Australian songwriter Mick Thomas expands his creative universe with Top Paddock on Substack while unveiling new single Build This ahead of his national GoSoloComeBack solo tour.
by Paul Cashmere
Mick Thomas is extending his long-running independent ethos into the digital space with the launch of Top Paddock, a new Substack platform that has already made an immediate impact, debuting at number two on Substack’s International Bestsellers in Music Rising Chart.
The move arrives in tandem with the release of his latest single “Build This” and ahead of his upcoming GoSoloComeBack national solo tour, which begins in April.
Top Paddock is designed as a direct-to-audience creative hub, offering a steady stream of demos, alternate takes, covers and archival material, alongside detailed written reflections. For Thomas, whose career stretches back to his influential work with Weddings Parties Anything and continues through Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission, the platform represents a natural evolution of a philosophy he first explored years ago with Mick’s Monthly Music Club.
That earlier subscription experiment foreshadowed the current creator economy, where artists are increasingly building deeper, more sustainable relationships with their audience. With Top Paddock, Thomas is again positioning himself at the forefront of that shift, offering not just songs but context, process and storytelling.
Initial posts on the platform already reflect that scope. One entry features a reflective essay written on a railway platform in Northern Germany, paired with a solo version of “The Four Corners Of The Earth”, reinterpreted as part of the GoComeBack thematic framework. Another explores a creative exercise born out of lockdown, where three entirely different songs were constructed over the same Calypso backing track, beginning with “One Last Swim In The Ocean”.
Meanwhile, “Build This” continues Thomas’ tradition of socially observant songwriting. Co-written with Ben Salter, the track began as a meditation on the grandeur of Middle Eastern airports before evolving into a broader commentary on large-scale global construction projects. The song’s meaning expanded further through collaboration, with violinist Jen Anderson drawing parallels to the controversial stadium builds surrounding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
That layered interpretation found a fitting stage when Thomas and his band performed at the IndustriALL International Convention of Union Delegates at the Sydney Convention Centre, immediately following an address by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The accompanying video, produced by Steve Thomas’ Roar Film, was screened during the event, reinforcing the song’s thematic weight.
Recorded at Auckland’s Roundhead Studios with producer Steven Schram, “Build This” is the third single lifted from the 2025 album GoComeBack, released under the Coolin’ By Sound label. The album itself has been a significant moment for Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission, with recent band tours drawing strong support and reaffirming the enduring appeal of Thomas’ catalogue.
The upcoming GoSoloComeBack tour shifts the focus back to the songs in their most stripped-back form. For the first time in 25 years, Thomas will undertake an extensive solo run, performing largely unaccompanied across two sets per night. The format allows him to traverse his extensive body of work, blending new material with lesser-played songs from across decades.
A series of shows at Melbourne’s Merri Creek Tavern, under the banner GoSoloComeBackToTheMCT, adds another dimension, with guest appearances from long-time collaborators including Dave Steel, Brooke Taylor and others. Demand has been immediate, with all Merri Creek dates selling out within 48 hours of announcement.
As Thomas prepares to take the stage nationally, Top Paddock provides a parallel narrative, offering fans an ongoing window into both his past and present work. It is a continuation of a career built on independence, storytelling and connection, now translated into a format suited to the current musical landscape.
GoSoloComeBack Tour Dates
April 8, Perth, Lyric Underground
April 9, Perth, Lyric Underground
April 10, Fremantle, Duke Of George
April 17, Canberra, Smith’s Alternative
April 18, Marrickville, Django Bar
April 19, Dangar Island
May 3, Melbourne, Merri Creek Tavern
May 8, Adelaide, Trinity Session
May 10, Melbourne, Merri Creek Tavern
May 14, Bendigo, Black Swan Hotel
May 17, Melbourne, Merri Creek Tavern
May 21, New Norfolk, Bush Inn
May 22, Deloraine, Little Theatre
May 23, Ulverstone, The Pier
May 24, Melbourne, Merri Creek Tavern
May 29, Beechworth, Old Stone Hall
May 31, Melbourne, Merri Creek Tavern
June 5, Tintenbar, Tintenbar Up Front
June 6, Gympie, Qube 226
June 7, Brisbane, The Junk Bar
June 7, Brisbane, The Junk Bar
Tickets available through www.mickthomas.com
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
