BY UMA MUTHIA
It takes considerable talent to drop a beat without spraying spit all over the place. Or sounding like you’re choking.
But insane beatboxing legend Tom Thum has moved beyond the basic “boots and cats” beats to create something incredible.
From the streets of Brisbane to the Sydney Opera House, Broadway, and beyond, Tom Thum is geared up for what will be one of his most iconic performances yet. This vocal percussionist will hit the stage with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra to perform a world premiere of Gordon Hamilton’s ‘Thum Prints: a concerto contradiction for beatbox and orchestra‘, fusing extremely diverse styles of music as part of the IRL Digital Festival.
Get a glimpse into the mind of Tom Thum and his crass humour as he prepares to tear down any concepts of music barriers you thought existed.
Did you ever think that making dope noises with your mouth would land you a performance with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra?
Absolutely not, I wouldn’t have imagined it in my wildest dreams. Even now when I think about it, it’s one of those career defining moments. I’m sure when my career is winding down I will reflect on it fondly from the 12th storey of my Caribbean-based luxury super yacht with a youthful twinkle in my eye and honour in my heart.
As an international star beatboxer, you’re used to performing as a one-man show. How are you feeling about sharing the spotlight this May?
For me, as someone who does primarily perform solo, there is nothing more calming than sharing the stage. I love performing with other musicians as it gives me something to bounce off. Sometimes when it is just you up on stage, it’s hard to give it 100 per cent because you often need someone else there to inspire the rest of your brain to be good. My brain is shaky at the best of times, so having people (especially brilliant musicians like the QSO) to play with is going to be like cerebral steroids.
What’s the biggest “uh-oh” that can stuff a performance for a beatboxer? For singers, it’s the sore throat, pianists the sweaty palms….what does Tom Thum fear on stage?
A blocked nose!! I have had to do shows with swine flu before and it was pretty much like weaving myself a mucus cocoon. Any kind of illness that affects the passage of air makes it super hard for me to perform. Also bad sound – there is nothing worse than building up to a huge bass drop and it resulting in a sound most akin to a moth fart.
We’ve heard that you have a beatboxing addiction. What do you reckon are the highpoints of being a compulsive beatboxer?
Lots of alone time. I’m one of the most annoying people that has ever existed. Anyone that has ever had to share a room/bus/bathroom/stage/green room will attest to that. I’ve even annoyed most of my multiple personalities into annulment.
From small beginnings in Brisbane’s hip-hop scene to worldwide legend status, what are the key ingredients to success in this industry?
Unwavering persistence. If you stick to anything long enough, people are bound to take notice. Unless, of course, your specialty is camouflage.
Did you ever think you’d be breaking into the classical scene with your beatboxing skills?
To be honest, I more saw myself breaking into cars. This is something that is a dream collaboration, though, and classical music has always interested me so I’d be absolutely stoked just to get a whisper of an opportunity to play with these guys. Now I have some of the best players in Queensland at my thumb tips (see what I did there?) to utilise however I want. It really is an amazing opportunity and honour that I’m not going to take lightly.
How do you plan to shake up the music scene with your orchestral debut?
With a cabasa. And many terribly placed jokes. In all seriousness, though, I think the combination is a ground breaking idea. I know many beatboxers have worked with orchestras to some degree in the past, but I think the sonic ideas we are pursuing with the show are things that have never been touched on, ever before. So for me, it’s super exciting because there is so much new ground we are covering with our concepts. I think the brainstorming process for me will be just as exciting as the actual shows.
We’ve heard that you already “have an orchestra in your mouth”. Do you think the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the rest of Australia are ready for the mad talents of Tom Thum?
I don’t think I’ll be able to fit them all in there. Stay tuned for more crass humour. I’m not sure anyone will be ready for this (especially me).
Tom Thum will perform the world premiere of Gordon Hamilton’s ‘Thum Prints: a concerto contradiction for beatbox and orchestra’ with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra on May 16. For more info go to qso.com.au/current.
Image supplied. Credit: Conan Whitehouse.
