What An Unbelievable Week! Guitars Stolen AND Returned in 7 Days!!

What an unbelievable week indeed! Between Saturday, May 13th and Saturday May 20th, I had my guitars stolen, I had a facebook post about the incident go viral, along with an outpouring of support from the Kingston community and people across Canada, and the guitars were returned to me! Nothing short of amazing!! 🤯

This all started on Saturday, May 13th. I had my gear loaded for a show at Sam's Place out in Prince Edward County, and stopped at the K&P trail(Kingston area) for a walk. A rural part of the trail surrounded by farmland, I might add. I think this is an important detail as some folks on social media assumed I was in the city limits, and more specifically, parked near a homeless encampment...

When I returned to the van it had been broken into(they ripped the passenger side door handle off) and they stole my signature Gibson Nighthawk guitar and an Epiphone Wildkat that Richard Piche (bassist for Dead Root Revival) had just modified with two 1967 Dearmond gold foil pickups. It was a gut punch for sure. I immediately raced home and put up a post on social media with a desperate plea for help in finding the guitars. Facebook responded in kind! In less than two hours, my post was shared over 1000 times, ultimately reaching 7800 shares over the course of the week, and offers of gear and messages of support flowed in. It was a truly heartwarming and overwhelming experience. ❤️


Then on Saturday, May 20th at 10:30 AM, almost exactly the same time of day they were taken from me a week before, my guitars were returned.


https://www.thewhig.com/news/kingston-musician-hoping-for-return-of-stolen-guitars-gear






Naturally, there has been quite a lot of curiosity out there, as to how the whole thing went down. How did I get my guitars back?

First off, I’ll say that this wouldn’t have happened without the social media reaction and the almost 8000 shares my original post received on Facebook alone. That really put the pressure on the thief or thieves.

I always had a good feeling that I would get my guitars back someday because of the unique nature of the models I have. No one plays a Nighthawk really and definitely nobody has an Epiphone Wildkat with gold foil pickups. However, I thought it would take a long time.

But when I woke up on Friday morning, there was a message on my phone from a friend of mine saying he had a lead on the guitars…and he sent pics! I was shocked! The thief probably had reached out to someone in hopes of moving the gear….and the pics had been passed on down the line. But it had become abundantly clear that nobody was going to touch these guitars! They had become some of the most recognizable instruments in the country in a matter of days(hours even!), so the thief switched gears and decided to add to their criminal repertoire by attempting extortion.

They delivered a message to me through back channels that I was to pay a ransom of $1500 if I wanted my guitars back.

I offered an alternative. Deliver my guitars, and do the right thing, or face a not-insignificant amount of jail time for theft over $5000. Through my friend the message was delivered and a deadline was set for a response by Friday afternoon.

Not long after this occurred on Friday morning, another friend, from the Kingston Police force, contacted me. He saw that I’d filed a report and offered assistance. He also works as tour manager for 54-40, who had been a victim of Guitarjackers a few years back( 7 guitars stolen, 6 returned).

I told him about the developments in the case and that I was waiting to see if the situation could be resolved without police involvement.

By 2 PM on Friday afternoon, there had been no communication from the Guitarjackers, so I asked him to intervene. He dispatched two constables to knock on doors and start following the trail. The next morning I checked in with him and he assured me the officers were working the case, were 3 or 4 links down the chain towards finding my guitars, and it was only a matter of time. Not even an hour after that, my friend (with connections to the other side of the law 😄 ) called me saying he had picked up the guitars. Unbelievable!!


https://www.thewhig.com/news/kingston-musicians-stolen-guitars-returned-one-week-after-going-missing




The three factors in getting this resolved:

1. Social media - this put such intense pressure on the thief and gave them nowhere to move these instruments.

2. People wanting to do the right thing. Even those who deal in stolen goods wouldn't touch these guitars. The heat was a factor for sure, but from what I understand of the situation, there was considerable pressure applied from those on the street to convince the thief to part with my guitars.

3. The police pressure. It was made known to the thieving party that the police were closing in and it would only be a matter of time before they were arrested.

Some of you will be disappointed that were no arrests. I’m just happy to have my instruments back, but I do hope that the thief will think twice next time, because they definitely got more than they bargained for when they broke into my van.


Thanks again to everyone who shared my posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You collectively played a big part in bringing my guitars home!


If you want to see these guitars in action come see a Dead Root Revival show. They've got extra MOJO now!!

Catch DRR at the Rainbow in Ottawa on Saturday, June 3rd - Tickets
or in Kingston at the RCHA on Saturday, June 10th - Tickets



Rock and Roll!
Tom

New Album on the Horizon

It's been an excruciatingly busy time over the past few months. This is good though. The April US tour was a heavy one and a bit of a hard slog. Many a Walmart parking lot and too much fast food. The schedule was chock full and there was not much time for sightseeing...unless you count the interstate rest stops. Such is the glitz and the glamour of the independent touring musician. That said, many interesting characters met and many songs to be harvested. And that is a very important factor for why touring is important. Honing the craft, shaping the songs, and finding the stories. It damn sure ain't about the money.

Speaking of songs and stories, upon returning from the US tour I headed into North Of Princess Studios the last week of April to record with my good friends Tony Silvestri, Bonz Bowering, and Seamus Cowan. A lot of it live off the floor, it was a spirited session, and I think you all will be very pleased with the results. It's a bit of a different direction for me and I hope you are all willing to take the trip. The album is scheduled for an official release in October, but I hope to have copies available for MUSICWestport in August (where I'll be performing with the band) and for my Canadian Tour in September.

Early May saw the release of Al Duquette's new record, Tales of the Wild West. A project I had the pleasure of acting as producer on. Al has lived a life and his experience and authenticity comes through in the way he delivers his songs. There is no pretence here. A beautiful collection of songs that will fit nicely between Hank and Lefty on the shelf. Head over to Bandcamp and download your copy today.

Early June was all about the East Coast of Canada. Always good to get down there and catch up with friends, and perform for friendly faces. Highlight of the tour was a Monday night concert in a little church in Alma, NS. Google didn't even know where it was! Great acoustics and good vibes.

That's it for now. I'll be around the Kingston area for the summer. check my site for dates, and stay tuned for more details about the new record.

Lonesome Highway Tour : September 1st - October 8th

Hitting the road again, friends. The solo show is taking it up another notch this year. A couple of new surprises in store and a pretty awesome sound if I do say so myself. Hope to see you out at one of my stops across this fine country of ours. Please share and help spread the word.

Best,
Tom

9/1 - Pan Chancho BBQ and Band Series - Kingston, ON

9/2 - The Garnet - Peterborough, ON
9/3 - HopeFest - Pefferlaw, ON
9/4 - Acoustic Grill - Picton, ON
9/6 - The Townehouse - Sudbury, ON
9/7 - Naturally Superior House Concert - Wawa, ON
9/8 - Apollo - Thunder Bay, ON
9/9 - The WhiskeyJack - Perrault Falls, ON
9/10 - Selkirk, MB - TBC
9/11 - Watson Arts Centre - Dauphin, MB
9/13 - The Needle Vinyl Tavern - Edmonton, AB (5:30 PM)
9/13 - Cha Island Cafe - Edmonton, AB (8:00 PM)
9/14 - Rum Runner - Coleman, AB
9/15 - The Twin Butte General Store - Twin Butte, AB
9/16 - Palomino - Calgary, AB (5-9 PM)
9/17 - House Concert - Red Deer, AB
9/18 - Lorenzo's Cafe - Enderby, BC
9/20 - WISE Hall - Vancouver, BC
9/22 - Rockwater Bar & Grill - Golden, BC
9/23 - Auditorium Hotel - Nanton, AB
9/24 - Mikey's Juke Joint ( w/ Kent McAlister) - Calgary, AB
9/25 - Last Chance Saloon - Wayne, AB ( 3:00 PM)
9/26 - Shannon's Pub - Regina, SK
9/27 - The Capitol - Saskatoon, SK
9/28 - Winnipeg, MB - TBD
9/29 - Pappy's Cafe - Wabigoon, ON
9/30 - Apollo - Thunder Bay, ON
10/1 - Loplops - Sault Ste. Marie, ON
10/2 - The Townehouse - Sudbury, ON
10/7 - Grumpy's - Montreal, QC

10/8 - House Concert - Ottawa, ON

Have Yourself a Brooding Lo-Fi Christmas

Now available on CD Baby  you can purchase my 2011 Ep, Living Room Session.  This record is what the title indicates : songs recorded in my living room. Me, my guitar, and one microphone recorded live off the floor. Truly lo-fi. I love the simplicity of this recording and may revisit this production style in 2016.  So, if the holiday season gets you down, with its rampant consumerism, credit card debt, and surfacing of deeply-hidden family issues, my record may just cheer you up.

I kid. Actually, I really enjoy Christmas, though I could do without the materialistic aspects of it. Which strikes me as funny as I write this because I am asking you to buy my record! 

But, on that subject, I was reading a post from a friend online the other day, and she said that the best gifts are those made by independent artists. This is so true! Whether it be music or art, or even furniture, supporting those who are making their own way with their craft has a real impact. First, the financial benefit for the artist. Second, the money goes straight back into the local economy. Third, the social message it sends. I support the arts. I support community. I am not a slave to the corporation by giving gifts made of pieces of plastic that have been shipped over from China.

So, swing on by CD Baby and download Living Room Session. Six songs of dark, brooding, lo-fi, anti-folk goodness. What could be more Christmasy than that!

1. The Less You Seem To Know -  a psychotic breakdown in a big box store 3000 miles from home
2. Par For The Course - about getting old ( the title is in tribute to my late grandmother. Par For The Course was one of her favourite sayings)
3. A God I Can Call My Own -  an agnostic gospel song
4. Bleed That Pig -  raping the planet is just no good
5. Lonesome Highway - a dark secret, a hidden past, a fork in the road between calamity and redemption
6. Never Been Seen -  quite possibly the saddest song I've ever written about what else, mortality 

FMP Session : A Country Music Locomotive Chuggin' On Down The Line

Fiddle player Kevin Davidson's country home, on the outskirts of The Outlet, was the perfect setting for us to lay down tracks for what will be the debut record of The Foley Mountain Playboys. Keeping it simple, we just set up all in one room and ran through the songs...well, maybe it wasn't quite that simple, but I'll spare you the technical details. Anyway, we are all excited about what we were hearing through the headphones, and can't wait to make these songs available to you.

Bonz wore a most appropriate shirt for the occasion.

The band has definitely developed a sound, and for what it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in sheer locomotive force. Every musician is performing their function to keep the machine moving, and it's the most fun I've had banging on the ol' acoustic guitar.Yeehaw!!

Look out for this record to be released in March 2014.

Homegrown 2013 - Introducing The Foley Mountain Playboys

Really looking forward to this Saturday night at The Royal Tavern in Kingston, when I'll have the opportunity to debut my new band, The Foley Mountain Playboys, at Homegrown Fest 2013.

The Foley Mountain Playboys (FMP) came about as a result of a few awesome shows we had doing acoustic sets as Tom Savage Trio + 1( Kevin Davidson on fiddle). The first of them being last year for Homegrown 2012 (at The Royal as well), then at the Who The Hell Is Billy Music Fest, and most recently, a great dance floor-filled gig at The Toucan. I really enjoyed what we were doing, and the sound we were getting, so I decided to start a new band, or at least put a name to this group because TST+1 doesn't really cut it. We've also added another player to the mix. Kevin Bowers joins us on electric guitar.

Having grown up in Westport, Foley Mountain has significance for me, and the Playboys part of the name is a nod to Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. There will be plenty of foot stompin' and twangin' to go around with this band, but also the odd Blues vibe dropped in there for good measure.

Come on down and check it out if you are in Kingston on Saturday night. FMP will be hosting a Hootenanny, and the band will be backing up some other great acts, and of course we will be raising money Joe's M.I.L.L.

Tom Savage Trio Taking A Break From The Road

It's been a good run over these past seven years, but now it's time for TST to take a break from the road. We've been working hard to bring our brand of dirt road rock and roll to music fans all over Canada, and we appreciate everyone who have come out to shows over the years, and bought merchandise, and given us food and drink, and helped us promote the shows, and given us couches and floors to crash on, and written articles about us in their local paper, and have interviewed us, or had us play live on their radio shows, and helped our record chart on Canadian campus radio, and so on, and so on.

Many of you know of our legendary (some have compared us to Spinal Tap) turnover in drummers. I'm happy to say that the frequent change in drummers had nothing to do with personality conflicts, and Geoff and myself remain friends with all who played in the band. Thanks to Sandy, Joe, Chris, Jeff, and Gary for being a part of the band. And thanks to all of the other drummers who auditioned, or almost played in the band(which would be every drummer in Kingston I think).

At this point in my career, I find I need time to step back, reevaluate things, and figure out what my next move is, both creatively and professionally. Got some ideas, but for much of 2013 I'll be ruminating over them.

Don't worry folks in Eastern Ontario, you'll still see both Geoff and I playing around this area. We are both rocking out with the Tony Silvestri Band these days, and Geoff is also playing around Kingston with Bent On Soul.

I'll be doing a number of shows with Kevin Davidson on fiddle, playing my own original music, and staying busy on the scene. Who knows? We may play the odd TST show in Kingston. Stay tuned for updates about new projects coming down the line.

And even though we aren't touring Canada for awhile, you can still buy/download our records.

Keep on Rockin'
Tom

Best Of The Song A Week Challenge #3 : Best Country Song

Here's a good ol' twanger I wrote for the first week of April. I can't believe no one has used "April Fool" in a country song before. Maybe they have, but I didn't come across it in my 5 minutes of research on the matter. Recorded this one with my friend Kevin Bowers, in his studio. Rene Vermette joins in on harmonica.

Best Of The Song A Week Challenge #2 : Another Comparison

It was interesting listening back to "49 More To Go" last week, and taking notice of the changes the song went through from the time it was written, to when it was recorded for "Overdrive Express". The first recording is more raw obviously, but you can also hear the newness of the song as well.

This week I thought I'd share with you a couple of more songs of the week that were recorded for "OverDrive Express" along with the first recordings.


 Lunatic Baby 

Sell music on Amazon at ReverbNation.com

We're Older Now

Sell music on Amazon at ReverbNation.com

2012 Song A Week Challenge Complete!!

I started out 2012 with the resolution that I would write, record, and post a song online for every week of the year. A daunting task. One I wasn't sure I'd be able to complete. But I'm here to tell you I did it!! Posted the last tune at around 12:15 on Dec. 31st.


This was not easy. At the beginning, the songs flowed out of me, and I was thinking it would be a piece of cake. Then February rolled around. Things began to slow down.

This challenge taught me a lot about the process of writing, and opened me up to new approaches. I found myself looking for the song, rather than waiting for the song to find me, which is how I used to operate. I have to say though, the songs that just kinda come to you are still the best ones.

Three of the "songs of the week" ended up on the latest TST record - Overdrive Express, "49 More To Go", "Lunatic Baby", and "We're Older Now". I'll be going back through the songs in the coming months to find my top ten for my next recording project, which will be a solo record. Most likely acoustic.

I've gotta thank Ross Neilsen for getting this thing going. Without him joking around with me about it on Facebook, this project would never have gotten off the ground. Ross started off the challenge with me. He only made it to week 15, but got some solid tunes for his latest solo record, and I think maybe for his upcoming record with the band.

A worthwhile creative exercise for both of us I'd have to say.


I started off this challenge by posting religiously on Monday mornings, and using Bandcamp. But as the year went on, and my touring schedule complicated things, I switched over to mobile recording on my ipod, using the Soundcloud app.

Feel free to have a look back on my creative output for 2012. When I find my top 10, I'll be sharing them as well.


Happy New Year!!
Tom

Learn licks from guitar zen-master Tom Savage

Now offering guitar lessons, and looking to increase my number of students in the new year. If your New Years' Resolution is to learn guitar, I'm your man.

I also offer songwriter mentoring, for those of you who are interested, and want some guidance with this form of creative expression. Click the link below for more details.

Learn licks from guitar zen-master Tom Savage

Song #30 Week #30 - Rainfall

Well, it has been 30 weeks of songs, so I figured it was a good time for my first instrumental. This really is an improvised piece that I recorded on my ipod while it was raining. The background noises are really what made me want to share this one with you. The rain hitting the rooftop.Cars swishing by. Even a cricket hangs out for the whole song.

I'm playing my newest guitar. An El Degas classical guitar that I found used for the low, low price of $40!!

It's sounding and playing pretty nice.

Song #24 Week #24 - 2012 Song A Week Challenge

Song #24. A day late posting this one, but that's only the second time I've done that all year, so I'm doing alright with keeping on schedule.Life get's in the way sometimes.

Anyway, this one is sort of a poem set to music. Structure-wise, there is no chorus or bridge. A whole bunch lyrics packed into this one though.








everyone's in love with you
you could try to laugh it off
but you know it's true
deep down inside I had some proof
but my heart could only hold so much

every look from your eyes
it can see right through
and I don't have a choice but to tell the truth
so much for small talk's forgiving crutch


everywhere i go you're there
wish it didn't bother me
wish i didn't care
wish i wasn't so damn scared
to let myself feel anything

been sleepwalking for so long
now i daydream about doing wrong
i awoke to find 10 years had gone
i thought i knew everything

Now i'm a stranger in my own mind
left behind in the daily grind
in need of defending, i've been much maligned
which suit of armour did you bring?

we are ghosts living and dead
god give us our daily bread
But i'll be down at the pub instead
trying to wash away the sting

everyday is another chance
to fill our heads with dreams of romance
electricity exchanged through a fleeting glance
if only we were to touch

everything has changed for me
i'm in a life boat floating on the sea
while everyone else is sipping green tea
talking current events and such

everyone's in love with you
you could try to laugh it off
but you know it's true
deep down inside I had some proof
but my heart could only hold so much