Meet Thomas Simon

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Thomas Simon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Thomas, great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.

It began in my teens, at 17 I started traveling by myself throughout Europe. I loved to just go places that I don’t know and find my way around, communicating with people, even when we don’t speak the same language. It is being in the moment at its best. You develop a very good sense of gauging situations, assess people and hone your sense of direction. All those experiences from those early trips helped me immensely on my later productions, tours and projects.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a musician, composer, producer and filmmaker. I have toured with bands all over the world, currently with my project Thomas Simon Vortex. A live album from a few shows in 2023/24 just dropped and is up on all platforms: “Live From Planet Earth”. It was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Bucharest and Salvador. With Thomas Simon Vortex, I combine my alternative rock sound with my more ambient, experimental soundtrack for film works.
Rock Ambient Soundtrack, is the genre that I named it.
I perform my songs more, like musical bits and phrases, that are not played in a particular arrangement. It is like improvising within set pieces of music. Since 2018, only interrupted by the pandemic, I have been focusing on performing in New York City, where I live, Los Angeles, then in Bucharest and Berlin and also Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Salvador in Brazil. In all these cities I collaborate with local session drummers for my concerts, keeping the jams always different and unpredictable. It’s the ultimate freedom as a musician.
I create layers of sounds with my tuned down guitar, while simultaneously playing moog synth bass lines to take the audience on a sonic odyssey.
I also produced and directed a number of films, created full soundtracks and work as an editor and sound designer.

Together with my wife, actress, producer, singer-songwriter Jillie Simon we run endorphin records in New York City. All the films we produced went to many festivals, gained awards and landed distribution. Please follow the links for more details.

Jillie and I also recorded numerous albums together and toured with the bands Love Alien and Musiciens Sans Frontières and received airplay on commercial radio. The 2021 single “Jillie Simon – Save Our Planet” features Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel) on drums . We are currently in pre-production for our latest feature film project, to be shot in the spring of 2025.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Well, I am a musician, I started playing music at an early age, then focused on guitar in my teenage years until I moved to New York at age 20 to really go for it professionally. My biggest quality that helped me along the way was to have an open mind. To work with the best people in the field and learn from them, by trying to keep up with them. I learned how to produce my sounds in any live situation, whether it is a small “Hole in the Wall” club or a big theater. I learned how to record audio well, just by the necessity of not having a big budget to pay for some high end studio. Spending big bucks does not guarantee a good production. I’d rather spent the money to build my own studio, which is what I did.
I also learned how to edit film and video by watching the editors on some of my early movies that I worked on in various capacities. 
My advise is, learn as much of the process as you can. The more you understand and can look at a job from many directions, you will have a better time doing it. And surround yourself with the best people. The result will speak for itself. This applies to any filed, in my opinion.
Also, always trust your gut feeling. In the arts there are sometimes many “professionals” who will tell you how it is done, what the rules are. Well, there are no rules. Only your vision. Believe in yourself and work hard towards your goals.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

I loved reading as a child, we did not have a television at home. Books where my escape. There are many, many books that have formed my rather big imagination, but one would definitely stick out that got me thinking of escaping and not accepting rules and expectations of how and where one should live.
The book is “Papillon” by Henri Charriere. Most of you know the movie, starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.
But the book is something else. This story of trouble and escape, never to give up hope and trying to get away as far as possible resonated with me immensely as a 14 year old.
I knew then, I wanted to go out into the world and make my mark.
My advise is, travel as much as you possibly can, learn another language or two.
Before going to specific countries, at least learn this phrase: “Hi, how are you. Excuse me do you speak English?”
This will tell the locals you respect being on their turf and they will be happy to help you. I received so much kindness, was invited to dinner many times by strangers, taken to the best shows, parties, festivals and many of these strangers became dear lifelong friends.
Maybe this way we can create more and more peace in the world.
One world, one love.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

LIVE_vortex.front copy.cover, photo: Tiago Lima
Directing Eric Roberts, photo: Joe Wehry
GlendaleIFF, photo: P. Janov
T.S.Hollywood_photo- John.Decindis
Thomas Simon Vortex ViperRoom Hollywood 2, photo: Steven Gridley
Thomas Simon Vortex, the Rockstadt – Braşov, photo: Andrei Fantana
Thomas.Simon.VORTEX_control.club_17-photo_ Andrei.Musat
THOMASSIMONVORTEX_03_16_24_VIPERROOM7 copy, photo: Mathias Fau

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