Tom Meighan returns with ‘Everyone’s Addicted To Something', the lead single from his first solo album, The Reckoning.
Arriving nearly three years after departing Kasabian, The Reckoning will be released on April 28 – the same night as the 42-year-old will end a 20-date UK tour headlining Shepherd’s Bush Empire.
On his new record, Tom says: “It’s hard to express what having the opportunity to make this album means to me. I’ve called it ‘The Reckoning’, because I have had to have a reckoning with myself. I know it’s a cliché to talk about the creative process as catharsis, but this really has been for me. It’s not just music; parts of it are my soul, my life up until now, my old life and my new one. I tried to pour everything in my head into this collection of songs; the highs, the lows, the light and the dark in me. I feel vulnerable and invincible all at once, I hope you get that when you listen to it.”
Listen to ‘Everyone’s Addicted To Something’ by Tom Meighan on the Shoot Music New Releases Playlist on Spotify.
Talking about new single Everyone’s Addicted To Something, Tom says, “it pretty much sums up my personality; I’m addicted to something all the time. In therapy, I was diagnosed with ADHD. I’ve always had a lot of energy and it’s hard for me to focus. I can be intense about one thing in particular and obsess over it. For so long, it was singing and music I’d fixate on.
“The ADHD diagnosis made sense of my way of thinking. It was a relief to know what had been wrong with me. I also got the right medication for my anxiety. These days, I’m happy to say, with the support of my loved ones, I’m able to focus my addictions on positive things. This song is about when I first met my wife. It’s also a song about being human, and ultimately finding something good to lean on. I guess it’s about love at the end of the day.”
The album follows Tom hitting rock bottom. Alcohol and drug addiction, an unsuccessful stint in rehab mid-US tour, a sense
of being pushed out of his own band, suicidal ideation, lockdown and a very public court case at which he pleaded guilty. Since then, he has served 200 hours of community service, successfully attended rehab, has regular therapy and is working with the male suicide charity Andy’s Man Club.
Tom knows he has a lot to prove. “Some people think I don’t deserve to ever be rehabilitated for what I did. I’m conflicted when it comes to cancel culture. Giving up on people doesn’t help anyone. If someone feels cancelled, sometimes all you end up doing is pushing their problem into the shadows. It’s just another form of bullying, because you’re not helping them or showing them how to change.
“I agree with consequence culture. It’s important to suffer consequences because of your actions. To be given the chance to look deep within yourself and learn how to make changes and to become a better person for yourself and your family has to be a good thing. If anything I have to say helps someone before they reach their breaking point, I think that has to be a good thing.
“Maybe my story can inspire others struggling and using alcohol to fix problems, to know that you can stop the cycle. It’s possible to turn your life around. There is always a way to get to the other side of the mountain: maybe not over the top, you might have to go around the side, but you can get there. You just have to try. With help and understanding, anyone can change.”
Tom Meighan
Sport Playlists bring you the best sport music playlists, all in one place, easy to follow on Spotify, Deezer and other shareable platforms.
