A Perfectly Average Background
Mike and Tom formed the band Perfectly average in 2008. However the duo has been playing together for over 13 years. Tom and Mike grew up as childhood friends who discovered a shared interest in musical tastes. In 2001, after a few years of playing informally together, Tom agreed to play a small party for a friend and recruited Mike and another friend, Tim Sheldon, to perform with him. Out of this performance, the band Spare Change was born. Spare Change added drummer Ben Plotner in 2002 and spent the next 3 years playing shows throughout the Chicagoland area.
Spare Change continued to play parties and private events until eventually disbanding in 2005. After about a year break, Tom and Mike reunited to play an acoustic show together going simply by the name Mike and Tom. The duo continued to write new music, playing gigs occasionally as time permitted In 2008, Mike and Tom teamed to form a new band under the name Perfectly Average. The name was taken from an original song the two wrote that has since become a fan favorite at shows. Perfectly Average played its first show on St. Patrick’s Day weekend 2008 in Chicago and hasn’t looked back since. The band continues to book shows in both Chicago and Milwaukee and is perpetually expanding its already diverse song list.
Mike
GET TO KNOW MIKE
Mike grew up in Addison, IL and has been playing guitar for nearly 20 years. He graduated from Marquette University and currently works in Milwaukee for an investment bank. Mike plays Takamine guitars.
Some of Mike’s favorite bands to see live include Sister Hazel, Cowboy Mouth (possibly the greatest live rock show ever), Jason Mraz, and the local cover band, Mike and Joe. His beverages of choice include Gatorade, water and Scotch and sodas, though he has a newfound affection for the wonderfulness that is his soda-stream machine.
He has written a variety of songs and is the main culprit behind fan favorites, "Perfectly Average", "Stan McCann" and "The Midget Song".
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Tom
GET TO KNOW TOM
When not performing for the band that is Perfectly Average, Tom works for a small business in Bensenville called GAIM Engineering. He went to Illinois State Univeristy and still enjoys going to the Pub in Normal for some cheese balls. He visits his sister in San Diego when he can as well as his other sister, two nephews and niece who are much closer in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.
Tom enjoys the Beatles, Jason Mraz, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Pete Yorn, the BoDeans among many others. He is proud of the song "Shine" which is a favorite of the duo to play. He also authored "The Beer Song" which has been a crowd favorite the past couple of years, except for those members of the audience designated as special participants. He also works on his own solo stuff, which can be found HERE