Tom was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. Although not from a musical family, his mother bought him his first guitar in the 4th grade. Over the years, a passion for song writing evolved as he surrounded himself with more accomplished musicians, picking their brains and studying their techniques. Some of Tom’s early influences were Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Stephen Stills and Neil Young. Over the years Tom developed a deep admiration for the song writing styles of Sting, Duncan Sheik and Jeff Buckley.
Most of Tom’s songs come from personal and shared experiences with others. For the sake of this CD, the title Emotional Parasite is a metaphor. It is the ability to transfer someone else’s pain and grief, or joy and happiness, onto yourself. Feeling through others, like a parasite. Tom’s motivation in life comes from his wife, Gayla. They both still reside in Spokane with their two cats, Agi and Nusa. You can catch Tom playing his music in Spokane and eastern Washington in coffee shops and other smaller venues, indoor/outdoor festivals, private parties and the occasional street curb, where he is usually playing to raise money for local food banks. |