Thomas Fiss
Thomas Michael Fiss (born December 7, 1987) is an American singer. Fiss originally achieved fame as a member of Varsity Fanclub, a boy band first signed by Capitol Records (now with Stonehall Records). On May 28, 2009, in a live video chat on JustinTV, Varsity Fanclub announced that Fiss had quit Varsity Fanclub for personal reasons. The remaining members of Varsity Fanclub are: Bobby Edner, Drew Ryan Scott, Jayk Purdy, David Lei Brandt and Fiss' replacement, 16-year-old Thomas Carter (aka "T.C.").
Biography
Fiss was born in San Diego, California. He attended Taft Middle School, part of the San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, California. At the age of 12, Fiss started his show business career in the young actors program at Multimedia Arts (MMA) of San Diego. Fiss's first acting job was playing the role of Nathan Lukowski in The Full Monty (MusicAL), which opened in San Diego. Fiss remained with the production when the show traveled to New York City, and celebrated his thirteenth birthday on Broadway, alternating with actor Nicholas Castro in the Nathan Lukowski role. On December 14, 2000, Fiss's Broadway (New York City) career received notice in the San Diego City School's Staff Bulletin. Volume 75, Number 10 of the publication reads, “The Full Monty has taken a hold of Taft Middle School student Thomas Michael Fiss. Fiss has the role of Nathan Lukowski in New York's Broadway production of the award-winning musical, which had its birth at the Old Globe Theatre. The play is adapted from the popular English film about a motley male troupe of amateur strippers. Fiss plays the son of one of the would-be strippers. It's not just fun-and-games. Nightly performances are preceded by a full day of backstage schoolwork handled by his mother.” On June 3, 2001, Fiss appeared at Radio City Music Hall for the 55th Tony Awards, performing a scene from The Full Monty (musical). (A video of this performance currently can be viewed on the internet.)
As a high school senior, Fiss took part in a benefit to raise funds for the Coronado School of the Arts. The production was called "All You Need Is Love - Love of the Arts." The event was held at the Wyndham Emerald Plaza Hotel in downtown San Diego on February 12, 2005, and the students raised $32,000 for their school's programs.
On June 16, 2005, Fiss graduated Coronado High School, a National Blue Ribbon School which is part of the Coronado Unified School District in Coronado (California). At the 7 p.m. ceremony, Fiss received the Coronado Longboard Surf Club Scholarship and the M.J. Brown Family Performing Arts Music Award. As part of the commencement exercises, Fiss accompanied himself on guitar as he sang his original composition, “Our Voices are Meant to Echo.” (A video of this performance currently can be viewed on the internet.)
Hobbies and Interests
Fiss says that he “grew up on the beach, surfing and skating everyday.” In fact, Fiss started sailing at the age of six and eventually worked his way up to compete as a skipper in the Junior Olympics, in addition to taking part in surfing competitions. Fiss also enjoys fishing, camping, cliff jumping, and “anything outdoors.” Fiss is most ProFicient as an acoustic guitar player, having been playing that instrument since the age of ten, and honing his skills at open mic competitions in the San Diego area before the formation of Varsity Fanclub. Fiss has also played the drums for five years, the bass guitar for four years, and lists his piano playing and kazoo playing as “works in progress.” Fiss has eclectic tastes in music and enjoys “every type of music from classical to jazz to rock. Fiss lists Orange County, California's “Something Corporate” and Boca Raton, Florida's “Dashboard Confessional” as his favorite bands, but says that “all music gives inspiration.” Fiss says, “My family and friends back home mean everything to me. They've always supported me, even if I go against the grain.”
On February 17, 2009, saying, "I want to separate myself from the 'boy band' persona," Fiss announced a clothing line which he had designed. The clothing line (which debuted on April 21, 2009) is marketed under the name Adisson Apparel with the motto, "For the gentleman who wants to rock and the lady who wants to party." Fiss calls his recent foray into the world of fashion design, "Clothing I would want a potential girlfriend to wear. Cute and stylish".
Varsity Fanclub
From 2006 through early 2009, Fiss was a member of Varsity Fanclub, a music group originally signed to Capitol Records (now signed to Stonehall Records). Thomas and the other group members were discovered at auditions held by production company Stonehall Entertainment (a management team composed of Phoenix Stone and Sybil Hall, who were instrumental in the formation of both the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync) and survived a vetting process which has been described as "much tougher than televised bootcamps American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance." The goal of these auditions was to find five "triple-threats" as vocalists, dancers, and actors, each one of them groomed to "dazzle in the studio, on stage, and in every TV or film endeavor."The Varsity Fanclub audition process will be the subject of a reality show entitled "Star Makers", created by Stonehall Entertainment and to be featured at cinsay.com. A trailer (film) for the "Star Makers" reality show currently can be viewed on the internet.
Varsity Fanclub first gained public attention by giving a special showcase performance at the EMI Music Rooftop on August 19, 2008 in New York City. In 2008, the band made a series of appearances at pop music radio stations, giving live studio performances and greeting new fans. Fiss's Varsity Fanclub bandmates were Bobby Edner, Drew Ryan Scott, Jayk Purdy, and David Lei Brandt. The group's debut album, Varsity Fanclub, is being recorded with entirely new material featuring Fiss's replacement, Thomas ("T.C.") Carter. Their debut single, “Future Love” (written by Ryan Tedder and Evan Bogart), is currently being marketed on iTunes by Apple Inc. The "Future Love" music video premiered October 14, 2008 on Varsity Fanclub's Official MySpace, and was posted on YouTube two days later. The video shows Fiss and his bandmates performing a futuristic digital concert. Each of the band members' names appears on the screen, and a dance break occurs midway into the song. Mandy Jiroux, one of Fiss's personal friends from the entertainment world, appears in the video as a front row spectator.
Complete versions of songs featuring Fiss and originally intended for the debut album (“Zero,” “Complicated Girl" "Looking for Love," "Bad Habit," "Parachute," and "Maybe This Is Love") along with the single, "Future Love," are currently posted at Varsity Fanclub's Official MySpace.
Broadway Career
Filmography
- 2008- The Middleman (TV series) ABC Family Network, Episode 6, aired July 21, 2008
Discography
- Singles
- “Future Love” (with Varsity Fanclub)
- "Waiting" (solo release)
- "In My Life" (cover of the Beatles tune performed with Gabe Lopez)
- "Girl Like That" (with Varsity Fanclub) previously leaked single, posted with VFC's permission as YouTube video
- Albums
- Radio Disney Jams, Vol. 11 -- compilation of popular songs played on Radio Disney, including Future Love, performed with Varsity Fanclub (released on January 27, 2009).
Important Live Appearances
- 2008 MTV Music Awards (performance with T-Pain)
- EMI Music Rooftop showcase performance (August 19, 2008, NYC)
- 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
- 2008 RUBA'S WORLD (DISNEY)
- S.I.R. Studios Concert (February 9, 2009, Hollywood, CA)
Other projects
- Axiom Records: listed as Writer and Producer at the Axiom Studio's Official Site and the Axiom Studio Support Page
- Jenn Potter Music: assisting Jenn Potter on her debut album, to be released by Black Diamond Entertainment, LLC (listed on the Official Jenn Potter Music Site)
- Adisson Apparel: A clothing line designed by Thomas Fiss
- "Tweet About You" single performed with B-Roc of Dacav5
Collaborations
Fiss has collaborated with the following Artists/Producers (listed at Thomas Fiss Official Site): The Underdogs (duo), Ryan Tedder, Troy Johnson, Isaiah Vest, RedOne, Marc Kinchen, Brent Paschke, Gabe Lopez, Sean Alexander, Krayzie Bone, Mitchel Musso, Aaron Carter, D.Black, YoungBoyz, J.T.Meskiel, Claude Kelly, B-Roc of Dacav5.