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Posts Tagged Crossroads

Archive

February 14, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

In Praise of Tracy Chapman

That first Tracy Chapman album is a masterpiece. I loved it when I first heard it. I remember vividly listening to it on the side of the road over and over. My mum had to sleep after a long drive and a rough ferry crossing, so we parked up out of Wellington and while she […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1988, Blog, Chapman, Crossroads, Debut, https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, In Praise, In Praise Of, In Praise of Tracy Chapman, Matters of The Heart, New Beginning, Praise, Self-Titled, Songwriter, Tracy, Tracy Chapman, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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March 10, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: Hobbling On

When I was 13 I was in the school’s First XI hockey team – the youngest and at that point the first ever junior to be in with the seniors. We were playing the best school in the league and in the final moments of the game the ball was dragged back in front of […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Crossroads, Hobbling On, New Plymouth, Passion and Warfare, Poem, Poem: Hobbling On, Ry Cooder, Steve Vai ·

Archive

March 9, 2017 by Simon Sweetman

Songs Sung Blue: Everybody Knows One…

People love Johnny Cash’s version of the Nine Inch Nails song, Hurt because of the timing; that video, his wife had died – then Johnny died shortly after. Complications resulting from a broken heart. It’s a good song, a good version. But the original is better. I know I’m not alone in thinking that – […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged American Recordings, Authors I Admire: # 13 Neil LaBute, Blue, Blues, Crossroads, Everybody Knows One…, Hurt, Johnny Cash, Lambchop, Nine Inch Nails, Singing, Soaky In The Pooper, Song Sung Blue, Songs Sung Blue, Songs Sung Blue: Everybody Knows One…, The Close Readers, The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits ·

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February 15, 2017 by Simon Sweetman

Revisiting Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman’s Classic Self-Titled Debut

A couple of weeks back we’re driving back into Wellington, having been up the coast. It was a long Sunday drive and we had been playing a bunch of Sunday afternoon music in the car: Paul Buchanan’s Mid Air, Mark Lanegan’s I’ll Take Care Of You, Lawrence Arabia’s The Sparrow, Paul & Linda McCartney’s Ram, […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1988, Across the Lines, Baby Can I Hold You, Behind The Wall, Chapman, Crossroads, Debut Album, Fast Car, For My Lover, For You, If Now Now, Matters of The Heart, Mountains O' Things, New Beginning, Revisiting Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman’s Classic Self-Titled Debut, Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution, Tracy Chapman ·

Archive

July 28, 2015 by Simon Sweetman

The Best Guitarist in The World: # 2 – Ry Cooder

You can’t just call him a guitarist. He plays so many instruments. He’s written a book of short stories. He produces, finds and nurtures talent, is something of an ethnomusicologist, he’s created evocative film scores, is a gifted singer/songwriter and yet through all of that he is simply one of the very best guitarists you […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Best Guitarist, Blog On The Tracks, Buena Vista Social Club, Captain Beefheart, Crossroads, Dr John, Facebook, Guitar, Guitarist, Mavis Staples, Phantom Billstickers, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Short Stories, Slide, Slide Guitar, Stuff.co.nz, The Best Guitarist In The World, The Best Guitarist in The World: # 2 – Ry Cooder, The Rolling Stones ·

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May 18, 2014 by Simon Sweetman

Movies of My Life # 6: Crossroads

The movie Crossroads (and no, I don’t mean the Britney Spears vehicle, which I have watched, I even kinda liked it truth be told) is one of my all-tie favourites. I like Crossroads for the memory of growing up with it. I watched this film so many times. And it meant a lot to me. […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged [OST], Blues, Crossroads, Delta, Film Review, Jack Butler, Karate Kid, Movie, Movie Review, Movies of My Life, Movies of My Life # 6: Crossroads, Movies of My Life #6, Phantom Billstickers, Ralph Macchio, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, Steve Vai ·

Archive

July 11, 2013 by Simon Sweetman

Steve Vai: The Story of Light

Steve Vai The Story of Light Sony Yes, this album’s a bit old now – but he’s here next week! So, thought I’d give it a mention. And I really liked this. A nice surprise. Maybe it was his virtuoso performance here earlier last year that put me in such a good (open) mind when […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Crossroads, Guitar, Joe Satriani, Live, NZ Tour, Passion and Warfare, Sony, Steve Vai, The Story of Light, Virtuoso ·

Archive

December 8, 2011 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1723

Ry Cooder, Into The Purple Valley (1972) There have been a few Ry Cooder albums on The Vinyl Countdown already (see here and here  and here and – technically here) and  there will be more because a) I love the guy’s work and b) I’ve collected most of it. In fact I’ve collected most of […]
Posted in The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged [OST], Boomer's Story, Bring The Family, Crossroads, Great American Novel, Into The Purple Valley, Johnny Handsome, Ry Cooder, Sountrack, Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All, Vinyl ·

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November 21, 2011 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1749

Tracy Chapman, Crossroads (1989) I liked the first four Tracy Chapman albums. I really liked (and still like) that debut album – as I’ve already told you. But hot on its heels was this, Crossroads. I first bought the tape – and maybe I even liked this album more. It never bruised the charts like […]
Posted in The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged All That You Have Is Your Soul, Bridges, Crossroads, Neil Young, Tracy Chapman, Vinyl ·

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October 11, 2011 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1813

Ry Cooder, Johnny Handsome [OST] (1989) I saw the film Johnny Handsome one weeknight during school – some time a couple of years after it was released I’m guessing. Ry Cooder’s score was noticeable – and a hook, a lure for me. I was (still am) a massive Cooder fan. And was taken – almost […]
Posted in The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged [OST], Crossroads, Greasy Oysters, Johnny Handsome, Ry Cooder, Soundtrack ·

Archive

June 28, 2011 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1951

Ry Cooder, Crossroads [OST] (1986) We were in a hotel room in New Plymouth – because they had not organised enough billets. We were 13, so we were pretty stoked to be in a hotel instead of being billeted. The movie Crossroads was on the hotel’s movie channel – pre-Sky days – and a group […]
Posted in The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged Crossroads, Feelin' Bad Blues, guitar duel, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, Steve Vai, Vinyl ·

Archive

May 18, 2011 by Simon Sweetman

The Vinyl Countdown # 1997

                                                                          Ry Cooder, Boomer’s Story (1972) I can’t pick when I first heard Ry Cooder or when I was first aware of him. I figure (perhaps rather obviously) I first heard him before I knew who he was – but then I just always seem to have been aware of him. Most likely it was this […]
Posted in The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged Boomer's Story, Crossroads, Reservoir Dogs Poster, Ry Cooder, Slide Guitar, Vinyl ·

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