Posts Tagged On Song
Archive
July 26, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
Ten of My All-Time Favourite Kiwi Songs
When I wrote these notes I was planning for the start of my book about favourite NZ songs. All of these songs made it into that book – and were written about in further detail. In most cases I spoke with the songwriters or key players/producers involved with the music. On Song featured 30 tunes, […]Archive
October 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 233
The Fourmyula, Nature [Single] (1969) I wrote about it in my book – it was, long before that, voted the top of a list of 75 NZ songs. I’ve always loved it – and the band The Fourmyula, they have some psych-rock masterpieces that still seem forgotten/under-discovered in the wider catalogue. But this song carries […]Archive
April 11, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
The Hardest I’ve Ever Not Worked
People tell you not to read the comments – but you can really learn a lot about yourself. For example: Did you know that I used to earn enough to pay my mortgage by trolling music fans on Stuff? Neither did I. That was definitely news to me. I must have been stuck in that dreary day-job […]Archive
December 6, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ballad of The Finn Brothers: A Musical Life Between Them
Neil and Tim Finn. The Finn Brothers. We think of them as a pair. We group them together even when they are off making music independently. They have made two albums together under the family surname. Prior to that they have worked together in two bands, Tim appeared on just the one Crowded House album […]Archive
December 3, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Songwriter Profile: Chris Knox
From his time with The Enemy and Toy Love through to Tall Dwarfs and his solo career, Chris Knox has been a hero to many, domestically and abroad, for his passionate performances, his writing and his ethos: a DIY song-craftsman. The image of Knox as the man in the stubbies and jandals is a crucial […]Archive
November 25, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Songwriter Profile: Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan played French horn and percussion in the Auckland Symphonia. He would leave classical rehearsals to play punk-infused music and was a member of From Scratch; the idea being that instruments were created from scratch. Here McGlashan’s classical percussion training would give way to PVC pipes being hit with jandals. His songwriting first announced […]Archive
November 19, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Truly Bizarre: The Story of ‘How Bizarre’
How Bizarre is 20 years old. In fact a little older now even. When I was asked to write a book about important/favourite songs I was encouraged to make it a personal selection but there was a list supplied of obvious contenders. Top of that list was How Bizarre.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 […]Archive
March 16, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Hamish Kilgour Sends An Email: The Poppies Want To Grow A Little Taller
A few years back I wrote to Hamish Kilgour of The Clean – and asked him some questions about one of my favourite songs, Anything Could Happen. It was for a book I was writing, On Song. Hamish wrote back to me with a response that seemed worthy of quoting in full. Only one problem: […]Archive
February 8, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Better off Read Podcast: Episode 29 – Stranger Music by Leonard Cohen
One of my favourite podcasts to check in on is Better off Read. Hosted by Pip Adam (a great writer) it features authors in conversation around a favourite, formative book. I was honoured to be invited onto the podcast and the latest episode features me in conversation with Pip around the Leonard Cohen book of […]Archive
September 15, 2015 by Simon Sweetman