Sweetman Podcast

An in-depth conversation with Mark Rogers - he's a DJ, publicist, promoter, music fan, bookstore owner and raconteur. From Wales, originally, Mark arrived in New Zealand over a decade ago via 20 odd years in London - some of them very odd: seeing Nina Simone live at Ronnie Scott's, meeting Johnny Cash, looking after Joan Baez and Emmylou Harris, compiling a seminal alt-country compilation. Amazing stories. And we got many of them here along with more recent reflections, including his weekly show on RNZ, Nashville Babylon and the time Jacinda Ardern visited his book and antique store, Bear Flag Books And Retro in Masterton's main street.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 256 - Mark Rogers

Don’t Be A Cunt At The BBQ Eh

Rearviewmirror

Residual

An in-depth conversation with repeat-guest, Megan Dunn. This time around we're talking about her memoir-in-essays, "Things I Learned At Art School". She was previously a guest, back in 2018 when her first book, "Tinderbox" was released. We talked parenting and pandemic and writing about art, writing about writing. We talked mermaids and the TV show, Alf. We talked about pop-culture stuff and generally nerded out a bit.

Sweetman Podcast # 274: Megan Dunn

All The Overdues

Scream Sequence

School Trip, 1993

My Mum

Humour Me, Badalamenti

You Definitely Need The Gloves

TwinPeaking

If I Was John Carpenter I’d Hammer Synths All Day Long

Tuatara

The Picton Killings

An in-depth phone conversation with Henry Rollins. We promo his upcoming NZ tour but talk about his move to Nashville, after 40 years of living in LA. We talk about his childhood, his recent return to travel, the Covid Lockdowns, his acting, his writing, his radio show. The works. Henry weighs in on America and politics, and previews the type of talk he'll be doing on the stage.

Sweetman Podcast # 275: Henry Rollins

Simon Sweetman's Album

Slow Ox

A late-night wash of ambient-techno scribbles.

Half A Cookie

Episode 1 of Sweetman Podcast - an in-depth chat with New Zealand blues guitar legend Darren Watson.  

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 1 - Darren Watson

Episode 2 of Sweetman Podcast - an in-depth chat with Wellington composer Rhian Sheehan 

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 2 - Rhian Sheehan

A little taste of what's to come...next up on Sweetman Podcast...Episode Three - Booga Beazley (check back soon for the full interview...)

Sweetman Podcast Tease: Booga Beazley

Another teaser/trailer for the full interview (upcoming) with Booga Beazley of Head Like A Hole 

Sweetman Podcast Tease: Trailer 2 for Booga Beazley

An in-depth chat with New Zealand's last great rock star, Head Like A Hole front-man, Booga Beazley

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 3 - Booga Beazley

Episode 11 of Sweetman Podcast - an in-depth chat with my friend, fellow bloggers and cultural critic Alan Stuart. We talk about his experiences growing up in England, the music he loved and lived through, the music he went on to make and his appreciation and understanding of art, comedy, films, politics, fatherhood. It's a long chat. One I really enjoyed.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 11 - Alan Stuart

An in-depth chat with Janna Lapidus Leblanc. She was Stevie Ray Vaughan's fiancee at the time of his death; they met four years earlier in Wellington - she's a Kiwi, now based in America. She has recently written and published a book of photos that tells the story of their love affair. Janna and I talk about Stevie, his music, their relationship, her book. We talk too about her life, her upbringing, her career (professional model), her grieving of Stevie.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 73 - Janna Lapidus Leblanc

An in-depth chat with Kiwi blues legend Midge Marsden. We talk about his childhood in New Plymouth and early bands and then the escape to Wellington to join The Breakaways, to work across several bands and then to radio shows, to interviewing B.B. King for TV and the establishment of a solo career. To collaborations with Rodger Fox and a special friendship with Stevie Ray Vaughan and to many albums across the years. A great conversation about a life in music.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 84 - Midge Marsden

An in-depth chat with Anika Moa - singer/songwriter, mother, TV show host, creator of music for kids (the successful "Songs For Bubbas" albums and shows) and one of New Zealand's best-known, most loved performers. Apparently this is her first ever podcast. She says the 'C'-word HEAPS and there's a bit more street-noise and background sounds than usual A really fun chat about reviews and reviewing, politics, parenting and music. Lots of music.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 88 – Anika Moa

An in-depth chat with Wellington-based guitarist, guitar luthier, conservationist, former City Councillor and newly instated board chair for Wellington Orchestra. We talk art and culture, oh and that time Ray Ahipene-Mercer saw The Beatles in Wellington as a teenager. Oh, also that time he was asked to be a guitar tech for Led Zeppelin. Ray Mercer has a kind heart, a deep soul and a huge bag of stories. We unpacked a lot of that during this wonderful conversation.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 127 – Ray Ahipene-Mercer

An in-depth conversation with Jon Toogood - frontman for Shihad and creative mind behind The Adults. We talk through his life and career, also on his mind was the Christchurch terrorist attack and we talked a lot about that and about Jon's conversion to Islam.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 169 - Jon Toogood

An in-depth conversation with Split Enz keyboardist, songwriter and arranger Eddie Rayner. We talk through his life and times including stints with Space Waltz and Crowded House. We talk through the career of Split Enz and to ENZSO, solo albums, recording with Paul McCartney and the many other highlights in Rayner's long musical career.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 172 - Eddie Rayner

An in-depth conversation with musician Nathan Haines. We talk right through his life from his child-prodigy days in a musical family through to working in the UK as both featured star and a sideman - so many collaborations and connections. Haines also talks addiction and a recent cancer diagnosis. He has survived, is grateful and is seeking to move forward with many musical projects and a young family. A huge conversation.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 183 - Nathan Haines

In-depth conversations with both David Kilgour and Hamish Kilgour, brothers, members of The Clean - solo performers also. I talk to David, first, backstage at a bar in Wellington ahead of his soundcheck. Less than a week later I'm down an alley-way with construction happening around us as I capture some thoughts from his brother Hamish Kilgour; coincidentally touring the country. These two conversations are presented together here to celebrate episode 200 of Sweetman Podcast.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 200 - David Kilgour / Hamish Kilgour

An in-depth conversation with businessman, guitar teacher and musician Charlie Wallace. We talk through the building of his empire, from high school dropout to owner of Guitar Mastery Method, via teaching himself every facet of web development to create online guitar courses. We talk, too, of his own musical aspirations, including the debut release from his band Black Smoke Trigger.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 208 - Charlie Wallace (Guitar Mastery Method)

An in-depth conversation with (Officer) Karen O'Leary; she of the TV show Wellington Paranormal and the movie What We Do In The Shadows. When is not portraying Officer O'Leary she is the head teacher at an early childcare facility, where she's been employed for the last 20 years. She fell into acting by a mistake of genius casting. We talk about her life and passions and the 'side-gig' of appearing in character at events and on stage and screen.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 215 - Karen O'Leary

An in-depth conversation with Wellington record reviewer and retailer Colin Morris. We talk about his life from England to Wellington, from owning record stores to working for Unity Books; to a life filled with music and with recommendations for others across the counter and across print and radio. Colin shares some of his stories about meeting many of the most famous people in music (B.B. King, Quincy Jones, Mavis Staples) and about dedicating his life to his love of good music.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 219 - Colin Morris

An in-depth conversation with Wellington-based composer and musician Jeremiah Ross aka Module. We talk through the highs of his music production in the early/mid-00s as an electronica artist in a boom time for Kiwi music; signed to LOOP, touring and making soundtrack for video games. We also talked through the lows of feeling lost from music and from the world, mental health overloads, psychotic episodes, homelessness and now the path back. This was a deep conversation and I feel privileged to be trusted by Jeremiah to facilitate in his telling of this story.

Sweetman Podcast: Episode 246 - Jeremiah Ross (Module)

Simon Sweetman talks to musicians, writers, actors, comedians, people of interest. Creative types share their stories.

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