Tom Watkins was an English pop impresario, writer, composer, designer and fine art collector. With a background in art and design, Watkins set up the XL Design agency in the early 1980s and was responsible for designing record sleeves and music graphics of the period. Watkins moved into music management by the mid 1980s and managed Pet Shop Boys, Bros and East 17 among others. Watkins has been described by Neil Tennant as "a big man with a loud voice" and by David Munns as "an unstoppable creative powerhouse".
In the early 1970s after graduating from the London College of Furniture, Watkins worked as a designer for Terence Conran and Rodney Fitch as part of the team that designed Heathrow Terminal 3 and the London Stock Exchange. In 1981 Watkins and business partner, Royston Edwards set up the graphics design company, XL Design with an office in Welbeck Street, London. Initially designing music graphics and marketing campaigns, later record sleeves. In 1982 XL designed the record sleeve for Wham!’s debut single, "Wham Rap" and David Smart joined the company as co-partner. When the British record label, ZTT became clients in 1983, XL designed record sleeves for The Art of Noise and for "Relax", the debut single of Frankie Goes To Hollywood. XL designed many of the Frankie Goes To Hollywood ads, promo posters and graphics including the record sleeves for their next three singles "Two Tribes", "The Power of Love" and "Welcome to the Pleasuredome". In 1984 XL designed the sleeve for their debut album "Welcome to the Pleasuredome". In 1983 Trevor Horn and Jill Sinclair of ZTT Records commissioned Watkins to design the interior of their new recording studios, Sarm Studios in Notting Hill. The XL Design agency was responsible for creating iconic logos, music advertising graphics and record sleeve art of the 1980s including those of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Art of Noise, Wham!, Kim Wilde, Nik Kershaw,Duran Duran and Pet Shop Boys.
Music management
In 1984 Watkins moved his XL Design agency to larger offices in Poland Street, Soho and set up a new company, Massive Management developing a parallel career in music management. Mark Farrow joined Watkins' XL Design agency in 1985. Watkins felt the minimal aesthetics of his designs would be perfect for Pet Shop Boys. In 1986 Watkins, Farrow and business partner Mick Newton set up a new design agency, Three Associates. The Three Associates agency were responsible for creating record sleeve art throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s for artists including Pet Shop Boys, Bros, Liza Minnelli and Kim Wilde. Watkins went on to manage Pet Shop Boys, Bros, East 17, Electribe 101, Faith Hope & Charity, 2wo Third3 and Deuce. Watkins was also a songwriter and music producer. In collaboration with Nicky Graham, Watkins wrote all the tracks on the debut Bros album, Push including the hit singles from the album; "When Will I Be Famous", "Drop the Boy" and "I Owe You Nothing" which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in June 1988. In 1999 Channel 4 produced "Mr Rock & Roll", a four part documentary series "looking at the lives and the careers of the most powerful, most outrageous and most astute managers in the history of Rock and Roll". The series featured the stories of Tom Watkins, Colonel Tom Parker, Don Arden and Peter Grant.
Pet Shop Boys
Late 1984 Pet Shop Boys hired Watkins as their manager signing to his management company, Massive Management. In March 1985 Watkins signed them to EMI subsidiary Parlophone.Under Watkins’ management, Pet Shop Boys released twelve singles achieving four number ones on the UK Singles Chart; "West End Girls", "It's a Sin, "Always on My Mind" and "Heart". Three studio albums; the debut album "Please" released in April 1986 peaking at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. The second album "Actually" released in September 1987 peaking at number 2 in the UK and certified triple Platinum by the BPI. And in October 1988 their third album "Introspective" peaking at number 2 in the UK and certified double Platinum by the BPI. Also, in November 1986 a remix album, "Disco" was released peaking at number 15 in the UK and certified Platinum by the BPI.
Bros
In 1986 Matt and Luke Goss and Craig Logan signed to Watkins’ management company, Massive Management. Watkins signed the band to CBS. Their first single, "I Owe You Nothing" was released in September 1987 and peaked at number 80 in the UK Singles Chart. Their next two singles, "When Will I Be Famous" and "Drop The Boy" both peaked at number 2. The re-release of "I Owe You Nothing" in June 1988 reached number 1. Bros' debut album, "Push" was released in March 1988, it peaked at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified quadruple Platinum status by the BPI. Their second album, "The Time" released in October 1989 peaking at number 4. Bros toured the UK on their ‘Big Push Tour’ in June/July 1988 and Europe and Australia on their ‘Global Push Tour’ late 1988 to early 1989. In February 1989 Bros won the Best British Newcomer Award at the Brit Awards and in August 1989 they played Wembley Stadium at their ‘Bros in 2 Summer’ concert.
East 17
signed to Watkins' management company, Massive Management in April 1992. Watkins signed the band to London Records.Under Watkins’ management between 1992 and 1997, East 17 released 16 singles, 11 entered the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart. "Stay Another Day" was released in December 1994 and became the bands only number 1 remaining at number 1 for 5 weeks. East 17 released their debut album, "Walthamstow" in February 1993. The album peaked at number 1 and was certified Platinum status by the BPI. Their second album, "Steam" reached number 3 and was certified double Platinum status by the BPI and the third album, "Up All Night" reached number 7 and was certified Platinum status by the BPI. “” was the first greatest hits compilation album by East 17. It was released in November 1996 and was certified double Platinum status by the BPI.
Design
Watkins was a fine art collector, specialising in works from the Memphis Group which was an influential Italian design and architecture movement of the 1980s. In 2001 Watkins loaned much of his Memphis collection to the Design Museum, London for their Memphis Remembered exhibition held to mark the 20th anniversary of the debut of the Memphis movement.An admirer of Bauhaus-inspired architecture he designed and built The Big White House in Pett Level, East Sussex in 2004, which was featured in the Channel 4 Grand Designs television series. In 2006 Watkins received the Sussex Heritage Trust Award for The Big White House project.
Author
Published in July 2016, Watkins co-wrote with Matthew Lindsay his autobiography titled: Let's Make Lots of Money: Secrets of a Rich, Fat, Gay, Lucky Bastard. In December 2016 the book was longlisted for the Penderyn Music Book Prize and in July 2017 the book was released in paperback under the title Let's Make Lots of Money: My Life as the Biggest Man in Pop.
Death
Watkins suffered from poor health in his later years. He had diabetes and in 2013, had a liver transplant. He died on 24th February 2020, his funeral was held on 10th March.
