TBC introduces… Thomas Atlas

When did your love of music start? 

My father’s a blues guitar player, so there was always Clapton, Hendrix, and B.B. King being echoed around the house, so I didn't really have much choice; I had to get into it. There’s a very big family connection with music through my Dad and my Uncle Richard, who was a sound engineer at Island Records. When we'd all get together, he'd tell us stories and recommend bands like the Average White Band to me, and some of the guys that he'd recorded.  

When and how did you first get signed to a record label?  

I think it was just before COVID. I was approached by Hillside, which is a subsidiary of Gulf Coast Records. They were working with Tito Jackson, Michael Jackson's brother. I was quite wowed by that and actually got to meet Tito. He just said to me, "Just keep on going, don't stop". I thought, "Cool, as I've got no other qualifications". 

From soul and blues tours in the UK and USA to headlining your own shows, your journey has been full of musical twists. What was the biggest turning point where you felt your own style truly clicked into place? 

There have been a few defining moments where I’ve thought, "What am I doing?" I left school, I kind of went to college, I technically did, but I wasn't really mentally there. I wanted to be doing the stuff that I'm doing now, so I kind of jumped straight in the deep end. I feel like I'm either climbing a never-ending ladder or trying to stay afloat. For me, that's what the music's about. It's about pushing yourself in different places. 

Do you feel comfortable with that, or uncomfortable? It puts you in an uncomfortable place, but do you like it? 

I think you've nailed it there. It’s uncomfortable, but I like it.  

Tell us how the "Garage Funk" videos you put on YouTube started? They seemed to spark a wave of momentum. What was happening behind the scenes during that period, and did you have any idea they would take off the way they did? 

We were rehearsing a lot in Jack Bowles's garage. Jack's a drummer who plays quite a lot with me. And we thought, "Oh, should we invite Bryan Corbett (Brand New Heavies trumpet player) down to see if he's up for doing it? What's the worst that can happen?" He said yes, so Bryan and I have been working together ever since. 

Your debut album, the self-titled Thomas Atlas, has been described as vibrant and fresh, inspired by icons like Maceo Parker and George Duke. When you were in the studio, what was your vision for how it should sound and feel? 

Thing is, I am a blues guitar player, I'm not really a jazz player. I just surround myself with guys who can play jazz, so every day is a school day being in my band. So having those influences is not necessarily your average blues guitar influences. When George Duke is doing his synth solos, strangely, that sounds like a guitar solo to me. So I get a lot of inspiration from listening to guys who aren't guitar players to try and influence my guitar playing and songwriting from there.  

From the debut album, "Juice" has clearly struck a chord with audiences worldwide. When you first wrote it, did you sense it would become your breakthrough track? 

"Juice" is a bit like Average White Band’s "Pick Up the Pieces". It's basically just me and the guys getting funky and coming up with something mad and different. I didn't really expect it to be my breakthrough and one of the most popular tracks from the album, but that just shows you that you can't predict these things, can you? You've just gotta do what you do, and if someone likes it, then great. 

You’ve played everywhere from Greek island residencies to major UK festivals. How do you adapt your set and energy for an intimate club like The Bear, compared to a huge festival stage? 

I get to play with really reactive jazz musicians, and they're so reactive to everything that's going. It's different every show. If you look at bands like The Rolling Stones, for example, when they're playing in South America, all of a sudden there's this big Latin influence that comes out of nowhere. And then when they're playing in Texas, they bring out all the country songs. I'm getting to the point where our set is not just all the funk and soul stuff from the first album. We're putting in a lot of different genres now.  

What can we expect from your show at The Bear?

Well, we've got a new album that we're all gradually putting together. We’ve had so many years playing the material from the first record. Now we know what we're doing with that. So, everyone can expect all that funky stuff that they've heard from the album and the live stuff, but we're also going to be pushing some boundaries with the genres too. There's gonna be a lot of blues and shuffly blues, and then we're going to be doing some slower songs and some heartfelt stuff as well. 

Before we wrap up, let’s have a bit of fun. We’re going to ask you some quick-fire questions and want you to answer them without too much thought. If you could jam with any musician, living or dead, who would it be and why? 

I think it would be Eric Clapton, because he's the one guy who has been a constant influence through my changing of styles and getting into jazz and soul and all kinds of mad stuff. He’s like the solid foundation of what I do. He actually got to hear one of my songs recently as well, which is quite cool. He called it "nifty". I'm hoping that one day, he'll ask me to come and jam with him. 

What’s the one guitar riff you wish you’d written? 

Well, I think you can guess that one. It would have to be "Layla". I've met industry guys and they say to me, "You know what you need to do, Tom? You just need to write a Layla".

What’s your ultimate feel-good track when you’re offstage? 

I listen to a lot of different things. I've been listening to a lot of Motown. I love George Jackson. Probably a song of his called "Evidence". He's never had the recognition that he really deserves. 

You’re stranded on a desert island with one album. What’s playing on repeat? 

It would probably be Hamish Stuart, Sooner or Later. I'm a little bit biased ‘cause my uncle recorded it. 

Tea, coffee, or something funkier to get you going before a gig? 

Well, I can't do tea because I don't like tea, if we're talking about English tea. Coffee is not great for the voice; it can dry your throat out. So, it will probably have to be something funkier, maybe. Although, to be honest, these days I try to just stick to water while I'm performing because I'm playing with guys where I really have to be sharp and on point.  

Thomas Atlas joins us with his band on Friday 22 August 2025