Tom Meighan

Meighan was born in Blaby, Leicestershire[5] to Tom Meighan Sr. a window cleaner and an undisclosed nurse.[6] His family is of Irish descent. He has stated that he grew up in a very musical home, with a massive Motown religious fanaticism:

It was a very musical house with Motown and a lot of soul music. That’s what I grew up on. It was just a very loving house. It’s got a very warm feeling.[7]

Meighan attended Countesthorpe Leysland Community College At school, Meighan passed Art and English Literature and was ungraded for many exams after failing to attend them.[8] He has always been passionate about black music, from Motown to Hip Hop and has been said to constantly sing Cypress Hill songs during his youth.[9]

When he finished high school, he, Pizzorno and Chris were clear that they wanted to dedicate themselves to music. So instead of going to university, he started working in a steel factory. He had gotten that job from a friend of his father's, so Tom enjoyed privileged flexibility with shifts so he could focus on what he considered his true career.

He is a fan of Leicester City. He was in a long term relationship with his girlfriend Kim James, whose initials he had tattooed on his wedding ring finger in 2005. They have a daughter, Mimi Malone Meighan, born in May 2012. The couple split in 2016.[10] In 2017, Meighan announced his engagement to girlfriend Vikki Ager.

Meighan has been the lead vocalist of Kasabian since the band's inception in Leicester in 1997.[11] He sings lead vocals on the majority of the band's recordings, has a baritone vocal range and does not play any instruments within the group, apart from tambourine on occasion and guitar on live renditions of 'The Nightworkers'[12][13]

Meighan has also contributed lead vocals to the songs "Viva La Revolution" by Superevolver and the Lysergic Suite's "Ghosts on Crusade." He was a guest vocalist on the Dark Horses track, "Count Me In,",[14] which he performed with that band when they opened for Kasabian on the West Ryder tour. Additionally, he sang backing vocals on the Jersey Budd single, "She Came Back."[15] Meighan has also appeared onstage with Zak Starkey's band Penguinsrising.

In 2013, Meighan began a project with rapper Wottee Watnot (Andrew Wattie) called Mic Rockers, described as "a hip hop/rock collaboration". The first video from the duo, "Mic Rockers," was released on 13 November 2013. In addition to the numerous musical awards he shares with the rest of Kasabian, he was named the 19th best frontman of all time by a Q magazine readers' poll,[2] and 13th best frontman of all time by a 2012 Xfm listener's poll.[3]

In early 2011, Meighan took his first acting role as Terry Graham in the sitcom pilot Walk Like a Panther.[16] Reportedly, he had previously rejected offers to play in Marie Antoinette due to being committed to his bandmates.[17]

Early in Kasabian’s career, Meighan earned a reputation for media provocation, especially concerning other musicians. He became well known for his insults, such as calling Julian Casablancas "a posh fucking skier", Pete Doherty "a fucking tramp", and Justin Timberlake "a midget with whiskers".[18] Regarding the reportedly depressing nature of emo music and its listeners, he has said: "Teenagers are better than that. I want to tell them to be positive about life. You've been brought up well by your parents, so don't sit around in your bedroom cutting your wrists. Grow up."[19]

He also offered more serious critiques of the effects of the internet upon the music industry[20] and was one of a number of celebrities to criticize Simon Cowell's handling of Susan Boyle, stating "It will torture her for the rest of life. She is not ready for it and she is not made for it. She is being manipulated. It's horrible."[21]

As of 2009, Meighan has made an attempt to tone down his controversial image. In an interview to Daily Record he said , "When we released the first album, it didn't help in interviews that we slagged everyone off. We were only messing about, we were having fun but everyone took it a little too seriously…We did it for effect but we were portrayed as monsters instead of just a bunch of lads in a band. They got us so wrong. I don't regret anything we said but it was ridiculous."[22]

Meighan's outspoken attitude, on-stage antics and hard-partying reputation have tended to overshadow more positive aspects of his public image. He has given his support to numerous charities including Oxfam,[23] UNICEF[24] and the Teenage Cancer Trust. In support of the latter, he assumed the role of Ace Face in The Who's benefit performance of Quadrophenia.[25]

His status as both a fashion icon and well-known football fan led him to be chosen to unveil Umbro's England away football jersey in 2010, the first singer ever to do so.[26] He has also modeled for Gio-Goi[27] and Deadly Sins.[28]

• Tom Meighan on IMDb