Tom VonLuk recently returned to Maine to round out the original lineup and bring his high-energy theatrics, tight grooves and cookie-monster vocals to The Hailing Tides. While he plays bass in The Hailing Tides, he is also a multi-instrumentalist. His music journey began at 14 with his first guitar, and what followed was a borderline neurotic obsession with learning as many instruments as possible. His “Jack of all Trades” mentality has provided him with a steady supply of fill-in work over the years. Notably, Tom played drums in FUKM, an old-school punk outfit, guitar and drums for The Hoodslam Band, the house band for a live wrestling show, and guitar for Oinga Boinga, an all female Oingo Boingo cover band. However his primary focus for the last ten years was playing drums for his 2-piece metal band, Diatomaceous Earth. Tom also plays cello, mandolin, and dulcimer, among other instruments.
An avid enjoyer of things, Tom insists he enjoys all genres of music, all flavors of food, and all varieties of booze. Many know Tom for his iconic introduction, “Hi I’m Tom!” which he repeats religiously, much to his enjoyment and the frustration of those around him. Outside of music, Tom competes in an APA pool league, and while he no longer competes at a tournament level, Tom still actively practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
