Early footage of Flight of the Conchords posted online (+videos)

Flight of the Conchords stars Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie as they appeared in 2004. Photo / Supplied

Pre-sale tickets to an upcoming tour by Kiwi comedy duo Flight of the Conchords yesterday sold faster than you can say, "It's business time".

The hype for the 10-date tour, the band's first here since 2009, proves Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are among New Zealand's most-loved musical attractions, now sitting next to Crowded House, Shihad and The Exponents.

But after two seasons of an acclaimed HBO TV show, McKenzie's Oscar win last month for Best Original Song, and the sold out worldwide tours, it's easy to forget the Conchords' humble beginnings.

They began as a young duo in Wellington, flatting together while attending Victoria University and performing in the five-piece comedy troupe So You're a Man.

After the demise of So You're a Man, the duo formed Flight of the Conchords in 1998. Their career started taking off after appearances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2002 and 2003.

A half-hour HBO special followed, then the TV3 one-hour documentary A Texan Odyssey tracked the band to the 2006 South By South West festival in Austin.

Two 10-part HBO series followed in 2007 and 2009, and the rest is history.

Yesterday, NZ on Screen posted footage online of what might possibly be the Conchords' TV debut.

The two clips shows the band rehearsing the song Foux du Fafa in a studio, then travelling to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2002. They display all the comedy hallmarks of their HBO show.

The footage was recorded for TV show Living Room, and shows Waititi playing the band's manager Larry Pritchard - perhaps an early version of Murray, perfected by Rhys Darby in the duo's series.

The pair also snipe about each other's behaviour in the studio.

Says Jemaine: "He (McKenzie) is quite difficult to work with. It's comedy, but it can be a drama ... and we wouldn't want comedy to turn into tragedy."

Watch the footage below:

- Herald online