3 Things You Didn’t Know About Metrik

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Currently bouncing around the globe touring his successful LIFE/THRILLS album, stopping off at Radio 1 for his monthly Residency shows, Hospital’s Metrik continues to enjoy the ride of his life…

But life hasn’t always been jetting setting and BBC broadcasting for Metrik (AKA name Tom Mundell) In fact he experienced a pretty turbulent journey through his teens that’s both epically nerdy and naughty in equal measure… And comes with an awesome feel good story that reminds us we can all achieve great things if we actually put our heads down and really work our chops off.

Think you know Metrik? Think again. We had no idea about the last one until he dropped it casually into the conversation. Get to know…

The first record he bought was The Offspring – Pretty Fly For A White Guy

“My family, especially my mum, hated this. I remember one particular holiday in Lanzarote when I just hammered this constantly on the tape deck in the villa all day long. I wasn’t flavour of the month, put it that way. I guess the song title set a precedent for myself haha.

“The Offspring open the doors to a whole world of music for me. From there I got into Less Than Jake and Capdown who were my first ever gig I went to in Astoria, London. From there it was all about metal and electronic music – I kinda dived deep into both worlds at the same time and got involved in lots of bands. My first band was called Mutris, a pretty basic grungey rock band. Our first gig was in our school sports hall – I think most people were a bit bewildered by it all. All I can remember was wearing a ridiculously over-sized Nirvana t-shirt and curtains. Not my strongest of looks I have to admit.”

He set up an online radio station when he was 12

“This was in the early-mid 2000s. I set up my own radio station called Skycast using an IRC chat room. It was pretty underground/under the radar operation but we ended up with a cool following and making friends with guys from Holland with servers who would host it for us. People from all over Europe and the US would tune in.

“Little did I know this would be my gateway in finding out about drum & bass as one guy who tuned in sent me this CD which was like a drum & bass starter kit. It had Bad Company, Bukem, Fabio & Grooverider mixes, Blu Mar Ten, Teebee, Dom & Roland. Everything you need to get into mind blowing futuristic drum & bass. I’d never heard anything like it in my life! From that point on I started digging for records and finding out how to make it. It all started here. Before that I was playing all kinds of things – house, trance, garage, anything I could find in the HMV vinyl section. Then that drum & bass CD came into my life and my musical horizons changed a little!”

He was expelled from two schools!

“I tell people this now and they don’t get it at all but I was labelled as a bit of a challenging teenager with ADHD. I was very hyperactive, disruptive and a bit of a livewire. I was never an a-hole or a bully but I had a lot of energy, a love for mischief and I just really enjoyed misbehaving for a while. I wasn’t up for conforming in any way.

“The first school I went to was a very staunch religious school – kids turned up on time with briefcases, very studious and academic. That’s fine if that’s your thing but it wasn’t for me. I didn’t fit in and things escalated. I just didn’t care about the rules and expectations and did my own thing.

“Unfortunately with two expulsions on my record it was very hard to get into any local school after that. I ended up having to go miles away to Cambridge to cram in the last of my studies. During that time I saw a lot of friends go down bad paths and realised I was very close to going down those paths myself.

“For years my teachers had been saying I’d amount to nothing so I knew I had to turn it around and do something creative and productive with my life. I became a recluse, got my head down and learnt how to make music. It changed my entire life. So I’d like to take this opportunity for anyone reading this who might have the same experience as I did, being branded as a problem child or someone who stands out and doesn’t conform – there’s plenty of hope for you, just find the right path and outlet and really get stuck into what you love. Trust me; it works!”