A Thrilling Tale Worth Hearing: Tom’s Story To Release Their Self-Titled Debut On January
Instrumental rock trio Tom’s Story is set to release their self-titled, 10-track debut album on January 30, 2016 at Route 196, Katipunan Ext., Quezon City. One of the most exciting acts in the local independent music scene today, Tom’s Story works to push the boundaries of math and post-rock, upping the playing field with such dynamic vigor they are well-known for, one that they own and control very well.
With the release date drawing closer, Gabba Santiago (guitars) and Christer De Guia (drums) let us in on the process of making their first album.
You had a very much defined sound now that was different from before. During the process of writing songs for the album, did you have a concrete sound or a sonic theme in mind?
C: We didn’t really have a theme in mind while writing the record. Every song has its own mood but we made sure that every track is as dynamic as our previous songs.
G: We did actually, but we made it a point not to box ourselves with a certain theme. Even though we had a theme in mind, we didn’t hinder the songs to evolve and take a life of its own.
Tell us about the songwriting process. Is there a conscious effort to make it sound similar or different to your live performances? How was it playing for this album?
C: We wanted to make sure that our ‘live’ dynamics are translated well into the studio. We aimed to make everything sound clean and coherent without losing our ambient and energetic sound. It even came to a point where we almost had to redo a track [Mugatu] because we felt it had a different feel from our live performance.
G: We really wanted to be as close as possible to our ‘live’ sound.
What was the most challenging part of making the album?
G: The actual recording itself. This is our first album so we are very new to how things work in the studio. It is very different from playing a live show. That is why I think it took us a long time to finish the whole album. There was definitely a learning curve.
C: Financing it! Hahaha. We were all students when we were recording the album so I opted to get a job immediately after graduating. I also sold some of my guitar accessories for extra recording cash. Writing new songs in a short amount of time is quite a challenge as well, because we usually take our sweet time when writing songs.
You guys are known for your great dynamics and presence on stage. How did that translate on your recording process?
C: I was so nervous for the first few drum recording sessions because it really felt different at first. I don’t really use the metronome in our live shows but in studio sessions, it was a must. I learned to relax and let loose for a little bit during our latter recording sessions, making sure that the energy that we exert during our live performances translated well in our recordings.
What do you think is the band’s (or even as individual musicians) greatest improvement in making your debut album?
C: I learned how to be more dynamic and creative with my drum fills. I didn’t really start out as a drummer when I got into music. I also learned how to keep my pace and not rush most of my songs even though it’s tempting to do so because of the energy that my bandmates and the audience bring every live show. It was really fun making the album and making it with two of my best buds since grade school makes everything worthwhile. I think we leveled up our friendship haha.
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