Dundee has its share of high-profile songwriters and performers, but some have managed to make a decent living from music while choosing to stay a little bit under the radar.
That’s been the case for Newport-based Tom C Cleary, celebrating another success as his music is taken on board as the in-flight soundtrack for Aer Lingus, Iberian Airlines, and Link Airways in Australia in addition to soothing many passengers on many British Airways flights for the past two years.
Although he’s known by many of the city’s music scene, and works on his albums and EPs with Graeme Watt at Seagate Studios, Tom puts down his relative anonymity to the fact that for many years he hasn’t played in Dundee as much as many others.
“There have been times that I’ve been standing with people in Dundee and they start talking about Tom Cleary, not knowing that I’m standing right next to them,” he says.
“That really doesn’t bother me. For much of my time in music I’ve worked outside the city, especially at resorts like Gleneagles.
“I was able to buy my house outright and make a living. Then again, I’ve been careful with the money I’ve earned. You can’t say that for many musicians.”
“I was able to buy my house outright and make a living. Then again, I’ve been careful with the money I’ve earned. You can’t say that for many musicians.”
He was on a flight, travelling to a gig, when it struck him that the in-flight music wasn’t anything that he recognised.
“It struck me that someone had to supply it. I did some research and eventually reached the right person who asked me to send some examples of my work.
“It took a while before they actually listened but when they did, they loved it. They needed EPs written in different genres – folk, country, rock… That was fine for me. I can write absolutely anything.”
When it came to renewing the EPs, Tom recorded another four with Graeme Watt and was surprised to hear that not only were the agents taking these, they were retaining the original EPs – and they were also to be used on three further airlines.
Born and raised in Dundee city centre, Tom wanted to be a musician from the moment he held a guitar in his hand. His parents thought otherwise, however.
“They wanted me to go to study and get a proper job.” he says.
“I ended up being a primary teacher and worked in West March and Fintry in Dundee, then over in Newport, Balmerino and Leuchars in Fife, It was never for me though.”
When he got to know Charlie Bruce, the father of a pupil, he was introduced to the family, which happened to include Jack Bruce, the bass player best known for his work with Cream.
“The advice was clear. If I was serious about music I would never do anything while I had the cushion of a regular salary… I had to starve,” he laughs.
Tom paid his dues, taking his guitar to Dundee pubs and social clubs, and as he recalls, “dodging the fights and chairs that were being thrown.”
He had management in Glasgow for a while, but returned to Dundee and started to find his way, discovering that he was more comfortable solo.
“I found early on that if I worked on my own I could rely on myself. There ae so many stories from my time in music – I’ve even out some on my website.
“I was in a band that appeared on Grampian TV and the keyboard player got blitzed the night before.
“Eventually when we got hold of her she said she wasn’t coming because she had a terrible hangover.
“I decided it would be better for me to be there alone rather than having to look at the bass player and wonder if he would make it through the gig without falling down.”
Working with the cream of Dundee talent
The past few years have seen Tom’s hands suffer from the years of playing, with repetitive strain injury and arthritis but he’s happy enough to continue by writing and working in the studio.
“There will be another album soon – his eighth – including a song written with Oscar-nominated songwriter Jud Friedman.
With guitar as his main instrument, Tom is happy to call on the musical talent that’s pretty abundant in these parts to play on his compositions.
“I do play keyboards, but when you have someone like Graeme Watt available, why would I do it?”
He’s also come full circle in a way, in that just a few days ago he was working with Nico Bruce, the musician son of Jack Bruce.
“I might not be able to do live work when things start opening up again, but I’m still a professional musician and that’s what I always wanted to be.”