Whatever happened to Kid Harpoon?

Medway gig-goers and devotees of indie music in the mid to late 2000s will remember a tousle-haired youth of that name from Chatham, who emerged on the London live music scene in 2006 as a resident singer-songwriter at Nambucca, and threatened to break into the mainstream a few years later releasing two EPs followed by an album, and touring as a support act with the Kooks.

And then what? To the casual observer it might have seemed like this kid probably just got old and disappeared in the depths of anonymity, as all old harpoons are likely to do.

He probably changed his name back to Tom Hull, got a proper job and moved to Sevenoaks.

Except he didn't. The real reason this harpoon disappeared from view is because he struck his target - albeit via a slightly different route than he might have first envisaged.

To cut to the chase, later this month Kid Harpoon could pick up two Ivor Novello awards having been nominated alongside co-writer and singer Harry Styles, competing with the likes of Lewis Capaldi, AJTracey, Celeste and Lianne La Havas.

The Grammy and Brit award-winning song Watermelon Sugar and Adore You, part-written by Styles and Harpoon, are both nominated in the "PRS for Music Most Performed Work" category, while Styles and Harpoon are also nominated in the Songwriter of the Year category.

So how did the former indie folk balladeer end up penning pop hits with a former One Direction singer?

It certainly would have seemed an unlikely pairing back in 2004, when the Medway Messenger first mentioned Kid Harpoon among a bill of local musicians - mostly indie-folk singer songwriters and band members - who were working alongside students from New Brompton College on a 'School of Rock' style project.

And it might have seemed even less likely over the next couple of years as he embraced the grittier side of music - honing his craft as a singer-songwriter of lyrical depth and intensity, and embracing the life of a gigging troubadour in indie-rock venues around the country.

But the approach brought success and by 2008 the Medway Messenger reported the Chatham boy would "return to the Medway Towns for a special warm-up gig before touring with chart-toppers the Kooks."

"Although Kid is a local lad, he now classes Holloway in north London as his stomping ground," reported the Messenger. "His humble flat is renowned for being an impromptu rehearsal venue for indie A-listers such as Vincent Vincent and the Villains and the Mystery Jets."

It continued: "Kid has been plying his trade as a whimsical songsmith for a couple of years, often alone but also on occasion with his backing band, The Powers That Be"

"His EPs, under the catchy titles The First EP and The Second EP, received critical acclaim from music scene bibles NME and Drowned in Sound."

Further success followed as the Chatham boy signed to the Young Turks label, and released his debut album Once in September 2009 - recorded in Los Angeles by Grammy winning producer Trevor Horn - which received an 8/10 review from NME.

In short, the Harpoon was having a whale of a time, but perhaps more importantly he was moving in the right waters.

By that point, singer Florence Welch - then largely unknown - had appeared on his single Riverside in 2007, the same year that Welch founded her band Florence and the Machine.

And that connection would pay dividends a few years later, when Harpoon helped co-write songs including "Shake It Out", "Never Let Me Go", and "Leave My Body" on the Florence and the Machine album Ceremonials.

Shake it Out would lead to an Ivor Novello nomination for its writers in 2012, but to most people with a passing interest it seemed 'Kid Harpoon the solo act' had by this point departed from centre stage, his career having seemingly nosedived.

Not so. He had simply moved behind the magic mirror, applying his musicianship and production wizardy to the work of dozens of artists.

And as as his reputation grew, so did the names he could count as colleagues and friends. Within a few years artists such as Calvin Harris, Jamie N Commons, Jessie Ware, Professor Green, Shakira, Skrillex and Lily Allen had all benefited from the Chatham boy's skills, although by this time he was as much an LA boy, having relocated to Laurel Canyon.

First teaming up with Harry Styles in 2016, the musical collaboration would become a golden one - and their song Watermelon Sugar would go on to win Styles a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance in March this year.

And come Tuesday September 21, Kid Harpoon could have a gong for the song himself, when the 66th Ivor Novello Awards - awarded to recognise the best songwriter and composers in Britain and Ireland - take place at The Grosvenor House, London.

At the very least, it should be a decent party, and win or lose, those who remember Kid Harpoon from his days playing and partying in Medway are pretty sure he'll keep his feet in the ground.

Photographer Dave Wise, who took pictures of the up and coming Medway start back in 2005 and 2006, said his talents were always clear but it was great to see them recognised internationally.

"I knew him quite well," said Dave. "Before he went to London I saw a lot of him. He was always really good to be around. Bottom line is that he was a very well bought up, polite, friendly middle class lad who has a great voice, musical talent and looks.

"First time I saw him play was at Gillingham park life festival, it was clear that he had great ability and confidence, he was in his late teens then I think. He was followed on stage by Lupen Crook. Both became my friends, and both have gone on to be great musicians."

Dave added: "Tom played regularly at our club night, even when we only had 10 or 20 people in he still gave it everything. It came as no surprise at all to any of us that he went on to great things, although I expected him to be more in the spotlight himself instead of writing for others, because of his ability to perform. He had a phenomenal life act. Almost as energetic as Billy, I mean, energy coming from within.

"So yes, I was a big fan, all of us around at the time were. We were all friends back then, it was quite a tight scene. I'm really pleased for him that he’s got on so well."

So what next in the tale of Kid Harpoon? More hits? Bigger stars? Shinier awards?

Hopefully so, but lets hope he keeps a touch of Chatham grit in his back pocket, just to add to the mix now and then.

And who knows - maybe one day he'll step behind a mic with his guitar once again, centre stage, whether it be at the Troubador or the Tap n' Tin.

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