I've been fascinated by the relationship of trains to music since listening to Ministry on the 7 train in Queens, New York while in high school. You have industrial technology; wheels in constant revolution; the rattling percussion in oscillating patterns. When the railroad started to spread through the American landscape in the late 19th century, the overall impact was enormous. The impressive sonic power, speed-driven accented percussion, strong and unstoppable, has influenced everyone from early blues artists to electronic artists such as Kraftwerk. Here's a selection of train-related songs I mixed while on the bus.
