Tom Rowley is \u2013 he tells us on \u2018Vegas in the Snow\u2019 \u2013 the wolf man, a Xena warrior princess, the Loch Ness monster, and the Holy Ghost.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Sheffield musician has been playing with Arctic Monkeys since 2013\u2019s \u2018AM\u2019<\/a>. Before that, he was guitarist for Sheffield\u2019s indie darlings Milburn, who played second fiddle to Arctic Monkeys on a number of bills.\u00a0<\/p>\n But now Tom\u2019s striking out on his own, with his debut solo album \u2018Moses and the Drones\u2019<\/a>. It\u2019s slick and built to be played after midnight, with much of the suave lounge bar energy of A\u2019M\u2019s and \u2018The Car\u2019s lyrics.\u00a0<\/p>\n Released a matter of days ago, the album\u2019s name was borne from a semi-fictional band that slinks through the storyline. Next for Rowley is a support slot with Inhaler and a festival-packed summer. He hopes for a new album release soon, too. It seems he likes to keep moving.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n How did you first get involved with the Arctic Monkeys?\u00a0<\/p>\n We grew up together. I was in a band called Milburn<\/a>, and there was Arctic Monkeys, and there was Reverend and The Makers. We were all just mates. And then when they did \u2018AM\u2019<\/a>, they needed a keyboard player, so they asked me to play. And I did.\u00a0<\/p>\n What were you finding inspiring at the time you were creating \u2018Moses and the Drones\u2019? You were on tour with Arctic Monkeys?\u00a0<\/p>\n Yeah. A lot of the songs I wrote on tour and in various studios, so I suppose it depended on where we were on what influenced the song. It\u2019s quite a unique way to do it, I suppose.\u00a0<\/p>\n What was the process around making it?\u00a0<\/p>\n I wrote it on the road around various countries. I feel like all the songs are quite different. But we recorded it in LA and New York and Sheffield, with Loren Humphrey as the producer.\u00a0<\/p>\n What about making \u2018Something Strange\u2019? Did it feel quite natural to be making a song that was then produced by Alex Turner?<\/p>\n We actually recorded a version of \u2018Something Strange\u2019 and then he wanted to get involved after. He just wanted to stick his nose in, which he did! And then we ended up using that version.\u00a0<\/p>\n What\u2019s the track you\u2019re most looking forward to people hearing?\u00a0<\/p>\n I like \u2018The Night\u2019 which is Track 10. It\u2019s got a bit of everything in: quite a bit of piano on there, but it also gets a bit heavier. It showcases it all.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a musician and as a writer, are you quite prolific?\u00a0<\/p>\n I am constantly writing songs. I think it was just the timing of this one. It got to the end of the last Arctic Monkeys run and I had a bunch of songs, and it just felt right. \u2018Why not record them now?\u2019 But it\u2019s been a while since then, so I\u2019ve been writing since then too.\u00a0<\/p>\n How has your style or sound changed since then? Since you were writing most of this album while you were on tour for \u2018The Car\u2019.<\/p>\n I feel like it\u2019s constantly changing. But that naturally happens. I think wherever you are or whatever you are listening to affects the way you write. At the minute I\u2019m not on tour \u2013 I\u2019m between Sheffield and London \u2013 so it affects the way you write.\u00a0<\/p>\n Where did the title \u2018Moses and The Drones\u2019 come from?\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s just a bit of a pisstake to be honest, but it stuck. If you were in a silly band, what would it be called? Moses and the Drones.\u00a0<\/p>\n It ended up in a song but it was never intended to be the name of the album.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n \u2018Moses And The Drones\u2019 is out now. Stay in touch with Tom Rowley on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n Words: Kate Jeffrie<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n