Bright Young Thing: musician Tom Clark

PUBLISHED: 16:19 04 May 2014

Sarah Sturt

Tom Clark at The Music Station

Rikard Osterlund

Tell us about yourself

My name is Tom Clark, I’m 23 and live in Tunbridge Wells. I went to Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, leaving at 16 
to study music at West Kent College (now 
K College) and complete my diploma.

I went on to do a music degree in Popular Music Performance at the University of Kent. After that, I worked at Dirtee Stank Records, which is run by Nick ‘Cage’ Denton and Dizzee Rascal. I spent a lot of time in the studio working on new tunes.

What are you doing now?

I’m currently working at MusicStation in Tonbridge which is a contemporary music school specialising in rock and pop (see also April Kent Life, page 82). I’ve been involved with the set up of the school with my previous college lecturers, James Sedge and Julie Parker, who I did my BA Hons Degree with. I’m also sessioning on guitar for various artists. I’ve been doing a lot of work up in London at professional studios as well as local acts around Kent.

What are your future ambitions?

To be a touring musician, playing in places that are new to me and seeing the world. I’ve toured around the UK and performed in other countries such as the US (New Orleans) and would love to pursue this further. That’s my ultimate goal!

Where will you be in five years?

I hope to still be in the music business, whether performing, producing or writing. I hope to have built up my reputation as a musician and developed my skills further.

What’s best about living in Kent? 
I’ve been living in Kent since I was 10 and will always consider Kent my home. I love the fact that you can have the best of both worlds: some great towns, but then you’re never too far from the idyllic countryside.

The music scene is also very vibrant, especially where I live in Tunbridge Wells. There are many venues like The Forum and The Grey Lady which put on great nights.

The local music community has grown massively thanks to these venues and promoters and it gives you a chance to see bands from all around the world. So many respected artists have performed here such as Green Day, Coldplay, Adele, Mumford 
& Sons and Ellie Goulding. It’s great 
chance to see them in an intimate venue.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I do have other hobbies and interests 
but my life is mainly based around music. 
I have also published a book on how to learn guitar for ages eight to 10 year olds which was sold around the world. That 
was an amazing experience, knowing 
that someone in a different country is learning from something I wrote.

What was the last book you read?

Unknown Pleasures by Peter Hook, 
who was the bass player for Joy Division. This was a great insight to band from

his perspective describing the struggles they went through to gain recognition for

a new sound that they’d created. n