Tom Maroon is an indie singer-songwriter and producer based in Albany, NY. As a solo artist, he has been performing professionally throughout the east coast and midwest since 2010. His high-energy music combines rock, punk, and musical theater influences into a uniquely cinematic and lyric-focused style. He has produced and self-released two solo albums, with a third ('Lowflyers') to be released on Mint 400 Records on February 17th, 2023. We caught up with him to talk about the new album:
1. How did the band form and what does the band name mean?
I perform as a solo act under my real name, and play all the instruments (or as many as I can) when I record. I've tried out a few different band names, but they never feel quite right for the music. I'd rather just be myself.
2. Previous musical projects? How'd you first get into music?
I took piano lessons when I was really young and played drums in a couple punk bands in high school. But I was always more in love with guitar and began using it as my main songwriting tool in 2010. By 2015, I had joined a Boston rock band called Man Trouble as the lead guitarist.
3. First concert that you ever went to?
My first local concert was a series of Pittsburgh singer-songwriters performing at a Joni Mitchell tribute show. But the first national act I saw was Fountains of Wayne. It was the summer that "Stacey's Mom" came out - they were on top of the world!
4. What's your writing process like?
I start by free-writing lyrics that circle around a strong emotion I'm feeling. In a writing session, I tend to write way too many lyrics for just one song, so there's a significant editing process. But I rarely overthink the actual music writing. Most of my vocal melodies are the very first melody that pops into my head when I read the lyrics out loud. Then, I fill in a guitar chord progression that compliments that melody.
5. What other artists or songs inspire your music?
I was raised on alt rock, punk, and wordy singer-songwriters; The Replacements and The Mountain Goats come to mind as foundational influences. The progressive song structures of bands like Titus Andronicus ("No Future Part Three") have had a huge impact on my new album, specifically. But I also have a soft spot for the theatrics and drama of 80s-present Tom Waits, as well as orchestral film scores.
6. What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be it's own thing?
I love performing - it's important to me to keep my live show engaging, entertaining, and high-energy throughout. There's a lot of banter with the audience, and plenty of anecdotes designed to get some laughs. I don't think artists are obligated to make their live music identical to their recordings. There are so many ways to make every performance into its own unique experience! As a listener, I really like hearing live reinterpretations and rearrangements of songs I enjoy.
7. Has the band tour? What has the touring experience been, best shows? worst shows?
I haven't toured as a solo artist, but I've toured as the guitarist of electronic rock band This Bliss and loved the experience. It combines two of my favorite things in life: performing and traveling. Some of our favorite shows have been at Stosh's in New Jersey. We always have a great time there. As for worst shows... I'm usually pretty worn out by the final show of any tour.
8. What's up next for the band?
I'm planning to play more shows than ever in 2023, hopefully including a few east coast tours to promote my new album. I'm really excited to have signed with Mint 400 this past year, and have already started the writing process for the follow-up album. More on that later!
Linktree - https://linktr.ee/tommaroon
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_tom_maroon/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Tommaroonmusic/