Sandi Thom
Background information
Birth name	Alexandria Thom
Born	August 11, 1981 (1981-08-11) (age 25)
Origin	Macduff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Genre(s)	Pop Folk
Years active	2005- present
Label(s)	RCA Records
Website	http://www.sandithom.com/

Alexandria "Sandi" Thom (born August 11, 1981) is a Scottish singer-songwriter from Macduff in Aberdeenshire. She released her first single in 2005 and received a great deal of publicity for webcasting her gigs from a basement in Tooting in 2006.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Career 2.1 Re-release of "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" and success 3 21 Nights from Tooting 3.1 Controversy 4 Additional live performances 5 Discography 5.1 Albums 5.2 Singles 6 References 7 External links

Biography

For three of her teenage years, she was in a covers band, The Residents (not The Residents avant garde band) , where she sang and played keyboards. She attended Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen.

At the age of 17, she attended the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. While at Liverpool Institute, she sang in a gospel choir, and also joined an unnamed 7-member band. The band entered a BBC Talent urban music competition, which was produced in association with BBC Radio 1, and made it to the semi-finals. After leaving the Institute in 2003, she returned to Scotland, recording demos and working as a session singer.

Career

Thom's career was launched when she was spotted in Glasgow by an Orkney-based "multi-millionaire who had recently sold his fishing business and was looking to set up a label". This was to be Viking Legacy. Companies House identifies the owner of Legacy as Scottish shipping magnate Angus Sinclair. He reportedly signed Thom on the spot.

She also signed on with Windswept Pacific Music, an independent music publishing company with artists on its roster such as Alice Cooper, The Futureheads and Nick Cave. Thom signed with UK arm, P&P Songs, whose stable of songwriters includes Craig David and hit-maker John McLaughlin, a collaborator with Thom. Thom writes that she had "been given the chance to work with a host of musicians and famous writers, in many places I didn't know existed".

"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" (songwriting credited to Thom/Tom Gilbert), was released as a CD single on Viking Legacy records on October 3, 2005. EMI Music Publishing identifies Tom Gilbert as Ian Brown, Thom's manager. The song saw airplay during this time, including on BBC Radio 2, which was described as "championing" her. The single, released as two different CD versions (catalog numbers VIKINGS03 and VIKINGS04) charted at #55, and dropped in subsequent weeks. CD1 featured "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker" backed with "Little Remedy", and CD2 offered the song backed with "Something in the Air", "No More Heroes", and the video.

An article in The Times in October 2005 noted that Johnnie Walker had played her song on Radio 2 in July 2005, and that "hundreds e-mailed in to demand that it be played again". Viking Legacy Records released the single ahead of schedule, and an album Rockabyeberry was reportedly planned for release in late October.

Re-release of "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" and success

"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" was re-released on May 22, 2006. The song had been gaining in airplay exposure (see "21 Nights From Tooting" for additional details), and based on download sales from the previous week, and it achieved #15 on this basis in the general charts (and #7 in the download-only chart). The physical release had three formats: two CD versions (one featuring the radio mix and "A Light As Bright As Ours", another featuring the radio mix, the album mix, a further remix, "May You Never" and the video), and also as a 7" vinyl record backed with "No More Heroes". The song has been playlisted on BBC Radio 2, and Virgin Radio, Capital Radio.

In the week of May 22, the song reached #2 in both charts, kept off the top slots by continued strong sales of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".

She performed on Top of the Pops on May 28. On June 4, the song overtook Gnarls Barkley to reach #1 in the singles chart. In the Republic of Ireland, "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" entered the singles chart at #10 (week ending May 25, 2006), and rising to #2 in the following week (ending June 1), and then to #1 the week after. It remained for a week, but was knocked off the top spot by Shakira's smash hit "Hips Don't Lie". It was suggested sales had fallen due to an outcry by punk and hippy fans alike who objected to being mistaken for each other.

"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" had most success overseas where it reached number 1 on the Australia "ARIA Charts" for ten consecutive weeks making it Australia's highest selling single of 2006.

Her album was released in the United Kingdom on Monday June 5, 2006. It went straight to number one, in the chart dated June 11.The single was nominated for a Brit award but was knocked out at the first round of voting, Thom replied with this comment for the Press "I'm not bothered to be honest. Those things don't really matter to me". "I didn't expect to get one and would have been very shocked to win a Brit." "Whether The Brits are based on a real reflection of the public view these days remains to be seen. I don't know how valuable it is".Scots born Thom also commented that "It was an exciting time to be a British Female Artist" although in the following months she decided to politically align herself to the Scottish National Party which advocates the ending of the British union and wants total independence for Scotland, leaving many members of the press to speculate as to what nationality Thom actually wanted to be. A British female artist or a Scots artist living in London?

Thom has also had numerous comments made about her from many other artists within the recording world most notably from Lily Allen and The Fratellis plus very public hostility from members of The Automatic who said on the BBC "If she was a punk rocker with flowers in her hair she'd get the s*** kicked out of her by other punk rockers, for having flowers in her hair". Rob from the band vented "We hate Sandi Thom. I haven't found anyone who's told me they like that song and bought it."

21 Nights from Tooting

21 Nights from Tooting was a "tour" consisting of 21 performances from the basement of her Tooting flat, from February 24 to March 16. These were recorded and then webcast by professional hosting company Streaming Tank. Tickets were sold, but the venue had a capacity of "six people" ("10 including the band").

The MySpace post announcing the gigs was posted in the early hours of February 22. Thom's website states that "the idea [...] popped into her head" after her car broke down travelling from a gig in York (on the 22nd) to one in Wales (on the 23rd).

Thom states that she was familiar with webcasting, having had a show at the Edinburgh Left Bank webcasted in October by an independent production crew running a fortnightly live webcast night called www.leftbanklive.com. The same team then went on to launch the night Nexuslive (www.nexuslive.com).

Prompted by a contact from Thom's manager, news services noted Thom's promotion efforts. In a story first published on March 5, 2006, the Sunday Times ran a piece, This was quickly reported on by other news sources.. The audience for the first day was reportedly around 60 or 70, increasing to 70,000 (later quoted as 48,000) by the middle of the run, with viewers from Russia, the United States and Pakistan..

The March 7 Reuters story mentioned that "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker" was being rereleased the following week, with the album following in April. However, the publicity surrounding the tour led to major label interest, with music label representatives attending the gigs in question.

Thom subsequently accepted an offer by Sony. This led to the single re-release being delayed until May, when it was released on Sony's RCA label. The news of this broke on April 3, 2006, the official signing itself being webcast. The single was placed on Music Week Daily's playlist that day. She was the first artist signed the RCA label since its reorganisation.

Controversy

Some observers have questioned how she was able to sustain production of the webcasts; critics suggest that she "could not have supported such a large audience on her webcast if she really was a starving artist". Others question the veracity of claims made about viewership. There are also questions as to the level of involvement of PR agency Quite Great. Her manager, Ian Brown, in an interview with the Guardian, asserted that the idea did indeed come from her, whilst her management and publicist claim to have conducted a large publicity campaign, including a million "virtual flyers"

In an interview with the Sun, Thom stated that Streaming Tank were "friends of my managers and did it for free", agreeing that she could not have afforded commercial rates for this. Some critics accused Sony of orchestrating the campaign. Craig Logan, the managing director of RCA, denied these accusations, claiming that the label was "drawn to" Thom after hearing of the webcasting.

The Guardian's review said that it was "ironic" that she had "harnessed new technology to draw attention to the kind of pop made by her foremothers" - the single being a lament to the spirits of '69 and '77.

In response to the controversy, Sandi Thom told the Daily Record.: "I'm not a fake. And look at my band - they're not fakes." But it was Studio musicians and not Thom's band who perform on her album.

Additional live performances

Thom made an appearance at the Northsound Radio Free at the Dee festival in Aberdeen on September 4, 2005. The Daily Record stated that she "impressed with [her] powerful vocals". She headlined a charity gig in Edinburgh later in September 2005, and was described as "hotly-tipped" by the Daily Record. However, in addition, Sandi "has been labeled a fraud" according to the Daily Record.

Thom also supported The Proclaimers on their UK tour in December 2005. She and her band continued to tour, playing the Pocklington Arts Centre near York on February 22, 2006, supported by Edwina Hayes, and the Queen's Hall in Narberth in Wales on February 23, 2006.

Thom also performed on Ireland's The Late Late Show before the album release.

She also played the Main Stage at T in the Park 2006 after moving from last billed on the Futures Stage (the lowest billed stage). Thom was billed to appear as the first act on stage in an early afternoon spot. The performance was marred by bad weather and a very small audience. She was not asked to return to play any stage at the 2007 T in the Park.

On November 6, 2006, she had arranged to play a secret show in Melbourne, Australia, however the show was cancelled when only 25 people showed up.

From the 25th of November to the 2nd of December, 2006, she was again in Australia for a promotional tour, performing private functions across the country for sponsors and attending interviews. Her 2007 Australian tour was later cancelled due to lack of interest.

Thom is touring the UK over winter 2007 playing tracks from her first and, soon to be released, second album. She will continue to tour with further dates in Europe, Australia and the US. Her second album is planned for release in late summer/early autumn 2007.

A performance at Vivienne Westwood's fashion show in New York will be taking place in April 2007. Thom will play "Punk Rocker" to promote Westwood's new collection. Thom is already on record as saying she "doesn't want the "Novelty" song to be all she is known for, although to date all other releases have just made the lower reaches of record charts or not charted at all in most countries.

She plays Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Inverness-shire, in August 2007

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Chart positions
		UK	IRL	NZ	AUS
2006	Smile... It Confuses People	1	1	5	11

Singles

Year	Song	United Kingdom	Ireland	New Zealand	Australia	Germany	Album
2005	"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (with Flowers in My Hair)"	55	—	—	—	—	Smile... It Confuses People
2006	"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (with Flowers in My Hair)" Re-Release	1	1	3	1 (10)	16
	"What If I'm Right"	22	30	35	36	—
	"Lonely Girl"	—	—	—	—	—

References

1. Sandi Thom's myspace profile. Retrieved on 2006-06-07.
2. "Punk Chic Rocker.", The Irish Post, November 2, 2005. 
3. "Singles Reviews", Daily Record, October 7, 2005. 
4. "Culture: Hippie chick strikes a perfect punk chord.", The Times., October 2, 2005. 
5. Channel 4 News. Sandi Thom Interview. April 4, 2006
6. Sandi Thom. sandithom.com. Retrieved on 2006-06-07.
7. "Laughing all the way to the bank", The Daily Record, June 2, 2006. 
8. "Sandi, singer in the basement, plays the World.", Sunday Times, March 5, 2006. 
9. "Singer tours world from basement", BBC News, March 8, 2006. 
10. Scottish singer's Webcam concerts attracting crowds. Reuters/ZDNet News. March 7, 2006
11. "On the record", June 2, 2006. 
12. Music Week Daily e-mail. April 3, 2006
13. "'World tour' webcaster is signed", BBC News, April 3, 2006. 
14. "Webcast woman scores deal", BBC 6Music News, April 4, 2006. 
15. "Was Sandi Thom's effortless rise just too good to be true?", The Independent, May 30, 2006. 
16. "An internet superstar - or just another rock'n'roll swindle?", The Guardian, May 31, 2006. 
17. "Singer denies rise to fame was result of internet scam.", The Times, May 31, 2006. 
18. "Sandi in flat 'con' denial", The Sun, June 5, 2006. 
19. "Sandi Thom, Smile - It Confuses People", The Guardian, June 2, 2006. 
20. "Anarchy OK But It's Family First For This Punk Rocker", Daily Record, July 8, 2006. 
21. "Simply Dee-Lightful", Daily Record, September 5, 2005. 
22. "Right Note For Charity", Daily Record, September 20, 2005. 
23. "Anarchy OK But It's Family First For This Punk Rocker", Daily Record, July 8, 2006. 
24. "Very modern artist longs for age of innocence", The Age, December 1, 2006. 

External links

• Official web site
• Sandi Thom Fansite
• Sandi Thom at the Internet Movie Database
• Charlie Brooker (The Guardian) article on Sandi Thom
• Interview with Sandi on WHO.com"

v • d • e Sandi Thom
Discography
Studio albums
Smile... It Confuses People
Singles
"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (with Flowers in My Hair)" · "What If I'm Right" · "Lonely Girl"