One Last Salute...

The idea of having a blog is becoming rather tedious I must say. The idea of putting words most people don't care about or even read on a page is becoming more and more unappealing. I used to blog a few times a week but over the last year it's become more of a hassle than a pleasure. I will usually think of something to write but then stop half way through and decide it wasn't worth it. Don't get me wrong the use of a blog to help get things of your chest is sometimes a godsend but more often than not someone somewhere will scoff and say something along the lines of "don't use the Internet as a diary" as if they have never written something out of negative emotion on their facebook page in the heat of the moment before. So judgemental hypocrites and sheer lack of motivation seem to be a big factor in not really bothering to keep this alive anymore. Sure there are plenty of things I would love to say. Things to get off my chest, to bitch, to moan, to brag etc. But it's all becoming a bit self serving, much like this post now.

To anyone who reads this in an effort to get to know what goes on underneath the facade of a happy-go-lucky 21 year old, just add me on the old facebook.

However before I sign off, for maybe the last time, I will share with you my 2010. A year that has pissed me off, slapped me in the face and was perhaps the most significant year of the last decade for me. I will make it as short and painless as possible so here goes:

2010 saw me break up with my long term girlfriend. Was I upset? yes. Was I angry? yes. Am I still bitter? A little bit. Are we still "friends"? No. Was it me or her that did the "breaking up"? Her. Do I hate her for it? I did, now I simply just don't care. Gossip over.

But if one thing did come out of the situation it was the fact I picked up my guitar and played it for hours at a time. THAT is probably the most significant thing to happen to me in 2010. I picked up a guitar, taught myself some chords, learned how to sing and play at the same time. recorded an album after only playing for 6 months (What a hero I am) and 8 months down the line I am getting better everyday. Result!

I had an "up and down" summer which saw me spend a lot of time with my very good friend Severiano, or Xavi as I call him, who has taught me a lot about life and friendship. He is a friend I can always count on. He is possibly the most loyal and greatest friend I have ever had and if you are reading this my friend, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me through a tough summer.

Recently things have been going very well. In short, I've met someone. A girl. exciting stuff. I was going through the whole "Am I really ready to start dating again?" phase and it just kind of happened. I met someone who I just got along with straight away. Someone who shares my love for music and drama. Someone who makes me smile even when I feel like crap. And someone who has given me motivation, something which has been lacking in the last few months. And there's the house of 61. I live in an incredible house with some amazing people. Some of my best friends are all under one roof and for the first time in a long time, I am happy. So there's that.

In all this I realise how idiotic it was to write all the stuff at the start about no one caring about what I had to say and about bitching online, when that is essentially what I've just done. Oh well, one last moan never hurt.

So yeah. I will leave on a positive note however. In the words of the almighty Mumford & Sons

"If you want to feel alive then learn to love your ground"

Love.Peace.Respect.Unity

So Say We All

-- Tom RDD

Love, Peace & Unity

I have had one of the most inspirational days of my live. My good friend Alex came to visit us in Worcester. Now Alex is one of the most genuine, talented and humble people I know. His music is based around the ideals of peace, love and nature. The beautiful message coupled with fantastic guitar work sends shivers down my spine and today I was lucky enough to play guitar with him and have what us musicians like to call a "jamming session". I watched and listened in awe as he showed me some of his music. After listening to some of his music I told him I was embarrassed to play in front of him but being the nice guy he is he insisted I play. So I did. We went on to jam for a couple of hours until he had to go back to Cardiff.

Listening to his music and talking to him about it for hours really inspired me to go out and write some new songs. So I did. Me and my friend Steve went down to a secluded spot by the river that runs through Worcester and sat there for a bout an hour and a half watching the world go by and started writing lyrics. We wrote a song about the beauty in the world and how the hustle and bustle of the 9 - 5 makes people blind to the beauty we saw in front of us. It's still working progress but I feel happy about the direction it's heading in.

If you would like to check out my boy Alex's music visit:

http://www.myspace.com/alexsedgmondduo

it's well worth a listen.

peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

Can you give it?

Possibly my favourite Maccabees song. Sick tune live at Reading 2010 (I was there!). Enjoy!

What The Crow Brings...

Is there anything more soothing than watching the rain and listening to the very phenomenal Low Anthem? I don't know if there is. Nature and beauty. Pretty lush, don't you agree?

This Is Growing Up...

Writing new material is a fun process. I really love it. Since the summer I've managed to write 4 solid songs that I hope to record at my student house in Worcester (DIY FTW!). I've also been told today that my good friend Tom is going to a marketing project using Tom RDD... RESULT! By the end we should have some amazing promo work and a music video. Exciting times!

In other news my life is going in a very positive direction... and that's all I have to say about that.

peace.love.respect.unity

So say we all

-- Tom RDD

I've Hidden My Feelings Under Rocks...

As I have decided to start posting again I think it's only right that I give you a little musical pleasure. My friend Alex, who has help expand my knowledge of music (especially folk music) immensely, told me to check this guy out. So I did and I loved this track. So enjoy the music of Jeff Lang.

This City Needs A Hero... (the beginning)

Right I have decided now is the time for a blog post. It hasn't been all that long I know and I am sure no one has missed me rambling about life but even so It's time for an update. I never really did a summer 2010 update as it were. Well what is there to say? It was a pretty emotional summer to be honest. I saw some old friends, made some new ones, had friends from university come to visit, I recorded my solo album, I battled demons and worked 39 hours a week to get some money in my pocket. So the usual few months off before Uni starts again really. I wish I could tell you that my summer was filled with adventure and excitement, and at times it was, but the majority was spent either wallowing in self pity, playing my guitar or at work.

But like all good(ish) things it came to an end and now I am back at University with a spring in my step, for this is the first time I have embarked on the University experience without worrying about certain things. Over the summer I really have become a very apathetic person. When I dealt with apathy in the past it was a depressing matter as I was unable to feel emotional connections with those I loved, now the apathy I feel is a complete disregard for pretty much everything that isn't important to me. I know this is nothing to happy about but it kind of feels good not having to worry about things for a change. I have no pressure on my shoulders to be someone I don't want to be and to do something I don't want to do, which is something I guess was thrust upon me by my situation over the last few years. So a sense of freedom is definitely putting wind in my sales. However this attitude is not so great for my degree and health so therefore I imagine I will have to do some rearranging before long but I shall deal with that when the time comes.

Anything else to report? Well, I am currently working on songs to go towards a new recording (current working title of which is "This City Needs A Hero"). I've written some new material over the last month that I really think tops anything else I've written. The majority of the music on "the city limits..." is pretty much a diary of my life between January - July 2010. The new material is still filled with stories about love, loss and all that other deep and meaningful stuff but I think it is a vast improvement on the material I started writing at the beginning of the my self-taught guitar adventure. I would also like to point out that I have only been playing guitar for about 8 months and to be where I am now, without blowing my own trumpet, is quite good really.

But anyway enough ramblings, if you would like to hear some Tom RDD music feel free to check the myspace over at:

www.myspace.com/tomrdd

OR come see a live show (which have started to happen!)



peace.love.respect.unity


"Live fast. Die old"

-- Tom RDD

I will not grow up

This will be my last post for a while. I'm sure you're really not all that bothered by this but if by chance you are I will probably be back writing when I have some more interesting things to say. Until next time enjoy these words from the mouth of Frank Turner who was by far my favourite act of the Reading Festival 2010. So enjoy.


Well I guess I should confess that I am starting to get old
All the latest music fads all passed me by and left me cold
All the kids are talking slang I won't pretend to understand
All my friends are getting married, mortagages and pension plans
And it's obvious my angry adolescent days are done
And I'm happy and I'm settled in the person I've become
But that doesn't mean I'm settled up and sitting out the game
Time may change a lot but some things may stay the same

And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I yeah I won't grow up

Oh maturity's a wrapped up package deal so it seems
And ditching teenage fantasy means ditching all your dreams
All your friends and peers and family solemnly tell you you will
Have to grow up be an adult yeah be bored and unfulfilled
Oh when no ones yet explained to me exactly what's so great
About slaving 50 years away on something that you hate
Look I'm meekly shuffling down the path of mediocrity
Well if that's your road then take it but it's not the road for me

And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down

And if all you ever do with your life
Is photosynthesize
Then you deserve every hour of these sleepless nights
That you waste wondering when you're gonna die

Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for the evening to begin
Now I'll play and you sing
The perfect way for the evening to begin

And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all yeah I won't grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
And I won't sit down
And I won't shut up
And most of all I will not grow up

I don't know if you really care if you see me again...

As much as I dislike the direction The King Blues are currently heading in, I do however think that "Under The Fog" is perhaps one of the finest albums to come out of the UK ska punk scene in the last decade and this song (although not the original album version) is one of my favourite songs. Enjoy.



peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

Everybody Scream Your Heart Out...

Although It's not my usual cup of tea this song just reminds me of better days

A brief update... because I feel I should

I really have been pretty crap at updating this in the last few months. Well, I say crap but I still manage to post about once a month but I guess as the Internet is being updated about my life weekly you could in matter of fact call that crap. Anyway, I guess I am writing this out of my excitement about going to the Reading Festival next week! WOOO! (that's me being excited) I will be going to see some very awesome bands including my teen-idols Blink 182 (FUCK YEAH!), My favourite band of the moment, Mumford and Sons and others that don't get a fancy title such as Frank Turner, Alkaline Trio, Streetlight Manifesto, The Libertines, The Maccabees and others. So in all a pretty epic weekend. And whilst I'm there my daring plan of attaching "Tom RDD" CD's to frisbees and throwing them on stage will be in affect.

So yeah, that's a vague update. Not really a riveting read I know but I've really got nothing at the moment. So until next time.

peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

Love will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free...

I have neglected writing on here as of late. It's true I have been vaguely busy what with working full time, recording my album (which can be listened to over @ www.myspace.com/tomrdd) seeing friends and generally not really doing... well anything. So I feel it's time to write something deep and meaningful. So what to write about...

On a rather random drive around mid-Sussex with a friend I re-discovered an awesome song from back in the "good ol' days of the 90's". The song is called Affirmation by Savage Garden (I know not my normal cup of tea but I was young once!). What I really love about the song is the lyrics especially the line

"I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned"

Now, I hear you saying to yourself "oh god, a blog about love and breaking up, wahh!" well I could dive into the past to bring up something I've managed to some what get over or I could go on about how positive the future could possibly be. Believe it or not I used to be an optimist, it's true! I used to be labeled a "Happy-Go-Lucky-Ska-Kid" (whatever that is) and see the good in life but somewhere between the ages of 16 and 21 I lost that. But at my weakest I've had the opportunity to be my strongest and I think I've managed that.

I think it's only natural to hang on to the past but we can't keep carrying all our baggage with us if we want to survive. People will come into your life and unfortunately some of them are going to hurt you and some are going to break your heart. We can either sit there in self pity or we can drag ourselves out of that and get back on track with our lives. It's hard, God is it hard to put that kind of pain behind you, I mean after 4 years of being in a relationship it's been indescribably hard to suddenly be thrown back into the world of being single and not having someone there for you when you most need them. But I truly believe everything happens for a reason. In all of this I have had great friends who have let me cry on their shoulder, who have watched me unleash anger and frustration on walls and other inanimate objects and now it's time for me to repay them for all they've done for me by being happy and living my life the way it should be.

peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

and I sing...

Just wow

No other pain, like losing a soul mate...

Some great lyrics from the very awesome Xavier Rudd, who I hopefully will be going to see in Brighton town tomorow!

Enjoy!

"Love Comes And Goes" from the album "Koonyum Sun"


Love comes and goes
Sometimes decades sometimes months
Raise you up to the sky
Make you feel like every little thing is bright inside you
Crashing back down
Make you so sick that you want to drown
No other pain, like losing a soul mate

The roads we take in life often seem to be very strong
We walk them carelessly like we’re walking on bricks and stone
Only when we look ‘round we will see the road is packed
Oh, there we must move forward, gently as we tread

To carry our guilt sometimes seems the only thing that’s easy
Even when your flesh and bones and all it is you need
While good and evil will say that the truth will set you free
But I guess we have to wait sometimes, wait around and see

Now see the sun rising again
Brand new colors, brand new man again
Picking up the pieces of the brokenness
Sweeping up the pieces, the pieces that we had

Love comes and goes
Sometimes decades sometimes months
Raise you up to the sky
Make you feel like every little thing is bright inside you
Crashing back down
Make you so sick that you want to drown
No other pain, like losing a soul mate

peace.love.respect.unity.

-- Tom RDD

The City Limits...

Dear reader, instead of reading some words wouldn't you rather listen to some music? I thought so, so why don't you head over to http://www.myspace.com/tomrdd and check out some the songs. I would appreciate it.

peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

Oh My God, It's Charlie Darwin

A few months back my friend Alex sent me a looooooooong list of bands to check out. It was a list predominantly filled with folk bands ranging from Bob Dyaln and Pete Doherty's solo work to Scandinavian folk duo, First Aid Kit. Since then that list has literally been my bible. I have discovered so many different bands that I never knew existed until this year and the world of folk music has been blown wide open to me. One of the bands that were on the list are a band called The Low Anthem. I checked them out and quickly found the song "To Ohio". The song is mesmerising, haunting and beautiful. But today, many months on, I managed to get my hand on the album "Oh My God, It's Charlie Darwin" for the very reasonable price of £5 from a local independent record shop. I burnt it to my laptop as soon as I home and pressed the play button as soon as it was done. I am on track 7 of 12 and I have been mesmerised since the opening note on track one. I was a few tracks in when I was compelled to write about how good the music I was hearing actually is. It's nothing short of phenomenal. It really makes me think about how mediocre musicians and artists like Lady Gaga and Dizzy Rascal (no offence if you like them, this is just my opinion) can make so much money from simply singing nonsense, generic songs and a band like The Low Anthem, filled with passion and soul, are barely known. Having said that I'm glad they aren't mainstream as many bands seem to often change their style once they have been thrust into the public eye (I hope to dear god that Mumford & Sons don't follow this trend). But in a world obsessed with style over substance it really is something special to find a band that really embody everything I love about music. Below is a video of the band performing "To Ohio". Enjoy.



peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

I hear them all...

As the winter winds litter London with lonely hearts...

"You'll be happy and wholesome again"



by far my favourite song in the history of ever

peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

Who will take my place when I'm gone?

what a song!

Better Days

I'm on a bit of a writing spree at the moment. As good as it to be kept busy by being creative it's also a bloody pain as now I have more songs to fit onto my up and coming album (which I only have a day to record!). It would be much easier if I had written songs I don't think are any good but the trouble is all the songs I write I have an emotional connection to as they are my way of dealing with things good and bad. So with more lyrics than I know what to do with here is a new song I wrote today. The working title is "Better Days" but It's probably going to change. Enjoy my words.

Tom RDD - Better Days

Sometimes I wake up and I’m feeling blue
And some days I wake up, missing you
I look back on this year and wonder what went wrong
One moment I had you and the next moment you were gone

Our decisions have been made and they cannot be changed
So look forward to tomorrow and know it can’t be rearranged
Live for today not tomorrow that’s what they say
And there’s no point living in yesterday

Sometimes I wake up and I feel pretty down
But I look at it a different way to turn it right around
Embrace what tomorrow brings, you cannot change the past
And there’s been a few times where I wish I could, and I’d change it fast

They say life is an adventure, so sit back enjoy the ride
But sometimes you want to get off because you feel like you can’t survive
And it’s times like these where you really need that friend
To help you find your smile, to make you happy again

And believe me my friend; I know how low it goes
But I wouldn’t be here if I had taken that road
So remember in all this, you are not alone
And if you need to talk, I’m at the other end of the phone

Sometimes I wake up and I have got a smile
And it doesn’t matter if this happiness only lasts a while
Because I’ve never been happier than when I'm singing my songs
They are like my diary, so feel free to sing along

They say life is an adventure, so sit back enjoy the ride
But sometimes you want to get off because you feel like you can’t survive
And it’s times like these when I’m glad I have that friend
To help me find my smile, to make me whole again

And believe me my friend; I know how low it goes
But I had a dear friend that kept me from that road
So remember in all this, you are not alone
And if you need to talk, I’m at the other end of the phone

peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

The One

Today I wrote some of the best lyrics I've ever written (at least I think so anyway) whilst at work. I'm not going to lie, it's not the happiest song in the world but it is about as genuine as I can make it. The song is about "the one" and how sometimes you feel like you've already met them and then lost them, It's about losing love and the doubt you are plunged in to when that happens. It's part of a series of songs I have written about losing love and trying your best to get over it. So here it is. Enjoy my words.

Tom RDD - The One


You left me when I needed your light
I fell to my knees and wept through the night
You left and I’ve been broken since that day
You left even when I begged you to stay

I never finished my letter to you
But now those words are too good to be used
Wasted on someone who didn’t care enough
And to say those words now, breaks me

It’s true I thought you were the one
And I say this even though I’m still young
You’ve left me broken ever since that day
You left even when I begged you to stay

You did not think
You sent me to the brink
I was ready to give you my life
I remember when you said you’d one day be my wife

I gave you my heart and I gave you my soul
You were the one who made me feel whole
But now the world means less to me without you here
I’m no longer whole now you’re not near

I won’t be second best
I waited too long
And maybe I was right
But what if I was wrong?

It’s true I thought you were the one
And I say this even though I’m still young
You’ve left me broken ever since that day
You left even when I begged you to stay

And maybe one day I’ll remember how
To live my life without this cloud
That still remains even now
You broke me down, I hope you are proud

I won’t be second best
I waited too long
And maybe I was right
But what if I was wrong?


peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

Hold on to what you believed in the light...

I adore this song and I love the lyrics. So enjoy.


I
I can't promise you that I won't let you down
And I
I can't promise you that I will be the only one around
When your hope falls down
But we're young
Open flowers in the windy fields of this war-torn world
And love
This city breathes the plague of loving things more than their creators

I ran away
I could not take the burden of both me and you
It was too fast
Casting love on me as if it were a spell I could not break
When it was a promise I could not make

But what if I was wrong?

But hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight

And now this land
Means less and less to me without you breathing through its trees
At every turn
The water runs away from me and the halo disappears
And the hole when you're not near

So what if I was wrong?

But hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight

So hold on to what you believed in the light



(music starts about 15 seconds into the song)

peace.love.respect.unity.
-- Tom RDD

Been Listening

Johnny Flynn - Been Listening live from yesterday!

Foy Vance video

The Foy Vance song I was on about... I filmed this from the front. Beautiful song. Enjoy.

Hoppin' down in Kent

As I sit here sipping a much needed cup of tea and in even more need of a shower, I am reflecting over the last 24 hours of musical bliss. Yesterday (Saturday 3rd of July 2010) I had to pleasure of seeing some of finest names in the music world at the Hop Farm Festival, which probably has/ had the best line up of all the summer festivals, well in my opinion (and Marcus Mumford's too!) anyway!

The weekend started with my journey to Paddock Wood in which I encountered the living embodiment of the "Gap Yar" parody on youtube. Seriously these girls were as pretentious as fuck and were the kind of people who go off and do charity work (Uganda apparently) just so they can shove it down your throat. And if that wasn't enough the camp site seemed to be filled with these types of people who all seemed very up themselves (especially when it came to opinions about Dylan, apparently if you don't like him you "just don't understand"). But then again I'm sure I look pretty pretentious walking around with my socks pulled up and playing my guitar which has "This Machine Kills Fascists" scrawled across it. But I digress...

Foy Vance: The music started on the Saturday in the best possible way. A guy I had never heard of called Foy Vance took to the stage. He automatically started to address the crowed and started joking about drawing people to the stage by playing a Dylan song. After all the banter at the start he started to play the opening song of the festival. It was amazing. Not only was it a good song but it was beautiful. He used loops to create some incredible sounds and then started to play his guitar like a violin. It was a really incredible sight/ sound. The rest of his set was comprised of other incredible songs and when he left the stage after 30 minutes it really only felt like he'd been on for about 10 minutes. He is definitely a name I will be looking out for in the future:

Stand out song: The opening song that I don't know the name of...

The Magic Numbers: I have never really been a huge follower of their music if I'm honest. I heard the song "forever lost" a few years back but had never really heard them since then. Regardless of that though they played some great music and got the crowed going. Although I had never really been a fan they put on a great live show.

Stand out song: Forever Lost

Johnny Flynn: Now here is a man and band that I have been waiting to see for a LONG time! Needless to say the anticipation has raised the expectation bar pretty high but they smashed it, easily. When they came out the humble lead singer Johnny, seemed truly overwhelmed by how many people had come and how many people in the crowd were cheering for him. The set was superb and showcased the true talent of the band, especially Johnny's multi-instrumentally talent which saw him playing the guitar, mandolin, banjo, violin and trumpet. There was only one problem however, the set was FAR too short! I was left wanting more especially as notable songs such as "The wrote and the writ" and "The Water" were not part of the set list. However, still an incredible show.

Stand out song: Eyeless in Holloway

Laura Marling: Anyone who knows me well will know I love Laura Marling with a passion. Her voice is strangely addictive and her whistling is top notch (her words not mine). Again, she was incredibly humble and seemed genuinely flattered that so many people had turned up to see her play. She played a lot of material from her new album and it was a great set. The only problem for me was that the scorching heat almost made me pass out so I couldn't fully enjoy the set. But even so, the talented Miss. Marling put on a brilliant show

Stand out song: Blackberry Stone

Now at this point I had to go for a sit down as I was really starting to feel the heat. And then I got to witness something many people have spoken of but I had never experience. The very fucked, Pete Dogherty took to the stage looking like he had been dragged through a hedge. I really didn't know what to expect but what I was given made me chuckle. His music wasn't bad to be fair. He played some solo stuff and mixed it together with Libertines covers. He also tried to get the crowd to sing along to "hoppin' down in Kent" but no one seemed to be that up for it. All in all though, a good listen even if was only on the big screens around the arena.

Stand out song: Don't Look Back Into The Sun

Seasick Steve: I had heard many good things about Seasick Steve but none of them even gave the guy credit to just how entertaining he is. His set was incredible. His energy considering he is a pretty old dude was phenomenal. He would move around the stage and come up to the crowd and enjoy himself. He was also incredibly humble. After every song he took a bow and kept saying that it was a real honour to play in front of us. He used several biz are instruments of his own inventions as well as guitars with only 3 or so strings on them. His stage presence was phenomenal and he put on a brilliant show that left everyone wanting more!

Stand out song: Burning Up

Mumford & Sons: If you've ever read my blog before you will have probably come across posts that confess my undying love for this band but seeing them live was an experience I will never forget. The band came on stage and immediately began playing "Sigh No More". The atmosphere had changed from the loud, boucning energy of Seasick Steve to an almost silent mass of people listening to one of the most beautiful songs I have seen performed live. As the set progressed it's easy to see just why Mumford & Sons are THE big thing at the moment. The four of them seem like genuinely nice people and like many of the others are so humble. They seemed shocked at just how many people they were playing to and they even said themselves they just didn't understand why people love them so much but in this disbelief they seem to genuinely have about their popularity they fully enjoy the energy the crowd give them. They did not stop smiling and you really got the sense they were enjoying every second of being on stage. And then the warning I had received from a friend happened. The song "Winter Winds" started to play and the emotional was overwhelming and I couldn't help but cry as a shill was sent down my spine and I got goosebumps all over. And I was not the only one. Just looking around the mass of people I knew I was not the only one who felt like that. I have never felt so emotional when listening to live music before and it was one of the most intense feelings. I loved EVERY second of it.

Stand out song: Winter Winds

After the emotional rollercoster that was Mumford & Sons Ray Davies took to the stage but I really didn't see/ listen to him so therefore cannot pass judgement.

Now onto the headline act. The living legend, Bob Dylan. I'm not going to lie Dylan was one of the main reasons I got a ticket to the festival. To experience a live show is something I had wanted to do for a while and I really expected good things. But sadly, I was hugely disappointed. Dylan come onto the stage with his backing band and you could barely hear a word he was singing. If I'm honest I had no idea what I expect but I guess I just expected more than I got. He only played one song I recognised and the others were just incoherent and I really think you had to be a HUGE Dyaln fan to work out what it was. Because I was so disappointed I decided to leave early and preserve whatever opinion I had of Dylan being the legend he once was. I was truly gutted songs like "the times they are a changin'", "dust in the wind", "tombstone blues", "all along the watch tower" and "knockin' on heavens door" were left out (to my knowledge at least). I really felt like I my view of Bob Dylan has been crushed a bit. Don't get me wrong I know his age is probably a big factor in his stage presense (or lack there of) and he has 50 years of music to showcase but I was just disappointed with what I saw. Definitely the low point of the evening for me.

Stand out song: Don't think twice, It'll Be All Right


Good bits: Mumford & Songs (I freaking love them), the music, the incredible atmosphere

Bad bits: The disappointment of Bob Dylan, the lack of sleep, the heat, the pretentious "gap ya" students, the loud Irish people in the tent next to us

Performance of the day: It's pretty hard to decide. It is really between Mumford, Seasick Steve and Foy Vance . But I think it was to go to Mumford & Sons just because they were everything I hoped for and more.

It Means Everything

I am not one to blow my own trumpet, unless it is actually the trumpet I own which is in a case... somewhere... so yeah, I wrote this lyrics and I'm pretty happy with them. So I thought I would share them with you. I keep meaning to post my lyrics up here but I always feel it's just self serving and slightly arrogant but what can I say?

The song is called "It Means Everything". It's about losing loved ones very close to you. I wrote it about two of the most influential people in my life, both my Grandfathers, and every time I sing it I can't help but start to cry. However, please ignore to rather emotional blogger and just enjoy my words.


Do you ever look up at the sky?
And ask yourself why
The more things change, the more they stay the same
Are these rules we live by?

Do you lay awake at night
Asking your god if a wish is too big to deny
And you don’t know what it means
But it means everything

Do you feel you’ve lost everything
And you’ve no one or nothing to believe in
You feel alone, can’t find home
Because it’s gone

Maybe home is an imaginary place
That people seek
It’s not where the heart it and it’s not where you started
But it means everything

When the wind blows, do you hear it call?
Our time is drawing near
But it mean’s everything
It means everything

We morn the cost of the lost
The dearly departed
But they’ve reach a higher place
And to me that means everything

This song was written for you
The ones I loved and lost
If you could see just how much I’ve grown
That would mean everything


peace.love.respect.unity
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

This is my all time low...

What do you hear? Nothing but the rain...

I don't say it nearly enough but I love my best friend, Taz. After a joking conversation with him on the phone and joking conversation with a friend over who loved their best friend more, it really made me realise how much I miss him. I know it's normally hard for guys to say, and almost always looked upon as "gay" or whatever but I really do love that man. It took me 19 years to find a friend I trust with my life, a friend who I can sit in silence with without it being awkward, a friend that I can always count on and a friend who I can share incredibly emotional moments with one minute and joke and laugh the next. The song below is a song that always reminds me of him and how much I care about him.

Taz -"what do you hear Lightyear?"
Me - "nothing but the rain"
Taz - "get your gun and bring in the cat"




peace.love.respect.unity
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

My heart stumbles on things I don't know...

The lights will inspire you...

One day...

What do you hear? Nothing but the rain...

I love those moments of clarity. I had one just now and it's down to these two songs. Hopefully they can give you, if you choose to listen to them, some kind of peace if only for a moment...







Peace.Love.Respect.Unity
So Say We All

-- Tom RDD

Destination unknown...

One of the better known songs from possible one of the greatest album's of all time...

Love it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you it will set you free

I just booked my ticket to the Hop Farm Festival. Excited doesn't even cover it! I will be seeing so many musicians I admire and respect including; Bob Dylan, Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling and Johnny Flynn! I cannot wait. It will be incredible.

peace.love.respect.unity
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

I'm going to hold on...

A playlist for a chilled out kind of day:

Slightly Stoopid - Collie Man
Xavier Rudd - Come Let Go
Westbound Train - Please Forgive Me
Long Beach Dub Allstars - Roll Up
Tim Armstrong - Wake Up
Bedouin Soundclash - St. Andrews
Matisyahu - King Without A Crown
Pepper - Bring Me Along
Slightly Stoopid - No Cocaine
Westbound Train - Good Enough
Bedouin Soundclash - Until We Burn
The Slackers - In Walked Capo
Westbound Train - The Test
Slightly Stoopid - Officer
Tim Armstrong - Hold On
Matisyahu - Close My Eyes
Slightly Stoopid - Wiseman
Bedouin Soundclash - Walls Fall Down

You're like an old friend come to see me again...

I have always been a nostalgic kind of person and over the last few days I have re-discovered something that my teen self would be shocked I had forgotten, that's right Myspace (remember that?). I have probably logged more hours on myspace than I have facebook and that's quite scary now I think of it. I can't remember exactly why I went back to myspace but I did. I completely changed my profile and all the information on there as well as going through all my old pictures and the "blogs" I used to write. I came across one I had written just after leaving Canterbury and it was all about how I think people are defined. This is an extract:

"I'm one of those people who believe doing something defines who you are and who you are to become. Everyone makes mistakes, some are unforgivable and others will be forgotten in time. But the things we do and what we believe truly define who we are. I wouldn't be who I am if I hadn't done what I've done, the rules I've broken, the boundaries I've crashed through and the friends I have gained and lost along the way"

And this got me thinking about, as usual, about the past, but not because I wanted to change anything. My past has defined me and brought me to this moment. All the happiness and all the pain has gotten me here. So what is "here"? Here is a young man who loves to create music, who puts his heart and soul into it and uses song writing as a diary. Here is man who loves his friends more than he express in words. Here is a man with a dream. I may have been broken along the way, the path may have changed but the destination is the same.



Excuse the ramblings of a nostalgic hippy, but to finish; looking back into my past, I wouldn't change a thing.

peace.love.respect.untiy
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

adults just learn to play the most ridiculous, repulsive games

I love The Shins

the water/ travel light

Two of my favourite musicians in the world. Enjoy.




peace.love.respect.unity.
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

I take back every word that I said...

You can't take my heart it's in the city behind

As you may have gathered by reading other posts on here that I'm a pretty emotional person. I hold on to things and I don't let go, not easily anyway. But in a time of my life where everything is confusing and where every emotion I seem to feel is contradicted a few moments later, I seem to have finally made sense of something. Below is something I wrote into the notepad on my phone (as I don't have roaming wi-fi) as I left the city of Canterbury this morning...

I write this as I leave the city I once, if only for a brief time, called my home. I started the University of Kent, Canterbury in September 2007 and dropped out in March 2008 and since then Canterbury has always been a place that has made me feel so much emotion. After leaving I was plagued by "should have, would have, could have" and what if? scenarios. In my first year at Worcester I thought about it a lot and I always felt like I didn't really belong there because my experience at Canterbury was very special to me as it was the first time I was really independent and the first time I had friends who were so close they were almost family.

Last summer I visited my friends and was overcome with emotion so much in fact I broke down outside the halls where I used to live. When I first stepped into the city I regretted my decision to leave even though it was the right decision because of the course I was doing. Just being there made me doubt myself and the decision I made and seeing old friends that I fell out with because I left made things a lot harder.

This time was different. At times it felt like I had never left other times it felt like I had been gone for a lifetime. It was great to see old friends again, sit on Tyler hill one last time and watch the view of Canterbury city as it changed over the period of the day. A part of me will always love Canterbury but after two years away I finally don't see it as a home anymore. You might think that two years is a long time to come to this conclusion but when I left I left a lot behind. I left my friends some of whom I have lost, I left my passion behind where it had been destroyed by the course I hated and in a way I left a small part of my soul there too. It's hard to put it into words, as human emotion and feeling often are and I cannot expect anyone to ever understand just how I felt/feel about the whole experience. I thank the people who made my time there so great and I will always be friends with the ones I still hold dear. But it's time to let go of the life I used to live and the regret I feel as I can't keep carrying it with me.

Come Let Go

I am in love with this song!

The Words He Spoke

I don't know who wrote or spoke them but I got these quotes from a guy I follow off twitter:



"Life is about falling; living is about getting back up"
"It's at your weakest point you are given the opportunity to prove your strongest."

Got to love a bit of optimism when you're feeling pretty down.

peace.love.respect.unity
so say well all

-- Tom RDD

I Gave You All...

...and here is one of the many reasons why Mumford & Sons are one of my favourite bands...




peace.love.respect.unity
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

Johnny Flynn: Been Listening

After all the excitement and anticipation I didn't get to see Johnny Flynn in Brighton today after all. Due to high demand it turned into a ticketed event and it was sold out by the time I managed to get down there. I wish I had known sooner as I've now listened to Johnny's new album "Been Listening" and it is possibly one of the best albums I have heard in a long time. I would definitely put it up there with Mumford & Sons' "Sigh No More" and Laura Marling's "I Speak Because I Can" for best CD of the year (so far anyway). The opening track is the first single released from the album (Kentucky Pill) and although a good song I wouldn't say it gives the listener an inkling as to how good the next 10 tracks are going to be. Tracks such as The Water, Sweet William Pt.2, Howl and the title track, Been Listening are nothing short of musical bliss. This is definitely an album for anyone who appreciates folk music and Johnny Flynn's latest album shows British "nu-folk" (or whatever NME wants to label it as) at its best!



peace.love.respect.unity
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

A moment of silence please...

Today I went to see a friend I haven't seen in perhaps 2 years. He is and always has been one my closest friends. I first met him 10 years ago when starting secondary school. Since then we've been the best of friends, but like all friendships it changed when I went to University. As much as I regret not seeing much of him since starting Uni it was great to see him today and have a catch up. So that was all good.

However, being in his home town brought back so many memories. It was the town I spent much of my teen years messing around in, I spent my college years there and it is those college years that have put a downer on my mood. I walked past the building where I poured my heart and soul into acting and felt nothing but sorrow. I walked through the field where I spent time with friends and grew closer to the girl who ultimately become my girlfriend for the next 4 years. I guess it is these memories that bring this self pity in my mind. It all feels like a life time ago. The happiness, the innocence, times I will never get back, moments I can only relive in my mind. I've never been much good at living in the present and walking through a town where so much of my life has played out was tough especially in my current situation. It all stems from what is currently going on in my personal life and I really do feel like I'm being torn apart by everything I feel.

The below is a quote I love and although it is part of a fictional story it can be put into so many different contexts.

"Sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something" -- Sam, Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers

peace.love.respect.unity
so say we all

-- Tom RDD

This Addiction

Why do I put music videos up? Well it's because on the one hand I love music with a passion and on the other hand it is the fact that the words I say have all been said before by someone. Most of our feelings have been put into music so why not let a music video explain how you are feeling when the words just aren't there for you to speak or type in this case. Call it un-original, less passionate but I find an escape in music and sometimes some artists have managed to put words to something I cannot. So that's why I do it, if any of you were wondering.

"living with the uncertainty, that I'll never find the words to say, which would completely explain just how I'm breaking down" -- City and Colour

peace.love.respect.unity

-- Tom RDD

Star Wars and... adidas???

Just saw this on a friends profile on Facebook and had to put it up. Made me laugh as I am a huge Star Wars geek!

Do you feel like you've lost everything you can loose?

Some times there are things that you just can't explain. Some times you hear the first note of a song and that song seems to capture everything you are thinking and feeling. In my first year at Worcester University I went through a big identity crisis, and to some extent I still am going through the same thing, but there seemed to be one band whose music would sooth my soul (as cliche as that sounds it's 100% true). I don't really know how else to explain it. It seems whenever I go through a hard time in life I find something that puts me at peace and it's always something I can't fully explain or seem to put words to. This year it was Loco, last year it was Angels & Airwaves.








Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Tom RDD - The City Limits...

Have pretty much booked my day in the studio to record my "solo album" titled "The City Limits..." On July 28th I should be stepping into the studio to record an album of short songs with my good friend Amy C providing her assistance in the word speaking department. I really cannot wait. It's taken a year to get of the ground but it's finally happening. I am very excited. If anyone would like a copy it will be free of charge to all those who ask for it.

On another note, Jimmy Eat World's album "Futures" is really good! I reccomend it!

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

"Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for" -- Bob Marley

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Your words are ash and dust...

Will be going to see Johnny Flynn play at an instore show next week in Brighton. Really can't wait. Below is the video from his first single from the new album "Been Listening". Give it a listen.




Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Another Tragic Case...

I am really listening to a lot of pop punk at the moment especially New Found Glory. So here you are. Enjoy this video.



Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Today's pop-punk playlist...

It's been a while since I've put a playlist up and I know how much you all want to know what music is blasting out of my speakers that have survived since the 90's! So here you go...

New Found Glory - My Friends Over You
Bowling For Soup - Punk Rock 101
The Offspring - Pretty Fly For A White Guy
Blink 182 - The Party Song
The Copyrights - 57 North
Yellowcard - Breathing
Whitmore - October Ends
New Found Glory - Truth Of My Youth
Home Grown - Why Won't You Leave Me?
Chixdiggit! - Geocities Kitty
Blink 182 - Anthem pt. 2
Bowling For Soup - 1985
Midtown - Just Rock & Roll
Hawk Nelson - California
Saves The Day - Shoulder To The Wheel
Sugarcult - Stuck In America
The Starting Line - The Best Of Me
Good Charlotte - Anthem (surprisingly a pretty good song)
Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
Allister - You Lied
Home Grown - Give It Up
New Found Glory - Dressed To Kill


Hope you're having a good day planet earth.

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Here's To Us

When it comes to telling people things, especially when those things are filled with emotion, I don't always say the right things or the words don't do justice to how I feel. In these times I write songs and guess what? I've just finished writing a song about my time with Loco (a song that will be featured on my solo album, which is being recorded later in the summer). I don't know how to express my gratitude towards the people who have put so much time and effort to create something so wonderful. The people of Loco will never know how much they've done for me over the last few weeks, when I've been feeling my lowest they have picked me up and saved me from a dark place. For this I am eternally grateful to them all. I felt a shiver run down my spine as we sung the last line from the show for the final time and as we exited the stage I was overcome by emotion. It has been a long, tiring and very green journey but from the bottom of my heart, It has been a honor to work with you all and I thank you.

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Loco 09/10

It was truly an honour to work along side such great talent. Loco you have truly shown me the meaning of family. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

Zombie Prom

Over the last few weeks I have been rehearsing like mad for the musical "Zombie Prom" in which I play the lead role of Jonny. Being apart of Loco Show co has given me a huge boost in confidence and even though it's my first show with them I've been welcome with open arms. It's been a really great experience and I've met some brilliant people. The show opened last night and it went pretty well and with two shows left to do I am determined to go out with a bang. Below is one the songs I get to sing in the show and it's probably my favourite. Enjoy.




-- Tom RDD

Just maybe you need this...

If I just lay here...

Those notes you wrote me, I've kept them all...

"Do you care if I don't know what to say
Will you sleep tonight will you think of me
Will I shake this off, pretend it's all okay
That there's someone out there who feels just like me
There is"

Don't Look Back In Anger

It's been a very strange second year at Worcester University. In all honesty, and without sounding too melodramatic it is not a year I will look back on fondly. A lot of good things have happened this year don't get me wrong. The antics at 85 have been incredible. Watching Battlestar with Taz over and over again, singing the theme tune differently each time, playing Nazi Zombies for hours on end trying to beat our previous score and many other great memories that don't involve a screen but involve close friends coming together and having fun.

I have made some really good new friends since Christmas, people I never imagined I would be as close to as I am. I have grown stronger and closer with others and sadly a fair few friends have drifted away. I have become more self confident thanks to my time at Loco and I have met some great people there that I will not forget as they made me feel like I belonged, something I haven't really felt since starting University.

However the good parts of this year have been overshadowed by the last few months. Without meaning to sound too depressing and using this as a "diary", which gets people pissed off apparently, I have been through some pretty tough times. I know my problems are fail in comparison to others but these are my burdens to bear and at times it has been a real challenge. I have been dealing with depression since Christmas and I have been fighting for the survival of my relationship with the girl I love. It has been a very tough, emotional few weeks, weeks I would sooner forget.

I still have a week left of University but people have started to leave. This time last year I was shedding a tear when those close to me left. This year I feel so detached from some people the only tear I think I will shed is one of self pity as I leave my room. A room that holds so many memories, good and bad but it will always be a room where my life changed forever.

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity
So Say We All

-- Tom RDD

My Eyes Have Seen Better Days

What Do You Know About Liberation Radio?

Today marked the first of many busking sessions. Me and my good friend Amy C went into Worcester town today for about 4 hours and sang our hearts out. We earned a few quid but it's not the money that made me feel alive. Something about playing music and people stopping to listen makes me feel incredible. People smiled at us, nodded there heads to the beat, a young child was mesmerised and we even got a shout out by our new friend who we named Smithy. Smithy came and sat with us as we played giving us praise, clapping and encouraging others to do the same. He was surprised when we told him all the songs we were playing were original and he was very surprised when I told him I'd only been playing the guitar for about 5 months. I am not a big headed person, far from it, but Smithy really put a smile on my face with the praise he gave us. It was a relatively short trip but playing music almost non stop for 4 hours in the hot sun is pretty exhausting, not to mention the adrenaline rush I received when we first started to play disappeared when we took a break.

It was an experience I really enjoyed and it really makes me think about the future. I may not be a rich, famous rock star any time soon but I can strive towards that goal and if today is anything to go by I'll enjoy the ride.

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity
So Say We All

-- Tom RDD

There's Beauty In The Breakdown

F/T/H/C

It's been eighteen months since I kissed you once,
So just saying "hi" just isn't going to fly,
But if you give me a clue and a minute or two,
Then I might remember your name.
And I hate to insist that I was really that pissed,
But to tell the truth, in my flush of youth,
I would drown my sight until faces and nights seemed the same.
And a nervous shrug and an awkward hug
Won't get me out of the hole that I've dug,
So I slip the noose with a poor excuse
And talk to someone, anyone else.
And I sit with my friends and I try to pretend
That I never did that sort of thing again,
But I'm lying to myself.

And suddenly it's as clear as clear could be:
I'm not quite the perfect man that I hoped I'd be.
And though I always tried to live an honest life,
To tell my truth I've told my share of lies.

I remember you, of course I do,
But I don't recall how many times we've been through
This little game, that always ends the same,
With you sad and me far away.
And every time I repeat the line
That the fault's not mine and I wasn't unkind.
But the worst part is that I've got nothing else to say.

And all the pretty little pictures of faith and firm devotion
That I painted as a child,
Well they have fallen by the wayside, along with all my puppy-fat,
But my days have taught me this:
That every day I spend pretending that I always choose the right path
Is a day that I choose the wrong.

Oh yes my wisdom teeth have been giving me grief –
They woke me up to find that I'm exactly the kind of
Guy I said that I'd rather be dead than be
In the days before I got laid.

-- Frank Turner, Wisdom Teeth

If You Want To Feel Alive, Learn To Love Your Ground

I really do love Mumford & Sons. I really do see them as possibly the best band around today. Yes, almost everyone seems to be saying the same thing but if anything that testifies to just how good they really are. Never has such sorrowful music made me feel so happy and made every hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Their music is beautiful and holds a certain honesty to it that only folk music seems to possess. I really can't wait to see them live this summer. A friend of mine told me that people at their shows just start to cry. I can imagine a tear or two rolling down my cheek when I see them as the music and lyrics are so beautiful and so captivating, filled with emotion and truth. THAT to me is music.




Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

I Wish You Were Here...

I'm sorry, I didn't hear you over how generic you are

... and no the title is not a dig at LTJ. It is just a rather amusing comeback I thought up yesterday. Anyway, enjoy this song off Less Than Jake's "Hello Rockview" album.



Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

It's your shoes...

Potentially the last video of the day unless I find another song that I really feel the need to share with you, oh reader of my blog. Enjoy this one from "back in the day".



Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

The Meanest Of Times

TUUUUUUNE!

Ska'd 4 Life

No matter how much I've changed over the last few years and how much I may change over the course of my life I will always be a rude boy at heart.

S/K/A: Feeding The Addiction





Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Anarchy For The UK

It's certainly been a while since I wrote anything vaguely political but with the resignation of Gordon Brown and the start of a Conservative - Lib Dem government it's hard not to address the situation. Firstly, I don't think Gordon Brown is anywhere near as bad as people make him out to be. The downfall in the economy was not his fault. A single man cannot be blamed for a world wide problem. Personally, I think he has been used as a scapegoat for a lot of things and the Conservatives pounced on this during the political debates. I am not a huge Gordon Brown fan but I would vote for him any day if it meant the other man was David Cameron. The name conservative in itself implies closed mindedness and a lack of desire for change beyond tradition which, if we look at the last 100 years, is what the conservatives have stood for. I personally could not vote for a man who lets another man who is openly homophobic in his party (if that person has since been fired, good!), a man who plays on the nations irrelevant fear of immigration by proposing a "cap" when 80% of the immigrants come from within the EU meaning we cannot stop them and a man who is the front for an elitist party that looks after the rich and whenever they get into power the class divide gets bigger and bigger. Now onto Nick Clegg. Clegg impressed me during the debates, he made politicians look human and seemed genuine about his policies and his quest for change. Part of me wanted to believe after President Obama was elected that this country would rise up and vote for change in Nick Clegg but that wasn't the case. Instead "Clegg Feaver" died down and people turned to the conservatives. If one good thing to come out of the Conservatives gaining power it is that it is with a Lib Dem coalition. People have criticised Clegg (and I can see why) for joining forces (I mean Conservative and Liberal, in the same sentence? weird huh?)but at least with Clegg there the country has a shot at reform. Clegg can push and fight for those who want change and I hope that this is the case. Oh and another good thing about the election the BNP got NO seats and lost almost 500,000 votes! So at least that's a strong win for the country but not a big enough one to get rid of the fail that is David Cameron as PM. So yes, short political outburst there.

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

to the east...

A song that speaks to me on so many different levels and also reminds me of a better time.




Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

do wah doo

I really cannot stop listening to this song. I usually can't stand Kate Nash, especially the way she sings. But I find the melody in this song (especially towards the end) catchy as hell and it makes me want to listen again and again.



Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

Hold On To What You Believe

It get's better than you know

Sometimes all it takes is a cup of tea, a chat with a good friend and a walk home in the rain to remind you of who you are underneath all the emptiness you feel. Thank you. You have reminded me of a person I used to be but forgot about.

Inside My Head I Can Be Anything

Such a beautiful song. It was used in my recent performance at The University Of Worcester and although I have listened to it so many times it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Myspace

That's right. I've done the unthinkable and gone back to Myspace. Remember that? The thing before facebook and the thing that was just that much better than bebo (whatever that was). So why did I go back and spend a good 30 minutes editing my profile so it relates to the person I am now? I guess it just reminds me of a time in my life where things were different. The last time I went on myspace and actually edited the thing was back in 2008 when I was still at Kent Uni. I read through all the stuff I had written about myself and wondered if that was actually who I am now. Well a lot has changed and a lot has stayed the same. I would like to think I have grown up in the two years since I last looked at it. The most obvious change I can think of is my music taste. It has swayed ever so slightly to include rock n' roll, folk, jazz, indie and other things. I have always been and still am to an extent very closed minded when it comes to music. I was very adamant (and still am) that mainstream music was/ is killing the independent scene, for instance I used to hate indie because it was the "in thing" and I saw it as having something to do with the demise of the Brighton ska scene. But in all honesty if kids need to follow a trend to feel they belong that's their curse.

When I look at what I've written about myself it's slightly harder to judge how I've changed. Deep down I know I am still the same caring person who is passionate about the people I love and the art I create. But I no longer think I am as optimistic as I used to be. Growing older has made me more cynical, more questioning about peoples motives and less trusting. I look at the friends who have come and gone over the last few years of my life and think they have a lot to do with this. The people I have known have help shape me. The good friends have reminded me that people are inherently good and will come to your aid in a time of need, be with you through the good and the bad and I will forever love them for that. Others however have shown me that humans are also incredibly selfish creatures. Of course I should see the good in people, there have been more good friends than bad but it's the hurt that sticks with me. The pain they've caused stays with me and will do for months/ years to come. In ways it has been a good thing. It has meant I have written some music I am incredibly proud of but at the same time it has hurt me beyond explanation and for some reason I still can't let go. Call it petty but I will always remember how people have hurt me and I don't forgive easily and I don't forget.

I look back on who I used to be and who I am now. I have changed. Somethings have changed for the better and some things have changed for the worst. I would like to think I have learnt from my mistakes, that the good and the bad have shaped me into the person I see in the mirror every day. Change is the natural progression of life and it's who is by your side when you change and how they help shape that change that really matters.

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity.

-- Tom RDD

Hot 'N' Cold

Just because this band are VERY awesome!

AVA Lyrics

"Watch our words spread hope like fire" - Secret Crowds

"Would you ever have known? Those words were for you" - Distraction

"I do this from time to time
Where I can never wake from a bad dream
I do this from time to time
When I can never say the things I mean
I do this from time to time
Where I like to watch you as you sleep
I do this from time to time
Where I like to think of you with me" - Sirens

Do you feel like you've lost everything you can loose...

I can't begin to explain how this band (Angels & Airwaves) and this song helped me through some rough times last year. This band literally changed my life, and as corny and cliche as it sounds it's 100% true. I'm hoping they can do the same now.

I sing your praises everytime the curtain calls...

You're Not Alone

pop punk to the rescue

It's amazing how one band can make music that seems like it was made just for you, just for how you are feeling at a low point. Home Grown have certainly made an album that just talks to me at the moment. It says everything I want to say but can't. I could listen to the album, "King Of Pop", back to back and in every song there would be lyrics that I can relate to. The glory of pop punk is it is filled with teen angst, stories of rejection, stories of love lost and stories of love gained. I don't think any other genre really encapsulates that feeling of being a teenager that no one really understands. Thank you Home Grown for writing possibly one of my favourite albums ever and filling it with stories I can relate to in a time of need and reminding me that I am not alone.

The story of a broken man

I don't think I've ever felt like this before. So down, so defeated and so broken. It's a strange feeling when the light that guided you through a tough time, even more so when that tough time was merely weeks ago, goes out and you are left stranded in the dark. I cannot begin to explain how lost I feel, so unsure and so insecure. And to make matters worse the only thing that previously offered me escape is now simply a channel for all the negativity I feel. I'm struggling to find the words to describe just how I feel. The only word that comes close is numb.

"Good morning heartache, you're like an old friend come to see me again"

I found this at it made me chuckle

Tom RDD's Summer Playlist

I do it every year, I make a playlist of songs that I intend to listen to (rather a lot) during summer and by the end of it more and more songs get piled on. The idea being that when I listen to that song after summer I will always remember what memory it brings. For example one of the songs I listened to most last summer was Frank Turner's "The Road". It reminds me of going camping and having an amazing time. So here is my playlist so far:

The Maccabees - Good Old Bill
Vampire Weekend - Ottoman
The Kooks - She Moves In Her Own Way
The Maccabees - About Your Dress
The Vaudeville - Heavy Sighs
The Wombats - Kill The Director
Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
The Libertines - Don't Look Back Into The Sun
Toots & The Maytals - Just Tell Me
The Stingers - Give Me Power
Toots & The Maytals - Pressure Drop
Lightyear - A Pack Of Dogs
Second Time Lucky - Outta My Head
Dance Hall Crashers - Lady Luck
[Spunge] - Kicking Pigeons
The Meow Meows - Ravioli Lips
Big D and The Kids Table - Shining On
Mustard Plug - Who Benefits?
Dance Hall Crashers - Go
[Spunge] - Backstabber
Mad Caddies - Drinking For 11
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Rascal King
Big D and The Kids Table - Steady Riot
Streetlight Manifesto - Hell
Mad Caddies - Don't Go
Mustard Plug - Everything Girl
Noah & The Whale - 5 Years Time
Pickin' On Series - New Slang
Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More




Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Give me power

"Talent, Integrity and self-loathing. The three things every artist needs" -- Laura Marling

I Speak Because I Can

I got this album through the door today. It came right before I was about to venture off on a 5 hour journey from my home town of Burgess Hill (just outside Brighton) to Worcester. I spent the first leg of my journey frantically trying to put the CD onto my laptop and onto my ipod without my laptop battery dying (it has a tendency to do that). I was then lost in a different world for 10 superb tracks. The album is incredible. Musically it is outstanding, lyrically it is incredible. Stand out tracks include the title track, I Speak Because I Can, Devil's Spoke, Blackberry Stone, Hope In The Air, What He Wrote in fact there is not a weak track on the album. It is an incredible journey from start to finish. I was left wanting only more. When I finally finished my own journey back to Worcester I managed to watch the accompanying DVD which gives an insight into Laura's "friends" which include Mumford & Sons, Johnny Flynn, Pete Roe, Sons Of Noel & Adrian and many others. The DVD features live videos from the Royal Festival Hall show and shows the friendship and respect amongst the UK "folk scene". A great DVD and an incredible album.

Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Perfect summer music

Here's 4 tracks to get you in that spring/ summer mood. Get your dancing shoes on and enjoy!














Peace.Love.Respect.Unity

-- Tom RDD

Kiss Me, Diss Me

A great song from Home Grown's album "Kings Of Pop". Enjoy.

Don't be afraid to make this mistake...

My favourite pop punk album ever made.



True story.

Peace. Love. Respect. Unity

-- Tom RDD

Sometimes I Just Want To Disappear

I find music is one of the best ways to escape. Sometimes when I feel down I find it so easy to loose myself within acoustic/ folk music, I'm not sure why. The most obvious reasons are the calming lyrics, the incredible melodies and the feeling that you're not alone and that someone else out there has felt the same as you and has put those feelings into song to help you to deal with it. Here are three songs that have helped me escape lately. Enjoy.









Peace. Love. Respect. Unity.

-- Tom RDD