Tom Freund | Interview | New Album, ‘The Year I Spent In Space’
The Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Tom Freund recently released his latest album, ‘The Year I Spent In Space’. Over the course of his career, singer/songwriter and Americana artist Tom Freund has released over a dozen records, collaborated with legends such as Elvis Costello and Jackson Browne, pulled a half-decade stint on bass for alt-country pioneers The Silos, and has shared bills with everyone from Matthew Sweet to Guided by Voices.
Freund’s latest album, ‘The Year I Spent In Space’ recounts the time lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Back in high school, Freund played bass in the jazz ensemble and performed in theatre productions such as Swing (Elizabeth Swados). His very first album was 1992’s ‘Pleasure and Pain,’ a duo set with Ben Harper. For the next five years after ‘Pleasure and Pain,’ Tom toured and recorded with The Silos before releasing ‘North American Long Weekend,’ his 1998 solo debut on Red Ant/ Mercury Records. Moving ahead into the new millennium, Freund churned out several additional records while also assisting with projects from Mandy Moore, Rachael Yamagata, Graham Parker, and other notable artists.
“It’s certainly a reference to the time”
You just recently released, ‘The Year I Spent In Space’. How long did you work on it?
Tom Freund: Over the course of two years really, one year of heavily quarantined timezone and one year much less so, with more wonderful human interaction and traction. Two of the songs (‘Crows Landing’ and ‘Things I Said’) were written a few years before but mostly over the last two years.
It started right at the beginning of the Pandemania as I call it, March, 2020 I was in lockdown, doing shows on Facebook Live and YouTube from my place, which is also a studio. Songs started coming in and others I had already started, I jumped safely into the studio called 4th Street Recording in Santa Monica when I could and also did a number of songs starting from home.
Is the album a direct response to the pandemic?
It’s certainly a reference to the time, as with the title, what I was feeling, like I was in outer space, in my living room, but also to how the world has shifted so much, some really lame politics and separatism in the US, peoples showing their true selves more apparently which wasn’t that pretty often. And others who found a time to heal and think good thoughts and practice positive relations with people and the earth. There was also a feeling of chaos with the earth environmentally, not taking care as I view from “space.” So the pandemic was in the air amongst it all, but it’s also an album about life and relations. And a bit of “we can do this, people!” Even if we feel like we are falling off the face of the earth.
Please share your recollections of the sessions. What were the influences and inspirations for the songs recorded?
The sessions were fabulous. And it felt great to relate through music my feelings and visions of people, places and events.
I have such a great team of musicians and singers and friends, so it was super nice to collaborate. We had so many terrific players aboard, some in person and sometimes from afar, either way my people are so locked into my vision, it’s a blessing. My co-producer Sejo Navajas was also very inspiring and an incredible engineer so we were able to get the performances and sounds we loved. The moody times we were in was definitely an inspiration for some songs and “feeling it” emotionally like everyone was. And also there were times of Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, Nat King Cole, Steely Dan, Bob Dylan and The Cars running through our head … ya know the usual!
It’s been quite some time since your last album was released. What occupied your life?
My album ‘East Of Lincoln’ came out in 2018, so it looks like I put an album out at least every 4 years, sometimes in less, and stay busy between touring, or composing for TV/film and of course family.
What makes a good song?
I like originality most. I also like soulful singing and playing. Lyrics that take me somewhere and I believe them. Help me feel. I can also listen to a Charlie Mingus record and hear him get lyrical on his bass.
Would you mind if we talk about how it all started for you? Was there a certain moment in your childhood or teen years when you knew you wanted to become a musician?
I had an older brother who was a drummer, and my dad played piano, I took piano lessons super early on starting at 6 or 7, but when I got to 10 and 11 I said I’m gonna play drums, and my older (bigger) brother said , nope we’re good on that, and my dad suggested the upright bass – for the family trio. So I first started on guitar because I wanted to learn what I was hearing, from Jimi Hendrix, to Neil Young, To AC/DC… and also I was drawn to singing, so that was a natural choice. Shortly after my dad got me an upright bass, and I taught myself how to play and applied my keyboard and guitar knowledge to it. Many months later I was playing gigs, underage in jazz clubs in NYC, and got into off Broadway theatre with my guitar, upright bass and voice. Then I pretty much knew where I was heading.
How was it to work with Ben Harper and what led to the 1992 release of ‘Pleasure And Pain’?
I was at Pitzer college in Claremont and Ben was working at his grandparents Folk Music Center, music shop. I was playing a lotta gigs around campus. We had a mutual friend introduce us and we met up at the FMC. Pre cell phone era, we both had an out in case we didn’t dig it, he had his girlfriend call the store at 8 pm and I had a friend knock on the door then as well. We both said, “we’re ok” and ended up jammin til 2 in the morning. 2 months later George Cardas from Cardas Records heard us at the shop and at my school gig and said “Lets make a record.”
Were you an original member of The Silos? What albums were you part of and what would you say are some of the highlights?
I was not an original member of The Silos. I met them right after I graduated from college at a BBQ in LA. We played a few songs with them on electric bass and Walter said to me, we are leaving in a week for a 5 month tour, you in??! Again one of those telling moments in my career, yes I said. I play and sing on ‘Susan Across The Ocean’ and my song ‘Fallen Angel,’ which is also on this album, was put on The Silos album, by request from Walter, who changed a few words to make it fit the terrible tragedy of our bandmate Manny Verzosa who sadly passed away on that tour in a road accident. The song was originally written for Rodney King and therefore I released it now because of all the George Floyd troubles during the making of this album. It felt very pertinent.
I really enjoy your solo debut album, ‘North American Long Weekend’. What do you recall from it?
Very exciting time. Got signed by Red Ant/Mercury and they sent me to studios and producers of my choice. I ended up landing at Ocean Way Studios (Pet Sounds) with Producer Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice, Counting Crows). We had a live orchestra and the Jimmy Smith on B3 organ and wow it was a blast. Those were all my first songs that were burning a hole in my pocket. We did one cover, with me on upright bass and Jon Brion on guitar and Matt Johnson on drums, it was The Beatles ‘Cry Baby Cry’. Also Jim Marshall became a good friend of mine after he shot the cover for the album with me in NYC.
How come you decided to make a children record in 2007?
I had my daughter a couple years before the ‘Hug Trees’ release. I just found myself writing songs for her and to her and before I knew it I had a record. It was when I first started playing ukulele as well. I also had the goal and the promise that I would make a record that the parents I knew and myself would want to listen to. At home, in the car, wherever. We were all a little tired of hearing ‘The Wheels on The Bus’ 30 times a day and so on. It was a treat to have my dear friends Brett Dennen, Victoria Williams and Abra Moore join me on it as well. It was very good medicine for me to do a record focused on the little ones.
Ben Harper was the producer on ‘Collapsible Plans’, right?
Yes Ben produced and played and sang on several numbers on ‘Collapsible Plans’. He at first said I didn’t need a producer, that I could do it myself et cetera. So I pushed a little further and then he said, “Ok, let’s give it a go.” It was great having his energy there and feeling like someone who really got my music was helping me reach a peak with it. Not to mention his incredible musicianship and voice and ears for recording. We did it at the awesome Village Recorder studios.
The album also featured piano and vocal contributions from Jackson Browne on two tracks. How was it to work with such a legend?
Yes, Jackson knew us both. He had sat in several times already at some shows, much to my beloved surprise. And Ben said he visited him once and he had my ‘Copper Moon’ album on his desk. So it came up Ben said should I call Jackson? And he was a big hero for both of us, so of course I said yes please. He came down the next day and played on the new version of ‘Copper Moon’ and sang on ‘Why Wyoming’ a song I had written about the above Manny Verzoza that we lost on that Silos tour. That was also the first song Jackson had on stage jumped in on with me at a benefit for my buddy Wally Ingram (who is on this album on several songs). A lot of deep and cool connections.
What about ‘The Edge of Venice’ via Surf Road Records?
Very meaningful record for me, I got to pour my heart out. Again with a dear producer friend John Alagia. We became fast friends after working on Josh Kelly’s record together, John had also done ‘Room For Squares’ with John Mayer. We did this in his mixing room at Jeff Greenberg’s The Village Studio as well.
‘Two Moons’, your seventh studio record includes collaborations with Ben Harper and Serena Ryder.
Yes, fond memories of recording that one. Ben came in on my song ‘Angel Eyes’. His voice is so magical, he knew right where to go with it. I even came into his studio to re-cut the piano (On Heath Ledger’s piano) because the sound and vibe was so good.
Serena and I became fast friends through a music producer buddy of mine John Alagia. She came in originally to sing on ‘Next Time Around’ ( the operatic part in the solo). It was amazing and one take. But then she heard that song ‘Lemme Be Who I Wanna Be’ – and just started singing aloud at my studio in Venice – and she said I’ll do ‘Next Time’ only if I can also sing on ‘Lemme Be’. So of course I was very psyched! And so we seized the moment and recorded her right there, there’s a funny video on YouTube of us that day goofing around with lyrics and notes with each other.
What are some of the most important players that influenced your own style and what in particular did they employ in their playing that you liked?
Nat King Cole, I loved the voice and the groove on piano. Joni Mitchell, loved her through all of her phases, folk to alt pop, so sincere in her wordsmith and vocals and cool tunings. Led Zeppelin, the coolest of all the 4 piece rock bands in my mind. There’s too many other influencers to relay, (The Grateful Dead, Taj Mahal for instance) I could go on for days. Also all the bands I had played in and the fellow artist I got to perform with were a wonderful influence.
Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?
Debut and third album by Led Zeppelin, ‘Hejira’ and ‘Court and Spark’ by Joni Mitchell, debut album by Big Star, The Beatles (anything), ‘Sticky Fingers’ by The Rolling Stones (again this list could go on and on … ‘Gaucho’ by Steely Dan, ‘Kind Of Blue’ by Miles Davis …
On the newer front I like Vampire Weekend ‘Modern Vampires Of The City’ – my daughter and I freaked out on this album together and went and saw them a couple times.
I like Sia’s ‘Chandelier’ a lot! Wilco’s ‘Summer Teeth ‘( I guess that’s not that new, ha!)
Klemen Breznikar
Headline photo: Natalie Ford
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