Tom Slatter
@tomslatter.bsky.social
Constantly bewildered. Singer-songwriter under my own name, 'High Wire Act' and 'Ashfeathers'.
...toxic relationships. Along the way it takes influences from a range of rock and prog adjacent bands, from Radiohead-esque chord changes, to chunky riffs that sit somewhere between Soundgarden and Coheed and Cambria. And as you’d expect from songs written by prog fans, there are a host of weird...
November 19, 2025 at 3:56 PM
...toxic relationships. Along the way it takes influences from a range of rock and prog adjacent bands, from Radiohead-esque chord changes, to chunky riffs that sit somewhere between Soundgarden and Coheed and Cambria. And as you’d expect from songs written by prog fans, there are a host of weird...
New music! New music! The first High Wire Act album To Risk Your Heart will be released on 5th December.
"A loose concept album, To Risk Your Heart takes the listener on a tour of mental health related themes, from imposter syndrome to grief; from dealing with introversion to escaping...
"A loose concept album, To Risk Your Heart takes the listener on a tour of mental health related themes, from imposter syndrome to grief; from dealing with introversion to escaping...
November 19, 2025 at 3:56 PM
New music! New music! The first High Wire Act album To Risk Your Heart will be released on 5th December.
"A loose concept album, To Risk Your Heart takes the listener on a tour of mental health related themes, from imposter syndrome to grief; from dealing with introversion to escaping...
"A loose concept album, To Risk Your Heart takes the listener on a tour of mental health related themes, from imposter syndrome to grief; from dealing with introversion to escaping...
What perfect album came out the year you turned 16?
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 AM
What perfect album came out the year you turned 16?
And here's me onstage pretending to know what I'm doing
November 16, 2025 at 3:17 PM
And here's me onstage pretending to know what I'm doing
Set list for yesterday's unexpected and very enjoyable gig at HRH Prog.
Organised of course by subject matter, not song titles.
bsky.app/profile/toms...
Organised of course by subject matter, not song titles.
bsky.app/profile/toms...
November 16, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Set list for yesterday's unexpected and very enjoyable gig at HRH Prog.
Organised of course by subject matter, not song titles.
bsky.app/profile/toms...
Organised of course by subject matter, not song titles.
bsky.app/profile/toms...
Pre-gig selfie. Off to play an unexpected impromptu acoustic set at the HRH prog festival.
This the face of someone who has been ill, hasn't rehearsed and can only remember half his lyrics. What could possibly go wrong?
This the face of someone who has been ill, hasn't rehearsed and can only remember half his lyrics. What could possibly go wrong?
November 15, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Pre-gig selfie. Off to play an unexpected impromptu acoustic set at the HRH prog festival.
This the face of someone who has been ill, hasn't rehearsed and can only remember half his lyrics. What could possibly go wrong?
This the face of someone who has been ill, hasn't rehearsed and can only remember half his lyrics. What could possibly go wrong?
Alibi - my 5th minute song. It is about loving someone so much you'd happily start a life of crime with them.
October 14, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Alibi - my 5th minute song. It is about loving someone so much you'd happily start a life of crime with them.
Minute Song 4 - Growl and Snarl. I've been enjoying writing these very short songs, so here's number 4. Includes me trying to play guitar with a violin now.
October 7, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Minute Song 4 - Growl and Snarl. I've been enjoying writing these very short songs, so here's number 4. Includes me trying to play guitar with a violin now.
Have I written another minute long song? Yes, yes I have. This one is called Tinfoil Armour.
September 30, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Have I written another minute long song? Yes, yes I have. This one is called Tinfoil Armour.
New song this Friday - I Have A Mask.
It's either about imposter syndrome, or about a literal alien who is masquerading as a human, hiding behind a mask so that no-one knows how strange a creature he truly is. Depending on whether metaphors exist in my songs.
It's either about imposter syndrome, or about a literal alien who is masquerading as a human, hiding behind a mask so that no-one knows how strange a creature he truly is. Depending on whether metaphors exist in my songs.
September 29, 2025 at 6:27 AM
New song this Friday - I Have A Mask.
It's either about imposter syndrome, or about a literal alien who is masquerading as a human, hiding behind a mask so that no-one knows how strange a creature he truly is. Depending on whether metaphors exist in my songs.
It's either about imposter syndrome, or about a literal alien who is masquerading as a human, hiding behind a mask so that no-one knows how strange a creature he truly is. Depending on whether metaphors exist in my songs.
And the Manics weren't the first to get glammed up on their way out of the valleys.
September 26, 2025 at 9:35 AM
And the Manics weren't the first to get glammed up on their way out of the valleys.
I love 90s Manics and Design for Life is glorious.
September 26, 2025 at 9:33 AM
I love 90s Manics and Design for Life is glorious.
I enjoyed doing my very short song about bees the other day so here is another very short song. It is called Origin Story.
September 23, 2025 at 7:13 AM
I enjoyed doing my very short song about bees the other day so here is another very short song. It is called Origin Story.
A couple of weeks ago I walked past a bee hive. It was swarming. At the same time I had a weird little rhythm going through my head. So I recorded a very short song about it.
September 16, 2025 at 12:29 PM
A couple of weeks ago I walked past a bee hive. It was swarming. At the same time I had a weird little rhythm going through my head. So I recorded a very short song about it.
Then talk about English things that are good actually
September 12, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Then talk about English things that are good actually
I start off complaining about the far right morons who don't even know what the English flag is
September 12, 2025 at 6:09 AM
I start off complaining about the far right morons who don't even know what the English flag is
Got some down the road in Cheshunt. All look cheap and tacky, all at half-mast and held on with cable ties. So patriotic. Certainly doesn't make the place look just a little bit more shit than it already did.
August 28, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Got some down the road in Cheshunt. All look cheap and tacky, all at half-mast and held on with cable ties. So patriotic. Certainly doesn't make the place look just a little bit more shit than it already did.
The flag shaggers have been out overnight near me. Cheap nylon flags attached to lampposts with cable ties, all of them at half mast.
If you wanted to hang a flag in such a way as to satirise these nationalist fuckwits, this is how you would do it. Looks so cheap and sad and pathetic.
If you wanted to hang a flag in such a way as to satirise these nationalist fuckwits, this is how you would do it. Looks so cheap and sad and pathetic.
August 24, 2025 at 9:47 AM
The flag shaggers have been out overnight near me. Cheap nylon flags attached to lampposts with cable ties, all of them at half mast.
If you wanted to hang a flag in such a way as to satirise these nationalist fuckwits, this is how you would do it. Looks so cheap and sad and pathetic.
If you wanted to hang a flag in such a way as to satirise these nationalist fuckwits, this is how you would do it. Looks so cheap and sad and pathetic.
What? What did I do?
August 12, 2025 at 3:57 PM
What? What did I do?
I am glad there's a new Paradise Lost album, but why in all their new pics do they look so disappointed in me?
August 12, 2025 at 3:34 PM
I am glad there's a new Paradise Lost album, but why in all their new pics do they look so disappointed in me?
I now have an idea about lyrics. I declare victory!
August 3, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I now have an idea about lyrics. I declare victory!
Here's a little snippet of today's song then. Just through the phone mic so probably far too bass heavy. Riffs, riffs, riffs!
I've got first draft drums bass and guitar done plus vocal melodies. Just need some words...
I've got first draft drums bass and guitar done plus vocal melodies. Just need some words...
August 3, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Here's a little snippet of today's song then. Just through the phone mic so probably far too bass heavy. Riffs, riffs, riffs!
I've got first draft drums bass and guitar done plus vocal melodies. Just need some words...
I've got first draft drums bass and guitar done plus vocal melodies. Just need some words...
Progress is being made
August 3, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Progress is being made
I am going to regret this.
August 3, 2025 at 9:06 AM
I am going to regret this.
Sorry, sorry, sorry
July 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Sorry, sorry, sorry