Gideon Thomas

I am a writer, journalist and music critic. I have experience in news and features, interviews and reviews, but also PR, copywriting and music management. I work freelance, undertaking a range of tasks and responsibilities for a variety of clients in different areas of music business. I now want to expand myself and my writing into columns, reviews, liner notes, PR consultancy and delivery, books and researching, and broadcasting.

I can help you and your act/business out in all the areas listed above. I write to express my love of music and the centrality of music to everyday human life. We use music to bring people together, to uncover the truth and emotion of life. As a very special way of viewing the world, it is a fusion of ideas, location, locality and atmosphere. I view music as art and tradition and a personal journey. I am interested in the relationship between languages, both musical and spoken, musical form, and identity. Music represents solidarity between people, tradition and modernity, and I want to capture this. Philosophy, history and human rights lies underneath everything.

My background is in the academic study of music. I undertook an MA in Folklore and Cultural Tradition at the University of Sheffield in 2004, concentrating on folk and country music, completing a dissertation on the subject of conceptions of traditionality in bluegrass music. As a result of my studies, I conducted a number of writing assignments, with my work being published in academic journals. Additionally, I gave presentations at a number of high profile conferences throughout the UK, focusing on music, religion and language. I wish to bring forward the knowledge and awareness I gained through my studies into my professional life and writing.

I have gained a great deal of experience in a number of different areas of writing, journalism and promotion. My work has appeared in a range of publications and websites in many areas of the music world.

At present, I have a range of journalism, PR and management clients, all of which regularly request my services, and are always more than impressed by what I offer. My work includes, but is not limited to: news and features, interviews and reviews. In addition, I have a number of returning clients for whom I provide PR, copywriting and music management.

In my heart at all times, is my love for writing. When I describe music, my writing takes flight and becomes something else, something beyond what it is. Writing rightly lies at the heart of all of my pursuits, as does discovering and exposing new, interesting, exciting music worthy of expression to a wider circle of listeners. This sums up what I do and why.

Through my work, I have gained valuable experience in the workings of the music business, and gained an understanding of saleable copy across a number of different areas. I have gained useful collaborative skills, headed by an innate understanding and use of communication.

I pride myself on providing a reliable, punctual service, and all of my clients have come to rely on me as a fast, accurate provider of content. I deliver results in all areas, and have always been ready to meet my clients’ needs. I have gained a reputation from both my clients and from a wider circle of contacts, musicians and artists as a dedicated, diligent person who gets out there and promotes both work I am directly involved in, and music more widely, putting hours in and gaining results and wider awareness of the music I am involved in.

I offer a unique skill set which takes in areas from across music and writing. Overall, the most important thing about what I do is a desire and passion to communicate with as many people as I can about the music I love. My overarching ethos has always been to inspire others to become as inspired as I am, and I stick by this and keep it with me in all that I do. I am dedicated, hardworking and diligent, always looking for the next story, angle or discussion. My past work has taught me to as far as possible look from the artist’s perspective, trying to capture their story, background and argument first. My journalism work requires me to be organised, as I often work on a number of assignments at the same time. Prioritising, communication and decision making are a constant companion. In addition to my writing, I am a confident sub-editor, working with a small team of contributors, editing their work and ensuring it is published in a timely manner, in ways consistent with the desires and regulations of the publication. My editors have been confident for me to pursue copy, and writers, to ensure that deadlines and advertising concerns are met.
Through my PR projects, I have gained a rounder understanding of writing for marketing purposes, which has led to better, more focused writing in all of the areas I undertake. My work is always punctual, on time, and helpful to my editors’ needs. I am constantly going the extra mile, providing information, insight and ideas, which echo and inform my passion for, and faith in music.
I offer management services for selected clients, which has allowed me to further delve into the promotion and exposure of artists, which has in turn helped to influence my writing, by allowing me to find more music, work in more ways with artists, and find out more about their desires and motivations.
Now, I am expanding my work into new and exciting areas. I am undertaking my indepth, specific work, in columns, reviews and liner notes. I wish to delve deeper, find out more, and express it in more ways, to more audiences. I am uncovering more stories, looking at more angles, and allowing more artists to express themselves. I want to allow music to breathe through my words, and to facilitate others to gain insight, understanding and love.
I am available for reviews, columns, interviews, liner notes and research projects.