Tom McRae Interview: Fame & Tours

How his song Hidden Camera Show has become prophetic today

Sep 26, 2007

Tom McRae wrote a song called Hidden Camera Show. In part 4 of our interview, we talk about today's instant celebrities, as well as how touring keeps it all real.

When he first wrote Hidden Camera Show on his 2000 debut, Tom McRae probably never realised just how prophetic that title would become. Yet now, almost 8 years later and with shows like American Idol and Big Brother thrusting celebrity onto just about anyone, it's a title that could so easily relate to today.

In part 4 of our special interview with him, Tom talks to Suite101 about how this new-found instant celebrity status has partially stifled real talent. We also talk about how this has had a knock-on effect for artists in the live arena.

My sincere thanks to Tom for being such a genial host, and to Jon Uren at Fruitcake Management for organising everything.

Tom McRae interview

Suite: In one of your earlier songs, Hidden Camera Show, you spoke of being 'caught in the hidden camera show'. What’s your view on the rise in reality shows with cameras that are anything but hidden, that’s given us the “instant celebrity” culture?

Tom: (laughs) Well, I think the thing about culture is that it doesn’t need pronouncement, it can take care of that itself, and the people that watch these types of shows and love them aren’t the ones that are going to go and find the good stuff that’s outside the mainstream anyway. They’re the people who will be buying (no offence) James Blunt, watching the crap TV shows, the crap films; basically, they’re the mainstream audience. That’s been the same since forever, so they don’t really bother me; they’re kind of taken care of. The people who are into music now have a bigger choice and a bigger way of finding stuff.

Tom: Yeah. I mean, look at comedy – some of the best comedy around now is on YouTube, people filming it themselves and making idiots of themselves and it’s brilliant. Same with music – MySpace and others like it has played its part in the downfall of poor music. Music’s definitely gotten better in the last 10 years, so I think the good parts of culture will continue to take care of itself, and the other idiots can go graze in that field and we’ll be okay (laughs)!

Suite: So we won’t see you anytime soon on Celebrity Big Brother or similar (laughs)?

Tom: No – well, apart from the money (laughs)! But I don’t know why people would debase themselves for that. I don’t watch those shows, so I don’t get angry about it. Besides, I think people have got fairly short attention spans, so I think people will move on eventually.

Suite: Moving into the live arena, your shows have always been amongst the most intimate around. Do you feel that too many artists are losing this gift, and sticking to the big stadiums and arenas for the money that they bring, and less the performance?

Tom: (pauses) You know, it’s difficult. I mean, it is a business and if I go out with my band in Europe then we can play the bigger venues, and I can break even and afford to put on more shows and pay the guys in the band. Then if I go play these same rooms solo, there are only so many times I can do that. I mean, it’s a night out and entertainment, and I try to give that – sometimes I’ll have the band, other times it’ll be a trio or a duo, and I'll play to any size audience that I can. It’s simple economics, and although I like them all for different reasons, I believe there is a time when a show stops being a gig and loses the communication. To me, if you go over that 3,000 mark, it becomes something else. And that’s fine – I love going to stadiums, I love going to see U2 or Radiohead on their huge tours, but it’s not something where you feel a connection.

Suite: Especially if you’re stood miles away behind the sound desks and stands.

Tom: Right (laughs). You go to any of these shows and 30% of the audience are out buying t-shirts or beer or hotdogs, so it’s a different kind of event. So you can’t compare a gig to 30 people with one to 10,000 people, and although I’d like to do both, I can’t quite do the big one yet (laughs)!

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