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| tomhowie.com |
Exhibiting a depth of wisdom way beyond his 22-years, Vancouver native Tom Howie creates music that hits at the core of the human condition. Songs that tell a story with a deeper conveyance that even with all our vast differences we we are ultimately all the same.
What is the genesis of writing a song?
"Music has always been about writing songs. Every song basically starts off the same. Whether it's strumming a few riffs on a guitar or humming a few notes of a melody. Every artist who writes their own music is essentially a singer/songwriter regardless of the genre. The inspiration of which can hit at any moment. You might be walking around and it just hits you out of nowhere, like somethings been harboring in the back of your mind. And when the inspiration finds you...go with it. Let it flow and let the song come out."
In your early teens you were in several punk rock bands, what prompted the shift in music style?
"As a grew up, I was more interested in what I could do with my voice. Communicating with the audience through only my voice and an acoustic guitar became hypnotic and addicting."
At age 20, Tom attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. A year which saw him grow as an artist. "You have to let the music engross you. Learn, play and interact with different styles of music. Look at things from a different perspective and ask questions not only from an artistic point of view, but from a technical aspect as well. From editing the idea within the song to thinking about how other instruments can enrich the song."
But fundamentally, the mark of a great song is it has to have meaning as it questions and inspires. Thank you very much Tom Howie.
Check out Tom Howie's catalog of music available @ iTunes. You can download the track "Diamond" for free below.
You can catch Tom Howie perform live on:
February 12, 2011
@ Rockwood Music Hall
New York, NY USA
February 18, 2011
@ Tin Angel
Philadelphia, PA USA
February 23, 2011
@ Café 939 at Berklee
Boston, MA USA
