Simon Sweetman
@simonsweetman.bsky.social
Writer @ simonsweetman.substack.com Organiser of “Say The Thing” monthly open mic for poets and prose writers at MEOW. Collector of movie soundtracks, novelisations, lover of made-for-TV movies. CD and Cassette Tape enthusiast. EVERYDAY BLOGGER
Here’s a Cover Poem of a classic, me reading Charles Bukowski’s “Style” — simonsweetman.substack.com/p/cover-poem...
Cover Poem: “Style” by Charles Bukowski
Here’s a reading of a Charles Bukowski’s poem “Style”, delivered by me at a recent poetry event.
simonsweetman.substack.com
If you want cool kids music, Aussie trio, The Punk Rock Socks have got you covered: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe... Album “number 2” is not shit!
The Punk Rock Socks: Number 2
My review of the second album by Australian Children’s Music legends, The Punk Rock Socks. Best Foot Forward as always…
open.substack.com
Here’s a new playlist of old jazz, four hours for your background, or to have at the front of your mind: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...
Playlist”: “Speak, Easy…”
A new playlist of old jazz
open.substack.com
Brian Eno's album Neroli was released on August 3, 1993
‘Across multiple interviews, industry representatives for theatre companies, dance studios, writers festivals and more expressed dismay about the impact of the latest funding decisions. Some were restructuring their companies, figuring out how to move forward. Others were considering giving up.’
Has the arts sector ever done it this hard?
We asked arts industry representatives what funding cuts and political indifference is doing to the arts. The answer? 'This is really fucked.'
thespinoff.co.nz
‘In a society that lives in the shadow of the violence of empire and inequalities of colonialism, the figure of Cook reminds us that memory is politically contentious and vigorously contested’ - Tusiata Avia reminded us all of this in her writers on Mondays event today
Contested empire | E-Tangata
“Within Māori framings of the past, Cook has become one of the most potent symbols of empire and its bitter and enduring legacies.” — Historian Tony Ballantyne, author of ‘Captain Cook and the Unsettl...
e-tangata.co.nz
‘We’ve had a nice, long period of American literary culture as the dominant literary culture of the world. It might just be time for other national literatures to become the epicentres of literary value.’ Great interview with critic Merve Emre.
The New Yorker Critic with Her Eye on Australia
An interview with Merve Emre
killyourdarlings.com.au
Talking Heads' album Fear Of Music was released on August 3, 1979 Produced by Brian Eno and Talking Heads #DavidByrne
Turns out I write poems about Harry Nilsson now. And here’s one: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...
Poem: Harry Nilsson Had A Point!
A poem about the point of letting your heroes find you!
open.substack.com
I was listening to @bernardchickey.bsky.social's 'The Hoon' podcast this morning, and I must say I agree very much with Helen Clark (always find it amazing that her Bluesky account is suspended) that Winston Peters should be sacked as AoNZ Foreign Minister. thekaka.substack.com/p/the-weekly...
The Weekly Hoon: Helen Clark on why Winston Peters should be fired over his 'go home' comments, & on NZ's humiliation on a key UN vote
Bernard Hickey, Peter Bale & Cathrine Dyer discuss the week in geopolitics, the economy & climate; plus special guests Helen Clark & Janet Anderson on NZ's UN vote, the ICC & Winston's 'go home' jibe
thekaka.substack.com
Wrap of all the album reviews I offered up across July: simonsweetman.substack.com/p/july-music... 11 written reviews, and 2 RNZ appearances. 13 albums you might not hear about in other media, for the most part.
July Music Review Wrap (2026)
Friday is fun because it’s music — so links and playlists. At the end of a month I’m going to share all of the new album reviews recently written. So here’s the July Wrap
simonsweetman.substack.com
‘In effect, a generation of school leavers and graduates scarred by Covid and the worst jobs market in history for students, are being punished again by both the fiscal and monetary policies of the Government’ - Bernard Hickey
How NZ punishes our stressed & jobless youth
Just as the RBNZ's rate hike deepens the scars of youth joblessness, the Govt will remove benefits of 4,700 jobless teenagers, including 1,885 with mental health issues & some being treated for cancer
open.substack.com
They sat up all night, comparing the cities they’d visited. And who had the best buildings…. New poem: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...
Poem: Architecture
A poem about the framework underneath certain friendships.
open.substack.com
Here’s a poem featuring something about music. I’ll be at the Wellington Library this Saturday, 2pm, with Nick Sceats and Richard Langston. We will be talking about music and writing. It’s gonna be a fun chat for sure.
Super stoked to be part of this lineup in the Bay next month!
TONIGHT: www.pyramidclub.org.nz/ryosuke-kiya...
Ryosuke Kiyasu (Japan) / Ritual Heaps
Following his sold out 2024 show, Japan's Ryosuke Kiyasu returns to Pyramid Club for a special one-off performance. Ryosuke Kiyasu has captivated the world with his solo performances. Using only a sna...
pyramidclub.org.nz
'O is the signature Manhire vowel (“eventually we all shall go / into the dark furniture of the radio”), and the way O can sound elation, exhalation, deflated recognition and dismissal - from O! to ohhh to oh - is as good a guide as any to what I love about what’s at work here'
Journal of New Zealand Literature@jnzl.bsky.social · last wk.On Bill Manhire's LYRICAL BALLADS: dougalmcneill.micro.blog/2026/06/16/j...
Not the first poem I’ve written about the very NZ specific vibe of being billeted somewhere overnight in the early 1990s, just the latest version…https://open.substack.com/pub/simonsweetman/p/poem-taranaki-1990s?r=2y8o6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Sign the petition: Press Pause On New AI Data Centres action.greens.org.nz/pause_ai_dat...
Press Pause On New AI Data Centres
The Green Party is calling for a one-year pause on the construction of new AI data centres, so we have time to develop clear rules to make sure that the needs of people and planet are put first.
action.greens.org.nz
