Songlines Across New Zealand
  OPSHOP INTERVIEW 31 10 2007
 

SANZ: How did you come to name the band opshop
Jason: Like this( starts star jumping)
Matt: We were just looking round for names one day cos the previous name we had didn’t really work out
SANZ: What was the previous name
Matt: GST (Goldfish Shopping Trolley)
Bobby: That hasn’t worked out for anyone really
Matt: Yeah we just sought of um someone had been shopping at an opshop that day as a new start new clothes on and felt that it fitted so we used that name. That's a kiwi sought of a name
SANZ: Funny you should say that as I was going to ask next do you go opshopping
Matt: Oh yeah everybody should go opshopping there’s bargains to be found everywhere
SANZ: How did the band first get together
Matt: Oh well I was a late addition so Jason better answer that
Jason: Well I can tell you how Matt came to join the band. He invited me to audition to be a singer in his band ans I said oh nah sweet as a got my own thing going on do you want to come along to one of our jams and he was like oh ok so that was how we came across the first carnation of Opshop
SANZ: What was the first gig like playing alongside Che fu and Ted Clarke
Jason: Um shoot where was that
Matt: Um that was at whats now float used to be called leftfield
Jason: I mean I think we’d all known those guys for a while through doing bits and pieces so there wasn’t so much a daunting task playing with them per say it was playing with each other for the first time it’s always nerve racking going onstage and I don’t think that's changed too much
SANZ: has the sound of the band changed since the departure of Tim Skeddon and Ian Munroe.
All Band members: Yeah definitely
SANZ: What do you find easy to write about
Jason: Nothing(Laughs) I find nothing easy to write about. Its like with many songs you write as soon as you find a piece of paper or someone hits record on a tape deck it suddenly becomes the first song you’ve ever written again or that feeling at least
SANZ: Out of the Two albums which would be your favourite
Matt: Mine would be the latest one second hand planet
Jason: Yeah second hand planet
SANZ: Out of the music videos you have done which would be your favourite and why
Jason: I actually you know what I think for me anyway my favourite video as far as the idea behind it I don’t know if we executed it that well but considering we only had five grand and I was pretty stoked with it and that was the GST (Goldfish Shopping Trolley) one put up a fight video. I love it
 
SANZ: I don’t think I’ve seen that one
Jason: No probably not but it was a lot of fun to do and it was uh it captured a lot of New Zealand history in that video which is probably why people aren’t playing it anymore too. I think the copyright ran out on the archives footage
SANZ: Which would be your least favourite video and why
Jason: Probably that one same one it was just difficult to get together
SANZ: Is there any chance you can tell us what the next single will be from second hand planet
Matt: No cause we don’t get told these things
SANZ: So it’s not your choice
Matt: No it’s like the last single there was votes going all over the place for different songs and it got changed quite a few times so it’s a bit of a process really so you guess is as good as ours
Jason: I’m going to have a guess though
Matt: Yeah you’re going to have a guess
Jason: I’m going to hazard a guess. I’m going to say one day
Bobby: That's what I was thinking
Matt: That's what I call telepathy
SANZ: How did you get to know and work with Brooke Fraser
Matt: Brooke was recording her album with the same producer as what we used on our first album, we met Brady when she was doing her first single I think and then he came back and did her album and then sought of hung out from there
SANZ: When you hear one of your songs on the radio while driving do you sing along or switch stations
Matt: I will generally. If it’s just hit the radio I’ll listen to it if its been on and on and on I’ll usually flick over to something else
SANZ: What has been the most memorable moment been in your music career so far
Matt: Bobby
Bobby: Oh thanks Matt (Long Pause) Oh I thought you were saying I was the most memorable moment
Matt: No not quite(Laughs)
Jason: He’s the gift that keeps on giving
Bobby: That's the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me (Group Laugh)
Matt: What just saying your name
Bobby: Um what would it be I guess winning that award the other night(peoples choice 2007 NZMA) would be pretty memorable so far.
It’s a real highlight being nominated for a Silver Scroll
SANZ: what went through your heads when you were nominated for the silver scroll
Bobby: Shit we’re never going to win but that’s really nice to be put up there with your peers
 SANZ: Is there a moment you’d like to forget and can you tell us about it
Jason: I’ve forgotten about it
Bobby: Matt
Jason: We don’t want to forget about matt
Matt: Nice one Bob, Gee thanks man nah not really um if you don’t have those moments then the bad moments make
Jason: Make the better moments better is what he’s trying to say
Matt: Exactly
SANZ: Any chance you can elaborate what Maybe is about
Matt: That would probably be Jason
Jason: Um
Matt: No the songs about Jason (laughs)
Jason: No it’s not
Bobby: Elaborate on what. What do you think the song is about
SANZ: I have no clue what I think it’s about. I just like listening to the song I don’t think about the deeper meaning to them
Jason: There is none. It’s devoid of deeper meaning unfortunately
SANZ: In your opinion what do you think makes NZ music stand out from the rest of the music around the world
Matt: I don’t know if it has a different sound it’s just pop music for me. It’s the stories we tell that's uniquely us
SANZ: What would you consider a classic NZ song
Matt: In that last question you just suddenly fired off six months in a leaky boat I think is classic kiwi and tells about the struggle of being a kiwi artist and sums it up and it’s obviously a kiwi song but those production values could be from anywhere in the world
SANZ: What was the last NZ album you bought
Matt: Um
SANZ: Was it your one (laughs)
Bobby: For me it would be Hollie smith
Matt: The veils would be the last one I bought
SANZ: what do you prefer to do work and record in a studio or perform live
Matt: That’s a hard one mate cause the creative process to me once you start chasing something down that's the best part of the whole thing, but there’s also something to be said for finding out how well that’s connected with people when you play and when people are right into it and something else is going on there too and they’re getting it as well, they’re suddenly captivated by the audience making that connection with the genesis of the song really, so it’s hard to say. It’s all part of the package it’s a good job to be involved with
SANZ: What's the best thing about performing live
Jason: It’s just that
 SANZ: What are your plans after the tour/rest of 07
Matt: We got about 4 or 5 more shows to do on the Brooke Fraser tour then next week we go down to Christchurch to play southern amped play a couple more shows down there and then off to London for a couple of weeks, play a couple of shows over there and then back through Dubai
SANZ: Oh yeah
Matt: Then have Christmas in the park
SANZ: have you recorded any new songs and are you able to name the songs
Matt: We haven’t written any more songs mate
SANZ: So it’ll be a couple of years till we see another album
Matt: It shouldn’t be that long . I hope it’s not going to be that long
Jason: We’ve had conversations about getting in there sooner than later so who knows
Matt: I think the longer you leave it the more you sought of just gotta keep on that process cause it takes a while.
SANZ: Yeah good things take time
Matt: Yeah but we were in the studio about fourteen fifteen months ago, it’s just now we’re getting traction for touring and stuff
SANZ: Thanks for that
Band: You’re welcome

In this photo
Matt Treacy , Jason Kerrison,Me,Clint Harris,Bobby Kennedy

 
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