Interview: Allday
by Rachel Cabitt
Illustrated by Peter Hopkins
It's 75 degrees out and it's the first week of November (we're beginning to wonder if we all should've listened to Al Gore). But instead we're just walking down the streets of Bushwick pretending like it's still summer, even though it's 5 o'clock and already dark out. Tom Gaynor, also known as Australian rapper Allday, is thankful that at least he doesn't have to deal with the New York cold and can easily slide into the Australian summer when he returns home next week.
We walk and compare Melbourne and Sydney to New York and Los Angeles, find pineapples to pose with, get yelled at by a laundromat owner for sitting on top of his machines, test out some New York furniture, and judge his American accent: "Savannah, I've had a crush on you since I sat behind you in Geometry class in 4th grade," he says. I give it an A+.
But while it may seem that Tom isn't your average twenty four year old, with an Instagram following of 186k, a recent feature in Rolling Stone, and the opportunity to rap for MTV's Sway, I wouldn't have guessed it. I felt like I was just hanging out with another old friend who normally flips me off and makes unflattering faces in front of my camera; which are all highly regarded qualities in my book (I'm serious). So get to know Tom, because at the end of the day he's just rapping about what it means to be young, and still looking to Yelp to help him find the best vegan spot within an 800 meter radius.
POND: What is the definition of a "Fat Fuck Superstar"?
TOM: Anyone who is a piece of shit loser but also cool in their own way.
POND: Where did the name "Allday" come from? Or more curiously, "Allday Chubby Boy"?
TOM: "Allday" came from me being stoned and taking all day to select suitable snacks in the local supermarket. Chubby Boy was just because I was a fat kid.
POND: What inspired you to become an artist in the beginning and how has your journey progressed since then?
TOM: I just liked rapping and I found I was naturally kind of good at it, so that's how I started. I guess it's turned from a hobby into a job so that comes with added stress but I still try to approach writing like it's therapy.
Photos by Rachel Cabitt
POND: How did you venture from punk band to solo rapper?
TOM: I tried every type of art there is. From painting, to singing, to rap, to comedy, there are others too. I wasn't really cut out for a normal job so it was just a matter of finding the right medium for me.
POND: "Soft Grunge Love Rap" came out this July, if you had to describe the mixtape in three words what would they be?
TOM: Not even bad.
POND: Give us a random fact that people might not know about you.
TOM: I used to (still do) love the movie Love Actually. I've watched it over 50 times no exaggeration. Mostly because of my unhealthy teenage crush on Keira Knightley.
Photo by Rachel Cabitt
POND: Tell us about your YouTube series, "Chubby Chronicles."
TOM: It's basically my friend Zach following me and my friends around with a camera, it sucks. I wouldn't recommend watching it.
POND: What has been your favorite performance so far? What is your dream venue or festival to perform at?
TOM: I would like to play at Coachella I guess. But I like to play anywhere with nice people in the crowd.
POND: Who/ what has been the biggest inspiration for your music?
TOM: Probably Kanye West and David Bowie
POND: First thing that comes to mind when you hear Iggy Azalea.
TOM: Dat ass.
POND: Kanye wants to know... who had the greatest music video of all time?
TOM: Probably Fat Boy Slim, the one with that dude dancing in the mall or whatever? Or "Smack My Bitch Up" by The Prodigy. They're the two that spring to mind.
POND: What were you like in high school? Any odd jobs/ activities?
TOM: I was generally just trying to cause trouble and fuck shit up. We tried to get high as much as possible and steal as many things as possible. I think that's just being a teenage boy. I had some jobs here and there. I worked at a pie shop, I worked at Nando's for a bit. Then I worked at a Pizza Shop too. Shout out to Little Caesar's in Blackwood.
POND: Talk to us about your song "Angels." The inclusion of the found recording makes it quite different from the rest of the mixtape. What drew you to that?
TOM: I just wanted it to have that eery religious vibe. I'm not really religious but I was raised Catholic and went to a Catholic school. So I guess some of that weird shit has rubbed off on me and I find it fascinating. I think the lady on the recording was creepy as fuck but in a cool, innocent way.
POND: Last, but not least... Skittles for breakfast... what's for lunch and dinner?
TOM: Chocolate milk & ice cream.
Photos by Rachel Cabitt