Paste Magazine Interview - April 2008

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS TAKES OFF



"We knew it was gonna be hard. But we didn't know it would be impossible," says Bret (or Brit in Kiwi pronunciation) McKenzie about Flight of the Conchords' schedule from late 2006 through most of last year, which required the New Zealand musical-comedy duo to write and film their HBO series five days a week while recording an EP and full-length for Sub Pop on weekends.

McKenzie and his comedic partner Jemaine Clement acknowledge the use of stimulants to get through the grueling ordeal. "We'd be in the studio half asleep, drinking Coke trying to get this stuff done," McKenzie says. "Not doing coke, drinking Coke."

"We'd mix the Coke with cocaine and make a paste out of it," Clement explains.

"Like a mojito," Bret adds.

"But carbonated," Jemaine clarifies.

The duo would still be yearning for a day off if not for the Writers Guild strike, which prevented them from starting work on scripts for the second season. "It's a dream for us," McKenzie says, " a forced holiday."

During a quick trip to L.A., Clement and McKenzie submitted to a fan-mag-style pop quiz over lunch (Brit had the viggie burger).

WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?
JC: Capricorn.
BM: Cancer.
JC: Cancers and Capricorns get on really well.
BM: Jemaine doesn't get sick of me;
I get sick of him.

FAVE RAPPER:
BM: R. Kelly.
JC: Neil Tennant.

FAVE ROCK BAND:
JC: Jimi Hendrix Experience.
BM: Steely Dan. Would that be rock?

FAVE TV SHOWS:
JC: It's Gary Shandling's Show, The Larry Sanders Show and [British series] Blackadder are the shows that got me excited about comedy.
BM: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Tenacious D, and The Monkees.

FAVE FILM COMEDY:
BM: Harold and Maude, This is Spinal Tap.
JC: Rushmore and Robocop.

FAVE WORKOUT REGIMEN:
JC: I play clumsy basketball and coordinated squash.
BM: Tennis or soccer.

FAVE BODY PART:
JC: Penis! Oh, mine or other people's?
BM: My guns.

FAVE RELIGION:
BM: I love the Christians.
JC: It's all Islam for me.

FAVE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE:
JC: Probably Obama.
BM: The winner