Thomas Timothy Vernon-Kell (born 10 May 1981) is an English self-taught multi-instrumentalist musician who works under the name of Tom Vek.
Tom Vek | |
|---|---|
 Tom Vek (2011) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Timothy Vernon-Kell |
| Born | 10 May 1981 Hounslow, London, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Moshi Moshi (current) Tummy Touch, Startime International, Island Records (former) |
| Website | tomvek |
Career
editBorn in Hounslow, London, England, he signed to the small label Tummy Touch Records in 2001, having spent the previous eight years writing and recording in his parents' garage.
Vek's debut album We Have Sound was recorded whilst he completed a graphic design degree. The album was finished in mid-2004 but was not released until 2005 when Island Records licensed it through Go! Beat Records. The record was subsequently licensed through Universal Records to Startime International for a North American release.
Vek made a guest appearance on the television programme, The OC, where he performed a gig at 'The Bait Shop' venue; the third-season episode 'The Road Warrior' featured his track "I Ain't Saying My Goodbyes". He also contributed to the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack, with "One Horse Race" which was the B-side to his single, "Nothing but Green Lights".
Vek released his second album, Leisure Seizure, in 2011 after a six-year absence from the music industry. The first single from the album, "A Chore", had its Radio 1 debut on Zane Lowe's show on 18 April that year.[1] In 2012, his song "Aroused" from the album was featured on the soundtrack of Forza Horizon. Also in 2011, he was guest vocalist on the album track, and single, "Warning Call", on DJ Shadow's The Less You Know, the Better.
On 11 April 2014, Vek announced his third album, Luck, along with the release of the album's first single, 'Sherman (Animals in the Jungle)'.[2] Luck was finally released in June 2014 to mixed reviews. NME said about the album "There are flashes of brilliance but the singer's third album misfires too often"[3] while the Guardian was more favourable, describing it as "deliciously unpredictable"[4]
On 12 November 2020, Vek announced his fourth album, New Symbols, and Sleevenote, a music player device he designed.[5]
On 8 August 2022, Vek released a Newer Symbols, a "full re-work" of New Symbols. Each track of Newer Symbols shares its name with a track from New Symbols, with the word "new" added. Vek also made an NFT available for each track.[6]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Year | Title | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK[7] | ||
| 2005 | We Have Sound
|
73
|
| 2011 | Leisure Seizure
|
79
|
| 2014 | Luck
|
-
|
| 2015 | We Have Sound (10th Anniversary Edition)[8]
|
-
|
| 2020 | New Symbols
|
-
|
| 2022 | Newer Symbols
|
-
|
EPs
edit| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2005 | Live from London
|
Singles
edit| Year | Title | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK[7] | |||
| 2004 | "If I Had Changed My Mind"
|
—
|
|
"If I Had Changed My Mind Remix"/"Your Love Is Gum"
|
—
|
—
| |
| "If You Want" | 90
|
We Have Sound
| |
| 2005 | "I Ain't Saying My Goodbyes" | 45
| |
"C-C (You Set The Fire in Me)"
|
60
| ||
| "Nothing But Green Lights" | 59
| ||
| 2011 | "A Chore"
|
—
|
|
"Someone Loves You"
|
—
| ||
| 2012 | "You'll Stay"
|
—
|
—
|
| 2014 | "Sherman (Animals in the Jungle)"
|
—
|
References
edit- ^ "Tom Vek Returns! New Album, Single, Radio 1 Play Next Week | News | DIY". Thisisfakediy.co.uk. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ Renshaw, David (11 April 2014). "Tom Vek previews third album with new song Sherman (Animals in the Jungle)". NME.com. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
- ^ Daly, Rhian (9 June 2014). "Tom Vek – 'Luck'". NME.com. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
- ^ Dennis, Jon (5 June 2014). "Tom Vek: Luck review". The Guardian. theguardian.com. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
- ^ Trendell, Andrew (12 November 2020). "Tom Vek tells us about his surprise album 'New Symbols' and game-changing new music playing device". NME.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ "Tom Vek incorporates music NFTs into 'Newer Symbols' album launch". dmy.co. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 584. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "Tom Vek's putting on a 10th anniversary show". Never Enough Notes. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
External links
edit- Official website
- Tom Vek discography at MusicBrainz
- Tom Vek at Last.fm
- Interview with Tom Vek after a concert in Moscow in 2014 (in Russian)