Getting to Know… Hometime | Interview 🎤

For our 208^th Q&A on The Musical Hype, we get the scoop and some insight from Dublin ‘solo’ project, Hometime (Tony Kavanagh).  

“C

onsent is essential.” Agreed completely, but it should be noted that 🎙️ Hometime (Tony Kavanagh), our interviewee, isn’t referencing what you think he’s referencing.  Basically, this ‘colorful’ solo project/musician is answering our ‘colorful’ first question, well, colorfully, as you’ll see as you read through our 208^th interview.  No worries, we get some musical insight too, which is exactly what you came for, right, #Rihanna? “I know that this is the space where I’m supposed to list a bunch of iconic sacred cows, but don’t expect to see the usual suspects appear.” Woo! OKAY! So, without further ado, you’ll find yourself taken with the wild responses on 🎤 Getting to Know… Hometime: Interview No. 208!

---

Starting things off, for those who may not be familiar with Hometime, what would you say makes you distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?  

🎤 I would politely ask the audience if they’d like to remove their socks. Their socks, their choice. Consent is essential.

---

I’d agree with that ‘consent’ for sure. Continuing, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did your ‘band’ form and what were some of the goals or the visions you had early on?

🎤 Well, Hometime is really a solo venture, so I guess you could say it started when I left my last band. The goals and visions I had early on – and those we had in the band too – have all changed. Any interest in fame has disappeared. Now the goal is simply to be heard – which is often harder than it sounds, really.

---

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

🎤 Like pretty much everyone else who starts a band or takes up a microphone, the ambition was to write songs, have hits and become filthy rich. Having seen what’s behind the curtain, the industry is a lot less attractive to me now. I’ve been invited on to casting couches (for real – and I did say no), I’ve seen friends’ bands ripped off in bad deals and by unscrupulous managers, I’ve had people try to take credit for things they didn’t write. Nowadays, I work entirely on my own terms, putting out music when it suits me. It’s great. Getting airplay and sales is harder and unless I come across a mogul with Daddy issues, I won’t get another invitation to the casting couch!

---

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?  

🎤 I know that this is the space where I’m supposed to list a bunch of iconic sacred cows, but don’t expect to see the usual suspects appear. I’m a massive pop fan and I love the glorious maximalism of 1980s production. But I listen to lots of current stuff too. To be honest, I find it hard to distinguish the line between “influences” and “nicking ideas from records I love.”

---

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

🎤 A few years ago, we played a showcase for an A&R guy. We pleaded with everyone we know to turn up and scream the place down. I joked that I wanted somebody to throw their knickers at me onstage. My best friend decided to oblige and bought along a MASSIVE pair of granny knickers. They were too light to travel any distance when thrown so, after a couple of attempts, she dipped the gusset in beer to add some weight and a little “convincing moisture.” It did the trick. The pants landed on my shoulder with a splat that was picked up by the mic – during a stripped-back ballad about death. Classy!

---

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

🎤 The song I’ve always enjoyed performing the most is also a song that has meant a lot to me from the get-go. It’s called 🎵 “It Beats Living Alone.” It’s enjoyed a few different arrangements for live performance and recordings, but it’s a song I can just disappear right inside of. It was written with my last band, but I’ve recorded my own version which is, coincidentally, my new single. 

---

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

🎤 Not sure if it counts, but I once briefly got stuck between floors in an elevator with Paul Newman. The car had to be manually pulled up to the next floor to get us out. It was just a couple of feet and was over very quickly, but let’s overlook that for the sake of added drama.

---

Closing things out, what are you currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

🎤 All focus is trained on finishing my album. The pandemic really interfered with progress, but we’re back to a proper recording schedule. The downtime gave me the chance to revisit a couple of songs and it’s possible that a new song might make a late appearance. But we’re approaching the home stretch now, thankfully. It’s called “Past Imperfect” and I hope to have it finished by Christmas. 

Thank you so much for sharing taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward. 

---

Getting to Know… Hometime: Interview No. 208 🎤 [📷: Hometime, Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype]

---