Canadian comedian Tom Stade is to political correctness what Michael Jackson was to baby sitting.
If you seek safe and sanitised comedy and heavily legally vetted scripts, watch any of the usual suspects comedy panel shows on TV and forget this guy.
If you want dangerous, foul mouthed and heart attack inducing frigging funny, then go see Tom Stade on his latest stand-up tour, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”.
A marathon 54 dates across England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales which kicked off in Tunbridge Wells in January and goes right through to the closer in Tring, Hertfordshire in June.
Tonight (22nd Feb), he hits his 10th show on this tour in Warrington, and tomorrow he’s in Bromsgrove. His last tour, “I Swear To…” in 2019, is featured on Amazon Prime as a special.
Tom is no stranger to the small screen…Last year he got some serious acting under his belt, appearing in a gritty and excellent BBC TV drama, “The Grey Area”, where he played an addiction counsellor. Directed by BAFTA-winner Garry Anthony Frazier. I hear whispers that it might become a series.
He has appeared on BBC 1’s “Live At The Apollo” twice, was co-star and co-writer of Frankie Boyle’s outrageous Channel 4 series, “Tramadol Nights”, appeared in the critically acclaimed Canadian sitcom “The Newsroom” and the award-winning feature film “My Own Private Oshawa”.
He performed on Channel 4’s “Comedy Gala”, “Mock The Week”, “Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow”, BBC One’s “The John Bishop Show”, Dave’s “One Night Stand”, Comedy Central’s “The Comedy Star”, ITV 2’s “Comedy Cuts”, and “Lee Mack’s All-Star Cast”, and more.
He has performed several times for the British troops overseas in the Falklands, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Summing up, after three decades travelling the globe in the hardest job in show business, Tom has done some shit! No teams of script writers for Tom’s act: all his own words, and amazingly, he has penned a brand new show every year since 2011.
Tom and wife Trudy and their children Kira and Mason moved to the UK in 2001, first to London, then Wolverhampton and Scotland and recently back to London. Their daughter’s a talented dancer and their son is an acclaimed film maker. Trudy a gifted photographer.
His new show tells tales of how Tom is embracing the next chapter of his and his family’s lives. To his loyal fans, he is known as The Commander and they the Stadinese Army.
After almost every gig on every tour, Tom’s minders bundle him away from the fans and out of the back door of the venue, into a waiting limo’ and off to a 5 star hotel. In another life maybe!
In this one, Tom is straight to the venue’s bar for a drink, within minutes of coming off stage, with whoever’s in there and when the janitor wants to lockup and he and the rabble get kicked out, he will usually end up at the nearest bar for late, late drinkies.
His new found pals cannot believe their luck that for the price of ticket for his hilarious show that they will talking about for weeks, they get to spend a few boozy hours with the star himself.
It is no act. It is Tom being Tom. The best damn advertising and marketing initiative ever! Oh, and the man likes a drink and smoke, too!
While on the road or at home, in a hotel, driving from gig to gig, on a ‘plane or just about anywhere, Tom usually has music on.
Before a show, he has a routine where he needs to be alone in his dressing room (or just Trudy for company if she is with him) and he chooses a few fave tracks and plays them loud to limber up his mind, and to switch off all the outside noise and thoughts, just like an athlete or a boxer might before competing.
Tom is pals with a few famous musicians too, including one of the chaps in superstar rock band Kasabian. He has also been to many concerts around the world and absolutely loves his music.
So we thought Tom would be a cracking “target” for our new features series, “Track Record”, where we find out all about a star’s music tastes, music collection and the soundtrack to their life.
So, here is Tom Stade’s Track Record:
- First song you can remember hearing as a child?
Bachman-Turner Overdrive: “Taking care of Business”…I remember my parents playing it over and over, and for good reason…they loved to party, it was the 70’s. It’s still an awesome ditty to this day.
- First single that you owned?
Now that’s a tough one, because we’re talking 45’s here and I started buying them around late 70’s with my allowance. Side note:) You had to buy the middle piece if your record player was cheap and didn’t come with one.
But the one I’m going with that I definitely bought, was Eddie Money’s “Baby Hold On To Me”, and he just passed away, so timely question. Here’s to Mr Money’s legacy carrying on as long as I’m alive.
- First LP/album that you owned?
Finally, an easy one. I can so remember this one because I had to get my mom to buy it for me, because in those days they were worried the kids might be listening to explicit lyrics of the Devils music. So, there was an age restriction on it, seriously: AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”.
- First CD that you owned?
I got it for Christmas, because I had asked for a Discman – portable CD player, and they also bought a load of CD’s…But officially, I’m going to say Def Leopard’s “Pyromania”. Every song was a killer…damn, I’m going to put it on while I finish this rock and roll essay!
- Last music you bought and in what format (CD/vinyl/digital download)?I do stop at car boot sales when I’m on the road and pick up cheap CD’s to play in my 2003 Honda Civic, which only has a CD player.Last one was Tom Petty’s Full Moon Fever…and I won’t back down on that!
- Which album would be on your wish list as a birthday or Christmas gift?
I think if I could get any album, it would probably would be (if there is one out there) a first pressing of Jim Morrison’s “LA Woman” – a signed copy!
- Absolute favourite ever album?
That’s always a big ask of someone, because there are so many variables in that question. I believe the equation is: time + memory = great tunes.
But I have narrowed it down to what my ‘go-to’ album is when I’m hanging around the house. Drum roll please: Supertramp’s, “Breakfast In America”.
- Best record ever made (can be single/album/EP)?
Man, I’m not sure I can answer this one without music trolls coming at me with their superior knowledge of mixing boards and proper use of intricate chords. But for me, I think the best album ever made is also my favourite album. “Breakfast In America”.
A very close second has to be Eagles, “The Long Run”. Strand me on a desert island with either of them.
- Guilty secret in your music collection?
Well, if you mean Leo Sayer’s “Endless Flight” is a guilty pleasure, then I plead guilty and beg for mercy, because I own it and it’s an album that brings me right back to the simpler times of this wild man’s childhood.
- What does music mean to you and how does it make you feel?
Dude seriously. Everybody’s life is a music video to me. You put your headphones on, go for a stroll and all of a sudden, whatever tunes are on your playlist immediately makes you feel cool.
Music is all about attitude. Sometimes you need to hear a break-up song to know you are not the only one it happens to, and everything’s going to be ok. Or you just won £2,000 at the bookies and you want a soundtrack to match that winner/feel good sensation.
Music has the ability make you feel anything you want and that’s why it’s the universal language.
- What one song or album is a guaranteed mood booster?
Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On”, and if it doesn’t boost your mood something has gone terribly wrong and you need to get psychiatric help immediately.
- Which song or album would be the soundtrack to a film about your life?
Well, I do have a romantic vision of myself. I’d like to think I’ve lived a wild and meaningful life and never really took my foot off the gas. Within that life, proud of the hurdles I’ve overcome and disappointment of the ones that slowed me down.
There can be only one: Bad Company: “10 from 6”. Because if you don’t pay attention to this beautiful life, it may pass you by like a warm summer’s day.
- Your favourite driving track – or music to exercise-to?
Now this one is an obscure one, but I remember when my brother brought the video home called, “Heavy Metal” and we watched it for the first time. Still to this day I think it’s the best soundtrack. Don Felder’s “Heavy Metal (Taking A Ride)”, turns my driving foot to lead.
- Best song or album for a romantic moment?
Well, doesn’t that all depend who you are with? I mean, is it a Princess or a Goth Queen or a Goddess of classic rock and roll?
But for me, anything from Steely Dan. I just picture a cool bar and double Jack and coke and let my silver tongue talk while “Peg” is playing in the background.
- What song did you have played for the “First Dance” at your wedding (if married) or which song would you choose if you did get married?
I got married in Vegas at the Silver Bell wedding chapel at one in the morning, so we didn’t really think anything through, and that’s why I think we’re still together after 25 years.
Thinking will only screw up a relationship, has nobody told you that?. If I remember correctly, it was Roberta Flack’s “Tonight I Celebrate My Love To You”. Those 24 marriage huts really do play some cheesy shit!
- Your choice of song to sing at karaoke?
Due to my years of enjoying life with a beautiful reckless abandonment, my vocal may have been damaged, so I believe the only song I could probably get away with would have to be Joe Cocker’s version of “With A Little Help From My Friends”.
- Which song takes you back to your childhood -and to which specific memory?
AC/DC’s “Back in Black” takes me back to a lot of underage drinking and smoking with all my high school brothers and sister’s. which helped mould me into the society ‘reck loose’ that I know I am.
- All-time favourite band?
Well. my favourite band has to go with my favourite album. It has to be Supertramp.
- All-time favourite singer?
Trudy Stade (Tom’s wife). She hasn’t put an album out yet, but when she sings in the car, shit gets real! If only a record company could be in the car when we’re driving to Scunthorpe…
- Which one song would you like to be played at your funeral – and why?
OMG…you don’t know Music Republic Magazine? I am NEVER going to die!
Photos by Simon Redley (not the poster head shot)
