From The Mixed Up Files of Mr. Matthew T. Schindler

Share this post

Trains They Stop

fauxjean.substack.com

Trains They Stop

Special Birthday Edition

Faux Jean
Feb 7
Share this post

Trains They Stop

fauxjean.substack.com

Faux Damen und Herren,

This week I’m digging WAY WAY WAY into the past to bring a new track to the “Mixed Up Files.”

I recorded “Trains They Stop” in Germany on January 17, 1990 on a boombox that had a built in condenser mic on it.

1

It is not a great song or a great recording, but it is one of the first songs I ever committed to tape, and so falls into the “Mixed Up Files” rubrik.

Also, tomorrow, February 8, is my birthday!

And so I’ve dug back 33 years to my old journal, where I wrote about turning 21 and becoming “legal,” which you can listen to here if you wish:

2

1×
0:00
-11:11
Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade.

I did predict in 1990 (perhaps correctly) that universities were on their way to becoming “credit obsessed, money-crazed institutions.”

Faux Jean and friend Michael with birthday cake.
Faux Jean on his 21st Birthday with young, intelligent Michael, and a cake baked by Juliana.
a drawing of a gardener by Faux Jean from Feb 9, 1990
a drawing from the journal, day after 21st birthday.

Here are the lyrics:

Trains they stop Trains they go People they get hurt  Trains they stop yes they do But they go on too  It's fun to stop It's fun to go But it's no fun to get hurt  Yes I've seen them stop And I've seen them go And seen them all get hurt  I've seen them cry I've heard it too Feeling better Feeling blue  I've seen them stop! Seen them stop!
Lyrik written in journal.
Faux Jean, hippy, with his 12 string Terrada acoustic, Germany 1990.
Faux Jean, hippy, with his 12 string Terrada acoustic, Germany 1990.

I remain your humble servant,

OX&C,

Faux Jean

1

This damn thing is 33 years old!!? And it’s a little embarrassing, but “so la la,” as the Germans would say.

about this track window from Bandcamp.

2

This is a lightly edited version of what I wrote on my 21st birthday, while sitting cross-legged for three hours. One might listen to this and think I’m a bit of a snob, and that’s okay.

Thanks for reading From The Mixed Up Files of Mr. Matthew T. Schindler! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Share this post

Trains They Stop

fauxjean.substack.com
Previous
Next
Comments
TopNewCommunity

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Matty Schindler, aka Faux Jean
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing