Welcome to episode 37 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by Phantom Billstickers.

Robert Forster (The Go-Betweens) is a hero. I wasn’t going to let a chance to record him for the podcast slip by. We ended up in a café – where I bought him a coffee and a sugar-free cake (and later he signed my copy of his terrific Songs To Play record with, “To Simon, Than You For The Coffee and the sugar-free cake”).

There’s background noise – a little outside ambience, birds chirping a bit of background stereo noise and unfortunately one or two gusts of wind muffling the microphone. But we cleaned it up as best we could so you can still hear what we got. I’m also watching my watch most of the way through – almost after every question or anecdote, because I had strict instructions to get him back to his hotel in time for a phoner with anyone else and then a radio appearance).

I’d have loved longer – and an indoor chat. I feel we were really just getting somewhere in the unpacking of the band and his new book (Grant And I) but hey, you take what you get.

Consider this a “Bonus Episode” – I’m sneaking this in on an in-between week. So if you can’t handle the noise or the fact that it’s only 27 minutes with Mr. Forster feel free to let this one slip by. There’ll be a new full-length episode here next week. But, as I say, we got enough – I think – to make this one worthwhile, to get it over the line. It was a great pleasure to meet Robert. We start our conversation about 3 minutes after meeting – I’m sure he’d just woken from a sleep. He looked immaculate in his suit and as he took large strides down Cuba St he declared he was instantly in love with Wellington. Maybe he’ll come back – the show was terrific. If he returns I’ll book an hour with him indoors. Promise.

You’ve found this via the link on Facebook or Twitter and/or from the Off The Tracks website – it’s hosted at Soundcloud and to receive the episodes before you even get to these show notes you can subscribe on iTunes. You can also rate and review the podcast there. Sweetman Podcast is brought you by Phantom Billstickers.

Day-time visitors to the den get to have coffee thanks to L’affare or, later in the day, they can have a beer from the wonderful Yeastie Boys. My thanks as always to these great sponsors.

I hope you like episode 37 of Sweetman Podcast, my conversation with Robert Forster.