Tom Greenhalgh
Encyclopedia
Thomas Charles Greenhalgh (born 4 November 1956, Stockholm
, Sweden ) is a multimedia artist and singer-songwriter best known for his work with the Mekons.
in Kent with future members of the Gang of Four
(Andy Gill and Jon King) and The Mekons (Kevin Lycett and Mark White, whose father taught art at the school), and they spent "a lot of time in the art room."
After Sevenoaks, the five attended the University of Leeds
, the birthplace of a number of punk bands. As students in the Fine Arts program, Greenhalgh, Lycett, White, and Jon Langford
formed the Mekons in 1976; they worked closely with the Gang of Four and the Delta 5, bands that included students from the same program. In the politically-charged atmosphere of the late 1970s, they participated in events such as Rock Against Racism
.
While primarily credited as a guitarist in the early Mekons recordings, Greenhalgh's roles as lead singer and songwriter came to the forefront after the band regrouped and evolved stylistically in the 1980s.
Along with Lycett, Greenhalgh has served as the primary web-master for Mekon-related sites such as The Wonderful World of the Mekons and OOOH! With fellow-Mekon Lu Edmonds and others, Greenhalgh has also worked on Ellipsis's project for PORT: Navigating Digital Culture (1997).
Greenhalgh has taken part in a number of Mekons-related projects, many of which include Jon Langford
. In 1985, he was the 3 Johns' sound engineer for their first American tour; a recording of their Chicago performance has been released as Live in Chicago. As a member of the Jelly Bishops, he collaborated with Langford and John Hyatt, releasing the album Kings of Barstool Mountain (1988). He and Langford appear in Gary Lucas's 1993 video, "Skin the Rabbit," and they share song-writing credits for "On the Streets," featured on The Return of Rico Bell (1996). Greenhalgh has also performed on the Langford-organized Pine Valley Cosmonauts
albums, contributing a cover of Hank Williams's "Angel of Death" to 2003's anti-death penalty benefit, The Executioner's Last Songs Vol. 2 & 3. His guitar (and Langford's vocals) can be heard on fellow-Mekon Sally Timms's "Corporal Chalkie" from her 2004 album, In the World of Him.
On 13 June 2007, Greenhalgh's new band King Tommy's Velvet Runway débuted in London. This band features Therese Daniell on keyboards and guitar, Tam McGibbon on banjo, John Langley on drums, and Meiling Daniell-Greenhalgh on vocals and violin. The band's first album, Dance on the Volcano, saw a special limited edition release in 2007.
Greenhalgh produced Michelle Shocked's cover of the Beatles' "Lovely Rita" for the compilation Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father (1988). He also produced Mush's second album, Face in Space (1998). In 1998, he worked on a remix with the Knights of the Occasional Table. In 2000, Curve guitarist Alex Mitchell and he (as DJ Sparky Lightbourne and DJ Tommy Tomtom) appeared at the Foundry in Shoreditch.
At one time, Greenhalgh was also a part-time art instructor.
Intensely private and cheeky, Greenhalgh has managed to downplay his contributions to the art and music communities for much of his career. Following a move from his long-time residence in London to Somerset, he relocated to Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, and is rumoured to have since returned to England.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden ) is a multimedia artist and singer-songwriter best known for his work with the Mekons.
Education
He attended Sevenoaks SchoolSevenoaks School
Sevenoaks School is an English coeducational independent school located in the town of Sevenoaks, Kent. It is the oldest lay school in the United Kingdom, dating back to 1432. Almost 1,000 day pupils and boarders attend, ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. There are approximately equal numbers of...
in Kent with future members of the Gang of Four
Gang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
(Andy Gill and Jon King) and The Mekons (Kevin Lycett and Mark White, whose father taught art at the school), and they spent "a lot of time in the art room."
After Sevenoaks, the five attended the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, the birthplace of a number of punk bands. As students in the Fine Arts program, Greenhalgh, Lycett, White, and Jon Langford
Jon Langford
Jon Langford born October 11, 1957, Newport, Monmouthshire is a Welsh-born musician and artist who is presently based in Chicago. He is the younger brother of science-fiction author and critic David Langford...
formed the Mekons in 1976; they worked closely with the Gang of Four and the Delta 5, bands that included students from the same program. In the politically-charged atmosphere of the late 1970s, they participated in events such as Rock Against Racism
Rock Against Racism
Rock Against Racism was a campaign set up in the United Kingdom in 1976 as a response to an increase in racial conflict and the growth of white nationalist groups such as the National Front. The campaign involved pop, rock and reggae musicians staging concerts with an anti-racist theme, in order...
.
While primarily credited as a guitarist in the early Mekons recordings, Greenhalgh's roles as lead singer and songwriter came to the forefront after the band regrouped and evolved stylistically in the 1980s.
Music and art
The Mekons have been known for their art projects as well as their music, the four main contributors being Greenhalgh, Langford, Lycett, and Eric Bellis. Each has a distinct style; Greenhalgh's work often incorporates elements of collage, painterly brushwork, and unusual, flattened perspective. His illustration for the cover of The Curse of the Mekons and United is one of the band's most recognizable logos. The Mekons have held a number of gallery exhibitions, and have also participated in projects such as Art-Tube 01. While a member of the London-based music community, he participated in the music conference musicalliance (now known as modal), for which he set up the Mekons' art installation Untitled at the Spitz.Along with Lycett, Greenhalgh has served as the primary web-master for Mekon-related sites such as The Wonderful World of the Mekons and OOOH! With fellow-Mekon Lu Edmonds and others, Greenhalgh has also worked on Ellipsis's project for PORT: Navigating Digital Culture (1997).
Greenhalgh has taken part in a number of Mekons-related projects, many of which include Jon Langford
Jon Langford
Jon Langford born October 11, 1957, Newport, Monmouthshire is a Welsh-born musician and artist who is presently based in Chicago. He is the younger brother of science-fiction author and critic David Langford...
. In 1985, he was the 3 Johns' sound engineer for their first American tour; a recording of their Chicago performance has been released as Live in Chicago. As a member of the Jelly Bishops, he collaborated with Langford and John Hyatt, releasing the album Kings of Barstool Mountain (1988). He and Langford appear in Gary Lucas's 1993 video, "Skin the Rabbit," and they share song-writing credits for "On the Streets," featured on The Return of Rico Bell (1996). Greenhalgh has also performed on the Langford-organized Pine Valley Cosmonauts
Pine Valley Cosmonauts
-History:The group was initiated by Jon Langford as a covers group, with a constantly shifting repertory and cast of backing members. The name was first used for Langford's 1995 album of Johnny Cash cover songs...
albums, contributing a cover of Hank Williams's "Angel of Death" to 2003's anti-death penalty benefit, The Executioner's Last Songs Vol. 2 & 3. His guitar (and Langford's vocals) can be heard on fellow-Mekon Sally Timms's "Corporal Chalkie" from her 2004 album, In the World of Him.
On 13 June 2007, Greenhalgh's new band King Tommy's Velvet Runway débuted in London. This band features Therese Daniell on keyboards and guitar, Tam McGibbon on banjo, John Langley on drums, and Meiling Daniell-Greenhalgh on vocals and violin. The band's first album, Dance on the Volcano, saw a special limited edition release in 2007.
Independent projects
With Kevin Lycett, Steve Goulding, and John Gill, Greenhalgh has also been a member of Edward II and the Red Hot Polkas, appearing on Let's Polkasteady (1987) and Two Step to Heaven (1989). With Lycett and Robert Worby, he participated in Leeds Metropolitan University's A Christmas Pudding for Henry (1999) with the mecity multimedia project. Since around 1991, he and Worby have collaborated on Plate, recording yet-unreleased experimental electronic music. With fellow-Mekon Sarah Corina, he has recorded some songs on ukuleles and banjoleles, a sample ("Lowlands of Holland") of which was heard on ResonanceFM's Clear Spot in 2002, a program that also featured Lu Edmonds.Greenhalgh produced Michelle Shocked's cover of the Beatles' "Lovely Rita" for the compilation Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father (1988). He also produced Mush's second album, Face in Space (1998). In 1998, he worked on a remix with the Knights of the Occasional Table. In 2000, Curve guitarist Alex Mitchell and he (as DJ Sparky Lightbourne and DJ Tommy Tomtom) appeared at the Foundry in Shoreditch.
At one time, Greenhalgh was also a part-time art instructor.
Intensely private and cheeky, Greenhalgh has managed to downplay his contributions to the art and music communities for much of his career. Following a move from his long-time residence in London to Somerset, he relocated to Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, and is rumoured to have since returned to England.