Samuel Flynn Scott speaks!
tks: May 14, 2006. You describe yourself in a One Network News clip as ‘a wistful hero… wanting money and babes.’ Discuss.
sfs: My god what an awful thing to say! I guess I can get a little wound up in words doing these interview things and just come out with some very flippant rubbish that I hope might come across as interesting.
tks: Have you ever considered having an all-star girl band called ‘Bunnies on My Little Ponies”?
sfs: Yes. That is my ultimate goal in life! It really bums me out that I don’t play more music with women. I do get concerned that the music world is a bit a boys club.
tks: Who would you be fearful of entering a beard competition against?
sfs: Dave Fraser from the Lawrence Arabia band (and formerly of Cassette) has the greatest beard I have ever seen. It left me, Liam Finn and every other beardist in the dust at Camp Low Hum.
tks: Is that Chuck Norris on the reworked album cover in your new video (watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN64sN4oswA)?
sfs: No that is some really really awful christian music. Luke Buda used it as the inspiration for his album cover so I slipped it into my vid as some sort of secret code Phoenix Foundation side project nerd trivia.
tks: What does B.O.P. allow you to do that your other band doesn’t?
sfs: Have complete final say on every single aspect of the album making process! Actually that is rubbish as everyone in the band is welcome to tell me what they think and play music in whatever way they like. TPF is much more of a try every idea, go through every process kinda band. The Bunnies is all about accepting our first ideas and working quickly. Its funny because we work faster but it always seems like we are under less pressure.
tks: If you were to make a mixtape for New Zealand, what would be on it?
sfs: Well I guess I would go with a 50/50 mix of NZ and international hits. I get a bit sick of the notion of New Zealand music as a genre. It would probably be something like this:
Side A -
Electric Light Orchestra – Living Thing
Ray Charles – Let’s Go Get Stoned
Frank Black – Superbound
Belle And Sebastian – The Boy With The Arab Strap
Bob Dylan – I Want You
Paul McCartney Momma Miss America
Yellow Magic Orchestra – Rydeen
Karen Dalton – Something On Your Mind
Side B -
The Clean – Stars
The Shrugs – Under Water Sky
Lawrence Arabia – The Beautiful Young Crew
Cassette – Familiar Surrounds
The Mint Chicks – The Perfect Machine
Finn – Suffer Never
SJD – Guiding Light
Mestar – Start To Cry
tks: We just watched the Lawrence Arabia video ‘Talk about the good times, where he plays up the ‘man alone’ narrative. What part of the NZ psyche do you play to?
sfs: I am such an out and out Wellington soy latte drinker I should be ashamed of myself. I think if there is anything I represent ‘character’ wise in my music its some thing of the displaced freak. Yes thats me. The city dwelling, late for the bus gen X’er who longs for psychedelic freedom but is too scared to get on board the train to oblivion.
tks: Do you prefer straight answers or crooked questions?
sfs: I love a good crooked question. They’re much easier not to answer at all.
Samuel Flynn Scott’s new album ‘Straight Answer Machine’ is out now. Available from Loop and your favourite record store! Plus, don’t miss his*FREE* gig at the Wellington Town Hall, June 6!
