What is Songs Heard on Fast Trains?

Songs Heard on Fast Trains grew from the occasional posts about music on my main website, Lost::MikeGTN. I’d wanted to be a bit stricter about contributing my thoughts and views on music, and a pretty fantastic year in 2010 where I regained my interest via some inspirational musicians, podcasts and individuals seemed the right time to do it.

Please don’t expect rational, balanced thought from me – it’s going to be mostly about what I like to hear and how I discovered it. I’m much too old to think of myself as some sort of would-be music journalist! I’m also likely to be inconsistent, repetitive and contradictory – but you expect that from a blog, surely?

I also listen to a tremendous amount of music while travelling around the country on trains – hence the name of this blog, and the premise that many of the articles and reviews here will be about music, travel and place – for me a strong connection.

So who are you?

I’m Mike Newman, known all over the internet for some long-lost reason as ‘MikeGTN’. I ran a cassette label called Traumatone way back in the early 1990s which established links with similar operations in the US, Canada, Europe and New Zealand long before the internet made it easy to do so. In terms of who I am these days, it’s probably best to refer to the description I use elsewhere:

Thirty-something, balding, unmarriageable, over-fed and under-educated Local Government Officer. Obsessions include books, music, railways, history and hypochondria. I’m a mess of contradictions – high Tory Victorian values meeting half-hearted Marxism somewhere in the middle. I’m a faithful and helpful friend, but bear grudges mercilessly. I’m happiest wandering around with a bag full of books, or with a long rail journey ahead of me. I like Glasgow, autumn, unexpected string quartets and sans-serif typefaces. I dislike misused punctuation, cycling on the pavement and flags defaced by writing. I appreciate good beer, hold strong views on irrational subjects, and have an absurd sense of humour.

But aren’t there already enough Scottish music blogs?

There are a lot of Scottish music blogs of course, and I don’t intend to or expect to replace these – this is just one listeners view. A lone voice from the southern wilderness perhaps? It’s no secret that a lot of the music I listen to and write about emanates from the vibrant and ever-surprising network of Scottish musicians. This is because I spend a fair amount of my time there, and also because just now it seems to be continuing to produce remarkable and startlingly original music when elsewhere things seem a little stale.

I’ve linked to what I think are the best, most interesting blogs over there on the right of your screen. But most importantly, what Songs Heard on Fast Trains isn’t is a Scottish Music Blog. It’s a blog about music I like, and for many years now music from north of the border has been an incredibly important part of my personal musical landscape. However, music which interests me will always make it here, regardless of where it originates.

Will you listen to my band, or can I shout at you about something?

In the past I’ve been pretty shy about my internet presence, but given I’m imposing my opinions on others it seems a bit churlish to hide. You can contact me here via this blog, or find me on Facebook or more occasionally Twitter.

I probably will listen to things you send me, and yes I might write about it too. You’ll notice I most often write about things I like, or which have been part of my travels in some way. I haven’t got the time or the energy to write scathing reviews and deal with the aftermath! Links to Soundcloud are encouraged.