Sunday, May 31, 2015

Thank you...and goodnight

My first ever radio appearance was in Inverness, in I think 1981, being interviewed by one Douglas MacRoberts about my album Out of the Harbour, for BBC Radio Highland. My last - for the moment, at least; never say never - will be tonight, when a specially recorded 'farewell' edition of Morton Through Midnight will be broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland, from 11.00pm until 1.00am.

It'll be a low-key affair. Just two hours of me talking about some (mostly) old records I particularly like, then playing them. Not the same ones I'd choose now, or if someone asked me for my top 15 records of all time. Just the ones that occurred to me a fortnight ago.

I'm not going to wallow in nostalgia, or not much. I plan - of course I do - to write about some of my more extreme, name-dropping wireless, rock'n'roll and journalistic adventures - drunk with REM in Athens, all too horribly sober with Britt Ekland in, err...Inverness, in a Greenpeace dinghy as Skye Bridge contractors attacked us with giant boulders, lost at 2.00am in the wilds of Compton, LA, stalking The Clash through a series of Glasgow pubs. John Major mistaking me for a traffic policeman...oh, I could go on and on. And I do, often. 

Anyway, a special thanks to those who have listened. And for those who have perhaps wondered what the mysterious Loft of Love looks like - the attic redoubt in my Shetland home whence Morton through Midnight came - maybe the wee video here will help.

6 comments:

Muckle Joannie said...

I'll miss your programme after listening to you from when you were on in the afternoon to more recently when my favourite Saturday night in was Paul Gambaccini on Radio 2 at 8 and you on Radio Scotland at 10.

Unknown said...

My rock band The River Detectives were snapped up by Warner Bros. after a glowing live review posted by Mr Morton in the melody Maker. That was a life changer. Go well sir...

Unknown said...

My rock band The River Detectives were duly signed by the Warners label after your glowing live review in the Melody Maker; that was a life changer. Go well Sir Tom...

MarciaH said...

You will be missed! Yours has been my favourite radio programme since moving to Scotland in 2008. Thank you for many hours of listening pleasure.

Laid Back Bikes said...

Thanks for the era that was MTM and hope you're now on the mend. Best wishes - look forward to your next projects. A collection of readers' and your own tales perhaps...? There were some classics.

Anonymous said...

Many thanks for all your work over the years. I really enjoyed the social media aspect of your afternoon shows + the blether. Never managed to become a regular listener of the MTM, too late for me! Hope your health continues to improve

Chools @ sunny Nairn

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