In "Music meets Football", we speak to some of our artists about their love of the beautiful game and the teams they support. Our latest feature is with Tom Fleming, aka One True Pairing.
The former Wild Beasts songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist is a fan of former Premier League winners Blackburn Rovers. He recently announced the release of his second solo album, Endless Rain – due out October 25 via Domino. Recorded at Dublin’s Hellfire studios in 2022, Endless Rain is an ambitious and widescreen record quite unlike anything in Fleming’s back catalogue. The album is previewed by the tracks ‘Frozen Food Centre’, ‘Mid-Life Crisis’, ‘Be Strong’ and latest single ‘A Landlord’s Death’, which you can listen to on our unofficial Blackburn Rovers Fan playlist.
Sport Playlists: Tell us about how you became a fan of Blackburn.
One True Pairing: I grew up in South Cumbria which has a close kinship with Lancashire – Carlisle is North Cumbria which is different entirely. At school my friends were mostly Man Utd or Liverpool, which made the up-and-coming underdogs at Ewood in their spectacular shirts very attractive to nine year old old me.
SP: What are your earliest memories of attending a game at Ewood Park?
OTP: The first game I ever attended was a drab 1-1 draw with Leeds in the winter. Tim Flowers was sent off, which I only realised later on Match of the Day – we were pretty far from the action. As a child and one from the countryside at that, the sight of the full stadium was awe-inspiring – I’d never seen or heard anything like it.
SP: Who were your footballing heroes growing up – whether that be Rovers players or otherwise?
OTP: Alan Shearer, without hesitation. There were other great players at that time who I remember very fondly – Matt Le Tissier, Eric Cantona, Tony Yeboah, but obviously none could touch Shearer. 100% screamers all the time.
Did you ever have any aspirations about becoming a professional footballer when you were a child? If so, how far did they go towards becoming a reality?
OTP: Hahahaha. I was never good enough. I also had health problems as a kid which rather put paid to any ambitions such as those. I became a serviceable right back or defensive midfielder for a 5 a side but was nowhere near pub standard unfortunately. Good thing I could sing really!
SP: What’s the best moment been in your time supporting Blackburn?
OTP: Apart from the obvious Premier League title win, I genuinely enjoyed going to games in League One at AFC Wimbledon, Oxford Utd etc and remembering why I like the game so much. It didn’t hurt that we kept winning either!
SP: What are your hopes for this season in the Championship?
OTP: The elusive playoff-spot. John Eustace [Blackburn Head Coach] has got his work cut out but it’s a promising squad and he’s had a decent start. We were never going to keep Sammie Szmodics and I wish him well at Ipswich.
SP: Who are your favourite players in the current Rovers squad?
OTP: Tyrhys Dolan always gives his all and has been excellent for the club. Todd Cantwell is an exciting signing as well.
SP: You’re facing Burnley again this season. How fierce is that rivalry, and how much would it mean if Rovers could come away with a win against them?
OTP: In truth, as much as I hate to admit it, Burnley are run in the way I wish Rovers were. I think they hate us more than we hate them but I always enjoy it when they lose (Disclaimer – I have friends who are Burnley fans!).
SP: How important has the crossover between music and football been in your life?
OTP: It’s not something I ever thought would meet really, with almost all music attached to football being absolutely rotten in my opinion. However, I’ve got comfortable with the idea – I like to think my old band Wild Beasts were notably better on the pitch than our peers.
SP: Do you have any songs you associate with a footballing memory from when you were younger?
OTP: My whole family were listening to Rovers vs Newcastle game in on the radio when Shearer scored that devastating goal – the one with the Flowers mistake. Lionel Richie’s voice sang “hello…is it me you’re looking for?” after the match finished, which was a hammer blow to the heart.
SP: If you had to pick one of your songs for Blackburn to walk out to before kick-off at Ewood Park, which one would it be?
OTP: Personally? I would go for ‘I’m Not Afraid’ cos it communicates a show of bravery while being utterly terrified of what’s about to happen.
SP: You recently announced that your second solo album Endless Rain is coming out in October. What did you draw on in terms of inspiration for the record, and what’s the reaction been like to latest single ‘A Landlord’s Death’?
OTP: The reaction to the single has been great! It’s a bit more straightforward than some of the record but I’m so glad people are responding to what I’m singing about.
It’s kind of a folk record of sorts but not really, with a lot of amazing people on it that I met in Ireland. In terms of inspiration, it’s about getting older, taking stock, regretting much of what has come before and trying to make sense of it all. Oh and scary monsters and frozen food!
