Rock's 'lads' grow up

By CATHRIN SCHAER

When they started playing, everyone was impressed by betchadupa's youth. Back then, the offspring of some of New Zealand's most successful musicians were mostly 17 and still at high school. Now at 20, after a few years as full-time musicians, the lads are almost all grown up.

While many of their friends are at university or wondering what to do with their lives, betchadupa have been busy. They have toured extensively overseas, supported Pearl Jam, Coldplay and Queens of the Stone Age, changed record labels, written another album to be recorded next January, and met Gwyneth Paltrow.

Drummer Matt Eccles talks about the band's big year.

Best lesson learned?

We did showcases in New York, Los Angeles and London. We played one show in LA and it went really well and we had really positive feedback. And we were thinking, 'hey, this is easy, next we take over the world'. But we found out it doesn't quite work that way. You actually have to be there long term for it to mean anything.

Best overseas gig?

Probably the first show we did in America. We were expecting to play in some crappy little club but we rolled up to this place on Sunset Strip called the El Rey Theatre.

It was like some amazing ballroom. What happens is they put on five bands for five dollars once a week and all these kids come down and see whatever is on there. It was really cool.

Best local gig?

New Year's Eve 2002 in Nelson. We were the headlining act. That's the first time we were headliners and we got to do the countdown. There was also just a really good vibe in Nelson.

Most impressive celebrity moment?

It's always cool when you get to support a band you really admire and I'm a huge Queens of the Stone Age fan.

Chris Martin [from Coldplay] was also really cool - he made things really easy for us. And Eddie Vedder [of Pearl Jam] was really nice to us, too. Oh yeah, Gwyneth [Paltrow] was there at the Coldplay gigs. Actually I think Liam [Finn] was really impressed because she remembered his name - he met her at one show and at the next one she saw him and said, 'Hi, Liam'.

Most difficult thing to do?

Leaving Flying Nun to sign to Liberation, our new Australian label. Flying Nun were our first label and all those people had become our friends. It's pretty hard to tell your friends you're outta there.

Signs of maturity?

We're all really close friends anyway but I think when we fight now we resolve it a lot better. Before I think we used to hang on to those little grudges. But when you're touring and living in close quarters, you just can't afford to do that. Musically, I think we've definitely matured, too. I'd say our music has progressed - it's definitely more complex and accomplished.

And actually, this is pretty bizarre, but until recently I'd always assumed other bands were older than us. I'm still surprised when they turn out to be younger.

Best inter-band rivalry?

We had a really good egg fight with Goodshirt between Wanaka and Methven once. We were on tour with them so there was a sort of convoy happening. We pulled into a service station, bought a whole lot of eggs and then when their van came around the corner we completely egged them. They drove off, bought eggs and did the same to us. It just became this big game. They fought back well but, to be honest, I think we won. Our youthful exuberance, I think.

Most rock'n'roll behaviour?

I don't know. To be honest, I think we're all a bit too nice to instigate that kind of thing, you know, drugs, drink and loose women. Maybe the most rock'n'roll thing recently would be what happened after our gig in Dunedin.

We were all having a drink after the show and Joe [Bramley], our bass player, went to get something from the band room. And he fell asleep in there. No one even noticed he was gone.

He turned up at about five in the morning having been locked in the venue all night. That was pretty funny.

Biggest sacrifice for the cause?

We just made a music video for the single that's out now, Move Over. Greg Page directed it and he always likes to put us through some sort of torture.

With this one we were all lying down playing on the ground while the camera was filming over us. I look like I am playing normally but I'm actually on the ground. It was agony; I could only hold my neck up for about a minute at a time.

Best tips for backstage comfort?

I'd get socks put on the rider. [A band's rider is what the band request be placed backstage for them during the show, usually involving refreshments]. We normally ask for something like a dozen beer, some water and some Red Bull.

Sometimes we also get red wine and recently we have developed a taste for tequila. But socks would be good because normally after a gig you're soaking wet and it would just be nice to put on a pair of clean socks. But there's probably no point asking because what pub manager is going to run down the road and buy five pairs of socks for some band?

Craziest thing that's happened while onstage?

I'm always surprised when I look up while we're playing a really hard-out song and I see how hard the rest of my band is going. Like Liam will be doing something mental, you know, trying to do a handstand with his guitar or something. It's just really funny to watch.

Performance

* Who: betchadupa

* Where: the Control Room, Queen St

* When: tonight