THOMAS HEADON
Australian-English alternative artist Thomas Headon has had a jam-packed year, releasing his first single “Grace” in September 2019 followed by two EPs. Striking the perfect balance between lo-fi and upbeat indie, Thomas delivered his latest project ‘The Goodbye EP’ at the end of September. Joined by his Harry Styles cutout, Thomas talked to us about what it’s been like releasing music during the pandemic, the new projects he’s working on, and how he may or may not be considering a career as a jeweler. You can also check out the guest DJ playlist he put together for us below!
INTERVIEW
Interview by Bridgette
November 25, 2020
Today I’m joined by a very special guest: Thomas Headon! How are you?
I’m good, I’m good. How are you, Bridgette?
I’m great! I really appreciate you coming on and chatting with me about all of your new music and everything that’s been going on with you.
Oh no, thank you! Thank you for having me. I’m excited, I’m glad I get to talk to you.
First off, you’ve had an incredible year so congratulations! You dropped the single “Grace” back in September of last year, and then the EP The Greatest Hits in March, and then you just dropped your latest EP The Goodbye at the end of this past September. Congratulations!
Thank you!
What’s it been like for you putting out music during the pandemic?
It’s been fun because I think it’s given me a sense of the feeling that things are still moving because obviously I’m still working so it’s fine and fun. I think the most bothering thing is the first EP was released last September and then it was like cool, headline show in April! And then the headline show in April didn’t go ahead. So then I’m releasing another EP and it was like cool, more headline shows, but now after the second EP! And now they might not go ahead. Like boo. It’s been fun to release music but I just really want to get out and play it, which I think a lot of people feel the same about. It bothers me that I can’t, but other than that I’m vibing! Still doing things. It’s fun!
So I understand you’re quarantining right now. You’re joining us from Australia, correct?
Yes. I’m in Perth at the moment. It’s confusing— so I grew up in Melbourne, but for the past almost two years now I’ve lived in London, so I’ve got a weird hybrid of an accent between Australian and English. (Laughs) But I’m home now for the summer in Australia — because it’s summer down here — for Christmas and stuff. I’m quarantining in Perth which is like eight hours from where I originally live, so I’m not enjoying it but it’s fine. (Laughs) I’m really bored.
Well you have your Harry Styles cutout with you!
Yeah, I have a little Harry so I’m incredibly entertained.
Amazing, so you’re not alone. Don’t say that. (Laughs) So actually, as you mentioned, you’re sort of mixed Australian and English so do you think this background has had any effect on your music?
I would like to think so, but I don’t think that’s the case. I listen to such a wide range of artists— I know there are some people who are really patriotic about their home country’s music and it’s such a culture which I’m so about, as well. It’s sick, you know, if you’re really about the English music scene or the Melbourne music scene. I was just never cool enough to only listen to people from one place really. So no, I’ve always listened to artists and bands from everywhere, all over the planet. But it definitely helped growing up in Melbourne: it’s such an inspiring and creative city. So it definitely helps growing up in that city environment instead of a city that’s just full of bankers and businessmen. So, a little bit, but nothing that I would completely credit.
Got it. Well I guess nowadays the cool thing is that since the world seems a lot closer together because of the internet, you get to hear a lot of different stuff and not just music from your hometown.
Exactly. Yeah, and that’s the thing, as well. So I was a little nerd growing up, I didn’t spend much time outside. (Laughs) So I spent a lot of time online and on YouTube. There are so many artists which I can remember finding when I was like 11 years old and being like this is really cool to them playing ukulele covers on YouTube. And now they’re releasing albums and that’s mad! (Laughs) So yeah, I think it definitely has played a part in the fact that I’ve grown up with the internet and stuff.
Who are some of your influences, in that vein?
Damn, good question. I can’t say to people like “oh, I like this person so that’s influenced my music,” but I think the way they make music does. People like Tyler, the Creator are sick to me, just because does his own thing, which is dope. As well as that, bands like The 1975 do the same thing. Their most recent albums have just been full of different genres which is so cool. My influences change really often; more recently, people like Clairo— so cool. Remi Wolf, she’s sick. A friend of mine, Alfie Templeman. I’ve got a lot of friends who are insanely talented, as well. A friend of mine from the states, Slush Puppy, as well. I feel like it’s a bit lame but people inspire me everyday and I’m like “Ah, I want to do that!” So then I do it and I’m like “Sick! Now I feel cool!” But yeah, I like people who do their own things rather than just “Oh, I really like indie rock music so I’m listening to indie rock artists.” That’s what I’m into.
I love how you’re saying the process is more important to you, rather than just the sound. Like the creativity in the city of Melbourne is inspiring to you, versus just the music that’s coming out of it. I like that a lot, I think that’s really interesting.
Yeah, definitely.
So The Goodbye was awesome! I love how you incorporated some new sounds and styles. What was the process of making it like?
It was slightly different to what I’ve usually done. My whole first EP I made in my bedroom. I downloaded free loops off of the internet and made them through that, which was fun but it was definitely different because then when I got to London, when I was like 18, I was doing a whole bunch of sessions with other people. I met this guy called Josh Grant, who is originally from the States actually, and we did a bunch of music together. I think the first song we did together was “Loving You” which was the first single off The Goodbye EP. I really like that one, it’s sick. We just kind of ended up making the whole record together, and the thing I really like about it is it was such a step in a different direction. I didn’t feel pressured to go “oh, well the first EP worked so I need to make the same kind of music.” I was like “no, I’m going wild” (laughs) and made something with all of these sounds that were quite different. But the process was just sessions with Josh, and I’m not usually a session guy. But sessions with him were sick; he’s one of my best friends now as well as the guy who did the record, which is great. So yeah it was just constantly working back and forth like that. And then the pandemic hit and we had to work remotely, but that was still fine because I prefer writing by myself a lot and Josh understands that. So it was good to have his production side of everything, but I still had full control writing-wise. But yeah songs just kept kind of flowing out. We did like 10 or 11 songs for the whole EP and only six tracks made it. It was fun! It was good fun, it was different.
Awesome! Are we going to see those other four or five songs at any point?
There is a— oh, I’m so not allowed to say this but I don’t care, I’m going to say it. We’re doing vinyls and there’s one unreleased one that’s going at the end of the vinyl. Yeah (laughs) not supposed to say that, but the other ones no probably not because they’re all terrible.
I love that you brought up “Loving You” because that one has seen a lot of success, and it’s also a personal favorite of mine off of the EP.
Thank you.
What was the inspiration a little bit more specifically behind this song?
It was— (laughs) I have no hard feelings. It was just this chick that I was so madly obsessed with. That sounds really creepy. I wasn’t obsessed with her, I just really liked her. And we spoke, but she never really gave me the same energy back. And then there was one point where she was like “What are we?” and I was like “I don’t know, I like you” and she was like “Oh.” And I was like “What did you expect?!” Sorry, kind of went on a tangent. (Laughs) Yeah, that was the basis of the song. And then I went into the session with Josh and he had a loop and the guitar in the background and stuff. And he had the idea of “loving yooou” but his was super slow. And I was like “no, let’s speed it up” so we sped it up. It was cool because I remember the verses and the bridge just flowed out. Sometimes you get in sessions and songs take like a whole day— it can take like five or six hours to write the song. And then you track it— do the vocals for it. But for this one, he had the first chorus idea and I was like “yep, cool” and he fleshed it out a bit, and we got to the verse and it completely came out within like half an hour. So it was great. Yeah, no hard feelings to the girl. I got a good song out of it. (Laughs)
So worth it!
(Laughs) It’s always worth it.
I love that the sound is so ethereal and beautiful, and then the story behind it is a little bit messier— because life is always messier.
Sure, yeah. That’s the thing, as well. That is such a pop song. Lyrically and melodically it’s such a pop song. But I think that’s what I loved about working with Josh, because then he chopped up a drum sample and put these weird ass guitars and synths in it and just made it sound so different, which I love. So yeah, I’m really happy with that song. I’m glad you like it!
Do you have a favorite track off of the EP besides that one?
“Cut And Bleach My Hair” is probably just one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written. It’s so beautiful; (laughs) I think the drums in it are sick and I think the chorus is sick. Oh wow, full blown ego. I really like “Cut And Bleach My Hair”, yeah. I really like the way it sounds but I also write it in a time when I couldn’t write anything. I think it was actually just after the pandemic hit and then nothing was happening, so I couldn’t write any songs. And then all of a sudden, I felt like— obviously because I couldn’t really do much, I couldn’t go outside. Everyone’s lives had drastically changed, and I felt a sudden loss in connection to my fans. All of the interactions we were doing were just mediocre online because everyone was in this slump. And so I wrote “Cut And Bleach My Hair” about losing relevance basically. So that’s where the idea of cutting and bleaching my hair came from: doing something crazy in order to maintain relevance. I’m not usually a metaphorical songwriter, I write songs like “ooh, Grace” (laughs) more out in the open. Whereas, that song I really like because it’s much more in depth for me.
Yeah, totally. And I’m sure a lot of people can probably relate to that subject matter; at the beginning of the pandemic a lot of people were having identity crises. Well kind of having to do with the pandemic, I saw your video on how to make the perfect English breakfast and I thought it was awesome. (Laughs) Have you picked up any other hobbies besides cooking and obviously music during quarantine?
Yeah, good question! No, but actually yesterday my lovely friends at Spotify sent me these lovely little gifts from this playlist I’m on called Lorem. And it’s just full of beads and you can make your own necklace thing. And I was like “Okay cool, I’m not sure if I’ll do it, but sick, cool, thank you.” But yesterday, because I’m obviously very bored in this quarantine, I made this sick little bracelet and it was so much fun! Now I know why in Kindergarten kids would do this for hours. This is so much fun. So I think today when this interview is over I might just make another bracelet or necklace or something. So now I’m a jeweler, that’s the answer. I don’t really have any other hobbies besides now being a jeweler. (Laugh)
I love it, you’re a jeweler!
Maybe I'll make a ring or something.
Do it! Push your creative limits and see what you can do! (Laughs)
(Laughs) I’ll make you one.
I would love that! (Laughs) Well, thank you so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me! And again, congratulations on everything you’ve been up to; it’s been a lot of fun to see and hear all of the music that’s come out. So you’ve put out these two EPs, what’s next for you?
I was actually just thinking about this today. I’m working on a third EP at the moment. I’m not 100% sure what it is yet or what it’s going to be, but I definitely think a third EP is in the works! But other than that, right now I’m really just about writing music and making music with a whole bunch of different people. You know, a couple of collaborations would be sick. So yeah, that’s my current plan!
That’s so exciting— I can’t wait to hear that! And thank you, Thomas, again for coming in. It was great to have you!
Thank you, Bridgette! Thank you so much!
This interview originally aired on WNYU Radio with Bridgette Kontner on November 25, 2020 on The New Afternoon Show at https://wnyu.org/archives/2020-11-25-the-new-afternoon-show/