Sweetman Podcast

An in-depth conversation with comedian and podcaster, Gavin Hewitson. Gavin does stand-up and he also hosts "Gavin Learns", which I've been a recent guest on - in fact we've set up reciprocating podcast episodes this week. Here we talked about his motivations behind podcasting and the development of it - also his interest in comedy and what it's like to bomb on stage. We also talk about interviews and techniques and have a really good conversation that touches on a few subjects.

An in-depth conversation with performance poet and songwriter Nadia Freeman (aka Miss Leading). She has her debut full-length solo show at this year's Fringe Festival - one show only on Thurs March 11 at the Pyramid Club in Wellington (730pm). So, there was that to plug. But we talked through her life and focus on writing, her time overseas and learning the craft of slam and performance poetry - to picking up music late in life and creating electronica backing tracks for her words.

An in-depth conversation with Dunedin-based poet and essayist Talia Marshall. We talk about social media (Twitter in particular) and books. Reading. Writers. Writing. We talk about her development as an essayist through work for The Spinoff and Pantograph Punch to North & South and now a regular column in the Sunday Star Times. A deep chat. Lots in here.

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.

An in-depth conversation with author, psychologist, buisnessman and Pulitizer Prize-nominated poet, John Wareham. There was so much to talk about - and we gave it a good go! We talked about his books (novels, memoirs, a play, poetry) and his new podcast that he started over lockdown. We talked about his famous children (including writer Louise and musician Dean). We talked about his time in America and returning to New Zealand. We discussed prison reform, addiction. We gave it a good go at getting through so many of his life's obsessions.

An in-depth conversation with Maggie Tweedie, Breakfast host at Radio Active. We talk about her path to that job through other radio gigs and her passion for the format. We talk books, music, interviews, prep, freelance writing and working alone in the studio as producer and host. We also talk about her childhood in rural Hawke's Bay. And we chat about our previous encounter where she interviewed me for her show.

An in-depth conversation with music industry legend, Murray Cammick. We talk through his life dedicated to photography and music - from collecting soul records, through the founding of Rip It Up and Shake magazines, to DJing on radio and then to DJing more recently in bars and restaurants; to photography - including his current exhibition in Wellington at Photospace Gallery ("Flash Cars") and on through his days setting up record labels and championing bands. His is a life in service to music. We talked about it all.

An in-depth conversation with drinks professional, Jules Van Costello. We talk about his brand new book, "Beyond the Vines: The Changing Landscape of Wine in Aotearoa New Zealand" and his previous book about craft beer, Brewed. We talk about his rise through the hospitality industry and into winemaking, distributing and promoting; to writing and blogging and to shares in restaurants.

An in-depth conversation with poet and academic John Newton. We talk about his brand new novel-in-verse, Escape Path Lighting. We talk through his love of music - including his sideline in songwriting and the band we both used to play in. We talk poetry and his critical history of New Zealand writing (he's one volume in on a three-book deep-dive). We talk about a life spent dedicated to writing, to finding poetry in various places in New Zealand and Australia. He is also currently in Dunedin for the Robert Burns Fellowship - so we talk through his lockdown experience in that city in that role.

An in-depth conversation with Wellington-based comedian and sex-worker Lucy Roche. We talk about her background in comedy and her rise through the talent quests, open-mics to headlining shows. We talk about how she generates material, the writing process, her aims and ambitions. And we talk about her other job - a sex worker. She talks about this often as part of her act. We talk Covid-19 and the lockdown. And the life of a comedian - the quest to generate material and navigating the safe-spaces in joke-telling vs. the risk-areas.

An in-depth conversation with Andrew Armitage, owner of one of the last video rental stores standing in New Zealand, the legendary Aro St. Video Shop (Aro Video). We talked about his life and beginnings, his passions of music and film and where they came from and how they were shaped. We talked synth-pop and discovering the guitar to be a singer/songwriter later in life. We talked about the development of the shop in its growth years, the transition to DVD from VHS, when Flight of the Conchords played in the store to promote the release of their DVD and the last decade of 'hanging on' in the streaming era. We talked a lot about podcasts too - mine, this one and Andrew's (currently on hiatus, the brilliant Back To The Disc Player). Huge chat with a local legend.

An in-depth conversation with Alec Bathgate (Tall Dwarfs, Toy Love) about his solo career, his return to music, the bands he was in, his musical relationship with Chris Knox and their shared approach to music across several bands and projects. We talked about his return to recording and releasing with a brand new instrumental album (Phantom Dots) and his appearance on Instagram where he's clearing out the closet and sharing some great photos from the archives.

An in-depth conversation with Wellington-based writer, librarian and now bookstore owner, Jackson Nieuwland. We talked about their brand new collection of poetry, I AM A HUMAN BEING and about all of the steps on their journey to publishing. We talked about basketball and hip-hop, depression and finding yourself in online communities, recognising yourself as non-binary. We talked about the bookstore they are about to open. And many more things beside.

An in-depth conversation with Claire Mabey, co-director of Verb (Litcrawl) and organiser of many literary events, political talks and writing-related shows, festivals and ideas. Claire's been on the podcast twice before, with partner Andrew Laking. This time it was Claire solo - to talk about this year's upcoming Verb Festival and Litcrawl event and also to discuss the impacts of Covid-19 on event planning and the year of hell that 2020 has been in general and particularly from the point of view of an event planner. We also talk books. Loads of books. And Bob Dylan too.

An in-depth conversation with actor and comedian Peter Rowley. We talk through his life and career from theatre aspirations to appearing on A Week of It and McPhail and Gadsby to the connection with Billy T. James that resulted in some of the most important TV comedy in the history of New Zealand. There were films on the side, including voicing Dog in Footrot Flats. We talk through it all.

A Tribute To Eddie Van Halen. The day we heard the news...me and my good friend Ben Fulton (musician, guitar pedal maker) sat down to process the news and pay tribute to one of our heroes, celebrating some of his best music and discussing what made Eddie Van Halen so special.

I sit down (with myself) and read poems from my debut volume of poetry - The Death of Music Journalism. I read from the book and discuss the process around it and some of the stories behind the poems. The book is out now (through The Cuba Press) and can be found in (or ordered from) all good book stores in NZ. We launch this Sunday, October 11, 4pm at Meow in Wellington. With readings also by Freya Daly Sadgrove and Rachel McAlpine. Music and poetry by Dr. Blue. And the book will be launched by Pip Adam.

This is the third time I've spoken with Wellington-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Darren Watson. This one is specifically about his brand new album, Getting Sober For The End Of The World. We walk, track by track, through the recording and talk about its creation - including the lockdown, the pandemic and the new way of living.

An in-depth conversation with Geoff Stahl, Media Studies lecturer and DJ. As TV Disko he puts on DJ sets in bars and via radio shows. As a lecturer he's interested in popular music and the "other social media" of coffee, craft beer and wine. We talked about his upbringing in Canada and his move to Wellington, NZ 15 years ago where he took up a teaching position at Victoria University. We talk pandemic and teaching through lockdown via video conferencing. We talk music and record collecting and the development of media studies as a subject.

An in-depth conversation with Anna Dean, Nelson-born, Wellington-based, she is one half of the creative agency Double Denim, a co-creator of the Ace Lady Network. She is or has been a journalist, broadcaster, social media manager, event planner, PR guru and party organiser extraordinaire. We talk about the various roles and facets of her career/s and we talk trends in podcasts, social media and journalism. We talk about living online and broadcasting opinions and thoughts and the content mire of providing so much of your content to Facebook and other digital platforms for free.