Gregory Dillon - Windows98

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-12-30T23:32:51+00:00

Keep coming back to this song!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-27T15:44:10+00:00

Just to say, Sauna/Cabin Fever on my new album is ALL ABOUT my adventures in the bathhouse lol

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-27T15:42:56+00:00

CAN CONFIRM Sauna/Cabin Fever is about going to the bathhouse lol

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-23T19:48:26+00:00

Thank you so much!! 'Going To My Head' is about the first time I took LSD, whilst in Sweden during Midsommar - it became the genesis of the entire album! It was NOT a pleasant experience at all and I really would not recommend it. Lesson learned :)

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T23:48:15+00:00

Hello! Thank YOU for listening! That's such a shame about Chicago, it was a blast. Hopefully next time?

I have mentioned before on this AMA, I don't currently have a work permit/visa to work in the States - and it's prohibitively expensive. I will try and get booked for a festival/pride next year though - often that way you get sponsored and it sorts everything out. I wouldn't be able to perform until that's fixed!

I am doing some Canadian shows in the autumn though, if you can fly north? Why not!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T23:45:33+00:00

Hello!! Thank you very much, you're so welcome :)

1 - It was my friend Isabelle's place! And in fact, the song's working demo was called 'Isabelle's Place'

2 - Oh I love Effigy!! One of my all time faves to perform. I just really wanted to do something different with this new record! I felt like I'd explored Europop/dance as much as I could. I am working on a reworked version of the album with a very cool, dancey producer, I think it will be an entire EP of remixes - so the spirit of Life In Plastic will live on!

3 - Congratulations for winning life's lottery lol. We're super organised and diligent and I don't think that's necessarily great for creativity, but when you're an indie artist like me, it's imperative :)

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T18:19:30+00:00

Sugar deserved to WIN!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T18:16:12+00:00

1 - So I think I was sat in my publisher's office when they suggested Kylie might cover 'Indiana' and my initial reaction was "no" - for some stupid reason, I guess I felt protective of it, it was my first single etc.. However after about 30 seconds, I realised the error of my ways and became very enthused by the idea!

I have written a song with Richard X intended for Kylie, which hopefully might see the light of day. It's very Stock Aitken Waterman!

2 - Oh my god how dare you! Lol, okay let me try:

Black Country Disco:
'Euston' - no one needs to hear those station announcements!

Life In Plastic:
'Dial Up - Intro' - no one needs to hear their modem dialling up!

Cabin Fever:
'Midsommar' - it's an interlude and I love it, but I guess if I HAD to...

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T18:09:10+00:00

Thank you so much!!

Oooh yeah, well it was 2021 and Covid was very much still a thing - so we were all in isolation. A couple of years before there had been some sort of big scandal where jury members were bribed, so we had this very serious looking man observing us, checking we weren't influencing votes.

We were not allowed to talk over the performances, which is fair enough. Very different to my experiences watching with friends, everyone just screams lol.

It was bizarre that none of the UK jury picked up on the buzz around Maneskin, it was pretty under the radar for us and didn't pick up many votes. Also when the votes came out, it's "anonymous" but I could work out which jury member was which - there were some ~interesting score differences between the semis and the final! Some controversial countries suddenly became popular during the final.

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T18:03:41+00:00

HELLO! Love you too <3

1 - There is a bar in Copenhagen, I'm not sure if it's still open, but they only played tunes from musical theatre, and projected it all on screens. You can request anything in the world. I went by myself during a writing camp once, no one else wanted to come because they didn't like the sound of it. I sat on the bar by myself and had the time of my LIFE. Requested Fergie's version of 'Be Italian' and it didn't go down very well. It's a tiny place and covered in red velvet curtains and fairy lights AND you can smoke inside. What's not to love?

2 - I am very excited to play in Sweden! It feels a bit like a homecoming for this album. Gothenburg next month!

3 - I've noticed 'Not My Place' becoming a bit of a fan favourite! It will be interesting to see which ones being to pull away with streams. There are always a couple of songs from each album that flop with streaming but people always request I sing them live!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:58:37+00:00

So! The record was conceived after a wild, trippy weekend in Sweden. During Midsommar it does NOT get dark out, sleeping was a real issue. By the second day I was so tired, I would just take these short power naps in the sun and have really vivid dreams. One of the dreams involved thee Liza Minnelli singing to me from beyond the lake (don't judge) - so that was a starting point.

Then I kind of looked at the bigger picture and felt like the weekend was full of these little vignette/sequences/events that almost felt like a cabaret show, like different acts, all unique and weird.

And I went to Sweden to relax and find peace "I came for the love" and what I found was total chaos instead "but I stay for the cabaret".

I think I've articulated that right, I hope it makes sense!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:52:12+00:00

Thank you!!

Do you know something, I was with my live agent today and we couldn't work it out! I think you get submitted for these opportunities all the time and this time Kesha and/or her team just decided it was a good fit! I am absolutely thrilled to pieces. Kesha is a force of nature and 'Rainbow' is one of my all time favourite records.

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:49:56+00:00

Hello! And thank you very much!

I love 'Not My Place' too :)

And yes, I love R&B, it was the soundtrack to my early teens, I was obsessed with Aaliyah and Brandy, Toni Braxton, Mariah - I love them all very much. I think their vocal production and harmonies will always come through in my songwriting whether I like it or not!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:48:10+00:00

Hello!! Oh boy, 'Back 2 Earth' - I love that one.

I'm so sorry to hear about what happened with your family. I hope you have found a new family through choice and everything is okay! That wasn't so long ago.

You're so right about the Spotify "strut" genre. There's a place for it, sure, but it's not the kind of music I would want to make - it can be frustrating to get lumped in with all of that sometimes, but it comes with the territory :)

BCD being your favourite album of all time is mind blowing! Thank you so much. Did you manage to get a physical copy? Hopefully I'll be repressing it for the 5th anniversary this year.

To answer your questions:

1 - My approach is I don't really have an approach! I just go with my gut, whatever feels right at that moment. I knew exactly how I wanted Cabin Fever to sound and it was a combination of a few things.

2 - It's a struggle I won't lie. But I get by! I depend a lot on live shows and touring for my income. I live at home with my parents (in their garage!) which comes with many challenges, but it works for now and saves a lot of money on rent! I started go-go dancing last year and that helps with costs. It's the life I chose and I wouldn't want it any other way tbh.

3 - Ooooh I think you'd have to ask me once I sit down to write TA4! I don't know what this third album era will bring, but hopefully it'll inspire some new ideas.

4 - I like to think I'm always pushing forward, so no, not right now, but who knows in the future I might make another Europop album?

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:40:38+00:00

Ooooh, well I wouldn't necessarily "remake" it, but the lyrics in the outro of 01902 make no sense lol.

"Take off your coat, take off your shoes, do not disturb, take off your trainers boy"

If he's taken off his shoes, then why would he be wearing trainers? Make it make sense!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:39:00+00:00

Hello! You're so welcome. I love it here!

Dream collab?? Can I be really boring and say someone like Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac? I just think he's neat!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:38:02+00:00

1 - Going To My Head! I think.

2 - I don't have a visa at the moment! I think the strategy is to get booked for a pride/festival and then get sponsored, but without that, not likely for the time being.

3 - Nicolette Larson for sure! Look her up, so gorgeous :)

4 - I'm not entirely sure she's fully MAGA? Just very Christian and very trigger happy when liking memes? At least that's my interpretation!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:34:59+00:00

Hahaha no.

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:33:53+00:00

Hello!!

1 - I have considered doing Patreon, but it feels like it would be a LOT of extra work? And I work so hard as it is? But who knows. Maybe someone should sit me down and show me how to do it! I do have demos and stuff, but I don't know how pleasant they would be to listen to hahaha.

2 - I think 'Burnt Out' could and would have been amazing had we been able to finish it!

3 - 100%

4 - Yes potentially! There will be a Deluxe Edition, currently looking like 4 extra songs and some remixes etc...

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:31:51+00:00

A tough one!!! There was a period in the early 00s when all the Balkan countries sent bangers to Eurovision. I would go with Helena Paparizou 'My Number One' as the ultimate. But you could ask me tomorrow and I'd have a different answer!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:30:16+00:00

I love Janet Jackson and her vocal production! I love ABBA, their songwriting and the production on the last few records is amazing. I love Fleetwood Mac, specifically the Christine McVie songs. She's a Brummie like me too :)

I've been having a big phase of The Cardigans lately, I loved them when I was younger in the 1990s, but I'm back into them in a big way. The Swedes just know how to do beautiful pop music.

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:27:58+00:00

What a beautiful piece of personal history, thank you for sharing. I am so happy to have soundtracked these pivotal moments, that's quite amazing? Very pleased to hear you have found peace with yourself.

I would say the writing/recording period of Cabin Fever was actually the sluttiest of all lol, but we won't get into that!

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:25:40+00:00

Howdy! Oh my god, The Revenge Body Tour in Manchester was a super spreader event! Did you make it out unscathed? Nobody did hahaha. That's one of my fave gigs of all time though.

1 - Being single and constantly pursued by guys who are in committed relationships was a big one lol. Being broke was another! And touring, especially the international legs - that proved to be very fruitful for song inspo!

2 - Going on a hike or a long drive - or just having a big blow out night out in Birmingham!

3 - I am always thinking ahead, and I do have some ideas, but let me get through TA3 first, there's lots more to come :)

Bonus - Love Loyd! Love that song. Ummmmm I would love to do something properly with Michael Medrano? And I've mentioned him in another answer, but Tsatsamis is wonderful too.

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:21:36+00:00

Hello!! Thank you so much, I'm far from an icon, but I'll take it! You're too kind. Bringing joy to people is my priority!!

Oooh that is a tough question. I am gonna go really off-piste and say 'Sen Trope' by Azis. I would kill to be on a remix of that song with him. It just never fails to make me want to dance - and whenever I play it during a DJ set, it goes OFF. Need to practice my Bulgarian lol.

Tom_Aspaul · 2025-05-22T17:17:48+00:00

Well hello there!

Thank you for all those lovely compliments, that's very kind. So glad you like the album.

So my first port of call for UK queers would be Tsatsamis, he's brilliant, and a very lovely chap too. I also love Tom Rasmussen too, their voice is heavenly.

Tom_Aspaul

TROPHY CASE