Tom Meighan

Tom Meighan

Tom, in concert with Kasabian, in Terville, France 2010.
Background information
Birth name Thomas Peter Meighan
Born (1981-01-11) 11 January 1981
Origin Leicestershire, England
Genres Indie rock, space rock, neo-psychedelia, electronica
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active 1999–present
Associated acts Kasabian
Website www.kasabian.co.uk

Thomas Peter Meighan (/ˈmiː.ən/, born 11 January 1981) is an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band Kasabian.

Personal life

Meighan was born in Leicestershire, and attended Countesthorpe Community College. At school, Meighan passed Art and English Literature and was ungraded for many exams after failing to attend them.[1] He is a fan of Leicester City.[2] He has been in a long term relationship with his girlfriend Kim James, whose initials he had tattooed on his wedding ring finger in 2005. They have a daughter, Mimi Malone Meighan, born in May 2012.[3]

Career

Meighan has been the lead vocalist of Kasabian since the band's inception in Leicester in 1999.[4] He sings lead vocals on the majority of the band's recordings, has a baritone vocal range and does not play any instruments within the group, apart from tambourine on occasion and guitar on live renditions of 'The Nightworkers'[5][6]

Meighan has also contributed lead vocals to the songs "Viva La Revolution" by Superevolver and the Lysergic Suite's "Ghosts on Crusade." He was a guest vocalist on the Dark Horses track, "Count Me In,",[7] which he also performed with that band when they opened for Kasabian on the West Ryder tour. Additionally, he sang backing vocals on the Jersey Budd single, "She Came Back."[8] Meighan has also appeared onstage with Zak Starkey's band Penguinsrising.

In 2013, Meighan began a project with rapper Wottee Watnot (Andrew Wattie) called Mic Rockers, described as "a hip hop/rock collaboration." The first video from the duo, "Mic Rockers," was released on November 13, 2013.

In addition to the numerous musical awards he shares with the rest of Kasabian, he was named the 19th best frontman of all time by a Q magazine readers' poll,[9] and 13th best frontman of all time by a 2012 Xfm listener's poll.[10]

In early 2011, Meighan took his first acting role as Terry Graham in the sitcom pilot Walk Like a Panther.[11] Reportedly, he had previously rejected offers to play in Marie Antoinette due to being committed to his bandmates.

Media image

Early in Kasabian’s career, Meighan earned a reputation for media provocation, especially concerning other musicians. He became well known for his insults, such as calling Julian Casablancas "a posh fucking skier", Pete Doherty "a fucking tramp", and Justin Timberlake "a midget with whiskers".[12] Regarding the reportedly depressing nature of emo music and its listeners, he has said: "Teenagers are better than that. I want to tell them to be positive about life. You've been brought up well by your parents, so don't sit around in your bedroom cutting your wrists. Grow up."[13]

He also offered more serious critiques of the effects of the internet upon the music industry[14] and was one of a number of celebrities to criticize Simon Cowell's handling of Susan Boyle, stating "It will torture her for the rest of life. She is not ready for it and she is not made for it. She is being manipulated. It's horrible."[15]

As of 2009, Meighan has made an attempt to tone down his controversial image. "When we released the first album, it didn't help in interviews that we slagged everyone off. We were only messing about, we were having fun but everyone took it a little too seriously…We did it for effect but we were portrayed as monsters instead of just a bunch of lads in a band. They got us so wrong. I don't regret anything we said but it was ridiculous."[16]

Meighan's outspoken attitude, on-stage antics and hard-partying reputation[17] have tended to overshadow more positive aspects of his public image. He has given his support to numerous charities including Oxfam,[18] UNICEF[19] and the Teenage Cancer Trust. In support of the latter, he assumed the role of Ace Face in The Who's benefit performance of Quadrophenia.[20]

His status as both a fashion icon and well-known football fan led him to be chosen to unveil Umbro's England away football jersey in 2010, the first singer ever to do so.[21] He has also modeled for Gio-Goi[22] and Deadly Sins.[23]

References

  1. ↑ Kasabian on Alan Carr: Chatty Man - Season 13 Episode 1 - 12 Sep 2014. YouTube. 13 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Kasabian's pals Modern Faces thrill in Biz Session – The Sun –Showbiz–Bizarre–Bizsessions". The Sun. London.
  3. ↑ Smart, Gordon. "Tom Meighan of Kasabian is a rock star dad – The Sun –Showbiz–Bizarre". The Sun. London.
  4. ↑ Kasabian biography – Virgin Radio
  5. ↑ "Kasabian-Nightworkers (Live at Evry France, 2005)". YouTube. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  6. ↑ Lamont, Tom (4 September 2011). "Kasabian: from Leicester squares to rock heavyweights". The Guardian. London.
  7. ↑ "Dark Horses - Black Music". femalefirst.co.uk. 6 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "Jersey Budd talks to Absolute Radio". YouTube. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  9. ↑ "Liam Gallagher crowned best frontman". The Daily Telegraph. London. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  10. ↑ "- Radio X". Radio X.
  11. ↑ "Walk Like A Panther :: TV Show". Walklikeapanther.tv. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "Brit Rockers Attack Timberlake: 'a Midget With Whiskers'... – the Fashion Spot". Forums.thefashionspot.com. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  13. ↑ Kasabian Singer On Emo: 'All It Causes Is Moaning Teenagers' – MTV.com
  14. ↑ "Kasabian's Tom Meighan: 'The internet has killed rock stars' | News". Nme.Com. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  15. ↑ "The hex factor", Daily Record, 25 November 2009, p. 145
  16. ↑ "Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan hits out over X Factor, Simon Cowell and Susan Boyle". The Daily Record. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  17. ↑ "Kasabian star Tom Meighan dancing on the table after night out with The Enemy". mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  18. ↑ "Kasabian star Tom Meighan donates designer clothes to Oxfam". Metro.co.uk. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "Kasabian's Tom Meighan records new song with Leicester band for charity | News". Nme.Com. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  20. ↑ "The Who Close TCT Shows With Performance of Quadrophenia «". Powerlinead.wordpress.com. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  21. ↑ Martin Pengelly (10 February 2010). "England book Kasabian to reveal new away shirt in Paris | Football | guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  22. ↑ "Liam Gallagher, Tom Meighan Turn Models". Gigwise. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  23. ↑ Archived 11 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
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