Guest Blog: Andy Frazier Toplines and Tales
I've been jotting down lyrics in notebooks for years - usually late at night after a long day, or when something's been weighing on my mind. But I never did anything with them until the inheritance tax changes were announced in 2024 and I took a notion to put some songs out there.
Like many of you, I watched farmers take their tractors to London. I understood the anger - my own family farm is now in my brother's hands, passed down through generations like so many others. So, while some folks protested with tractors, I put my frustration to music. Hopefully that's better for the ears, I'll let you decide!
Making tracks
The result is a 15-track album called The Family Farm. The title track is about exactly that - the businesses we've built over generations.
Track four tells the hilarious true story of Volcano, a rather raucous cow I once had to tame for the grand parade at the Royal Show. If you've ever tried to convince a stubborn cow she's parade-ready, you'll appreciate this one.
My favourite might be 'The Best Show on Earth' - about travelling down to Smithfield in the 80s with our prize animals. That one seems to have struck a chord with quite a few folk. There's something special about those memories, and the people we shared them with. Yorkshire Shorthorn breeder Graham Bell also contributed an amusing farmyard caper that had me laughing while we put it together.
On a serious musical note
The album does have its serious moments too. 'Phone a Friend' is exactly what the title suggests - a reminder to keep talking to each other. Through my podcast work and day-to-day contact with fellow farmers and breeders, I see how much we all need that, especially during tough times. It takes very little energy to have a blether with a friend, but it does take time. Time that we should put to one side more often.
Despite my chirpy profile, there have been darker times in my life when a helping hand wasn't always available. That's part of why I'm giving all proceeds from the album to Farmstrong Scotland. The work they do - the peer-to-peer stories, the resources, the events across the country - it matters.
A helping hand
The music industry might raise eyebrows at my methods - I wrote all the lyrics myself but used AI technology to help with the musical side. But this isn't about being a professional musician. It's about expressing what many of us are feeling, having a bit of craic with it, and hopefully doing some good in the process.
If you fancy a listen, you can find it at www.toplinesandtales.bandcamp.com. And if you take away just one thing: pick up the phone (or write down your thoughts) when you need to. That blether with a mate might be the best thing you do all week.
