“Made in a bedroom” and “never really finished” actor Tom Hardy’s 1999 hiphop mixtape is getting some attention. Lyrics written and performed by Tom Hardy, with music written and produced by Ed Tracy the ‘Falling on Your Arse in 1999’ mix with 18 tracks — three of them variations on “We Make the Beats…” — is up at Bandcamp. Hardy and Tracy take on the hip hop monikers Tommy No. 1 and Eddie Too Tall. Was it really recorded in a bedroom in 1999? Only Tommy and Eddie know. But if not, it’s a well-made period piece. And is it really Tom Hardy? That’s another one that only Tom himself can corroborate. But for some serious wayback-machine 1999 groove, check out “People Like To Boogie” — which sounds like it fits the made-on date pretty perfectly, as does the rest.
Hardy’s fame grew by orders of magnitude this century as he starred in megahits like The Dark Knight Rises and Mad Max: Fury Road (see link above). But listeners here will either be struck by what might have been had he pursued music instead of going full-time thespian, or they’ll say bravo, Tom, good choice! There’s a great looseness to the cuts that make them feel full legit and also a fun ranginess and experimentation that represents the exploratory nature of youth. H/T: Billboard.
