#052 WAIM: Tom Heyman

It’s no wonder Tom Heyman wound up becoming a songwriter. Just minutes into our chat it was clear I was in the presence of a born storyteller, and someone who could feel at ease holding court or chatting effortlessly about anything from politics to prose.

Right out the gate we began talking about Heyman’s brilliant new album, 24th Street Blues, and the genesis of the songs. Tom talks about how he built the record and the unreliable narrator he employs in nearly every tune to tell fictional tales bred from real-life scrapes and bruises. 

We cover his solo work and wind our way back to his great 90s band Go To Blazes. Tom shares the amazing story of the album they recorded live in one ten hour session. It’s still one of my favorite albums, and it’s a treat to get to tell that directly to the dude who made it. 

Tom goes on to shed light on his songwriting process, and we discover that both he and I set out to be storytellers with songs. We also discuss his time as a hired gun for artists like Alejandro Escovedo and Chuck Prophet, and talk frankly about the current economic realities of being an independent artist in the dark days of the 21st century. 

It’s a heartening, and enlightening chat with a true songwriter who is every bit as interesting as the characters he creates.

Cheers,

Matty C