Off The Tracks

Off The Tracks
  • Blog
    • Interviews
    • Miscellany
    • Special Guests
    • Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • The Vinyl Countdown
  • Back Catalogue
  • About
    • About
    • About the banner image
    • On Song

Posts Tagged NZ Music

Archive

May 3, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

The Best New Zealand Music Drives Me Home

Drive along any coast of this country and listen to Pink Frost by The Chills or Anything Can Happen by The Clean or Hanging In The Wire by Dave Dobbyn or Clockhouse Shuffle by Waves, or, well, I’m obviously just naming songs. New Zealand songs. New Zealand artists. Some well-known, some less obvious, but from […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, Kiwi, Music, NZ Herald, NZ Music, NZ Music Month, The Best New Zealand Music Drives Me Home, The Blessing The Curse And The Craving Of Local Music, Time Out ·

Archive

September 1, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Don’t Fight It – It’s Bigger Than The ID

We don’t know how lucky we are. The music that means the most to me from New Zealand artists is barely ever the product of a funding body, doesn’t have corporate sponsors, isn’t major label-endorsed. It’s the battlers. It’s about brave hearts and (sometimes) troubled souls. It’s about an energy. An anger. A feeling. It’s […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Battleship Grey, Blam Blam Blam, Blog, Concert, Doledrums, Don't Fight, Don't Fight It Marsha It's Bigger Than Both Of Us, Don’t Fight It, Don’t Fight It – It’s Bigger Than The ID, Gigs, Heavenly Pop Hit, It’s Bigger Than The ID, Kiwi, Leather Jacket, Luxury Length, Music, New Zealand, New Zealand Songs, NZ, NZ Music, Pink Frost, Purple Pilgrims, The Chills, The Male Monster from the ID, The Others Way, There's No Depression In New Zealand, We Don't Know How Lucky We Are, Weekend, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

Archive

October 25, 2017 by Simon Sweetman

On Song: Five Years Old/Five Years On

Five years ago I released a book. On Song looked at 30 of the best New Zealand songs, 30 of my favourites. We started with a long list of at least 100 songs and whittled and whittled. I say ‘we’ – I am referring to the publisher, Penguin. And me. I was commissioned to write […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 30 Songs, Author, Blog, Blog Post, Book, Book Writing, Five Years Old/Five Years On, Five Years On, Flying Nun, Interviews, Kiwi, Kiwi Classics, Music, New Zealand, NZ, NZ Music, On Song, On Song: Five Years Old, On Song: Five Years Old/Five Years On, Penguin, Simon Sweetman, Six60, Songs, Songwriting ·

Archive

June 29, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 25 – Roger Shepherd

Welcome to episode 25 of Sweetman Podcast brought to you by our brand new sponsor, Phantom Billstickers. This episode features a chat with Roger Shepherd, the guy that started Flying Nun Records, the guy who has written the fantastic memoir, In Love With These Times – My Life With Flying Nun Records.
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged 0800phantom.co.nz, Auckland, Autobiography, Book, Chris Knox, Christchurch, Converation, David Kilgour, Doug Hood, Dunedin Sound, Ep.25, Episode 25, Flying Nun, FNR, HarperCollins, HDU, In Love With These Times, In Love With These Times: My Life With Flying Nun Records, Interview, L'affare, London, Memoir, Music, My Life With Flying Nun Records, NZ Music, Phantom Billstickers, Podcast, Roger Shepherd, Simon Sweetman, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast: Episode 25 – Roger Shepherd, The Bats, The Chills, The Clean, Verlaines, Wellington, Writing, Yeastie Boys ·

Archive

May 23, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

Recovery Sessions at the Southern Cross: Anything Could Happen – A Selection of Kiwi Music for the end of New Zealand Music Month 29/05/16 DJ Set

This Sunday, May 29, I’m back playing some records at The Southern Cross, for their weekly Recovery Sessions, 3-6pm. And it’s a selection of Kiwi music – all sorts – which times in nicely with the end of New Zealand Music Month. So you can expect plenty of Flying Nun and Dobbyn and Th’ Dudes, […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 29/06/16, Anything Could Happen, DJ, DJ Set, DJing, Flying Nun, Garden Bar, LP, LPs, New Zealand Music Month, NZ Music, Record, Records, Recovery Sessions at the Southern Cross: Anything Could Happen – A Selection of Kiwi Music for the end of New Zealand Music Month 29/05/16 DJ Set, Southern Cross, Sunday, The Cross, Vinyl, Wellington ·

Archive

February 28, 2016 by Simon Sweetman

Alexander Hallag: Shh…The Music Is Talking

Shh…The Music Is Talking Alexander Hallag ah23photography There have been a few photo books showcasing scenes and styles within Kiwi music – and there will be more, but Alexander Hallag’s book, Shh…The Music Is Talking collects some wonderful images and allows you to simply take them in, to draw your own conclusion. Here is a […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Alexander Hallag, Book, Book Review, Live Music, Music, NZ Music, Photograph Book, Photographer, Photographs, photos, Shh...The Music Is Talking ·

Archive

December 21, 2015 by Simon Sweetman

Slices of Heaven – Kiwi Music: DJ Set

Every summer – in that great spot between Christmas and New Year’s (the anxiety is low, so, frankly are the expectations, everyone’s finally relaxed, or relaxing…) I play a wee set of Kiwi music, my favourite songs and pieces by New Zealand artists. Here’s a playlist from a previous year’s attempt. It’s good fun. The […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 2015, Christmas, Cuba Street, December 29, DJ, DJ Set, Great Kiwi Music, Kiwi, Kiwi Music, Kiwi Music Playlist, Local, LP, New Zealand, NYE, NZ, NZ Music, Records, San Fran, Slices of Heaven, Slices of Heaven – Kiwi Music: DJ Set, Summer, Summer Holiday, Tuesday, Vinyl, Wellington ·

Archive

February 2, 2015 by Simon Sweetman

Kiwi Music at the San Fran, Thursday 05/02/15: DJ Set

I’m back at the San Fran this Thursday – a special edition of their weekly Shakedown, arriving a day early. From 5pm this Thursday I’ll be playing Kiwi tunes on the turntables. All vinyl, all night – providing the soundtrack for Waitangi Eve. There’ll be Lawrence Arabia and Phoenix Foundation, there’ll be Finns and Kilgours, […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged All Vinyl, Cuba St, DJ, DJ Set, DJing, Kiwi, Kiwi Music, Kiwi Music at the San Fran, NZ, NZ Music, Record, Records, San Fran, SFBH, Thursday 05 Feb, Thursday 05/02/15: DJ Set, Vinyl, Waitangi Day, Wellington ·

Archive

September 20, 2014 by Simon Sweetman

DJ Setlist: Nurture’s Best – Great NZ music on the eve of the election

It was election eve Neil Finn was playing a show in town, Jeremy Elwood had a comedy event on at the San Fran. After those two celebrations of New Zealand music and thought I played a few of my favourites on the decks up at the San Fran. It was a case of nurturing the […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged DJ, DJ Set, DJ Setlist, DJ Setlist: Nurture’s Best – Great NZ music on the eve of the election, DJing, Election 2014, Great NZ Music on the eve of the election, Kiwi, Kiwi Music, Music, New Zealand, Nurture's Best, NZ, NZ Music, San Fran, Setlist ·

Archive

September 14, 2014 by Simon Sweetman

R.I.P. Peter Gutteridge

I was just informed that Peter Gutteridge has died this morning. I’m torn here, I do not wish to be any sort of ambulance-chaser with news like this. At the same time Gutteridge was something of an underground hero, so important to people in love with so much around what New Zealand music means and […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Dunedin, Dunedin Sound, Eulogy, Flying Nun, Kiwi, New Zealand, NZ, NZ Music, Peter Gutteridge, R.I.P., Snapper, The Chills, The Clean, The Great Unwashed ·

Archive

September 4, 2014 by Simon Sweetman

R.I.P. Johnny Cooper

Sad news, one of New Zealand’s rock’n’roll pioneers – Johnny Cooper (“The Maori Cowboy”) has died, aged 86. Cooper retired in the 1990s and lived a reclusive life. Despite the early stages of Alzheimer’s he remained independent until the end, living along in a flat in Lower Hutt. Cooper was born and raised in Hawke’s […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1950s, Eulogy, John Dix, Johnny Cooper, NZ, NZ Music, Pie Cart Rock'n'Roll, R.I.P., Rock Around The Clock, Rock'n'Roll, Stranded In Paradise, The Maori Cowboy ·

Archive

February 5, 2013 by Simon Sweetman

Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Brendan Smyth

Brendan Smyth is the NZ Music Manager at broadcast funding agency, NZ On Air.  He has been at NZ On Air since 1989 and before that, he was 10 years doing the music job at the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council.  So… he’s an old bugger, alright… ! He’s lucky because in his job he […]
Posted in Blog, Special Guests · Tagged Brendan Smyth, Five Albums I'm Loving Right Now, NZ Music, NZ On Air ·

Popular

  • The Sad Story of Bob Welch: Fleetwood Mac’s Most Undervalued Member
  • Janna Lapidus Leblanc: Four Years In Pictures
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 8 – Mark Knopfler
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 11 – Lindsey Buckingham
  • Ricky Gervais: SuperNature
  • Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Dirt Does Dylan
  • Top Gun – Maverick: Film
  • Apparently The 30 Best Horror Films Of All Time
  • R.I.P. Vangelis
  • Sweetman Podcast: Episode 73 – Janna Lapidus Leblanc

Archives

Tags

Album Review Auckland Blog Book Book Review Chat Compilation DJ DVD DVD Review EP Film Film Review Gig Gig Review Guest Blog Guitar Interview Jazz Live Live Gig LP Movie Music NZ Podcast Poem Poetry Record Records Simon Sweetman Soundtrack Spines Spotify Stub Stubs Sweetman Podcast The Vinyl Countdown Vinyl Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron Wellington Wgtn Writing You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron [OST]

Categories

  • Back Catalogue
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • Miscellany
  • Mixtapes
  • Playlists
  • Podcasts
  • Reviews
  • Scene Of The Day
  • Special Guests
  • The Vinyl Countdown

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.

Off The Tracks aims to provide quality reviews and essays, regular blog updates about the shows, albums, books and movies you should be experiencing.

It's a passion project. Your support will help to keep Off The Tracks online.

All content © 2022 by Off The Tracks. WordPress Themes by Graph Paper Press