The students were recently excited to learn that Head of Maths, Mr Tame, has an album out and that it is on Spotify.  He told us more about it:

I joined Hymers as Head of Mathematics in January 2008. As a young man in the late seventies, I played guitar and dreamed I would one day be famous; a dream shared by most of my friends at the time. Sadly reality soon kicked in and the dream faded. During lockdown I got bored, imprisoned in my home and decided to pick up a guitar for the first time in 25 years.

I soon got back into it and discovered there was now a lot of help on the internet. I started to write songs for fun, much to the annoyance of my two young children. One of the first songs I wrote was Lockdown Blues, which is about my frustration with teaching on zoom.

When I turned 60 in February my wife purchased me some studio time, to record an album. I was very nervous as I know my singing is not the greatest, but after encouragement from friends and family I decided to give it a go. I chose to do all the songs in one take, leaving any errors as they are; and there are a few. The title of the album ‘’Don’t Give Up the Day Job’’, gives you an idea of how well I thought it would be received.

I somehow managed to get an online record label to put my album on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon music, as well as a playlist on ‘’I Heart Radio’’ in the USA.  As I write this article my album has been streamed 2200 times in a total of 33 different countries. I am most popular in Germany, particularly in the little town of Werigerode; which I intend to visit soon, to see if anyone recognises me. I am also big in Japan (I have always wanted to say that!)

Sadly no one has offered me a recording contract yet, but the dream is still alive.  I do have to have a word with myself occasionally, to get my head out of the clouds. I intend to bring out a second album before Christmas. I have recently become influenced by the music of John Prine, which I highly recommend to anyone who has not heard him. Sadly he died of Covid, just as I was getting back into the guitar. There will be a Christmas song on my next album.

All I will say at the moment is that it will be rock and roll, with no sign of a sausage roll!!!

Eric Tame

Head of Mathematics…….for now.