I’ve been on the radio before, but this one is different.

Very kindly, I was invited to SWR2 Tandem, a one-on-one interview format on the culture channel of the public service broadcaster for the southwest of Germany, to talk about my passion for train travel and my newsletter Zugpost. One hour just about me, my journeys and my writing. Wow.

I was pretty nervous, I can tell you, and the fact that I had a nasty migraine attack the days before we recorded the interview didn’t help either. But it went really well and was great fun. Many thanks to Frauke Oppenberg, the host, and especially to the editor Martina Kögl, who made it possible and gave me a reassuring feeling right from the start.

But what’s even better: I got to choose the music! As an absolute music and radio freak, this is literally a dream come true. Here is the list of tracks I’ve picked, all of which have a more or less obvious connection to railways:

Mano Negra – Out of Time Man
When I began exploring Europe by train, I listened to a lot of Manu Chao. This a favorite from his former band. Listen on YouTube ↗

Laid Back – Bakerman
Of course, we were talking about night trains, and this is the song for that. The night train is coming … Listen on YouTube ↗

Litku Klemetti – Juna Kainuuseen
I managed to sneak in a Finnish song (it’s a great one!) on German radio, and I still can’t believe it. Listen on YouTube ↗

Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy
A song about breaking free and embarking on a new journey in life. Of course, by train. Listen on YouTube ↗

David Bowie – “Heroes”
As a great train lover, the list wouldn’t be complete without David Bowie. Also, it’s the best song ever written and should be played on the radio at least once a day. Listen on YouTube ↗

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If you understand German and don’t mind listening to my voice (I do!), you can find a podcast of the conversation here. For copyright reasons, the music will be missing, so for the full experience, make sure to click on the YouTube links above.