Simon Sweetman

A hilarious night for the launch of Kate Camp’s teenage diaries with commentary by adult Kate at Meow yesterday: anyone who has been to the Bad Diaries Salon at the same venue will know what to expect - Leather and Chains!

TAPE Me Back To The Future — MADE For Tape #71: Cyndi Lauper, "She’s So Unusual" (1983) An occasional series here that celebrates the cassette-tape format in all its glory. Wobbles and all…

Here’s a wee spiel about one of my favourite albums by one of my favourite artists of all time: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...
There were weird pressures around liking this music growing up. I’m glad that’s all gone these days. How stupid.

How Legal Immigration Became a Deportation Trap Under Trump, the Homeland Security agency responsible for processing visas and green cards has become a site for easy arrests.

Under Trump, the Homeland Security agency responsible for processing visas and green cards has become a site for easy arrests. www.newyorker.com/news/annals-...

“Rooted in racism” Hostility and disinformation overshadow Moa Point public meeting More than 300 people packed into a public meeting on Monday night to demand answers over the ongoing Moa Point wastewater disaster.

As per usual, a loud and feral minority hijacking the conversation with misinformation.

Also seeing a disturbing & very familiar pattern of hostility toward Tamatha Paul. Our community must stand behind her. We can’t allow another Māori leader to be worn down and pushed out. #nzpol

Severe weather States of Emergency in 2026 already match last year Eight severe weather-related states of emergency have already been declared this year, matching the total for all of 2025.

A terrifying acceleration.

The number of times a State of Emergency has been declared in 2026, has ALREADY matched the 2025 number.

How long before we’re in a permanent State of Emergency and unable to recover?

Preparing for climate change, AND cutting emissions have to be election issues.

Short Story: Caught In The Act of Being Human Wednesday is about books, and writing. Time to share another short story.

A new short story by me:

The cover of this novel is a painting in blues, whites and browns, showing the back of two male figures. In the foreground, yellow text reads 'Have This Heart' and under that, white text reads, 'Lawrence Patchett.'

Praise for the author, from Catherine Woulfe and Dougal McNeill

We're looking forward to sharing this with you on 14 May! Have This Heart by Lawrence Patchett is a compulsively readable story collection about men at work, men trying to do better, and what happens when your life doesn't let you hide. Tightly coiled, tender, and unforgettable.

With After Hours now streaming on Netflix (US), revisit our interview with producers Griffin Dunne and Amy Robinson, who open up to Mitchell Beaupre about the enduring anxieties of Scorsese’s 1985 classic. ⏰

Read more on Journal: https://boxd.it/1Ce

Kate Camp and her 1986 diary The year was 1986 - a time defined by Ghostbusters on VHS, the height of Jazzercise tights, and the only year that acclaimed Wellington poet and author Kate Camp kept a diary.

Kate Camp's book launch is at Meow bar, Wellington in 90 minutes! And the rain has stopped for us :)

See you soon, and you can warm up for the event with this great Nine to Noon interview with Kate from this morning...

www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

Sheldon Agwu: Kintsugi An album review of the 2025 release by ambient/jazz guitarist Sheldon Agwu

Here’s a great new ambient album with lashings of jazz guitar. Recommended: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...

Poem: Under Eaves A poem about making it through. And having someone there with you.

New poem evoking Warren Zevon:

simonsweetman.substack.com/p/poem-under...

I was sitting in my room one night.
I was staring at the ashtray’s heart.
I was filling it with the flakes of my art.
And I had Warren on the stereo singing
‘bout mystics and statistics, singing
songs I wished I wrote…

The stand out part of Luxon's tenure as PM has been his total and utter inability to think fast, react quickly, and behave appropriately.

He's lunkish and dozy, without a single bit of initiative.

Film Society — 2026 Monday is about movies, and sometimes TV. Today, a plug for the Wellington Film Society. W00T!

A late plug for Wellington Film Society:

Shelf Life A Sunday essay about books, and moving things on, and a big vote of thanks to my parents.

Sunday essay about books and shelving and hoarding and moving them on: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...
Also a thank you to my folks for enabling!

YAY

TAPE Me Back To The Future — MADE For Tape #70: Metallica, "…And Justice For All" (1988) An occasional series here that celebrates the cassette-tape format in all its glory. Wobbles and all…

Not my favourite Metallica album, but my favourite on tape:

Jenny Bornholdt and Bill Manhire at number 1 and 2 on Unity Wellington’s bestseller list this week, followed by MA grad Eva Wyles, and only then George Saunders!

Mega-Stress! Friday is fun because it’s about music, so links and playlists. Today, a weird, hopefully funny little tale about the weirdness of music PR and the desperation of it too.

Here’s a story about Megadeth, and interviewing, and Music PR. Mostly, it’s about Music PR. With lols attached. And a weekend playlist that’s great!

Poetry Reading: Havelock North Public Library (February 12, 2026) Here is a recording of my portion of a very cool literary event in Havelock North.

I gave a reading and talked about poetry and writing and my connection to Hawke’s Bay, and you can listen to it here. It was actually super emotional to be in the Havelock North Public Library to do this event. My parents there watching. I first went to this place when I was 4 years old. Great space

Five Years, What A Surprise! Wednesday is about books, and reading. And writing. Today, a milestone in the life of this Substack newsletter. Thank you for being here!

A wee thing about being on the Substack platform for five years: simonsweetman.substack.com/p/five-years...

Music feature: Peter Gabriel's "So" It's time for our Tuesday Music feature and today we're celebrating the 40th anniversary of Peter Gabriel's seminal 1986 album, 'So'. After leaving his band Genesis, Peter Gabriel struggled to truly c...

Got back on the wireless and had a chat about Peter Gabriel’s “So” album. Was fun: www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

At Home With Brian Eno And His Bare Floorboards, Synthesiser And Electric Larynx in DISC August 18, 1973 #interview www.moredarkthanshark.org/eno_int_disc...

Live updates from Waitangi: Protest planned as politicians set to be welcomed All the news from Waitangi as it happens....

Live updates from Waitangi: Protest planned as politicians set to be welcomed

Auckland professor associated with Jeffrey Epstein Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein reveal meetings with an Auckland professor who remarked on Epstein's 'bevy of beauties'

How bizarre: Epstein offered to fund a proposed book by Brian Boyd on Lolita newsroom.co.nz/2026/02/01/a...

Cutting A Sunday essay about drinking and sobriety

open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...
Sunday essay about drinking and sobriety:

At every single stage of my life there has been a movie or show suited for my age group in which Catherine O’Hara was a standout player. This just sucks, man.

Gig Review: Weekend Laughs at the Fringe Bar (Friday, Jan 30, 2026) Sometimes I review comedy. When they let me. This was a fun show to be at.

Invited back to review comedy - like falling off a horse eh. Possibly won’t be welcomed back again after this? open.substack.com/pub/simonswe...
Written in real time as the show happened and posted immediately after, which was a bit of fun…for me at least.

Jet Boats Neither poem, nor story, a list, and a life, and a sequel to an earlier piece called “Bumper Boats” — linked at the end.

New micro-fiction called Jet Boats, sequel to the earlier one, Bumper Boats: open.substack.com/pub/simonswe... (Link to first piece in there too for context)

Seven books by THWUP standing up against a pink background. List on our blog, as linked.

Still basking in yesterday's glow! Here are our lovely longlisted books hanging out together.

We're delighted to have seven books on the longlist for the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Huge congratulations to these writers!

teherengawakapress.co.nz/blogs/news/s...

Get On The Bus! Wellington Writers Visit Havelock North: Thursday, Feb 12, 2026, 6pm — The Cuba Press Comes To Town A plug for a literary event in Havelock North, Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 - 6pm - Havelock North Library - RSVP books@wardini.co.nz

Rolling through HB in a metaphorical poetry bus, Thursday, Feb 12 - a bunch of authors talking and reading and (hopefully!) signing — 6pm at the Havelock North Library, y’all: simonsweetman.substack.com/p/get-on-the...