The Tapestry of Tommy

I recently chatted to Irish singer Tommy Fleming. It was a nostalgic chat for me as Tommy’s was the first interview I did for The Tasmanian Times. It’s been 18 months since Tommy Fleming was last in Australia. This time Tommy will be here with a full band for a retrospective of his 20 year career. Although Tasmania is not on the itinerary this time Tommy promises it will be in 16 months’ time when he does a full city tour of Australia. I ask Tommy about his memories of touring Tasmania for a festival with De Dannan in 1994 . He recalls Tasmania as being very like Ireland.

The name Fleming is one of the most ancient names in Ireland and originally referred to someone from Flanders, a place famed for it’s weavers and textile manufacturers. It seems somehow fittingly ironic that the man that can spin a story and weave words wonderfully with music should be associated with the profession of a weaver.

Tommy’s upcoming album with the working title ‘Begin’ is a deeply personal one. The new album will take Tommy back to the folksy sound and his influences of John Hurley and Mary Chapman Carpenter.

His present album ‘Platinum Collection’ features favourites from his 20 year career including his first ever recording ‘Hannah’ and also surprises with a few new songs.

Tommy will be in Australia for an almost month long tour that will keep him very busy, but will allow time to see some of Sydney which he says is one of his two favourite cities in the world along with New York. He calls Sydney,”New York without the attitude”.

Since we last saw Tommy he has also embarked on the first volume of his autobiography, the writing of which he calls “cathartic”, and “a release of energy”. There is also a RTE documentary being made of his life story which will also be shown in Australia.

Tommy hopes for the future include furthering his musical journey as well as getting more involved in acting which he has already made steps into, including ‘The Blue Note’ and ‘The Lonely Stag’, the latter a movie about emigration.

There is also a desire to get involved in musical theatre after Tommy recently saw a performance of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’. Musicals like ‘Wicked’ also appeal to him.

For now Tommy is on his usual whirlwind of touring having toured America and Europe non-stop of recent times and with a PBS special in the making for US television it looks like Tommy will continue his whirlwind of weaving words to music just as his Flemish forebears wove textiles and tapestries. .

Tommy will be performing around Australia starting in New South Wales on 2nd November and ending in Victoria on the 17th November.
Paula Xiberras