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Posts Tagged Songs

Archive

February 23, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

The Redemption of Rocket Queen

I loved Appetite for Destruction, right from first listen, such a visceral thrill. It was naughty as…well, naughty-as-fuck. We were probably too young to be listening to it but the unwritten, unspoken agreement seemed to be that if we didn’t copy the language – at least at home, anyway – it would be allowed. You […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Appetite For Destruction, Axl Rose, Blog, Duff McKagen, GNR, Gunners, Guns n Roses, https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, Izzy Straddlin, Lyrics, Redemption, Rocket Queen, Slash, Songs, Steven Addler, The Redemption of Rocket Queen ·

Archive

February 9, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Some Of My Best Friends Have Been Songs

Walking home on stormy nights, to a house alone, back when you didn’t have music on your phone. I’d duck into a bus stop to change batteries(or the CDs) on the Discman. And I had no idea where I was going – but the songs were lighting the way, keeping me sane, keeping all else […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, Carole King, Fire and Rain, https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, James Taylor, Some Of My Best Friends Have Been Songs, Songs, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, You've Got A Friend ·

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October 20, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Now Music Is Saved Somewhat From TV Advertising

When my folks come for a visit, at some point, every time, one of them will mention a catchphrase – something they’ve picked up from TV-advertising. And we’ll look at them with our very best blank look, because we don’t see ads. We certainly don’t remember them. If we happen to catch them – maybe […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Ads, Blog, https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, Jingles, Music, Now Music Is Saved Somewhat From TV Advertising, Songs, TV, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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October 18, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

In Praise of ‘Sad’ Songs

I love a good sad song. There might not be anything better in music. Sad music that elevates you. Sad music that takes you away from who you are. That lets you wallow for that moment in someone else’s problems. You gain a perspective from hearing your own pain placed in minor chords or a […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged https://linktr.ee/Simonsweetman, In Praise, In Praise Of, In Praise of 'Sad' Songs, Playlist, Praise, Sad, Sad Songs, Sad Songs (Say So Much), So Many Sad Songs Saying So Much For Us All, Songs, Spotify, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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August 1, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Paula Green’s Poetry Shelf: Thirteen Poems About Song

New Zealand’s Patron Saint to Poetry – Paula Green – does many great things with, and on, her Poetry Shelf, but over winter this year she’s been posting a different set of ‘Theme’ poems by varioius poets. Each Friday a new theme. I’ve loved them, have shared them all. And this week I was one of the […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Apirana Taylor, Cadence Chung, Catherine Trundle, David Eggleton, Emma Barnes, Harry Ricketts, Johnny Cash, Kay McKenzie Cooke, Lily Holloway, Lynley Edmeades, Music, Paula Green, Paula Green's Poetry Shelf: Thirteen Poems About Song, Pippi Jean, Poems, Poetry Shelf, Poets, Rata Gordon, Sarah Jane Barnett, Song, Songs, Thirteen Poems About Song, Trigger, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Willie Nelson ·

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June 17, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 262: Ben Tolich (Mali Mali)

Hi and welcome to episode 262 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T and Yeastie Boys  and thanks to you readers and listeners. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged Acast, Apple, Ben Tolich, Ben Tolich (Mali Mali), Bob Dylan, Carer, Chat, Conversation, Coronavirus, Covers, Covid-19, Gig, House Concert, Interview, iTunes, Job, Live, Lockdown, Mali Mali, Mark Knopler, Mental Health, Music, Musician, Off The Tracks, Originals, Religion, Simon Sweetman, Songs, Songwriter, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Sweetman, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 262, Sweetman Podcast # 262: Ben Tolich (Mali Mali), T Leaf T, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Work, Yeastie Boys ·

Archive

May 19, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 258: Caitlin Smith

Hello, welcome to episode 258 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T and Yeastie Boys  and thanks to you readers and listeners. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged "Singer", Acast, Auckland, Band, blind, Brave Caitlin Smith and Her Imaginary Band, Covers, ep.258, Imaginary Band, Jazz, Joan As Police Woman, Joni Mitchell, Kiwi, Legally, Legally Blind, Leonard Cohen, NZ, Pianist, Piano, Pip Adam, Poem, Poet, Poetry, Pop Stars, Simon Sweetman, Songs, Songwriter, Soundcloud, Spotify, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 258, Sweetman Podcast # 258: Caitlin Smith, Sweetman Podcast: Caitlin Smith, T Leaf T, The Fondue Set, True Bliss, Vision, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Yeastie Boys, You Have Reached Your Destination ·

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March 3, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 248: Nadia Freeman (Miss Leading)

Welcome to Sweetman Podcast. It’s 2021. But I started this year with conversations recorded at the very end of 2020. Now we’re into fresh conversations recorded in 2021. And this is episode 248 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T and Yeastie Boys Now – as you probably know, as […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged A Chat with Daniel Ash from Bauhaus, Acast, Anchor, Apple, Bandcamp, Canada, Castbox, Chat, Eat These Words, Edinburg, Electronica, EP, Fringe, Fringe Festival, Interview, Miss Leading, Nadia Freeman, Nadia Freeman (Miss Leading), NZ Fringe, Performance Poetry, Poems, Poet, Poetry, Pyramid Club, Scotland, Simon Sweetman, Singing, Songs, Songwriter, Soundcloud, Spoken Word, Spotify, Stitcher, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 248, Sweetman Podcast # 248: Nadia Freeman (Miss Leading), Synth, T Leaf T, The Fringe, Thursday March 11, Wellington, Wellington Asian Musicians Network, Writing, Yeastie Boys, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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December 2, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 241: John Newton

Welcome to episode 241 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T and Yeastie Boys Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can now get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there and have it saved in your Spotify […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged Academic, Acast, Anchor, Anchor FM, Apple, Australia, Burns Fellowship, Chat, Christchurch, Conversation, Country Music, Dunedin, Escape Path Lighting, Family Songbook, Hard Frost, Hard Frost: Structures of Feeling in New Zealand Literature 1908–1945, Interview, James K. Baxter, John Newton, Music, Novel, Podcast, Podcaster, Podcasts, Poem, Poems, Poet, Poetry, Richmond Fontaine, Songs, Songwriter, Spotify, Stitcher, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 241, Sweetman Podcast # 241: John Newton, Sweetman Podcast: John Newton, Tales from the Angler’s Eldorado, The Delines, The Double Rainbow, The Lives of The Poets, The Overdogs, The Tenderizers, University, Verse, VUP, Wellington, Willy Vlautin, Writer, Writing, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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September 20, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Playlist: The Death Of Music Journalism – Songtrack

I’m releasing my debut collection of poetry on October 12. It’s called The Death of Music Journalism – and unsurprisingly features a lot of references to music. When I published my first book, On Song, back in 2012, the number one question/complaint was Where’s the accompanying CD? (We still had CDs back in 2012). It was way too expensive to […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Book, Off The Tracks, On Song, Playlist, Playlist: The Death Of Music Journalism - Songtrack, Poem, Poems, Poet, Poetry, Simon Sweetman, Songs, Songtrack, Soundtrack, Spotify, Stream, The Cuba Press, The Death of Music Journalism, The Death Of Music Journalism - Songtrack, Writing ·

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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, […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Blog, Kiwi, New Zealand, NZ, On Song, Songs, Ten of my All-Time Favourite Kiwi Songs, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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February 14, 2020 by Simon Sweetman

Wonderful: Theatre

Wonderful Direction: Conrad Newport (written by Dean Parker) Circa Theatre; Circa Two (February 12 – March 7) Wonderful is exactly that – a thrill to sit through, 80 minutes of focussed, virtuoso-level performance from actor Andrew Laing; utterly in service to the words of playwright Dean Parker. The direction from Conrad Newport is subtle and […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Andrew Laing, Brother Vianney, Catholic, Catholicism, Church, Circa, Circa Theatre, Circa Two, Conrad Newport, Dean Parker, February 12 – March 7, Film, Marist, Movies, Musical, Musical Theatre, One Man Show, Play, Play Review, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Songs, Theatre, Theatre Review, Wellington, Wgtn, Wonderful, Wonderful: Theatre, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·
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