Under the Radar: George T
George Thomson’s latest musical outing finds him playing a vintage melodica he picked up on eBay, write Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon
In the early 1990s, George Thomson was a dynamo of Edinburgh’s club scene, before disappearing to London, where he kept himself busy with a range of film and music projects, releasing tracks under numerous monikers on a variety of labels.
Since moving back to Scotland, he has immersed himself in a multitude of collaborations including one with actor Tam Dean Burn, another with percussionist Mairi Buchanan and a live set with techno DJ Miss Represented, which took place at the Hidden Door Festival in May.
His latest musical outing, Roll On, King’s Cross, is under the name George T and was recorded with a vintage melodica he picked up on Ebay. Inspired by reggae legend Augustus Pablo, it combines the tones of his purchase with a sparse keyboard sound and a moody vocal, creating a piece of atmospheric brilliance.
Released on Edinburgh label Hobbes Music on 18 November, and accompanied by a video shot by George on a train journey to London, it is set to be followed by a single with Joseph Malik in February and an album with Paranoid London, out on Optimo Records in the spring. See www.instagram.com/george.t.and.co
Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run music industry seminar and social night Born To Be Wide, www.borntobewide.co.uk Find them on Twitter @olafwide and @newfoundsound
Off Axis is an artist-to-artist, non-profit gig swapping network, enabling bands and solo acts to build a nationwide fanbase by playing meaningful gigs throughout the UK. They offer a transparent touring model, where musicians keep 100 per cent of profits, showcase at festivals and benefit from expert mentoring. If you have a hometown fanbase, you can join, it’s free, supported by Creative Scotland register https://offaxistours.com/