CANTA Interview: May 24th 2000

betchadupa. Funny name, funny guys. Four 16 year old boys from Auckland to be specific
- Liam Finn (guitar, vocals), Chris Garland (lead guitar), Joe Bramley (bass) and Matt Eccles (drums). 
Rebekah Cashed spoke to them while in Christchurch for their May 12th Dux gig.

Do you get patronised because you are so young?
Joe: We got called Hanson once.
Liam: Ages ago when we were supporting the feelers.
Joe: These guys pointed at us and said, "Look there's Hanson."

Your parents must be pretty supportive...
Joe: My parents really want me to finish school. My mum drives us everywhere. 
She's got a four wheel drive and we go for forest drives.
Liam: I love those forest drives.

Do you find it difficult juggling school work and the band?
(Joe goes to Senior College and the other three go to Selwyn)
Liam: Not really, the school's been really good.
Matt: We've all pretty much had enough of it.
(Liam might go to art school; he's doing 7th form photography this year and it's his art work on
 the cover of their EP. Joe reckons he'll get good enough grades this year to skip 7th form; he got a scholarship
 in marine biology and horticulture. The others are surprised they didn't know this, and discuss it for a while).

You opened for Regurgitator, what was that like?
Joe and Liam: It was awesome.
Liam: We played at the Big Day Out 2000 - we were the first band - that was
 probably the biggest we've ever done.
Was that you best live experience?
Liam: No, probably not ther best we've played at some small places
 that have been really good.
Joe: It was the best.
Someone: We played in Russell, it was full of drunk people.

Any musical influences?
Chris: Cow
Liam: They're a band from Brisbane.
Chris: We listen to then a lot and pick up a few ideas.

Have you made any money yet?
Liam: No we're in debt.
Matt: CD's cost a lot to make.

What's you next single going to be?
Everyone: Bits
Liam: It's different (from Empty Head), it's more punk, faster.

What's you favourite betchadupa song?
Chris: Mr White
Liam: Spill the Light
Joe: Bits
Matt: Mr White
(Mr. White is about a French teacher at their school who apparently had a tendency to turn bright red.)

There are quite a few New Zealand bands around at the moment - Fur Patrol, Tadpole, 
Breathe, Zed Etc - what makes you different?
Joe: Chris is actually a girl.
Liam: We're better in bed than any of them.
Joe: I dunno....we can't legally drink.

Who from Shortland Street would you like to..y'know?
Liam Definitely not Erin. Nick and Minnie at the same time.
Joe: Not Minnie, the redhead one...yeah Kate...oh and Moira.
Matt: I don't know Shortland St.
Chris: It's not good unless there's a combination, Rachel and Dr. Warner.
Joe: Grace Kwan
Someone: She had really big breasts.

What do you reckon - True Bliss or Bardot?
Joe: Bardot
Liam: True Bliss, the New Zealand series was so much better.
 It was more entertaining, they had arguments.

Finally, what do you think of Christchurch so far?
Joe: Freezing, flat, easy to get lost, disorientating...I dont even know which was town is. 
( I point in the general direction of town. Someone wants to know what I am doing. 
Some else says that they think I'm testing the wind.)
Chris: I lived here for four years, in Fendalton. I went to Elmwood School.
Liam and Matt: Cold.

Okay. Thanks and good luck for tomorrow night...
(As it turns out, they didn't need luck. They got the crowd going - especially
 the Uni Hall first-years at the front - and they were awesome. And full credit to the crazy guy 
with the harmonica who joined in with them, it was all class. betchadupa. Still a funny name, but who cares.)