Posts Tagged Songwriting
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May 10, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Sweetman Podcast: Episode 115 – Fane Flaws
Welcome to episode 115 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T, Yeastie Boys and Le Petite Chocolat. Here’s a chat I had with Fane Flaws. This was a great conversation – and it was a long time in the making. I hadn’t met Fane, we’d corresponded, I grew up listening to Blerta and The Crocodiles, was […]Archive
May 1, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 205 Stop the World
I think it took me over ten years to write this song. I know I started on the verses in 1980 after the demise of Negative Theatre. I’d read an interview with Steely Dan where they talked about mu major chords and I played the A, E, A, D, C#m, D, A, E, A pattern […]Archive
April 27, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
His Evolution Was Never Televised: The Anger and Poetry of Gil Scott-Heron
The first I was really aware of Gil Scott-Heron – and I mean really aware– was hearing Paul Ubana Jones perform an a cappella take on Home Is Where the Hatred Is. (Here’s the Gil Scott-Heron original.) I had heard of Gil Scott-Heron; I knew this famous piece. But hearing Jones speak and sing the words…well, that really made me take notice. The compilation […]Archive
March 28, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 47: David Ackles – “American Gothic”
Here’s one of those ones – I’d heard the name David Ackles, knew about him, knew – vaguely – what to expect, the sound, etc. I’m sure I’ve heard a few songs here and there but I do know I had never heard this – nor any of his albums right through. And wow, this blew […]Archive
March 27, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 200 The Last Cigarette In The World
I watch another boat in the harbour sail out Sitting on my own in the bay By the time you get to China on that slow ship I’ll have bitten all my nails and crumbled into the carpet You had no clear idea of what you’re looking for You only knew you couldn’t stay […]Archive
March 21, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
On: Giving Up Everything
Elton John had it wrong – or rather Bernie Taupin if you prefer. Sad songs are not the ones that say so much – it’s only a special type of sad song; where there’s hope peeking through, where there’s an attempt at stoicism – the head being held high, an aim to move on, an attempt at rebirth or a […]Archive
February 28, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Art Garfunkel: What Is It All But Luminous
What Is It All But Luminous: Notes From An Underground Man Art Garfunkel Knopf; First Edition edition Something like starting from the beginning feels like the right thing to do… Do you remember that clip of Art Garfunkel talking absolute-fucking-balderdash between takes in the studio? For his memoir he’s essentially done the same thing. Why […]Archive
January 22, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 195 Wigan Street
Over the Christmas period there was a fire on Wigan Street in a factory that had asbestos in its roof. I got quite a shock when I saw it on the news – we had lived in the building through the wall right next door for several years. All through Ang’s time at Wellington high […]Archive
December 18, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 191 Something/Anything?
I Saw The Light was the first song I heard and I remember it was at one of those new-fangled Jeans Stores that were cropping up in Hamilton when I was in high school. I was there with my girlfriend and we were having a crafty pash in a dressing booth and the song came […]Archive
December 11, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 190 David Brent
I watched the David Brent: Life on the Road movie the other day. It was alright – I like Ricky Gervais a lot though the film broke no new ground and just delivered up more of The Office but in a different context. In the picture David Brent (now a travelling salesman) puts together a […]Archive
December 6, 2017 by Simon Sweetman