Conversation With John Tomaino

Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?

A: I’m from Melbourne Australia and I’ve been writing and recording music from the time I learnt a few chords on the guitar. I loved the idea of bringing people into my own world of songs and writing songs that were commercially accessible, but different to the mainstream music that people are tyically exposed to.

Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?

A: I like going back to old classics and marvelling at thier longevity. But lately I’m listening to unsigned artists like Levi Roth and bigger acts like Wet Leg.

Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?

A: Dire Straits, Beach Boys, Nirvana, Australian bands like INXS and Paul Kelly.

Q: You have just released your new single, ‘A Hole Kind of Love’. Is there a story behind it?

A: Yes it started as a poem with the word Hole instead of Whole, which made me want to produce it as a song about an empty love, rather than celebrating a full love. The song will be released on Spotify etc soon, but at the moment, it has a hand animated video on You Tube that speaks of the heartbreak sentiments in the song.

Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?

A: Yes! I have another album worth of unreleased new material that I’m excited about, spanning Pop, Ballads, and a hard rock song. Look out for it! 

Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

A: My songs show my identity which is lyric driven music that draws on different genres to create something unique, yet accessible to mainstream audiences. I write, play and produce the songs myself so there’s an integrated purity that comes out. I give each song what it needs, sometimes a raw unpolished production, other times a slick offering. 

Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?

A: I think it’s as fulfilling now as it has ever been. I’ve been writing and producing stronger songs, so as I work on my craft, I find I’m getting better not worse. I still get excited at all the key stages, like when I first write the song, when I take home the first recording of it from the studio, and when it’s all mastered and finalised and I can switch off and just enjoy it.

Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?

A: Generally I simply wait for a melody or beat to pop into my head, rather than sit down to deliberately write a song. Once I have that melody I record it on my phone and sit with it, then write lyrics, then gradually build guitar or piano around it, then imagine all the different parts, before I enter the studio. So I have a vision for each song from the very start 

Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

A: The hardest part is working music around life, family and kids, while trying to remain motivated throughout many rejections which is part of the process. Even if I feel like giving up, it’s a fresh new song that takes me back into the studio in excitement. So it’s hard to let it go, even if I wanted to!

Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

A: Recording with a Grammy winning producer, having a song signed to Sir McCartney’s publishing catalogue, and hearing from fans who enjoy my work.

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