Tom Chaplin
| Tom Chaplin | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Oliver Chaplin |
| Born |
8 March 1979 Hastings, East Sussex, England |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, organ, piano, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, timpani |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Associated acts | Keane |
Thomas Oliver "Tom" Chaplin (born 8 March 1979), is an English singer-songwriter, musician and composer, best known as the lead singer of the British pop rock band Keane.
Thomas Oliver Chaplin was born in Hastings, East Sussex, to David Chaplin OBE and Sally Taylor, a month apart from future band mate Tim Rice-Oxley's brother, also called Tom. Their mothers became friends and he started a friendship with the two brothers that endures today.
Chaplin's father was headmaster of Vinehall School in Robertsbridge, so both friends were schooled there along with Richard Hughes, who would later be their band mate. With Rice-Oxley and Hughes, Chaplin then attended Tonbridge School. Studying there, they met Dominic Scott (who was an original member of the line-up but left in 2001). During his time at Vinehall, Chaplin acted in several school plays and was part of the school's choral group. He also played the flute while at school.
In 1995, the trio (Scott, Rice-Oxley and Hughes) started their first band, The Lotus Eaters. It was a cover band that played U2, Oasis and The Beatles at Sussex pubs. Tim Rice-Oxley invited Chaplin to join the band as an acoustic guitar player. A short time later, in 1997, the band's name changed to Keane and Chaplin became the lead singer.
Chaplin was invited to join the band by Rice-Oxley, after he finally convinced the other two, in 1997, when the name The Lotus Eaters was changed to Cherry Keane, after a friend of Chaplin's mother. 'Cherry' was later 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 Hughes went to collect Chaplin a year later, on 3 July 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 13 July 1998. Chaplin then began studying for a degree in art history at the University of Edinburgh, before leaving to pursue his music career in London.
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