St. Thomas in charge again
He creates his own songs, makes his own music videos, writes his own press releases, even distribute his own posters. Renowned Norwegian singer/songwriter St.Thomas has taken total control of the carrier again after he was dropped by the European label City Slang last fall. Now, he is back on good old Racing Junior again.
2004 has had a very fortunate start so far for St. Thomas, or Thomas Hansen, which is his real name. When the rest of us are still thinking about how we can stop smoking and lose weight, St. Thomas presents a triple release. Today, Racing Junior releases his fourth album, Let’s Grow Together – The Comeback of St. Thomas, a DVD documenting St. Thomas last tour in Europe, and an exclusive 7”, Winter Spring EP. He has already appeared at two gigs, at EuroSonic in Holland and in London, and recently, the singer/songwriter signed a licensing deal with Track & Field in the UK. The new album will be released in the UK in April, and in the States in August. St. Thomas will play at the major South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in March. An UK tour is expected to take place in April and an European tour in May and June, according to his web site.
The turnaround
The eccentric songwriter is not only known for his distinct and personal songs, he is also infamous for throwing CDs at the audience, playing with his back to his fans, as well as threatening to beat up the director of his record company.
Let’s Grow Together – The Comeback of St. Thomas, however, is a new version of St. Thomas.
”My last album did not reflect me 100 percent. Artistically, I was in hibernation; the label was in charge of everything. A lot of unknown musicians played with my songs. A producer in the US mixed it while I was in Oslo,” St. Thomas said to Norwegian daily Aftenposten.
”It was not right. For me, it is not so important how many albums I sell, as long as I can live on my music. It is hard for me to be a pop star, St. Thomas said.
A better entertainer
Let's Grow Together - The Comeback Of St.Thomas is characterized as melodic, absurd, and funny, but tighter produced than earlier. Appropriately enough, the first single is called
An Artist With A Brilliant Disguise
“I sing better and I understand more of the technical matters. I have improved enormously as a live artist. I have become better to handle the whole thing and to communicate with the audience. The audience is part of the show, and I invite them along. I am more relaxed as an artist. When I succeed, the night becomes magical,” St. Thomas said, whose music has been compared with Neil Young
A limited edition of 2.000 copies will also include the On The Road With St. Thomas DVD. The DVD contains a twenty-five minute documentary shot and directed by Thomas himself on the latest European tour in Autumn 2003, and four music videos also shot and directed by Thomas himself along with some friends.
A self-made man in other words.
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