“An absolute treat of a read… a mixtape lovingly assembled by a friend’s cool, knowledgeable older sister.” – Gutter magazine
“Her exploration of queer music’s escapist, visionary powers brings joy, not in small measures.” – The Wire
Queer musicians have long mined beauty from the darkest of seams – and today’s artists are taking that treasure and using it to make magic. Trans writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall discovers the sometimes surprising ways LGBTQ+ artists changed Scotland’s soundtrack, meeting Scots artists, industry insiders and music fans to celebrate the music and musicians that filled floors, opened minds and changed lives.
My new book, Small Town Joy, is a celebration of music from multiple eras and genres, tracing the queer influences on some of the best music ever made and talking to Scots musicians about the music that made them and the music they make. If it’s even half as fun to read as it was to write then you’re in for a treat.
Small Town Joy is coming out in April 2025 on 404 Ink.
Small Town Joy: the playlist
I’ve put together a playlist featuring many of the songs from the book by queer artists and by some of the artists who’ve influenced or been influenced by them, and you’ll find it on Apple Music and on Spotify; if you’d rather not stream, it makes a pretty good shopping list too.
Here’s the Apple Music version. And you’ll find the Spotify version here.