Napier that evening I tried to nurture my health a bit with rest and pineapple juice and kept morning beers to a minimum, to make sure my voice would work that night. (I'm totally just writing a diary now.. Sorry gentle readers.. I'm going to become very boring as I approach #% years old).

The Common Room is a haven.

Gary set me up with leads and stands and drinks and smiles, and was relaxed and cool. I'll be honest. I was nervous about playing there because my Hawke's Bay friends and Mika, who's a bona fide rockstar in Finland, (His band is Pienet Miehet. Look them up. They're truly great and Mika has a voice like solid oak) were all going to be in attendance. So this was an audience comprised of people who's opinions I care about really a lot (A possibly nitemarish scenario for any insecure performer).

I stepped on stage and did my skinny best.
By the second set I'd relaxed (nothing to do with the glasses of good, good local syrah that Gary was supplying me with, I'm sure), and it went pretty well. Mika got up and joined me for 'May you Never' by John Martyn and 'Long may you Run' by Neil Young.

Thank you Troy, Catherine, Emilio, Simon, Saskia, Kura, Dommo, Robin, Sam, Tom, Steve, Mika, Mum's cousin Gail, Roy, Rachael... the friendly, slightly full-on guy who I wouldn't let play my guitar who kept requesting Heart of Gold... and anyone I've forgotten.. for making my night hum!

The next night many songs occurred around Steve's newly grouted mosaic table. My longtime friend Sarah and her partner Phil joined us. Appreciation of Dewar's scotch occurred also (mostly by me) The night ended with Me, Steve and Mika gathered round the fire fitting those last few songs in, and taking turns falling asleep. Twas a good visit.

It's raining in Whanganui.

Tonight I'm playing at the Barracks Sports Bar.
They have a big stage, that I like being on.
I popped in yesterday and they have about twenty of my posters up.
I'm staring back at myself from every wall.

(Thanks again for the poster design Doc Sanchez!)

Today I shall walk on a farm, get good air in my lungs, stretch, shave, meditate, ruminate, and then go play gig number 3.

Thanks for reading! My next instalment will be wittier and more interesting.


20.06.2022

Winter Tour 2022 Installment 1

Tommy Ticklepepper is off on tour again.
It’s been three years. This shit is unacceptable yo!

The only other time I did it like this.. by myself in my van with no company (So Ronery.. like Kim Jong IL in that fantastic movie) I endeavoured to stay relatively sane by writing a blog as I traveled, whereby I could unload my thoughts instead of harbouring them inside my squirming brain.. and posting it on Stalkbook, so my friends and family who I miss would pipe up with cheery greetings and responses, dispelling my sense of alonement and solitudation and causing the merciless Queenstown ice-buildup on the INSIDE of my windows in the mornings to melt.. through sheer empatheticality.

I'm writing this on my comfy bed in my comfy room at the Currach on Great Barrier Island. I'm very blessed. Lovely Orla, the always generous owner/manager/sheriff of the Currach FLEW me over and provided me with this luxury room AND left a car for me at the airport, to use while I’m here.
Me being a doofus, I missed that important detail and hitch-hiked to Tryphena. Upon arriving at the Currach and finding out I have a car to use, I hitched BACK to the airport to get it.

Tonight an open mic night is on and there will be dumplings.
Remember that time Tommy died of dumpling overdose...? at the Currach..?
It was a shame. He had a whole tour booked.

Only 11 gigs are FIRMLY booked but more are in the pipeline. I haven't designed and organised a poster yet, and NEED to, somewhat urgently. I sat at my computer for an hour yesterday trying to drag the edges of my promo photo so they'd sit properly on a documentish page; with a view to tackling words and fonts next. I didn't actually hurl my laptop at my Mum or the wall but it was a near thing.
I'm going to have to hire a teenager.
Computers hate me.

Later:
I'm on dumpling 4. You dip them in the chilli oil AND the soy and just sit back and let the wonderfulness of life wash over you.
I don't see open mic being instigated yet.. but Nell, the bar-manager says, it usually mans itself so.. I could either keep out of the way or wipe the chilli oil out of my moustache and offer to start setting things up. I wonder what I'll end up doing?!??

Stay tuned for Tommy's tour!!
I'm not nervous. I've had some affirming gigs lately. But its been a shitfucking arsemonster of a couple of years and I feel like some kind of veteran because of that, as maybe we all all should.
The edges have frayed. Fearful voices snicker in the mental backwoods. Passing pukekos look at me threateningly.

Anyone reading this with a car and some room in their July schedule, please feel warmly invited to come and surprise me at any of those gigs on the above list. I'll cook you a van-dinner.
(They're better than they sound).


20.02.2020

New Album “Rivertown” Out Now!

My new album Rivertown is available on Bandcamp now



15.07.2019

I’m touring the South Island again folks!

More dates will be added, but for now, as I sit here in Ostend, with a beer in one hand and a jar of Mum’s olives in the other, this list is up to date.


July 26 The Boathouse Nelson
July 27 Tinky’s Tavern Collingwood
July 30 Liquid NZ Nelson
August 9 Monsoon Bar Franz Josef
August 10 Monsoon Bar Franz Josef
August 12 Fitzpatrick’s Irish Pub Wanaka
August 15 Gin and Raspberry Wanaka
August 16 Muskets and Moonshine Queenstown
August 17 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
August 23 Baluga Bar Wanaka
August 27 Liquid NZ Nelson
August 30 Seumus’ Irish Bar Picton

See you at the Nelson Boathouse on July 26 where I’m kicking this whole thing off.


13.07.2019

New Single Coming Soon

Years ago you could buy a song you liked on a little vinyl record. This was called a single.

Records have two sides so they’d put another song on the B side.
Sometimes the B-side song got famouser than the main song and that was weird and fun, and fans could feel clever because THEY liked the B side most too and they could say, "I knew it!"

Later there were tapes and there were SINGLES of those too (cassingles).
Record companies went "Waaaaait a minute! Tapes ALSO HAVE two sides! Far out! Let's STILL give the single a B-Side". But there's heaps of room on a tape so they'd get carried away and put more songs on it, like the Single of "U2-Where the Streets have no Name" which had 5 songs on it... Holy Cow, right?!
Then cds came along and they had singles too and by now having at least one B-side song was tradition and it'd be a bit shabby for it not to be there.

Obviously I have a certain respect for tradition so my new Cdingle, 'Greener in Waihi' has 3 songs.

The unstoppable Ben King recorded and produced the record, and also sings and plays guitar, bass, 'pianjo', & Moog Synth.
The always fantastic Greg Johnson sings on 'Greener in Waihi' and plays trumpet on Chica and 'Terrified'.
The amazing Chris O'Conner plays drums on all three.
The talented and loveable Jacob O'Callaghan plays piano on two songs.

The record will be available in its entirety very soon.


01.12.2017

Dive Deep EP Tour 2017

tour-header

October 26 Seumus’ Irish Bar Picton
October 27 Golden Bear Mapua
October 28 Park Cafe Marahau
 
November 03 Tinkys Tavern Collingwood
November 04 Sprig & Fern Motueka
November 10 Railway Hotel Hokitika
November 11 Historic Empire Hotel Ross
November 14 Woodstock Hotel Hokitika
November 17 Monsoon Bar Franz Josef
November 18 Cook Saddle Saloon Fox Glacier
November 19 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
November 24 Bullock Bar Wanaka
November 25 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
November 28 Monsoon Bar Franz Josef
November 29 Cook Saddle Saloon Fox Glacier
November 30 Cook Saddle Saloon Fox Glacier
 
December 01 Bullock Bar Wanaka
December 02 Fitzpatricks Irish Pub Wanaka
December 08 Luggate Hotel Luggate
December 09 Pub on Wharf Queenstown
December 12 LiquidNZ Bar Nelson
December 13 Seumus’ Irish Bar Picton
December 14 Tinkys Tavern Collingwood
December 15 Toad Hall Motueka
December 16 Le Café Picton
December 22 The Cru Bar Hastings
December 29 The Currach, Tryphena Great Barrier

25.11.2017

New Promo Video



04.12.2016

Dive Deep is available

It's an EP of six songs. I'll be launching it properly in Feb/March. But for now, to those of you sweetly asking how you can get one …

You can do one of two things:

1. Buy it online.
It is available on all major services such as iTunes / Spotify / CD Baby / Google Music / Tidal

OR …

2. Send me your postal address
I’ll pop a CD in the mail and send you an account number and charge you $12.
If you’re broke I’ll post you one anyway and you can make me a samwich.


08.06.2016

The Dive Deep EP is finished

It’ll be packaged and available for purchase in the coming weeks. This is the record I always wanted to make. It’s organic and crunchy, with enough caffeine and sugar to get you from Auckland to Huntly if the traffic’s smooth.

My producer Rhys D Webb, saint and scholar that he is, rolled with my wish to do the basic guitar/voice tracks live and at the same time and have not a click-track in sight.

The record features Sarah Corbett on vocals and Piano, Rhys D Webb on bass, assorted guitars and mandolin, Marcel Hadden on drums and percussion, Goldie Rutherford on extra guitars, Daniel Lawrence on Extra vocals, and Eamon Dilworth on trumpet.

These 6 songs seemed to belong together even though they date all the way from 2001 ‘til now.

Weird huh?





15.05.2016

Promo Video (Covers only)

Tastefully crafted at Fraser Rose Studios by the scarily talented Rhys D Webb … who, as I write this, is mixing my record. I feel all christmassy!




15.01.2016

I'm shifting home to NZ in March

It’s time.
I’m optimistic and acutely sad and there’s a sense of a sharp corner being turned on skidding wheels.
I flew here in 2008. Crispin riverdanced his bare feet across rainy concrete at Sydney airport to take my bags and bustle me to Maroubra beach where he and Steffi gave me lodgings and a place to reload with salty ocean trimmings.
I assembled and hauled Real-estate signs with Gav, Brad and Simon for three months then piled into a Van with 3-Quarters Hazel and Goldie and Marcel and travelled up to Byron. The Bluesfest finished and I stayed in Byron bay to become a world-famous songwriter.
I was equipped with a guitar, 5 teeshirts two pairs of jeans, $100 that Brent Moetara generously lent me and holes in my shoes which couldn’t possibly matter because the weather was too nice.
It then rained for 3 months while I hitchhiked, busked and sold veggies … paying my rent in coinage (Stroppy Dutch landladies love that).
I noticed how easily a person can become homeless or lost. It occurred to me the only difference between me and those sleeping rough is having someone to call. Spider would show up from somewhere, around noon, with his headband and his bristles and play his guitar with 5 strings and sing with his one lung … and later I’d see him pushed against a wall by the cops while they searched his bag and confiscated his unopened bottle of wine. It wasn’t even dark yet.
I’d show up on my borrowed bike, at noon and play my songs facing the pedestrian crossing by the bank. I’d do better than Spider because my clothes were clean and my voice worked properly. When I realised I needed to get out of here … I phoned Michelle and said "Can you help me. I need to come home to my friends." She said, "Get on a plane Tommy" … and gave me a room and found me a job.
I’m sorry Spider. I hope next time round you have someone to call.
Sydney took me in and gave me friends and means and celebrations like it always has.
I worked with a big guy with autism, who’s fear made him angry and being angry made him break things and hit people, so he was always confronted by strangers and police. Me and some good people took him on, wrestled with him in his kitchen and, told him everything was going to be better now … and we didn’t leave him, and things did get better for him. They still are. I feel good about that.
I moved in with Gav, Fi, Evie, and Ed and there were lawn parties and fairy lights and late nights and it was great …
I met a girl and simultaneously decided it was time to grow up and transform my life. She was spectacular and I figured I was too, so I seized and married her and we started down a road I thought I understood and was equipped for.
I didn’t … and we weren’t.
Steiner College took me in, and gave me new friends who were warm and brave and open.
I want to hang onto those friends better than I’m doing but it’s hard.
Marcel grabbed my lapels and compelled me to take a bunch of these songs and do something with them.
Jefferson Grove, through some adversity, made an album … It’s real and it’s finished and I feel pretty good about that too.
18 months ago I clambered out of the forest in my rags and felt sunlight on my face and realised my life is still mine and there’s still a chunk of it left.
I lived by the beach and was shown, by an angel, that all the plumbing in my heart still works.
Feverish stuff … love, tears, crazy desire, jealousy, wild insecurity and bliss … All still up and running … Just needed a jumpstart by a hundred volt Babyfox battery.
Now I’m flash-frying my music.
My friend Rhys is helping me make the record I always wanted to make. It’s breezy and rolling and there’s trumpets!
I’m singing to people for ten hours every weekend and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I mangle my hands and overwork my tonsils (I don’t actually have tonsils), but people dance and like what I’m doing and that feels unutterably good.
It’s a strange lull now. In these few weeks I have to figure out flights, shipping and what to do with 8 years of stuff.
So many people I love and want to keep are here, in Sydney … but the reality is their lives are changing and moving on as quickly and unpredictably as mine. I’m already lonely. The Tasman sea’s merely an addition. I don’t say that in a lamenting way. Unlike Spider, I know I could pick up a phone and my best people are all within reach.
Passage of time is the lonely part.
It’s a steady, unfailing super-engine that Rolls Royce would be proud of. Take your eye off it for a little while and it’s changed everyone’s faces, lives and proximities. That’s scary, The day I turned 30 my hair started going away and my only thought was, "Shit! We’ve all gotta hurry up!"
As I write this my recently-fixed front tooth is in my front jeans pocket and dentists don’t work on weekends … which is when gigs are, and I look like a convict and can’t make an ‘F’. I’m grateful for things that are funny.
I’m grateful for my big-hearted Mum beckoning from Waiheke island. Her eyesight is sending the same message my hairline’s sending me.
I feel like these are the years we all have to be brave. Or maybe you mostly all are already, and it’s time for me to catch up. Visit me in Auckland.
I’ll be back heaps anyhow ‘cos I’ll miss my Sydney friends and I’m a sook.
TP.

17.12.2015

Check out my band Jefferson Grove!

Our album, released last year is available for purchase on all online stores and all major streaming services.

Find Jefferson Grove on jeffersongrove.net


27.05.2013

Warm-up for “The Warratahs” at Le Cafe in Picton

On July 11 I have the privilege of warming-up for renown NZ band “The Warratahs”. This will occur at Le Cafe in Picton. An oceanside haven of amazing food and good wine & beer. Le Cafe is also long-time source of support, nourishment and exposure for Music acts from everywhere … and of all sizes and levels of famousness.

09.09.2009

New song – Waiting on a name

Just uploaded a new recording of an old song on Myspace … it recorded too quiet, but, ah well!! Make sure you have a listen. Also be sure to drop by every once in a while to check out my upcoming shows.


20.06.2009

Songwriters Across Australia on TVS

I was featured on the show SWAA on the 29. May by Paul McQueen. The show is broadcasted by TVS and contained an interview and two of my songs. Kinda pleased with the way it went. YouTube has the video for all those who missed it the first time.