The Bay Currents
Canarsie Songwriter 'Ain't Gonna Give Up'
October 15, 2009 --- Written By: Heeyen Park
At 44 years old, Tom Moran, with his husky vocals and intense guitar, reaches out to teens and young adults with the message, as described in his just released, self-published second album, that he “Ain’t Gonna Give Up.” “Do not be destructive. Teach society to make changes in the world,” he passionately tells his growing audience in one of his songs. A physical education teacher by day, Moran, of Canarsie, embarked on a second career as a singer and songwriter because “you got to be crazy and have a little touch on how to express yourself freely,” he said in a sit-down with Bay currents “ Music is life and love. It’s good stuff and a powerful thing. And I can spread my message in a song.”
And what is that message? “Drinking and taking drugs is enough to ruin your life, and to lose the chance of achieving a goal,” he said. Moran, a single father of a nine-year-old, Jonathan, has gone through many challenges in his life – a difficult divorce, alcoholism, and other struggles -- but his music has helped him cope. He has loved music ever since he was a child, learning to play guitar from his big sister Kathy and Uncle Charlie without formal training. His mentor and father figure was the legendary Dr. John.
Moran has practiced his guitar with a radio in his hand on the Coney Island beach under a hot sun since he was 18 years old.
In addition to Dr. John, he has been inspired by artists of the likes of John Mellencamp, Bob Seger, Bobby Darin, and Johnny Cash.
He was also 18 when he started to drink to escape, following the bad example of his alcoholic father. There were many times he wanted to commit suicide, but he got help, and realized he shouldn’t live his life that way. He was able to put the bottle down when he was 25, following a recovery program for which he is grateful.
He went on to earn a master’s degree in education from Brooklyn College.
“I know who I am today -- I have educated myself,” he said. When he’s not teaching, strumming his guitar, or composing music, Moran makes time to volunteer for people struggling with addiction. His first album, “Starting Over,” encourages young people to cleanse themselves of alcohol addiction. The album sold more than 12,000 copies, he said. Moran dedicated his current “Ain’t Gonna Give Up” to Jennifer, who “rejected me.”
He credits an award-winning producer, Gary Bolton of Strawberry Skies Studios in South Carolina, with perfecting the album. His first single, “Just for Today,” can be heard on the Internet and on college radio. A clip of his songs and a video can be viewed on his website, www. DaddyRocker.com.
Moran is looking forward to doing an Oct. 3 benefit performance in Gerritsen Beach as part of the Walk for Breast Cancer. Afterwards, “I am going to celebrate my son’s birthday!” he said.
on-line print version of this article by clicking the following link:
ROCK ON WITH DADDY ROCKER: Press & Media Kit
24/SEVEN: The Bay News
Don't worry kids, Daddy Rocker 'Ain't Gonna Give Up!
July 23, 2009 --- Written By: Junico Simino
Bruce Springsteen. John Mellencamp. Sting. These are just a few of the names that Brooklyn-bred musician Tom Moran has been compared to. Moran, who recently adapted the moniker Daddy Rocker, is one of the few country-rock-blues acts based in Brooklyn. With his second full length album, ”Ain’t Gonna Give Up,” just released earlier this year, Moran still finds the time to work as a teacher at P.S. 12 in Bushwick. “[The] kids keep you young, keep you honest,” said Moran about his biggest critics, who also came up with the stage name Daddy Rocker.
Moran explained that his songs are a reflection of his life, which has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Born and raised in Canarsie, Moran always loved music growing up. He cites Bobby Darin as one of his early influences, but never received any formal training until his older sister and uncle showed him a few chord patterns on the guitar.
It was during his time at Canarsie High School that Moran started to find another escape from reality when he began to drink heavily. All throughout college Moran, who’s a graduate of Kingsborough Community College and Brooklyn College, found himself growing more and more dependent on alcohol, which eventually consumed his life. At 25, Moran decided to seek help through a recovery program and has been sober ever since. “I have been clean and sober for over 19 years now!” said Moran, 44, proudly.
It was during this time that he began to take music much more seriously as well, dropping “Starting Over,” his first full length release, in 2004, which dealt with becoming sober and receiving a second chance on life. His new release, Moran describes, is about not giving up on life, with the central theme about heartbreak, and not being able to find true love. “Love isn’t going to find me, no matter what I do,” said Moran, describing his new single, “Just for Today.” Other tracks on the album include “Dyin’ For You,” “I Love Jesus,” which is a big hit with his students, “No Big Deal,” and the title track “Ain’t Gonna Give Up.”
Moran explains that his “connection to Brooklyn is everything. It inspires me. “The people in Brooklyn are beautiful. Wherever I go I bring Brooklyn with me,” he added. Future projects for Moran include a PBS special, “Tom Moran Live,” which will be taping in late fall, performances around the country, a new album scheduled for a summer 2010 release, and, of course, his other passion in life: teaching. “I just want to do something good if I can,” said Moran. Tom Moran plays Vox Pop (1022 Cortelyou Rd.) on July 31 at 9 p.m. For more information, call 718-940-2084. e following
The Canarsie Courier
Canarsie Songwriter Takes To The Road To Sell Song Collection
February 5, 2009 - - - Written By: Linda Steinmuller
Tom Moran was first profiled in the Canarsie Courier in August 2004 soon after the release of his debut recording, "Starting Over," a collection of nine very personal songs, all of which he wrote and sang. These days, you can see Moran driving around Canarsie in his small black Kia advertising that debut recording and promoting his latest one.
Moran, who calls himself Daddy Rocker, recently released his second CD, "Ain't Gonna Give Up!". (See & hear Tom's new music video for the just released single: "Just For Today" at: www.DaddyRocker.com)
To get this new project off the ground, the singer/songwriter borrowed $15,000 and drove from Brooklyn, NY to South Carolina to record his second album at Strawberry Skys Studios in six days.
Moran comes from a musical family — his sister Kathy taught him chords on the guitar and his Uncle Charlie sang and played the guitar at family gatherings. He started playing music when he was a teenager. He said he never took professional music lessons and was taught to play chords on the guitar by family members.
When he's not writing songs, he is busy using his Master's Degree in Education to teach adaptive physical education in the New York Public Schools. When his first CD was released, Moran was living in Gerritsen Beach with his wife and son, but now has undertaken the role of single parent and resides in Canarsie, Brooklyn.
Tom Moran's music is a mix of country, rock, and a hint of blues. His debut album "Starting Over" was a reflection of hard times, Moran's personal triumph over addiction, and his second chances. To date, Moran says he has sold over 12,000 copies of his debut CD.
The theme of his new CD, "Ain't Gonna Give Up", is about not giving up on life, love and yourself.
Moran says, "The bottom line is that I'm not gonna give up; I want to keep on touching one person at a time. I'm not doing this for profit — I want people to hear about life. I was lost in my 20s and trying to find myself. You have to believe in yourself."
On his new CD, "Ain't Gonna Give Up!" Moran sings, "Lord, you know, love hurts…this crazy, crazy game of love…But, I don't wanna give up on love." In "Wanna Love," he sings, "I wanna love again …and girl let's go walkin' on the boardwalk, you know Coney Island's fine with me."
"Ain't Gonna GiveUp!" and all of Tom Moran's music is available at: www.CdBaby.com & www.DaddyRocker.com
And at: Sonny's Heros (1031 East 92nd Street) and other local Brooklyn businesses.
See the on-line print version of this article by clicking the following link:
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The Williamsburg Courier:
June 26, 2008
By: Joe Filippazzo
Tom Moran: Happy to be ‘Starting Over’ again _____________________________________________ Tom Moran had a difficult time
growing up in Brooklyn with vice and disappointment constantly coloring his childhood. He eventually succumbed and started drinking at a fairly early age – a decision that would come to haunt but eventually inspire him as an adult. The life-long Brooklyn resident knew then that his life was headed in the wrong direction as his addictions threatened to consume him. Sooner or later, something had to give, so he chose to put down his drink and pick up his guitar to start a better life.
After being completly sober for 18 years, Moran is preparing for the June 20 release of his first full-length record entitled “Starting Over.” “I worked very hard on this album,” he confided, “and it’s all about life with addiction, hard times and confronting reality.”
Moran, a Canarsie resident, is now a physical education teacher in the New York City public school system, a job he finds rewarding and inspiring. And despite all the tough times in his life, including an alcoholic father and crumbling personal relationships, the focus of his music is about emerging from hardship a stronger person. I think I’m able to communicate these things that are negative, but then cast them in a positive light,” he said. “Ultimately, I want to do something positive and there’s definitely hope in my music.”
“Starting Over” is a collection of nine very personal songs with a new country/rock sound and almost bluesy undertones. His influences include John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, among others. Each song seems to highlight a different aspect or period of time in Moran’s life with compelling lyrics and foot-tapping beats. Tracks of note include “Help Me Baby,” “I Would Drink,” “Small Record Deal” and the title track, “Starting Over,” which are all tracks about turning one’s life around. But as difficult as it was to write the music, even tougher choices await as he tries to sell his work.
As a very spiritual and positive person, Moran recently took a chance on his music career and took out a loan of $15,000. With independent label, Cashbox Records, he used the money to record, co-produce and distribute his work – something Moran said was a difficult decision that’s even tougher to execute. “You can do a great album – it could be Mozart – but you have to be able to get it to the right people,” he said. Moran has performed at myriad venues like New York’s CBGB’s and Brooklyn’s own Vox Pop (1022 Cortelyou Road) though he said playing shows is tough and time consuming. “My intent is not to play just bars, but venues like Starbucks where the people are,” he said.
The next step for Moran is promotion. He just had a short video made with the iconic Brooklyn scenery of Coney Island as the backdrop to advertise “Starting Over” in preparation for its June 20 release. Moran said that a music video is also in the works for the album’s title track and he hopes to include his 8-year-old son Jonathan in the experience.
Though the next big step for Moran isn’t perfectly clear, he said he was excited to see “what doors a higher power will open for me.” And in a few weeks he will head to South Carolina to begin recording his next album aptly entitled “Ain’t Gonna Give Up.” “Definitely, the best decision of my life is not picking up that drink each and every day,” he said. “I want people to know that I’m just Tom from Brooklyn and I’m just trying to make my music.”
"Starting Over" is available at www.CdBaby.com & www.DaddyRocker.com.
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The Williamsburg Courier:
January 9, 2007
By: Ryn Gargulinski
Empty Glass: Music gives Tom Moran the power to start over
Canarsie’s Tom Moran
is the average Brooklyn boy. That is, if the average Brooklyn boy sinks to the depths of despair and then rises to the glory of the spotlight with a little guitar and a lot of faith.
Moran said growing up with a close-knit Brooklyn brood was the easy part. The hard part came later when alcohol took over his life and he gave up nearly everything he loved -- except strumming that guitar. Even if it was, at times, only in the back of his head. “My Uncle Charlie, sister Kathy and cousin Oatsie all played guitar,” Moran said, adding he knew he wanted to continue the family tradition. “I wanted to make that same music,” he said.
Not only did he pick up the guitar when he was 18, Moran said that was the same time he wrote his first song. “It was a terrible song,” he laughed. “It was like ‘fishes down by the sea.” His lyrics have since matured into heartfelt reality – which deal with daily life everywhere, but especially in the Borough of Brooklyn. “Brooklyn keeps it real,” Moran said. “I’m a city worker, a teacher, and I always look for the positive things Brooklyn has to offer.”
That’s a far cry from some of the feelings that erupt on his first album. Running the gamut from feeling chained, hopeless, “invisible in a room full of people” and drinking “because I had to”, Moran’s CD exposes the ugly side of the martini glass. But rather than letting alcohol beat him down into a useless pulp, Moran turned the tables on it and has been sober for 16 years – and used his story as musical inspiration.
Aptly entitled “Starting Over” and available at cdbaby.com/cd/moran, Moran said the title track best sums up his life. “It’s about addiction, a new start,” he said. Like his smoky-voiced lyrics, Moran’s guitar playing goes right to the heart.
Several tunes, like “Help Me Baby” and “I Would Drink” have that sad, somber feel of the country chap who croons about his lost car, home and girlfriend. But this Brooklyn boy doesn’t leave the listener in the gutter and he wants to assist those that are. “I do want to help people,” he said, “homeless people and those in need.” Oh, yes. He also wants to sell a million albums. My manager says 10 million,” Moran said.
A jam session for his CD is more like a family reunion than anything else. With three guitar players and a manager, the brood all have Brooklyn roots that have intertwined for quite some time. Bath Beach’s Frank Scaglione has been jamming with Moran for 15 years, when Moran first showed up on his doorstep with a guitar to record his first demo in 1993. “I thought ‘Who is this guy?’” Scaglione recalled, something he admits he still wonders.
Moran is hoping that his music will soon be playing on radios throughout the entire nation. “Yes, I think we’ll be successful,” Moran said. “We hit a certain nerve. And we love the audience. We’re not going anywhere without them.”
"Starting Over" is available at www.CdBaby.com & www.DaddyRocker.com.
See the on-line print version of this article by clicking the following link:
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The Canarsie Courier:
August 19, 2004
By: Neil S. Friedman
"Rock-N-Roll Dreams" - Help Him To Start Over ______________________________________
For years, singer/songwriter Tom Moran had an itch for music. Now in his thirties, Moran recently decided to follow his muse when he released his debut album,
Starting Over. The 10-song CD, released independently, is a personal triumph and his tribute to the power of sobriety and second chances.
Sounding similar to rocker John Mellencamp on several cuts with lyrics not unlike early Bob Dylan, Moran’s re-cording is an eclectic mix of rock, folk, country, grassroots and a hint of blues.
A Brooklyn native, Moran currently lives in Gerritsen Beach with his wife and four-year-old son. When he was a teenager, he lived in Canarsie with his family. He is an alumnus of Canarsie High School and John Wilson IS 211. Moran says he first picked up the guitar as a teenager, spending his days perfecting his craft. It wasn’t long be-fore Moran began testing out his vocal abilities with the encouragement of singers in his family.
Fast forward two decades and Moran continues to be a music force that reflects the sentiments of his upbringing as he plays at neighborhood venues across Brooklyn. He is scheduled to make a return engagement to Starbucks in Bay Ridge on September 4 from 8:00—9:00 p.m. On the advice of fans and friends, Moran made his way into a Manhattan recording studio and cut "Starting Over", which reveals the story of an underdog gone good, and a man learning to recognize that positive gains can be made through difficult and painful times. Tracks of note include "Help Me Baby," "Into The Sun," "I Would Drink," "Small Record Deal," and the title track.
"Starting Over", is about the average person trying to get through the hardships of life and coming out the other side a better person," says Moran. After several years of battling the bottle, Moran entered a 12-step program at the age of 25 and it helped him stop drinking. He says, "The best decision I ever made in my life was to stop drinking and get help."
Moran’s motto in life: "Keep on Dreamin’ and keep on Rockin"
Moran’s skirmishes and triumph over alcohol surface in several songs. In "I Would Drink" he sings, "I used to go out drinking…I was lonely and so confused…But now I’m sober and clean…and the bottle ain’t beating me up no more." In "Starting Over," Moran confronts his demon head on, "Well, I’ve been in a fog for a mighty long time … gotta find my way to the other side …Addiction is a mighty tough thing …I know it’s happened to me quite a few times. It didn’t seem like there was a way out, but I’m starting over baby."
His music’s connection to Dylan and Mellencamp is no accident, as Moran admits those rock icons, as well as Bruce Springsteen provided him inspiration for much of the album. When the Courier published an article about Moran’s rock and roll aspirations 10 years ago, Josh Gazes wrote, "He sounds most like Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones — minus the effects of years of chain smoking and heroin addiction."
When he’s not making music,
Moran is a teacher and a family man. He has a Masters Degree in Education from Brooklyn College and for the last seven years he has taught physical education to the physically challenged at a Brooklyn public school. Each of us uses different means to overcome personal problems.
Pictured above: Tom & Son John.
An old proverb claims, "Music has charms to soothe a savage breast." In Tom Moran’s case, that notion seems to have helped him start over.
Tom Moran's Music is available at www.CdBaby.com & www.DaddyRocker.com.
The Williamsburg Courier:
May 12, 2004
Album : “Starting Over”
Artist: Tom Moran
Reviewed By: Ryn Gargulinski
From the get go, Tom Moran’s first album , “Starting Over”, grabs the listener by its sheer relevance. Kicking off with the song, “Small Record Deal,” Moran asks a simple question – “Have you ever felt invisible in a room full of people?” Folks who cannot relate to that inquiry are the only ones who may not be able to relate to his music. And those, if any, are few.
The album gets more relevant – and even more heartfelt – from there. Running the gamut from feeling chained, hopeless and drinking “because I had to,” to the sparkle of enlightenment and rebirth from his dead end way of life, "Starting Over" takes the listener on an emotional journey, replete with some snazzy background music.
Like his smoky-voiced lyrics, Moran’s guitar playing goes right to the heart. Several tunes, like “Help Me Baby” and “I Would Drink” have a sad, somber feel of the country chap who croons about he lost his car, home and girlfriend. But this Brooklyn boy doesn’t leave the listener in the gutter. Some somber songs aside, the whole of the album remains uplifting, with a bluesy feel that gets shoulders swaying and toes tapping at the neighborhood bar. Although a bar, these days, is not where one will find Moran. Unless, of course, he’s performing.
The lighter, softer songs also carry the album’s undercurrent of hope. “Little Baby,” a song replete with love for his son, can easily be compared to a new-fangled lullaby. However, this is one lullaby that doesn’t end when the bough breaks and an infant tumbles to his death. This one is replete with honesty, hope and love. Perfect ingredients for this new album.
"Starting Over!"and all of Tom Moran's Music is available at: www.CdBaby.com & www.DaddyRocker.com.