Q: Your latest, self-titled album sure covers a lot of moods, sometimes even within a single song. Explain your philosophies to songwriting and performance. What do you look for in other artists' songs? How important are surprises in music, as opposed to obvious signposted material?
A: Well, as I am not one of the key songwriters in the band (Anthony Lander and Chris Keogh write the bulk of the material), I am loath to try and answer for them . . . However, in terms of a band aesthetic we usually tend towards music with layered meaning/irony/dark humour.
Think the Kinks crossed with the Verlaines.
When we write, we don't usually think in terms of "surprises", as they usually sound stupid. Instead, we avoid "boring/repetitive".
I think this is especially evident in our structures and arrangements.
For example, four of the songs on the record don't have choruses that repeat.
Q: Explain the process by which you recorded the album. Were there any happy accidents in the studio? Or had much of the material been well mapped out before you began the album?
A: The idea behind capturing this album was to basically do the opposite to what we did for the previous record. We basically spent too much time recording the previous one and, in the process, lost any of the spontaneity in the performances.
Instead, we basically demoed songs throughout last year and took 11 into the studio to be recorded over nine days.
Since we'd been touring these songs heavily that year, we nailed the whole thing out really quickly and, as a result, I think the album sounds much more cohesive, spontaneous and "live".
Q: Are you happy with the final result? Do you have any favourite tracks? If so, why? As a sound engineer, were you constantly twiddling? Did your band-mates have to say enough is enough? Or do you know when something is finished? Is it a case of letting some elements remain a little bit ragged lest you lose the very thing that makes them interesting?
A: Yep, I'm definitely really happy with the final result. It's a major step forward from anything else we've ever done and, even if no-one enjoys it, I'm really proud of it.
In terms of favourite tracks, I really enjoy the production I did on Idiots Make Good Lovers and Breed Out The Tonedeaf, but I can't deny the enjoyment of physically playing the upbeat I Hope She's Not.
I actually found the album surprisingly easy to mix - it pretty much mixed itself. Because we'd put the groundwork in from the start by getting the arrangements right in the practice room, it came together without too much "fighting in post".
There are, of course, things that I agonised over right till the last minute, but in the end you've just got to sit back and say, "That's enough, it sounds fine."
Q: The Tweeks seem to be on the road a fair bit, be it touring around Otago or further afield. Has that always been a focus to take your music to as many people as possible?
A: I think we've always been a live band. The music is almost always written for live.
However, the touring is not just about taking it to as many people as possible; it's also about getting out with some of your best friends and having a laugh.
At the end of the day, it's good fun.
> See them: Wednesday at Refuel; Thursday at Backstage as part of Students for Tibet benefit concert; August 22 at Backstage for video release of 160 Characters.
