A Chat with Tom Craven (06.05.23)
Enigmatic, honest and poetic, singer-songwriter Tom Craven gives a heartfelt sense of the sublime to audiences with his music. We speak with the UK-based musician about his new album Make Yourself Known, pet peeves, what music means to him, and much more!
OSR: What drew you to music?
Craven: Growing up in the Craven household, I was brought up on a staple diet of pop, rock, country, folk, blues, disco and so much more – all thanks to my parents. Music was and still is a huge part of our family and was intrinsic within me from a very young age. It was inevitable I’d turn my hand at writing and performing, which began to emerge in my teens, as I joined a punk band with some good friends and eventually began writing my own material around 17. inspired by the acoustic songwriters of the late 90s into the 00s.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
Craven: I hope that my music instils a sense of positivity and honesty in a difficult world. Songs that can provide a place of solace from the craziness of what is going on in the world today and remind people that they are not alone. I don’t feel I can change the world with my music, but if I can help someone and inspire someone within that – that is my goal and I am content with that.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Craven: Music is in my blood. I can’t imagine a day without listening to anything at all. For me, good music reminds me I’m not alone. We all have our struggles, our demons and our obsessions and music reflects all of these. It is a way to release my feelings and observations through words and notes.
OSR: Does your new album Make Yourself Known have a theme or backstory? What can you tell us about it?
Craven: Make Yourself Known is a reference to how we all spend so much time convincing ourselves and others that everything is ok in the world when it is quite evidently not. Albeit within relationships, friendships, work and even creative endeavours – it is a call to be honest and open in everything we do and make intentions and feelings apparent before these begin to eat away our thoughts into negativity.
OSR: If you could change anything about Make Yourself Known, what would it be and why?
Craven: If I had the chance to at the time, I would have loved to have recorded every song alongside the musicians in person and include Rachel & Andrew Chilcraft on all the tracks, not just New Signals! But the recording of this whole album remotely during Covid has given it a special collaborative spirit that adds to the positivity that I’ve been told this album possesses, so I think the album has come together gloriously considering!
OSR: How would you describe your music and Make Yourself Known?
Craven: My music has always been impassioned, honest and powerful. I’m a poet at heart and the words are what makes them so personal. I believe Make Yourself Known showcases 12 tracks that are without a doubt my proudest moments lyrically and I am hoping that this album has brought together all the musical elements to make something that people can enjoy time and time again!
OSR: Do you have any pet peeves?
Craven: Rudeness, dishonesty, bigotry, hatred. Basically, anything that makes someone a bad person. People are so bad to each other so often in this world and it frustrates and saddens me when I see such things go unchallenged and allow people to get away with behaving the way they do. It may sound cliché, but be kind. Always.
OSR: If you could spend the day with any person (not necessarily a musician), who would it be and why?
Craven: David Lynch, the movie director/artist/musician. He’s fascinated me for years! The way his mind works is incredible. He sees the darkness and the light in the world like no other creative and I have a lot of respect for his work.
OSR: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Craven: Be honest. Whether it is regarding writing music, at work, in relationships or friendships, just be honest. Life works so much better that way.
OSR: Do you have future plans as a musician?
Craven: For me, I will continue to write and record songs, perform them occasionally and hopefully will be aiming for publishing and licensing a song in a movie, advert, TV show or such like! Who knows?
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Craven: Please enjoy the new album, let me know what you think of it on our socials and hell, keep on enjoying independent music generally! This is all for you 😀 Thanks so much for reading and to The Other Side Reviews for featuring me!
Many thanks to Tom Craven for speaking with us! For more from Tom Craven, check out his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
