| Tom Smith | |
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Tom Smith performing live with Editors in 2008 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Michael Henry Smith |
| Born | 29 April 1981 Stroud, Gloucestershire, England |
| Genres | Indie rock, post-punk revival, alternative rock |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano, vocals |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels | Kitchenware |
| Associated acts | Editors, Tired Pony, Raized by Wolves, Smith & Burrows |
| Notable instruments | |
| Gibson ES-335 Fender Telecaster Custom |
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Thomas Michael Henry Smith (born 29 April 1981) is an English musician. He is lead singer, lyricist, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist for the Birmingham-based indie rock band Editors.
Smith's vocal style has been compared to that of post-punk singers such as Ian Curtis of Joy Division, Paul Banks of Interpol, Robert Smith of The Cure and Michael Stipe of R.E.M.. Smith's vocal range is baritone, but he utilises falsetto to reach higher notes. His use of falsetto has been noted on their most recent album, In This Light and on This Evening. His main guitar is a Gibson ES-335,[1] and he also plays a Fender Telecaster Custom.
When Smith lost his voice during the 2006 SXSW concert, the band had to cancel the last song of their first gig.[2]
In July 2008, he contributed a cover of "Bonny" (by Prefab Sprout) for the UK edition of the Independents Day charity album. He contributed vocals to the song "The Good Book" by Tired Pony on the 2010 album The Place We Ran From.
In 2011, Smith contributed vocals for the song 'Joshua' by Northern Irish electronic band The Japanese Popstars. In October of this year, Tom announced the collaboration album with Andy Burrows, from I Am Arrows, We Are Scientists and Razorlight. Their album Funny Looking Angels was released on 28 November 2011.
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Smith is from Stroud, Gloucestershire and attended Woodchester Endowed Primary School, where he learnt to play the guitar under the guidance of Headteacher Mr Holland. He later attended Archway School, where his mother and his father, John Smith and Sylvia Smith now work as Physics and Chemistry teachers.
As a teenager Smith listened to Britpop band albums and songs that included Oasis' Definitely Maybe and Blur's Parklife albums. "Suddenly, all I wanted to do was to be in a band," Smith has said. "I learned to play the guitar by playing those records." [1]
He later studied music technology at Staffordshire University where he met fellow Editors band members. He lives in London with his partner, BBC Radio 1 DJ Edith Bowman.[3] The couple have a son, Rudy Brae Bowman Smith, who was born on 10 June 2008.[4]
In 2006 Smith stated that Murmur by R.E.M. was his favourite album of all time. Editors drummer, Edward Lay concurred in an interview in Winter 2005, saying, "Tom’s favourite album is R.E.M.’s Murmur, so they were his favourite band whilst growing up and I think they’ve always maintained a certain cool vibe about everything they’ve released. They haven’t sold out at all, so they’re big influences not just in songwriting, but the way they’ve protected themselves as musicians and as a band."[5]
Smith's Converse All-Stars basketball shoes, worn at 2007's V Festival, went on sale on internet site eBay in a charity auction to raise money for MAG (Mines Advisory Group). They raised £52.[6] Smith is known to be a supporter of Forest Green Rovers Football Club. In April 2011 Smith ran the London Marathon along with band mate Russell Leetch. They raised over 10,000 pounds for Oxfam.
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