Tom Schaar is a prime example of letting his music taste reach beyond his years as he favors classic rock bands Mötley Crüe, KISS, Black Sabbath, and other pioneers of the genre. This did not happen by mistake as the skateboarders he frequently rubs elbows with on top of pool decks and in vans sent him in the right direction. Learn about Tom’s taste in music and stream his custom-curated Spotify playlist in his latest On Rotation interview below.
What do you like listening to? What’s your favorite type of music?
I like old hard rock.
When you say old hard rock, who are those bands?
Mötley Crüe, KISS, [Black] Sabbath, Alice Cooper. Stuff like that.
Okay, so all the classic bands. How did you get into those bands since those are all before your time?
Just from going on road trips, honestly. I hang out with all these dudes that play that, and I started listening to it, and it rubbed off on me.
How does music plays in your day-to-day life?
I don’t always listen to music, but if I’m doing something, like skating, driving, or whenever I’m definitely playing something.
Talking about skating, are you one to skate with earbuds?
No, I’d rather have it on a speaker on the side of the bowl. I don’t like headphones. It feels like I’m in my own world and ignoring everyone else.
Is that the same for when you compete?
It’s kind of nice at a contest because they kind of play weird music sometimes. I just get to listen to whatever I want to.
Do you have a go-to playlist for when you’re competing and to get into the zone?
Yeah, I have a playlist on my phone. It kind of has everything. It’s definitely a little bit of faster stuff like Metallica and more like double kick pedal and stuff like that. I think my playlist is stacked, so I just put it on shuffle.
Any skate videos that stand out in your mind are your favorite because of the skater, the skating, and music?
The Plan B video [TRUE] I thought had a good track to it. The Pizza [skateboards] video they just came out with was honestly really good. There was some good songs in there. Then all the older stuff like Tony Trujillo’s part that was sick that had Motley Crue.
What would you pick if you had a video part ready to go and could pick any song to use all rights free?
I’ve thought about that so many times. I don’t know, honestly. I think Time by Pink Floyd would be pretty sick or like I’m Eighteen by Alice Cooper would be a good one. Just something fast.
Here’s another hypothetical, if you could go to any concert from a band from the past, who would you want to see?
Man, I mean, I’d love to see Lynrd Skynyrd. I saw Black Sabbath, like, a year or two ago, and that was pretty good from their End Tour.
Do you have any musical talents?
No, not really I’m honestly really bad. I played drums when I was a kid for a little bit. I have a guitar, and I just never have given it the time. I’ve tried to play, and it’s just not my thing. A lot of my friends are so good at playing, and I’m just like, I’m never going to be able to do that.
Final question, are you a fan of karaoke at all?
I’ve been to one karaoke bar. It was pretty fun. (laughs) But I haven’t really tried it that much. I don’t sing too often. It was me and Greyson Fletcher we were singing Frank Sinatra or something like that. Actually, Alex Sorgente was with us too, and it was in Mammoth like two years ago.
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