Originally from Uxbridge, Ontario, Tom Hanley began his musical journey as the singer/guitarist in a slew of pop punk bands with “terrible names,” performing at high school parties. It was there he fell in love with playing in bands and writing music. In college, he started a six-piece funk band, JUICE, recording and touring for eight years. After years of deliberation, countless wedding band gigs, and 60 songs written later, he’s ready to go off on his own and release music as a solo artist. 

Tom teamed up with songwriter and producer, Nixon Boyd (Hollerado, Dizzy), and wrote the song “Take It Away” over Zoom together.

“Take It Away” is about the rising cost of living in Toronto and in Canada in general, and how tough it has been for our generation to get a foothold. With rent, gas and housing prices skyrocketing, countless artists, families, venues and businesses have been forced to close or leave Toronto to seek more affordable alternatives. In Tom’s opinion, this has been a major contributing factor to the erosion of Toronto’s artistic community and has taken a serious toll on the mental health of young people today. 

“This song makes me want to go out and do something to change how our country is being run,” says Tom Hanley. “To change the narrative we are telling the next generation. What they should work towards and the path they should take because it’s not leading to the same results that it did even ten years ago.”