Tom Skinner (drummer)

Tom Skinner is an English drummer, percussionist and record producer. He co-founded the jazz band Sons of Kemet and the rock band the Smile. He has released two albums under the name Hello Skinny. His first album under his own name, Voices of Bishara, was released in November 2022.

Early life

Tom Skinner was born 26 January 1980. He began playing drums at the age of nine. He enjoyed 1990s grunge and metal bands such as Napalm Death, before discovering experimental jazz musicians such as John Zorn and Ornette Coleman.

Career

Jazz and Sons of Kemet

described Skinner as "the sort of drummer who always locates the pivot point between chaos and clarity". He emerged in the London jazz scene, playing with musicians including Finn Peters, Cleveland Watkiss and Denys Baptiste, and the electronic artist Matthew Herbert. He was a member of the jazz trio Zed-U and the avant-garde soul group Elmore Judd.
In 2011, Skinner cofounded the jazz band Sons of Kemet. They released four albums and announced their disbandment in 2022. In December 2020, Skinner joined several British jazz musicians to record a Miles Davis tribute album, London Brew. It was released on 31 March 2023 by Concord Jazz.

The Smile

Skinner first worked with the Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood when he performed on Greenwood's soundtrack for the 2012 film The Master. In 2021, Skinner, Greenwood and the Radiohead singer, Thom Yorke, debuted a new band, the Smile. They made their surprise debut in a performance streamed by Glastonbury Festival that May.
In May 2022, the Smile released their debut album, A Light for Attracting Attention, and began an international tour. The second Smile album, Wall of Eyes, was released in January 2024, with a European tour that year. Their third album, Cutouts, was released in October. Skinner contributed to Yorke's soundtrack for the 2024 film Confidenza.

Solo work

Skinner has released two albums under the name Hello Skinny. He released the first album under his own name, Voices of Bishara, on 4 November 2022. It features jazz musicians including Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Kareem Dayes and Tom Herbert. The first single, "Bishara", was released in September 2022. Skinner released a live version of Voices of Bishara in May 2024.