Interview with Tony from Wellington band Tiddabades.
Been around since?
Craig and I picked up our respective instruments with Timmy around April 2008 as a three piece playing house party's.. around 6 months later gained a guitarist.
Current line up?
Craig Rattray – Drums
Tony Surrey - Bass + BV's
Luke Kavanagh - Guitar
Timmy Hutchison – Vocals
Where are you based?
Currently.. Wellington, New Zealand.
Musical history?
First and only band for Craig Tim and I, Luke was in U2 but they had there musical differences so sadly had to part ways.. seriously though i think he was in some muck around cover bands in Brighton, England.
Luke saw us play at one of Timmy's house party's.. after he got the most drunk I have ever seen anyone get, he came along for the ride. He is a talented musician.
Tell us about your name – it used to be Batman Tiddabades right? Why the change? Also how is your name pronounced?
That's correct.. when we first started we were just playing around, not taking the band serious at all. Batman was a sausage dog that I grew up with when I was 7.. basically the coolest name for such a funny looking dog. Tiddabades is a colloquial term Craig and I (along with our friends and school) said if something was dope. It makes sense to us.. I'm not sure about other people.. but I love that, having something your close friends understand but confuses the shit out of everyone else.
We dropped the batman as were more serious about our music now, it signifies a change of pace and a new direction.
It's said wrong 95% of the time and it makes us laugh. Its the end of it people don't get.. they pronounce the last 'e' too much.
TIDDA - BAD - ES ( not eeees that's why we added the Spanish 'és')
Tiddabadés!
How would you describe your sound?
I feel we're slowly getting more depth with our sound, to start off with it was in our nature to sound punchy and dancey with a touch of darkness. I guess in many ways your a product of what you yourselves listen to, so when you combine in our case, four people, who listen to an array of music, you gain a different sound.
What are you listening to at the moment?
We all listen to so much and we'd each answer this question differently.. but I myself, Holy Fuck, Nirvana, O. children, Deerhunter, The Horrors, Wilberforces, 1995, Does it offend you, yeah. Die Die Die, Foals, The Strokes, Joy division, Grizzly bear, Death from above, Late of the pier, WU tang.. to name a few.
Recently i was speaking to a friend of mine, who described the term ' shark music'. Its when your walking somewhere and you throw your earphones on and feel like you can destroy anything around you and your in your own world, making everyone else seem insignificant.
I like that feeling music gives me.
What were you listing to in High School?
I myself listened to.. Big L, Nirvana, WU tang, Prodigy, Blood hound gang, and Brittany spears.
What is your writing/recording process?
We jam loads, recording onto a laptop and take out the bits that sound okay to us and work on them and try to feel them out.. sometimes well be having a shit jam then all of a sudden were all getting stiffys.
Your Dream Collaboration?
Real old Metallica.. I can't stand them now but back in the day of 'kill em all', and something else like David Bowie.
Actually I don't even know what you mean by this.. did I answer it correct?
Any releases coming up?
Debut self titled EP (Tiddabadés), Currently sorting the finishing touches/ printing. Should be out and about in September . We record with our friend Cormac in his studio in pram which he calls 'cardboard box studios' he has amazing patience, and knows what we are trying to say without even saying it.
We were going to throw a demo CD together but we have recently started discovering our sound more accurately so decided upon an EP release.. it takes time when every ones working real jobs.
If you could have any original vinyl release in the world what would it be?
Vinyl is amazing. The Beatles. Ramones. Joy Division.
Of all the instruments you own, or have owned, what is your favourite?
That I own, I'd say the boss over drive pedal. I enjoy Luke's slicer. The kaoss opens new doors also.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learnt musically in the last year?
How to play an instrument.
What has been your favourite show to date?
For me I thing our best is on its way.. I enjoy playing at mighty as our friends are always there, but i love playing on the floor at San Fran. Stages seem to disconnect you from the crowd.. i enjoy being in amongst it at eye level. But i do understand that people actually want to 'see' the band.
If you could share the stage with anyone (band or person) who would it be?
Die Die Die, 1995, Wilberforces, Villany, Tina Turna, to name a few.
The future holds…?
Release of our debut EP, followed by playing Auckland then heading south to Christchurch, Littleton, Dunedin. Hopefully some house party's, class A's.
Heading over sea's is on the cards.
The state of music in NZ is….
The state of the 'underground' is amazing.. its the reason why i picked up my bass. 1995 just released there debut EP and it kills it, Die Die Die are amazing live and i cant stop listening to them, Wilberforces just released an album Haunted that will knock your socks off. Brains, Diana Rozz, Bang bang eche, So So modern, Over the atlantic, Neil Finn, Brand New Math, DHDFD's, Villany are going to blow your mind so look out.
