Following his experimental single โNo Enemyโ, emerging European artist Tommy Crew returns with his contemplative second single โThis Is My Lifeโ. A classic Rock track in its essence, โThis is My Lifeโ observes the chaos in the world and transmutes it to motivation and firm decision:ย โAll around me only money and Silent cries, A lot of little things and people In the sky, Weapons and strange hurricanes, Despite everything People never change, I say no I want to change my world, Yea This is my lifeโ. Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
TOMMY CREW: I come from Italy. The beginning of my musical journey can be traced back to a vacation when a friend of mine brought his guitar along. Intrigued, I began experimenting with the guitar myself. I distinctly recall that a few days later, I wrote my first song using the first chords I had learned.
2. Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
TOMMY CREW: While I am mainly self-taught, I did take part in guitar and vocal lessons. I was fortunate to have musician friends who shared some insights into music theory with me.
3. Whatโs your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles โ and do you try to address any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, a personal narrative, and entertainment?
TOMMY CREW: In its essence, true art encompasses cultural, political, and spiritual dimensions. This constitutes the purest form of art and the highest form of human expression. While music is often regarded as entertaining and performing art, it can also serve as a significant cultural product. I strive to remain conscious and liberated as an individual, believing that this will inherently lead to art and music that echo themes of freedom, love, and consciousness.
4. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more or different in the future?
TOMMY CREW: The colossal amount of solitary work I undertake is staggering. My journey is just commencing, and thereโs much to accomplish. However, at this juncture, it grants me fulfillment and a sense of liberation. I hold a vision where, perhaps once I release a handful of tracks, someone might reach out and say, โTommy, your music is impressive. Letโs collaborate and explore business opportunities together.โ Although this aspiration is uncertain, I have several songs almost ready (I can make three albums) and have them as demos. I think this point can be very interesting for those who want to collaborate with me. The speed at which I will finish them for stores depends mostly on the resources and help I have. Anyway, for me, art transcends monetary gains and societal success. These songs will be released one way or another. I want to emphasize this unequivocally today.
5. Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name โTOMMY CREWโ?
TOMMY CREW: My early exposure to music began during my childhood, thanks to my motherโs involvement in selecting soundtracks for her shows. I cultivated a profound admiration for music classics spanning from Chuck Berry and Sam Cooke to Elvis and Etta James. As time advanced, I discovered inspiration in the works of Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Oasis, The Doors, The Strokes, Radiohead, and The Beatles. I also drew influence from artists like Moby, Massive Attack, and Chemical Brothers. More recently, Iโve circled back to the classics once again. The name โTommy Crewโ represents a profound aspiration. In the past, I shared a close-knit circle of friends, but our paths diverged due to evolving interests and perspectives. With Tommy Crew, I aspire to create a community aligned with my interests and values, fostering a collective experience for collaborators and followers alike. Together, we form โThe Crewโ โ a manifestation of love, consciousness, and unity.
6. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as ROCK?
TOMMY CREW:
Exploring various genres has held immense significance for me. I reject the idea of conforming to any singular style; my ambition is to embody a sense of โstylelessness.โ Rock, in my view, serves as a captivating dialect I delve into and mold, seeking the perfect style to magnify the substance. This pursuit isnโt solely guided by my preferences but by the imperative need to convey a message, employing the most suitable style to underscore it; to me, rock represents both potency and liberation. A rock ballad possesses a timeless quality.
7. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
TOMMY CREW:
I believe my lyrics are direct and authentic, drawing from my personal experiences and observations of the world. My music is primarily self-produced. My sound is a fusion of liberating influences, rooted in classic blues rock yet infused with modern rock and electronic elements. I strive to be genre-spanning, much like my approach to visual art. My goal is to transcend stylistic boundaries and labels, embracing limitless creative expression. This process conveys the ultimate message of liberation from the constraints of language and style, focusing on the concept of pure potential and freedom, rather than on identity.
8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
TOMMY CREW: Typically, my creative process begins with playing the guitar or piano and adding vocals to it, which could be a verse or chorus. The vocals tend to guide the direction of the melody, dictating its progression. This occurs quite organically. On occasion, I initiate a song from a beat and subsequently layer it with chords and melody. Provide me with any musical instrument, and I can formulate an initial foundation for a song in as little as half an hour. My creative wellspring is abundant, facilitating the effortless generation of songs. However, I must lament that I cannot feasibly record or fully develop each idea. My challenge resides in navigating through my extensive reservoir of concepts and demos, discerning choices, establishing priorities, and refining. Typically, I undertake the creation of the entire song independently, with lyrics serving as the determining factor in whether I proceed with its completion or not.
9. What has been the most difficult thing youโve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
TOMMY CREW: If I have to think about one of the most difficult moments of my life, I think of those years when I was participating in the Celeste Prize as a finalist and trying to form a band; it was truly challenging for me. I needed affirmation and emotional support. In a short span of time, when I returned from the prize in Berlin, my bandโs guitarist had joined another band that played covers, the bassist had moved to Milan, the drummer was about to become a father, so my band was completely dismantled. Meanwhile, my long-term relationship with the girl I had been with for more than 10 years was ending, and to my surprise, even my closest friends started to drift away. As if that wasnโt enough, other artists were taking advantage of my ideas and my eagerness to share my art theories and ideas, using them for their own careers. All these events made me lose the desire to give the love I had always given to the world because I didnโt feel like I was receiving it in return. During that period, I wrote a song called โConfusion,โ which has yet to be released, but you will hear it soon. It took me years to recover emotionally and regain the desire to share my love, my songs, and my art with the world. Today, I feel much stronger than before. Emotionally independent. I am open to collaborating with anyone, but also strong enough to release my music on my own. Ultimately, the challenges I faced have made me stronger and emotionally self-reliant.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud, or significant point in your life or music career so far?
TOMMY CREW: I take immense pride in independently creating a song from inception to completion, sometimes playing and recording all instruments. Another milestone is my acquisition of mixing skills. Iโm deeply proud to produce and present my music to the world today.
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