5 Minutes With... Tom Vernon // Guitarist

Juggling life as a guitarist in rap rock band Nylon Sky and delivering pizzas to gated properties in high end Surrey, Tom Vernon takes centre stage - a concept still not natural to him - in the form of his acoustic solo project. Five minutes was all that was needed to capture the passion he has for music.

What started it all for you musically?

When I was younger I was heavily influenced by my brother. I remember everyday I would use to watch him play Metallica songs in his room. The music was so angry and like nothing I had heard before. It made me feel and gave me an impulse to learn how to play guitar. From those days I never looked back. Everyday was guitar. I would wake up still half asleep and play. I’d play when watching TV. Literally at any opportunity. As time grew I discovered there was so much to music and I felt that it was the only thing I could ever be good at. I will never put the guitar down. It’s embedded in me.

And then your acoustic stuff?

As I say I discovered there was so much to music. I found a massive love for song writing and experimenting with my voice. I found that it was a perfect way to let my emotions out because I’d never really been that great at expressing myself. Writing songs was another outlet for me. It taught me what the basis of a song was and it didn’t have to be a 15 minute metal shredding solo. Music comes in all kinds of forms. It’s beautiful!

Were there any indications of this becoming your main focus when you were younger?

To begin with I was very much into heavier music and focusing on getting as good as I possibly could at the guitar because that was the path I had chosen for myself. I saw myself from quite an early age starting a band called Nylon Sky which has been my main focus for a long time. I realised that at times it was quite limiting and therefore saw myself diving into other types of music and individually writing my own music for other projects both acoustic and electric. I’m currently in the process of writing an acoustic EP. So it’s taken me a long time to get round to it.

What is your favourite track you’ve worked on?

When it comes to favourite track I find it hard to pigeon hole something. I’d say the best experience I’ve had with recording is the 1^st EP my band Nylon Sky did because I had never been in the studio before. I felt like a rockstar. This is something that all of my idols did. So for me it was the first taste of what it would be like. Even though it wasn’t the best music I’ve ever written I hold it close to my heart.

Who or what influences you most when your working?

As a musician I get inspired a lot. Not just from bands and guitarists I look up to but also everyday life. Friends, family, conversations and just about anything else really. I could be on the bus and have a burst of random inspiration for a melody that’s in my head. I will be frantically trying to get the voice recorder app up to make sure I don’t forget it. I could be at home embracing how bored and lonely I am in that moment. I could be highly intoxicated after a gig and jam something not knowing what the fuck I am doing. It’s very organic for me. I feel that I have been in almost any situation where something could inspire me and I think for me that is the best way to write.

What are some of your guilty pleasure tracks?

Good question and one that always needs to be answered. I’m not ashamed. I listen to everything but when it comes to guilty pleasures I would probably say Rihanna. I get teased a lot by all my friends. So to embarrass them I make sure to play “We Found Love” at 11 everywhere I drive.

11? Woah, crazy. Who should be getting more recognition in your eyes?

There are a lot of cool unsigned bands knocking about that I have seen in my time. I feel like the same generic bands are getting so much praise for playing the same old familiar sounds that people want to hear. Nothing is quite out of the box anymore and I find that a real shame. When it comes to music it should be passionate and original but sometimes it doesn’t get the light of day because it’s not safe enough. So if you ever see a band trying to do something a bit different. Pick up card, buy a CD or give them a Facebook like.

  

How has your guitar playing changed?

It’s changed massively because of the music I find myself listening to and the way I have learnt. When I was younger my brother taught me how to play songs I wanted to learn and that later developed into my own style of playing as I was never really taught by the book. I’ve always liked to play my own way. I fell into a pattern of writing my own music and not paying attention on wanting to be able to play like someone else. I have moments where I want to write the heaviest chunkiest riff of all the time to the softest Ben Howard-esque style guitar part. It varies at every moment.

What song should I listen to right now?
John Butler Trio – What You Want. Go. It changed me and opened my eyes into a whole other path of music I never thought I would find myself listening to. That’s the beauty of music though. It catches you out.