It's called The Rocket Man Experience, the Elton John tribute show set to hit the Estoril Casino on December 29th. Tickets are still available, ranging from €30 to €40, and it will be one of the last performances to grace the Salão Preto e Prata this year.
Taking on the role of Elton John in this concert that will feature the singer's greatest hits is 33-year-old Tom Cridland, of Portuguese descent. Born to a Portuguese mother and an English father, Tom found solace in music after overcoming his alcohol addiction during the pandemic. In 2022, he started presenting this show, which has seen international success with extensive tours across the United States of America.
It all began when Tom Cridland struck up a friendship with one of his music heroes, Elton John's drummer, Nigel Olsson. He met Nigel in 2014 through the clothing company he had launched that same year, known for selling items with a 30-year guarantee, aiming for sustainable pieces. What began as a startup burgeoned into a massive brand, having dressed actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Grant, and Daniel Craig.
In a video call bridging the US and Portugal, Cridland previews The Rocket Man Experience in an interview with Time Out Cascais, discussing his other projects and the intimate connection he maintains with Portugal—particularly Estoril, where his maternal family resides.
I know it was through your friendship with Nigel Olsson that you became more interested in Elton John's music. But how did you go from there to the idea of starting this tribute show?
Indeed, my interest in the music sparked when I became friends with Nigel and through my curiosity about the rest of the band: Davey Johnstone on guitar, Dee Murray who passed away in 1992 on bass, and of course, Elton himself. Elton gets all the credit, but, in reality, they're a band. The songs used to be composed with voice and piano, and then Elton would leave, go shopping, or whatever, leaving these musicians to finish the records. These people haven't received the proper recognition in popular music. One reason I wanted to create my own show is to try to spread the word about Nigel, Davey, and Dee Murray... and another legend named Ray Cooper, on percussion. I believe they deserve recognition in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Another factor is that I started playing music when I quit alcohol.
How so?
I tried replacing one addiction with something else. And, in everything I do, I wanted to make it a successful business. The way Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services compensate artists' music... Let's say it's not a very wise business choice to try to create your own original music. So, I knew my original music would just be a hobby. From a business perspective, I knew a cover band would be good. And I'm very passionate about Elton's music—so I'd rather play his music than anything else I could compose.
As for the Portugal show, it's certainly not a business decision—it's a celebration of everything we've done in America. No offense to America, I'm here right now and I love it, but I love Portugal much more. It's the country I love the most. It's paradise. It's my mother's country, where my whole family on that side comes from, and that's why I want to put on a great show there.
But how did you become so interested in music after quitting drinking?
I've always been obsessed with music; it's just that I leaned into an obsession I already had. And I was already friends with Nigel, I had seen many Elton shows, about fifty or so. That was when I had alcohol and could have a drink with my friends... When I decided to let go of all that, I tried to turn to other things that made me feel life was worth living. That was the context. Now, I've reached a point of sobriety where I don't feel the need to substitute alcohol with music, but at that time, when I started—and this was during the pandemic lockdown when I learned to play the piano—it was particularly helpful. Because during lockdowns, I would think: maybe I could have a drink.
And how did you meet Nigel Olsson?
It was through my clothing company. Because it was a startup, I didn't have contacts or money for influencers... And I thought: who are the people I admire and who might be interested in getting some free clothing or doing a collaboration? I didn't think of people like David Beckham or Kim Kardashian, where you'd need millions to partner with them. I thought of people who I genuinely respected and who could be influential but weren't those influencers who just get things for free and post them on the Internet. I wanted people who had actually created something artistic. So, Nigel was an obvious choice.
Even before learning to play the piano, I bought a drum kit and was a drummer for a year. I literally tried to be Nigel first, rather than Elton. I only switched to the piano because it makes more sense in terms of business. And over the years, we became friends, after we started collaborating on the business side of the clothing line.
And how has presenting this show in the US been?
It's been amazing. One of the best concerts I've ever done was this year at the McCallan Canyon Amphitheatre in Texas. It's a beautiful outdoor amphitheater surrounded by nature, with a stunning sky, and I think there were about 1500 people just to see us play Elton's songs. And next year, we have over 100 concerts in the US, from March to August. I think after that, it might be time to take a break, but it's been fantastic.
You have always keept this idea of business in mind, but obviously, music is an art, and one can only do it if they truly enjoy it. What do you like most about this area? Is it when you're on stage playing and creating a connection with the audience?
Yes, after a while, that's the only thing that makes it worthwhile. Obviously, in the beginning, it's cool to learn to play the piano or be able to sing, and it's exciting just to be able to play—and in the first shows we did, we played in small places, for a few people—but there has been great progress, and I would say that, yes, music isn't the natural step for a businessman to take. You can get rich, sure, and have a successful business, but it's not a natural thing. But I never complain because I love to play, and it's a privilege to be able to do it and have people come and see us play; it's a wonderful experience. But it's not for everyone. I remember the wise words of David Crosby—from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young—who came to my podcast before he passed away and said, 'Don't get into music unless you absolutely have to.' And he's a guy who was a musician for 60 or 70 years. Everyone wants to be the person on stage, but everything behind it is like having the worst office job ever: the technical details, the contracts, the agreements... People in the industry get frustrated, but it's part of it.
As you mentioned, your mother is Portuguese, and you love Portugal. Did you used to spend vacations here?
Yes, it's been my happy place my whole life. I've always come, at least, three times a year since I was born. My grandmother passed away when I was three, but we used to spend Christmas at her house in Estoril, and we would always stay there until I was, I don't know, around 10 years old. I spent time with my cousins and my uncles who also live there and have been like second parents to me. And all aspects of Portuguese life... Of course, there's always a big focus on food, cafes, and pastry shops... I'm doing this interview from a country where there's a Starbucks on every corner. The taverns, well, all the food in Portugal is fantastic. And I've traveled around the rest of the country. I've been to Beja, to Serpa...
Unfortunately, my Portuguese is still not very fluent, but I studied the language at university in Bristol, and I even got a good grade. My wife, Debra, and I met at university and stayed there to learn Portuguese when we were 18 or 19. So, besides my family and friends, at that time, we met many new friends who are still with us, and we had fantastic trips. One of those friends has a house in Arraiolos, and it was fantastic to visit. Every summer, I go with my family to Portimão. We've also been to the North, once I played at a friend's wedding in Figueira da Foz, and I even took my band and the guitarist from Simply Red, Kenji Suzuki. To rehearse for the wedding, we stayed a few days in a house in the Douro. I have so many memories; it's been a lifetime of loving this country. And I always think that maybe we should move to Portugal... But part of me also thinks that taking a break from something you love and then coming back isn't easy.
And I know your clothing company has facilities in Portugal.
Yes, we produced our initial materials in Serra da Estrela and also some in Amadora. But now we also produce in the UK and Italy; we get different things from different places. For example, all the suits Nigel Olsson wore on the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour with Elton John were made in Amadora. And we also produce T-shirts, sweatshirts, and chinos in Portugal. And we make custom suits, like the ones Nigel wore.
And how did a startup launched in 2014 become a large company dressing celebrities like Daniel Craig or Leonardo DiCaprio?
It was a fantastic process, although sometimes it was quite stressful. The 30-year guarantee stamp gave us great assistance. This was before big brands started doing things in the sustainability area. But there wasn't a need for a huge initial investment. I started everything with a government funding scheme for startups, 6,000 pounds [6,900 euros]. At the beginning, I thought, 'How are we going to get people to buy our clothes?' We only sold shorts; then we switched to sweaters that last 30 years, and that changed everything and led us to be featured in the press. It was an incredible time; I couldn't believe my luck. Because it was lucky that it was a good idea. It was lucky that I had it. I was a chaotic person who drank a lot, but I had to make it work because I had quit my job as an accountant after six weeks of work. It was my only way to pay the rent and bills.
And how did you come up with the idea of the 30-year guarantee? It's a premise that goes against the so-called fast fashion.
I was reading a lot about the types of businesses that were doing well and the topics that newspapers were interested in covering—because I wanted us to stand out, but I didn't have anyone helping me in communication. We had to have a story here that would attract attention; otherwise, no one would discover us. And it became clear that the media were covering many topics related to sustainability; they wanted to write about sustainable businesses, and we didn't have a mega laboratory where we could manufacture recycled sweaters with, I don't know, seaweed or something. We could only try to make the sweaters last as long as possible, make it appealing, and that's how we arrived at 30 years. We talked to suppliers, understood how long the materials lasted, and arrived at that guarantee.
Besides the podcast you host and the marketing and public relations agency you also manage, what other projects would you like to be involved in in the coming years?
I always have my eyes on the future. I would like to get involved in real estate investment—that's been a long-time ambition of mine—but for now, between the clothing line and the marketing consultancy work, plus the podcast and the shows, I think I have to focus. Once this North American tour ends, I want to focus on starting a family and having an idyllic suburban life somewhere—a boring life, if all goes well. We've been through a lot of exciting things, but I definitely feel like settling down. But we'll keep traveling and doing things. I feel like I have too many ideas and need to get better at executing them.
And is there any project you'd like to materialize in Portugal?
Well, I'm always thinking of things for Portugal. I think the real estate investment part would also be for Portugal. And Portuguese food is one of the best in the world, but you go to top cities, and there aren't enough Portuguese restaurants. There's a whole area in London, but I think there's a market gap for an old-fashioned Portuguese restaurant that can exist in an international market, like in New York or Los Angeles. If done right, I'd like to export some of the beauty of Portuguese culture while staying true to it. Because whenever you try to do something like that, it's a nice and modern place that sells custard tarts—and they believe they've encapsulated all Portuguese culture, which shows they didn't necessarily do a great job. When this tour ends, I'll do something new. Because it doesn't seem to me that I'll dress as Elton John for the rest of my life. It's been a very beautiful project, and I love the music, and I'm sure I'll do one or two more things in this area, but the goal was never for it to become a tribute show for life. It was to learn this music, pay tribute to my heroes, and then go do something else. And I'm sure Portugal will be involved because I'm always thinking about Portugal.
Estoril Casino, Avenida Dr. Stanley Ho, Estoril. Fri, Dec 29, 8:00 PM. 30€-40€