Email interview with Graeme Downes, February 4, 2004

What were you like as a child/teenager? Were you quiet? Mischievous? A loner or one of the boys?

All of the above, I was good at sport so I could be one of the boys, but a 14 year old listening to Brahms and Mahler is by definition a loner at the same time.

How old were you when you realized that music was your calling? What led to the realization?

About 12 or 13, discovering classical music did the trick. Someone got one of those cheesy classical greatest hits type records for Xmas but somehow I was the one who ended up listening to it. Then I discovered you could borrow records from the library so I started getting to know pretty much everything I could lay my hands on. But then again, while it was a passion, I didn't think there'd be a career in it.

Of all the songs you've written, which is your favorite? And which do you enjoy performing most?

I don't really have one, though the last gig we did playing Bird Dog, Ready to Fly and Jimmy Jazz with a horn section was a real blast.

Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song? In love to write a love song?

Not necessarily but it helps I guess.

In a 1989 interview (The Catalog/Oct-Nov issue) Straitjacket Fits frontman Shayne Carter credited New Zealand's relative isolation as the reason Kiwi music was so much more interesting. He stated that the isolation "breeds an arrogance and confidence. It gives you the distance so that you can have a better filtering device to sort out what's true and what's not as far as stuff coming in from overseas." Would you agree with his assessment of the time? If so, is it still applicable day?

New Zealand is a lot more global-ised now than it was when we and Shayne started out. A lot of more recent bands sound a little more like they could come from any country. In the 80's, especially in Dunedin there wasn't much incentive to follow trends inasmuch as they were usually moribund at their source by the time they filtered all the way down here. It allowed a freedom to be influenced by older music as well as what we thought was valid amongst contemporary releases.

Have you seen the 'Lord of the Rings' films? Do you think they have done anything positive for New Zealand as a whole?

Haven't seen the third one yet but will get around to it soon. Yes it's done a great deal for the tourism industry. We fish in one of the dams that was used as a location, the fishing hut we use was actually in the 2nd film (digitally altered somewhat). Last time we were there a family of Rings fans drove up checking out the location. Bizarre. They have organised "Rings" tours in different parts of the country and you can buy Lord of the Rings location books with GPS data to help you find them.

Does it concern you that some people consider Australians and New Zealanders to be one and the same?

Probably less than Canadians feel about being called Americans. One of those things you just live with I guess. I like Australians as a rule. Very dry sense of humour.

List your top 5 movies, in order of preference.

Not much of a movie goer I'm afraid, have been to the movies about three times in the last decade and two of those were the first two Rings movies, Love some of the classics like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Dr Zhivago, Cassablanca. I like Australian films quite often, like "The Castle", thought the Southpark movie was great.

What is your opinion on the current state of American popular music?

I catch up with things now and then. I don't hear a lot that jumps up and startles me. Outkast are very interesting. I'll probably include them in lectures next semester.

What have you been listening to lately?

Most of my listening is work related in one way or another. A lot of New Zealand music recently because I've had to mark dissertations on Split Enz and Shona Laing. Was introduced to Grandaddy which was cool. The diet has been otherwise classical, Shostakovich, Bruckner, Martinu, Respighi just recently.

Is advancing technology a thrill or a threat?

Both of course.

What is your stance on the mp3 revolution?

It's someone else's battle really. I'm not worried personally if people burn off Verlaines CDs, its not like I'm being robbed of millions. I said a long time ago that CDs would eventually be nothing more than a calling card, essentially free advertisement for the artist, hopefully attracting people to high priced live gigs where the artist can recoup. Maybe.

Which modern convenience could you NOT live without?

Just got our first dish washer. Love it not because it does them so much as because it hides them for days on end.


Many thanks to Graeme for taking the time out to do this and for the prompt response.