Steve Young, JJ Cale, Waylon Jennings, Ike Turner, Fred McDowell, Randy Newman, Gordon Lightfoot, Little Milton, Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham, Johnny & Dorsey Burnette...
The worlds of indie rock iconoclast John Vanderslice and alt-country godfather Alejandro Escovedo rarely intersect, but in Tom Heyman, they most certainly do. The San Francisco singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has toured and recorded with artists of most every stripe, from Vanderslice and Escovedo to his current gigs with celebrated Americana artist Chuck Prophet and the narcotic country band The Court and Spark, to past collaborations with Okkervil River, David Dondero, Paula Frazer and more.
On Deliver Me, Heyman's second solo release following his 2001 record Boarding House Rules, he is joined by an equally eclectic cast of confidants. Wilco's John Stirratt, American Music Club's Mark Eitzel, the Mother Hips' Tim Bluhm, Prophet and Virgil Shaw all contribute.
Heyman's music has always resisted neat categories and Deliver Me is no different, as it effortlessly mixes folk-rock, country, blues, swampy Southern R&B and urban rock 'n' roll with an understated confidence.
Deliver Me begins as it ends, with a tone of redemption and hope, but in between it pulls the listener under. From the narcoleptic paranoia of Monkey Out Of Me, and the bitter longing and nostalgia of Fool for You, to the title track, a parable of pre-21st century celebrity - a song as gritty and achingly sad as the life it portrays - Heyman's characters are people who get what they deserve, in a world where feeling better seems always just out of reach.
Heyman started playing and recording in the late 1980s with the Philadelphia based band Go To Blazes. He wrote songs, played guitar, and the band released 5 full-length records and toured the US and Europe extensively before breaking up in 1997. Heyman did a brief stint with the critically acclaimed Philly band Marah before relocating to San Francisco in 1998. Once in San Francisco, Heyman began working as a sideman on the local scene, while discovering his voice as a solo artist and bandleader. While he often works in a band context, he primarily considers himself a folksinger whose job is to tell stories that draw the listener in to his world.
hey TH have you got that license to print money sorted yet? the new stuff sounds great and i can't wait to hear the rest.....trying to get back your way october time. will you be around? x k
"...He already had two volumes of poetry, Neon Poems and Apocalypse Rose out when in 1971 City Lights published his seminal novel, Last of The Moccasins. This novel grips, gleams and glistens with his hobohemian prose-style; spinning tales of his life in and around Wichita, his road trips to and from the West Coast along the Rt. 66 Benzedrine Highway and beyond, his crazy Hipster years and the boho life of his elder sister Betty..."
I'm sending ya that Cocksucker Blues tomorrow. Guess the first ones fucked up? Anyway, everything ya played sounds great and I'm looking forward to the rest. Good times, good times...
tomas! great to see you yesterday... your taqueria was THE one and the phils java perfection. lookin' forward to the Hotel Utah gig on the 2nd of April. hasta next week. x k
On this TOUR The Guilty Preachers are : Gary Johnston (Thrum, Danny George Wilson), Barry Payne (Viarosa, Wreckless Eric, Alabama3) and Simon Alpin (Willard Grant Conspiracy, Grand Drive, Teenage Fanclub)
US Solo Acoustic Tour
Feb 21 Folk Alliance, Memphis Feb 22 Folk Alliance Memphis Feb 24th Folk Alliance, Memphis Feb 28 Eddie's Attic - Decatur, GA Feb 29 FooBar - Nashville, TN Mar 8 SS Cape May Festival - Cape May, NJ Mar 9 Tin Angel - Philadelphia, PA Mar 26 Ghengis Cohens - Los Angeles, CA
Nine Mile Records release her Chuck Prophet/Simon Alpin produced album Dont Tell Stateside on March 18th. Available in Europe and everywhere else NOW. Press Propaganda:
a superb release, a little different from the norm and having an alternative edge MAVERICK
smart and aware songwriter, both politically and emotionally and the album Dont Tell a record of rare quality BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS
Prophet and Alpin have woken the guilty preacher, smoked his last cigarette and served him up a condemned mans breakfast whilst Kathleen..s songs challenge his congregation HESTERGLOCK
sinner, songwriter and expatriate CHUCK PROPHET
these two men have produced an album of casual brilliance, letting the songs rise in the swirling swell of 21st century uncertainty BEAT-TRACKER
hey tom get your pre christmas self over to my page and check out the final edit of my video of the song PLAY ME!
directed by artist & filmaker Brian Zievert and edited by Rachel Meyrick
it is a feast for the eyes if you're into: tree climbing houston freeways crazy dogs vinyl aerial shots getting dizzy swirling around the colour green the colour red the colour black
Sir, I really like this song, it is my take you are singing from the limo drivers perspective. At one point Mr. Ruffin was on 52nd & Viola at the Parkside Bar, and it alleged he was at a crackhouse next door, where he overdosed. I have ask those who were with Mr Ruffin to speak to me, with or without a reporter, and they all declined. I have ask many questions about their version of where they were and what happened, again they refused to answer. I will continue until I find out the complete truth, your song is inspiration.
Hi Tom :) Thank you very much for adding me :) I enjoyed reading about you in Paul Hawkins interview on the Brink.
Really *love* your voice and songs! Deliver Me is a very soulful song and I love the little pedal steel (??) break in the middle :) I also love the production and vibe you got on Monkey out of Me.. Wow that ones great :) Peace and Love, Debstar
Was spinning Waiting Around For The Crash a lot last month, I guess it just happened that way. Don't stop with them gut string serenades, you're sounding real good.
Hey, Tom.. we're off to Nashville to record with Al Perkins at Gary Tallent's Moondog Studio in Nashville next week... we're only doing half of the record there, though... so if you're interested in contributing to the second half, let us know!
Really loved your solo record, and thanks for playing on our first release. Don't be a stranger?
