How I got from A (boring office job) to B (bad ass sound artist):


I am not a singer. Hang on you say...why then have you written an article about being a singer? Well I don't like to 'box myself in' by calling myself a singer because I'm an artist primarily and the sounds that I create are more an extension of that than a measurement of any musicality (whatever that means). That being said, I have always had an interest in singing and in music of course. I avidly attended gigs and got involved with music workshops, wrote songs, Jazz festival committees, joined a few random bands including a heavy metal band when aged 15 - worrying the shit out of my parents when I came back late having got stuck in a car full of 'older men' whilst stuck behind a herd of sheep in the Welsh valleys ... I also wrote a music and film review blog for a while and have family members who are passionate about music and making instruments.

At school I 'had' to do the usual guitar and cello lessons! Imagine 'primary age me' - carrying both, yes both a few miles to school - hilarious! It didn't last, and I'm sure my cello teacher slapped my hand for being crap and my singing teacher definitely shouted at me in front of her more prized student ha ha...oh and of course the dreaded recorder lessons and many school choirs LOL. These are things that many young people get roped into and whose music playing passions are soon extinguished for falling short of meeting the norms that are expected (to be able to play as expected, in acceptable styles).

To cut it short: I did the usual stuff, followed by a bit of singing and music (mainly jazz open mics), gig going etc and decided to focus mainly on getting 'a real job' as many put it. My art was sidelined somewhat into exhibitions, jewellery making, commissions, sketching at gigs. The singing (creatively) took a back-seat. When I started working with Ben (Thomas), he was mid-way through creating another epic album. It was fascinating to see this process and to hear all of the different and unique voices that featured. He had a talent for getting vocalists to really paint with their voices and I wanted to be a part of that. Initially I was able to assist with a few guide tracks and eventually, when I gained a bit more confidence, to sing some backing vocals on some of the albums that followed.

Before this point I had been to some pretty traumatic open mic sessions. I can remember one where I accidentally sang part of 'My Funny Valentine' several octaves too high! I'm sure I shattered a few windows and never went back there again. I joined some odd guitar club with my dad, who struggled to adapt his classical guitar playing to Radiohead's 'Fake Plastic Trees' and there was the time in school at the leaving concert when the guitarist just kept playing round and round 'Californication' which felt like I was standing there for ages - never ending and probably my own fault as I was mainly trying to get in the pants of the boys I fancied trying out LOL. Needless to say I lost my nerve a little (on the music side of things at least)!


So how does this all tie in? Well I'm not professing to have 'made it' but here are some of the things that I did in order to feel like I could start thinking of myself as a 'singer', recording artist and vocalist as a part a part of Thomas & Muse:

- I FACED UP TO MY NERVES

Not by doing 'music'. First I decided that in order to be respectful of those who had crafted a whole life around music and not to waste the time of others who may invest in my 'passion', that I would work on my shyness first. Could I even perform. To do this I focused on things that I could already 'do' - art mainly. I got in front of the camera and the mirror whilst I still had my job and practiced for hours giving speeches. I put myself in positions where I had to be in front of larger numbers of people. I went out and wrote food reviews and networked in person (for my blogs) and worked on social media networking (not being afraid to have an opinion and to share it). I also web-cammed (naked), ran art lessons, life modelled, did naked bike rides across the country and featured in large-scale publications. This lead to so many opportunities. I became more confident (I was able to to ride my nerves and use them rather than submit to them).

- I GAINED EXPERIENCE OF PERFORMING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE

No amount of rehearsals and practicing in-front of the mirror in your bedroom will prepare you for 'the real thing'. I did this first of all by performing as a 'live artist' - painting scenes on a hand crafted canvas in-front of audiences as Ben (and band) performed jazz. I was shaking and sometimes crippled by nervous energy! I soon got used to the terror! Meanwhile, having done a London World Naked Bike Ride, I featured (naked) in national newspapers and was inadvertently thrust into the public eye. I decided to go with it and make something of it and gain some notoriety! I soon got fed up with the restrictions of a traditional canvas and decided that my body was a better and more portable canvas. I decided to paint on that instead.  After much planning with Ben and problem solving (how could we take this naked stuff out publicly), we self hosted gallery based improvised music and art events and I performed naked in front of clothed and naked audiences. We added improvised and surreal spoken word to the performances and my 'live experience' increased.


- I BEGAN TO ENGAGE WITH THE AUDIENCE

How could I claim to be 'passionate' about music without really engaging with my audience. Me, Ben and the team, spent a long time building audiences, delivering quality online content as well as in person performances. I speak to the audience. We set up several social media avenues and crafted our own community of followers. We set up websites, blogs, podcasts, streaming sites, TV channels and more. I quit my (well paid) job and devoted all of my time to this task. I took on side gigs upon side gigs, raised funds and invested in our music and art happenings. I went to every one of Ben's performances to get to know the musician I was working with (as well as the musicians that he was working with), listened to all of his music and watched his sessions in the recording studio. I responded to my fans, to messages, comments, questions and criticisms alike.

- I GOT TECH SAVVY AND INVESTED WISELY

I'm still getting here with this one and have much, much more to learn in this ever changing world. But I am constantly seeking to gain more knowledge. I invested in equipment like DSLR cameras with good filming capabilities, gimbals, lenses, lights, mics, pedals, mixers, live streaming boxes, audio and video computers, pianos, etc etc. We (Thomas & Muse), developed (over a good few years) a creative space that was tailor made for music and art making including a custom built recording studio and performance/gallery space.

- I TOOK CARE OF THE PAPER WORK

This is arguably the least interesting part of what I do but luckily I find it all quite satisfying - taking care of ALL essential administrations to ensure that my interests and rights were being taken care of and that my house was well in order. In many ways this is the most important element of the process. Without any effective administration my successes are not rewarded and good energy goes to waste.

- I HONED MY ART

Then last of all came the singing haha. In a sense I knew a few things and I could sing in tune (apparently). When it came to myself and Ben feeling that I/we had put in place all of the things that were necessary for me to even think about singing live, I started to practice. I should add that Ben had been performing for a lifetime at this point, internationally and at large festivals. It was his profession. I was coming into this as an artist and not a musician. I can't read music (so have to work very hard to listen and understand while not letting this be a weakness). Being an artist is my strength and gives me something that makes me stand out and offers a different perspective. I practiced, practiced, practiced. The basics were there but they were a bit rusty. I sang through old nursery rhymes, choir songs, hymns. I practiced singing and annunciating all the vowel shapes and made myself improvise in front of people even if I felt like it may go embarrassingly wrong. I worked on understanding the sound equipment (still learning). I eventually was able to to sing main vocals on our Thomas & Muse albums, live stream and finally perform live as a 'singer'. I'm getting there and loving it!

So now I sing. But I am not a singer, I am a visual artist, creating pictures with my sound and mark making. Anything is possible.

Last and final tip. Have your fingers in a few pies, fund your art, which may have to be from a non music based source. Work on getting a real following of in person and online fans. Talk to people and don’t be intimidated by bad experiences or distracted by short lived success - be inspired (if you genuinly feel it) by others and never be envious. Most of all in this ever confusing world get over yourself. If you don’t, it will never happen, noone will ever know, see or hear and a life worth living will take itself upon a different path. Go for it!