Tom Shaner
Encyclopedia
Tom Shaner is a songwriter, performer, director, and writer based in New York City
. He writes and plays ghost songs, songs, waltzes, and rock and roll. His music is informed by roots music, but contains a modern awareness. Tom Shaner released an E.P. in 2011 titled “Get Real or Get Gone.” The E.P. was reviewed favorably by a number of online magazines including NeuFutur and Music Emissions .
Shaner is also involved in the production of his recordings, as well as the directing of his own videos.
According to Mark Morton of Music Emissions, "Tom Shaner is a folk singer-songwriter, whose sound borders on the surreal, placing him somewhere between the realms of Nick Cave and Tom Waits. Yet, he performs with a true unpretentious earnestness akin to classic Simon & Garfunkel."
Similar accolades were given by James McQuiston of NeuFutur Magazine: "There are few singer-songwriters that are able to create something that successfully marries the rich tradition brought the genre by luminaries like Dylan and Cohen in the sixties with a vitality and vibrancy that is germane to current audiences. However, I believe that Tom Shaner does just that."
where he studied theater under William H. Macey and David Mamet
. At NYU he wrote and staged two plays, and also began playing his original songs on the streets and in the subways. Early friendships with late friend Jeff Buckley
, Tom Clark
, Daniel Harnett, and long time close friend and collaborator Danielle Howle
have been influential. Together with Howle, the two sang a duet for the main track of a film called "Glissando."
Shaner performed as the lead singer of Industrial Tepee. The band released three albums including, "What Divine Engine" , "Hymns For the Civil Savage" , and a self title album. The band toured extensively throughout the United States of America.
Among the musicians and friends Shaner has worked with are Whit Smith of Hot Club of Cowtown, Claude Coleman, Jr., of Ween
,” Pete Fand, Paul Wegmann, Josh Margolis, Phil Cohen, Bob Sharkey, Rob Cimno, Dan Green, Chris Harfenist of “Sound of Urchin
,” Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards
, Emmy Bean, and many others.
Industrial Tepee's tracks "Joe's Airfield" and "We're Gonna Ride It" were on the soundtrack of the film "Bloody Murder."
Shaner currently records with Mother West Records. He works alongside producer Charles Newman, who has produced records for Stephin Merritt
and the Magnetic Fields
. There is at least one full length album slated for release in late 2011/early 2012 on Mother West.
He composed songs for two plays, one Bertolt Brecht
's "The Good Person of Szechwan
" the other, Max Frisch
’s "The Firebugs" for director Eric Bass, of he Sandglass Theater.Tom Shaner also is known to occasionally perform and write for a multi-media performance group called "Company of Strangers" in Vermont. They combine songs, video, and puppetry for haunted yet humorous performances on an old farm. Company of Strangers was founded by friends and collaborators Finn Campman and Barbara Whitney.
While working with “Company of Strangers” he met Emmy Bean. The two often sing together, and Emmy is featured in the “Get Real or Get Gone" video .
"Get Real or Get Gone" and "She's in the Air" from Tom Shaner's solo E.P. “Get Real or Get Gone,” released in 2011, have been highlighted on television by Oprah Winfrey's network's show "Ryan & Tatum: the O'Neils."
Tom Shaner's solo tracks have also been played on other television shows. MTV's "The Osborne's" used his song "He's a Player , as have numerous other tv shows and media.
Some reviewers' thoughts on Shaner's work:
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He writes and plays ghost songs, songs, waltzes, and rock and roll. His music is informed by roots music, but contains a modern awareness. Tom Shaner released an E.P. in 2011 titled “Get Real or Get Gone.” The E.P. was reviewed favorably by a number of online magazines including NeuFutur and Music Emissions .
Shaner is also involved in the production of his recordings, as well as the directing of his own videos.
According to Mark Morton of Music Emissions, "Tom Shaner is a folk singer-songwriter, whose sound borders on the surreal, placing him somewhere between the realms of Nick Cave and Tom Waits. Yet, he performs with a true unpretentious earnestness akin to classic Simon & Garfunkel."
Similar accolades were given by James McQuiston of NeuFutur Magazine: "There are few singer-songwriters that are able to create something that successfully marries the rich tradition brought the genre by luminaries like Dylan and Cohen in the sixties with a vitality and vibrancy that is germane to current audiences. However, I believe that Tom Shaner does just that."
Early Life
Shaner was raised in Connecticut where he was involved in sports and theater. After spending one year at Bard college, he attended New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
where he studied theater under William H. Macey and David Mamet
David Mamet
David Alan Mamet is an American playwright, essayist, screenwriter and film director.Best known as a playwright, Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize and received a Tony nomination for Glengarry Glen Ross . He also received a Tony nomination for Speed-the-Plow . As a screenwriter, he received Oscar...
. At NYU he wrote and staged two plays, and also began playing his original songs on the streets and in the subways. Early friendships with late friend Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
, Tom Clark
Tom Clark
Tom Clark is a Canadian television journalist. He has been a substitute anchor for CTV National News, and host of Power Play, a political program on CTV News Channel...
, Daniel Harnett, and long time close friend and collaborator Danielle Howle
Danielle Howle
Danielle Howle is an American singer-songwriter. After releasing an early song on a Columbia, SC music sampler, she joined the Columbia band Lay Quiet Awhile, which had been formed by brothers Dan and Phil Cook in 1989 and had released two EPs...
have been influential. Together with Howle, the two sang a duet for the main track of a film called "Glissando."
Shaner performed as the lead singer of Industrial Tepee. The band released three albums including, "What Divine Engine" , "Hymns For the Civil Savage" , and a self title album. The band toured extensively throughout the United States of America.
Among the musicians and friends Shaner has worked with are Whit Smith of Hot Club of Cowtown, Claude Coleman, Jr., of Ween
Ween
Ween is an American alternative rock group. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being generally unknown in American pop music...
,” Pete Fand, Paul Wegmann, Josh Margolis, Phil Cohen, Bob Sharkey, Rob Cimno, Dan Green, Chris Harfenist of “Sound of Urchin
Sound of Urchin
Sound of Urchin is a diverse "outsider arena-rock" band from Brooklyn NY and New Hope PA. SOU is known for their eclectic songs and for their energetic, spontaneous live shows and heavy touring schedules...
,” Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards
Tune-Yards
tUnE-yArDs is the music project of New England native Merrill Garbus. When performing live, Garbus creates drum loops on the spot, and layers these with ukulele, voice, and electric bass...
, Emmy Bean, and many others.
Industrial Tepee's tracks "Joe's Airfield" and "We're Gonna Ride It" were on the soundtrack of the film "Bloody Murder."
Later Life
From 2007 to present he has been performing extensively in Ireland, where his varied and dynamic songs are finding a wider audience. Gigs in Ireland include playing with friends and Irish songwriters Hank Wedel and Gavin Moore.Shaner currently records with Mother West Records. He works alongside producer Charles Newman, who has produced records for Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles , best known as the principal singer and songwriter in the band The Magnetic Fields...
and the Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields is the principal creative outlet of singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt...
. There is at least one full length album slated for release in late 2011/early 2012 on Mother West.
He composed songs for two plays, one Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
's "The Good Person of Szechwan
The Good Person of Szechwan
The Good Person of Szechwan is a play written by the German theatre practitioner Bertolt Brecht, in collaboration with Margarete Steffin and Ruth Berlau. The play was begun in 1938 but not completed until 1943, while the author was in exile in the United States...
" the other, Max Frisch
Max Frisch
Max Rudolf Frisch was a Swiss playwright and novelist, regarded as highly representative of German-language literature after World War II. In his creative works Frisch paid particular attention to issues relating to problems of human identity, individuality, responsibility, morality and political...
’s "The Firebugs" for director Eric Bass, of he Sandglass Theater.Tom Shaner also is known to occasionally perform and write for a multi-media performance group called "Company of Strangers" in Vermont. They combine songs, video, and puppetry for haunted yet humorous performances on an old farm. Company of Strangers was founded by friends and collaborators Finn Campman and Barbara Whitney.
While working with “Company of Strangers” he met Emmy Bean. The two often sing together, and Emmy is featured in the “Get Real or Get Gone" video .
"Get Real or Get Gone" and "She's in the Air" from Tom Shaner's solo E.P. “Get Real or Get Gone,” released in 2011, have been highlighted on television by Oprah Winfrey's network's show "Ryan & Tatum: the O'Neils."
Tom Shaner's solo tracks have also been played on other television shows. MTV's "The Osborne's" used his song "He's a Player , as have numerous other tv shows and media.
Some reviewers' thoughts on Shaner's work:
- "Overall, Get Real Or Get Gone gets a solid A rating." -James McQuiston
- "Vocalist Tom Shaner sounds simultaneously stuck in the clouds and the swamp mud."- Flagploe
- "[After hearing "Get Real or Get Gone"] I am definitely a Tom Shaner fan now—make it shine!"- Jimmy Rae
- "Some great goddamn pop music with the just the slightest hint of country." - Baby Sue Music Review
- "Sounds somewhere between Talking Heads, Tom Waits, the Beatles and Dylan" -Mountain Express
- "Feel like songs you've known and loved for years." Ink 19