Tom Chaplin

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Tom Chaplin
Chaplin performing at the January 2005 Tsunami Relief Cardiff concert
Background information
Birth name	Thomas Oliver Chaplin
Born	March 8, 1979 (age 28) Battle, East Sussex, England
Genre(s)	Piano rock Rock Alternative New age
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Vocals Organ Distortion piano Piano Acoustic guitar
Years active	1996-1997 1998-present
Associated acts	Keane

Thomas Oliver Chaplin (born March 8, 1979) is the lead singer of the English piano rock band, Keane. He is from Battle, East Sussex.

Contents 1 Life and career 2 Keane 3 Drug rehabilitation 4 Miscellanea 5 Equipment 6 Known compositions 7 Keane songs about his relationship with Rice-Oxley or the band 7.1 Disputed or suggested 8 Websites

[edit] Life and career

Chaplin was born to Richard Chaplin on March 8, 1979, the same day as future bandmate Tim Rice-Oxley's brother, also called Tom. He started a friendship of both that remains today. His mother's name remains unknown but she was referred to once before the song "Sunshine" during a live performance.^{[citation needed]}

Chaplin's family owned the Vine Hall School in Robertsbridge, so both friends attended there. It was there they met Richard Hughes, who would later be their bandmate.

Chaplin, Rice-Oxley, and Hughes attended Tonbridge School in 1992. Studying there, Rice-Oxley met his future and final Keane bandmate: Dominic Scott (who was an original member of the line-up but left in 2001). Chaplin had previously acted in several school plays and been part of the school's choral group.

However, shortly before his last year end on A-level, Chaplin decided to move to go for a degree in art history at the University of Edinburgh, meaning the first notable separation of the trio in their lives.

In 1995, the three started their first band, "The Lotus Eaters," in 1995. It was a cover band that played U2, Oasis and The Beatles at Sussex pubs.

[edit] Keane

In the meanwhile, Chris Martin had invited Rice-Oxley to join his band, Coldplay. Rice-Oxley had refused, being already committed to Keane, but Chaplin knew about this and decided to leave his studies to join the band. He was invited to join by Rice-Oxley in 1997, when the name "The Lotus Eaters" was changed to "Cherry Keane", after a friend of Chaplin's mother. Later "Cherry" was removed from the name.

In July 1997, Chaplin went to South Africa for his gap year, during which the rest of the band members were preparing themselves for a gig. When Richard went to collect Tom a year later, on July 3, 1998, his first words were, "We've got a gig in ten days." This would be the band's first performance at the Hope & Anchor pub on July 13, 1998.

During their stint in London, Tom shared a flat with Tim in Stoke Newington and they tried to get money for rehearsal time. Tom worked at a publishing company where his chief responsibility was to carry boxes.

With Scott in the line-up as the lead guitarist, Tom had to play the acoustic guitar. Since Scott left in 2001, Chaplin primarily takes lead vocal, but also plays the organ on "Hamburg Song" during some live gigs, as well as a distorted piano for newer songs on their second album. He also took part in Band Aid 20's re-recording of Do They Know It's Christmas? in November of 2004 doing a solo on the line "feed the world", something that hadn't been done on previous versions where all artists sang.

[edit] Drug rehabilitation

On August 22, 2006, Chaplin revealed that he was receiving treatment for alcohol and drug (namely cocaine^{[citation needed]}) abuse problems. In the Clinic he met Pete Doherty from the band Babyshambles, and Justin Hawkins formerly of The Darkness.[1]. He left the Priory Clinic in London on October 6 but is still receiving treatment.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Miscellanea

• The football team Chaplin supports is Ipswich Town.
• He owned a Honda Civic VII which later changed for a Ferrari 360 Módena.
• His favorite Keane songs are "She Opens Her Eyes" and "A Bad Dream".
• His favourite city is Amsterdam, Holland.

[edit] Equipment

Used a Hammond MK2 organ for "Hamburg Song" and "Nothing in My Way". Since May 2006 a Yamaha CP60M for the distortion piano riffs on "A Bad Dream", "The Frog Prince" and "Crystal Ball", is used.

Has been playing the acoustic guitar in songs like "Your Eyes Open" since the 2006 UK tour.

[edit] Known compositions

• "Call Me What You Like"
• "Duncan Elliot"
• "Closer Now"
• "Maybe I Can Change"
• "The Silence Of An Alien"

[edit] Keane songs about his relationship with Rice-Oxley or the band

• "Hamburg Song"

About Rice-Oxley's hopes to be still a friend for Chaplin.

• "Broken Toy"

About Chaplin's indifference.

• "Thin Air"

Though not declared, lyrics make it obvious.^{[citation needed]}

• "Maybe I Can Change"

The direct response to Rice-Oxley's "Broken Toy".

[edit] Disputed or suggested

• "The Frog Prince"
• "He Used To Be A Lovely Boy"
• "Bitter Pill"

[edit] Websites

• Keane Official page

Keane
Tim Rice-Oxley | Tom Chaplin | Richard Hughes
Adam Tudhope | Dominic Scott | Andy Green | Alex Lake | Ed Roe
Discography
Studio albums: Hopes and Fears | Under the Iron Sea
Lives and EPs: Live Recordings 2004 | Keane Live 06 | Live from London
Singles: "Call Me What You Like" | "Wolf at the Door" | "Everybody’s Changing (Part 1)" | "This Is the Last Time (Part 1)" | "Somewhere Only We Know" | "Everybody’s Changing (Part 2)" | "Bedshaped" | "This Is the Last Time (Part 2)"| "We Might As Well Be Strangers" | "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" | "Bend and Break" | "Atlantic" | "Is It Any Wonder?" | "Crystal Ball" | "Nothing in My Way" | "Try Again" | "A Bad Dream"
DVDs: Hopes and Fears DVD | Strangers | Under the Iron Sea DVD
Tours: Hopes and Fears Tour | Under the Iron Sea Tour
Other: List of songs by Keane
Related articles
Piano rock | Battle, East Sussex | Rye, East Sussex | War Child (charity) | Help - a Day in the Life
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