Tom McShane has no intention of giving up the day-job.
Forget the meek demeanour and low, polite speaking voice, the 26 year-old songwriter has been round the block often enough now (he played guitar for Ninebar and has, to date, released two fine solo EPs) to have a committed, gritty and informed take on the way things work.
And as we sit here, mulling over a brew, thoughts of sky-scraping, round-the-world, rock’n’roll escapades aren't really part of the programme. Tom, you see, has much smaller fish to fry.
“I don’t see myself ever making a living out of music to be honest,” he admits. “And I’m not sure that that’s a bad thing. If you’re dependent on your music to earn a living, then it’s bound to have an impact on the way you write. If you’re relying on something to pay your rent, then you’ll inevitably make certain compromises. I’d prefer not to have to do that. I’d rather rely on something I didn’t give a shit about for the rent. I like the idea of my music providing me with an escape. An escape from cut-throat modern life and grown-up pressures. I’d like it to remain pure from those concerns.”
We should not underestimate the level of protectiveness that McShane feels towards his art. So wary is he of exposing it to hostile conditions, that his main concern is not whether his work will see the light of day – but if it should.
“I’m working so hard at the moment and putting so much of my heart into my music that I almost don’t want to waste it on an album that’ll end up as number 132 on someone’s iPod, and that they’ll maybe only listen to twice in their lives.” Which, I think we’ll all agree, is a brilliantly none-more-black take on things. Not to be the bearer of good news, but surely there’s potential for the new technology to liberate musicians as well?
“Well, I’m very backward that way,” he smiles. “I’ve no idea how to download anything. I’m old fashioned, I like to buy an album, listen to all the songs, buy the back catalogue and develop a relationship. That doesn’t seem to be the way things are done these days.”
However, before we start contacting Social Services to inform them of the shameful neglect with which Mr McShane treats his ambition, please note that his particular strain of fatalism is of the most endearing kind. Even a cursory listen to his excellent new EP Departures, reveals that Tom’s muse is, despite the down-cast build-up, in rude and vibrant health. Progressing effortlessly from last year’s Scene at The Citadel, the five tracks on view have a breadth and colour that confirm Tom as one of Belfast’s most promising talents.
Also, despite his fear of being banished to the far ends of the MP3 boneyard, his work has already started to attract attentive admirers. When electro poppers Oppenheimer – one of this year’s great Northern hopes – release their debut album later in the summer on Bar None Records, their cover of Tom’s unabashed weepie, ‘Don’t Call Me’ will assume centre stage.
“It’s a brilliant version,” he enthuses, “and totally different from mine. Everyone goes on about how upbeat they are, but I’ve always thought there was a real poignancy and yearning in their music. Shaun (Robinson) has such a sweet voice and it was a very strange experience when I heard him sing it for the first time.”
It was an experience that, Tom claims, made him revisit the song in a strange way.
“It might sound weird this, but I don’t think I ever actually paid attention to the lyrics until I heard Shaun sing them. I’m very happy that the song has a genuine emotional force.”
Does a cover version of one of your songs grant you a sense of validation?
“It does,” he replies. “My music has never been the kind of music that people get behind and enthuse about. Some bands can conjure up a real sense of occasion; I’m just not that kind of musician. So, to have a band who are like that and who make music that is very different from mine, to have them come along and say they were inspired by one of my songs, I don’t think validation is too strong a word for it. You do question why you are doing this. It was shocking to find out that someone else had been moved by one of my songs. It’s been a great encouragement.”
And maybe that’s all this particular fella needs.
www.tommcshane.co.uk