About

Back in the 1960's a 14 foot fibre glass boat pulled up on the rocky shore in a small inlet on Loch Gairloch in Wester Ross, Scotland. A young lad got out along with the adults. The adults started chatting whilst the boat lay unattended. Tom grabbed hold of the rope and held the boat secure from the gentle waves and slowly receeding tide. He scowled at the wreckless adults.

in the 1980's an aspiring songwriter wandered into the BBC in the West End of Glasgow for an audition. He played a couple of songs into the high quality microphones in a large room. For maybe the first time in his musical career there seemed to be a 'bit of a buzz' as a group of adults (including the producer) chatted away. Tom remained innocent and wide eyed. Later as he chatted with the organiser of Mayfest he found out : 'They were really interested in your songs, but the producer was sacked the next week' Tom was later to work with the said producer for an independent video of his song Fast Food.

In 1990 a freelance creative ventured to New England to play music and promote his first Album 'Filling in the Cracks'. Within a week Tom had formed a band and was playing a few 'hip gigs' and bamboozling folks with his accent. He ventured into the Mountain Goat (a shop selling outdoor gear). The conversation with K led to romance, marriage and two delightful daughters brought up in Stirling, Scotland, where Tom formed and ran the project INTER-ACT.

It's now 2024. For the last six years I have been full time as a songwriter and creative adventurer. Big adjustments were needed during the Covid years. I managed to record and release three solo Albums during the last four years.

Gap in the Fence (2020): Pushing the Pull Door (2022) : Everything In The Delicatessen (2023). I've developed spoken word pieces which have featured on BBC 6 Music.

In order to stay warm I've installed a heat pump and joined a local gymn.

This adventure is an accumulation of small connections and random moments of magic.

Tom Houston has formed and played in bands such as Paper Tiger, Unspeakable Acts, Tite Slax, Del Hood, Bamboozle, The Ventriloquists, Tom Houston and the Keltic Band, and davesnewbike. He has been musical director with Fablevision and the Arches Theatre. He has co-written with Chris Difford, Neill MaColl, David Harper Gray and Christope Edwards. He has released 6 solo Albums: Filling in the Cracks 1990, Open the Skylights 2013, Plastic Trumpet 2018, Gap in the Fence 2020, Pushing the Pull Door (2022), Everthing In The Delicatessen (2023) and two with davesnewbike : Wanderlust 2015 and The Tin Can and the Flood 2017.