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July 5, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: All The Overdues

I can still remember everything about the time I first saw the movie Bloodsport. It was at a 13th birthday party for my really good mate. There was a bunch of us, we went to the arcade and played the wrestling game, we went ten-pin bowling after, then back to the orchard to throw rotten […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged & Videotape, All The Overdues, Birthday Party, Bloodsport, Film, Hellraiser, I Was A Teenage Vampire, Movies, Poem, Poem: All The Overdues, VHS, Video ·

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July 4, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

The Rodger Fox Big Band: REIMAGINED! The Rodger Fox Big Band plays Sir Dave Dobbyn

The Rodger Fox Big Band REIMAGINED! The Rodger Fox Big Band plays Sir Dave Dobbyn T-Bone Records I always call The Rodger Fox Big Band the hardest working group in New Zealand – with Rodger at the helm tirelessly pushing, as conductor, arranger, wrangler, promoter, deal-maker and overall advocate for the art of the big […]

Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Big Band, CD, Covers, Dave Dbbbyn, Greg Bissonette, Interpretations, Jazz, Kiwi, NZ, Reimagined, REIMAGINED! The Rodger Fox Big Band plays Sir Dave Dobbyn, Rodger Fox, Rodger Fox Big Band, Sir Dave Dobbyn, T-Bone Records, The Rodger Fox Big Band, The Rodger Fox Big Band plays Sir Dave Dobbyn, The Rodger Fox Big Band: REIMAGINED! The Rodger Fox Big Band plays Sir Dave Dobbyn, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here ·

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July 4, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Another Hole

Richard had said that his grandmother was dead. That was how he got out of work after only one week. It had been a long week, for sure. Starting at 7am, and not finishing until 6. In the shop, sole charge, selling snacks to people on their way in or out from the station. He […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Another Hole, Poem, Poem: Another Hole, Richard ·

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July 4, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Stubs: # 291 – NGĀ TUONE by Riki Gooch, Wellington, 2020

Whenever I watch a show featuring – or created by – Riki Gooch I am grateful to know him, blown away that I do even. It really feels like an honour. I’m lucky to know many creative people, some I know really well, some I have been incredibly lucky to meet, and it’s just fleeting […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 20/20, Coronavirus, Covid-19, Gig, Gig Review, Jazz Festival, Jazz Premiere Series, Live Gig, Live Music, Lockdown, Music, NGĀ TUONE, NGĀ TUONE by Riki Gooch, NZ Festival, Pandemic, Riki Gooch, Show, Stub, Stubs, Stubs: # 291, Stubs: # 291 – NGĀ TUONE by Riki Gooch, Ticket, Wellington ·

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July 3, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

The Black Phone: Film

The Black Phone Director: Scott Derrickson Blumhouse Productions / Crooked Highway / Universal Pictures The Black Phone is both a chilling, cold, dark and disturbing horror film and, within it, there’s a beautifully written story of resilience and the manifestations of trauma. It is a survivor’s story. To drill down too far into either is […]

Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Blumhouse Productions / Crooked Highway / Universal Pictures, Cinema, Ethan Hawke, Film, Film Review, Horror, Joe Hill, Movie, Movie Review, Review, Scott Derrickson, Stephen King, The Black Phone, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here ·

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July 1, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: The Year of The Rat

I lived alone, apart from a huge rat. It left its shits all over the place, all through my kitchen and in the wardrobe, I did nothing about it at all – beyond limiting the amount of time I spent in the place. I left the lava lamp on but had otherwise totally checked out. […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1996, Short Story, Short Story: The Year of The Rat, The Year of The Rat ·

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July 1, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Live To Play Another Day

Sometimes we were allowed a couple of bucks, get them changed into 20cent coins at the counter, move the joystick, mash the buttons, there for a good time – never a long time. We would have just had dinner, somewhere along the parade, and the adults would play along if we let them; they’d have […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Arcade, Gaming, Live To Play Another Day, Poem, Video Games ·

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June 30, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Try Three: # 1 – Roots, Reggae, Soul

Linton Kwesi Johnson – Forces of Victory (1979) Lockdown – in its various states and guises around the world – has done funny things to us and I first noticed that when all I wanted to listen to was reggae and dub music. This isn’t usually the case – but I found myself a fan anew. Returning […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, Capsule, Reggae, Reviews, Roots, Soul, Try Three, Try Three: # 1, Try Three: # 1 - Roots ·

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June 30, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Who. Ha.

Give Al Pacino a line he can yell, make sure there’s a chance for him to say ‘fuck’, and preferably just as he’s hitting his volume’s peak. But remember there needs to be a place to pause as well. A who. a ha. And then away he goes again, with RISING VOLUME as he continues […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Al Pacino, Poem, Poem: Who. Ha., Who. Ha. ·

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June 30, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

What A Good Score! – #17: Dead Man Walking by Various Artists

I know this technically shouldn’t count – since this series has the word Score so overtly in the title. But the soundtrack to the film Dead Man Walking – by “Various Artists” is a compilation album that feel like a score. Also, it’s fucking great. Ridiculously great. Sublimely great. The film was great too. I’ve […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged [OST], Acoustic, Blog, Country, Dead Man Walking, Dead Man Walking by Various Artists, Eddie Vedder, Film, Folk, Johnny Cash, Lyle Lovett, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Michelle Shocked, Movie, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (w/ Eddie Vedder), Patti Smith, ruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, Suzanne Vega, Tim Robbins, Tom Waits, V/A, Various, Various Artists, What A Good Score!, What A Good Score! – #17: Dead Man Walking by Various Artists ·

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June 30, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: We Could Mend Fences

We removed your post. Now the whole fence is in danger, having to take the weight of that one thing you said. We didn’t understand the context. Now your fence is going to have to support your views even with that post taken from view. Taken from you and placed in the pile of deadwood, […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Fence, Post, Short Story, Short Story: We Could Mend Fences, We could mend fences ·

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June 30, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Try Three – New Series

From time to time I like to start a new series of posts here at Off The Tracks. I’m not really revieiwng albums these days, certainly nowhere near as much – so now it’s time to focus on material I just love – older albums, or brand new ones. So I’m starting a new series called Try Three. Recommendations of […]

Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, Music, New Series, Off The Tracks, Reviews, Try Three, Try Three – New Series, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·
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Off The Tracks is the home of Sweetman Podcast, a weekly interview/chat-based pod. It's also home to my reviews across film, TV, music and books and some creative writing as well.

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