Ride with It, Baby

Time Off
by Nick Coppack
January 2004


Crazy-haired Dandy Warhols drummer Brent DeBoer is in high spirits today… although that won't surprise too many people. After all, it's the band's fondness for partying and willingness to speak out on so- called `taboo' topics that's seen them make headlines over the years, often at the exclusion of their winning psychedelic pop tunes. And while 30 cases of Budweiser have just been delivered to the Dandy's headquarters ­ "I have absolutely no idea why, but you don't say no in those situations!" ­ it's not drink or drugs that's responsible for DeBoer's mood, but rather the impending trip to Australia for the Big Day Out festival.
But hang on, what does DeBoer make of the Dandy's reputation as beer- swilling, pill-popping lunatics?
"Man, we don't always party," he says. "We like to have a good time, just like anyone else, but we do believe in moderation. A lot of bands will be asked a crazy question and maybe someone in Travis will say `Oh no, we don't talk about that' but Courtney [Taylor-Taylor, vocals] or Zia [McCabe, keys] will talk about whatever without thinking too much about it. Then you open up the magazine and that's what the whole article's about. You only vaguely remember talking about it but suddenly it's in bold, right at the top of the page."
So, good sex or a good show ­ which one's better?
"Well, you can get good anything ­ you can get a good steak but a great steak is something else. If you're talking in those terms then I'll choose a great show ­ definitely a great show because it's a rarity.
"With sex, you can be pretty sure as you're working towards your goal that it's going to be great because you're working hard and you're doing your thing. But you can work your ass off at having a perfect rock show and it can kinda suck. A truly great rock show is amazing ­ there's no other feeling like it."
Dandy Warhols shows are normally three-and-a-half-hour "rave parties with rock'n'roll interludes" but DeBoer says festival slots and supports call for a different approach. It's one they were able to master recently, playing 45-minute opening slots for David Bowie around Europe. The tour was a prime opportunity for the Dandy Warhols to show off new album (their fourth) Welcome To The Monkey House, a record produced by Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes and one that's earned the band impressive reviews for its detour into 80s-inspired synth sounds and drum machines.
"With the shorter set it seems to work best just to bang out the hits. I mean, we'll play `(You Come In) Burned' and `Godless' in the middle but basically we bang out four-minute rock songs for 45 minutes. Although, we don't really have a plan for Australia yet… we might just get up there and jam for one song!
"We can't imagine how some bands can handle playing the same set every single night. It's so different to what we do ­ we kinda make it up as we go along. If a song doesn't feel right we'll go to half- time or do something else with it. Big Day Out sounds like fun though. I checked out the website and it looks like a really cool festival."
Any other plans while the band are in the country?
"Well, last time we went out to this farm that was way out in the middle of nowhere. This doctor lived there and he pulled up in this old-school car and goes `G'day mate' and immediately rolls this huge joint. Then he's like `Come on boys, let's go', so we jumped in his car and went down to the woods and saw some kangaroos.
"This guy was hilarious ­ Courtney was looking at some mushrooms growing underneath some trees and asked him if they were hallucinogenic mushrooms. This guy's like `I'm not sure' and grabs a huge handful and chucks them in his mouth! I think it was out near Brisbane somewhere…"
Touring isn't all fun and games though. DeBoer admits there have been some incredible tough times on the road.
"I break down about once a month on tour and I disappear for a few days. I'm either onstage or in my bunk and I can't shake it ­ it's really icky and awful but it goes away and after a few days you show up again and everyone just goes `Oh, welcome back!'. That happens to everyone though. It's never really got to the point for anyone where they've talked about quitting the band or anything.
"I mean, when you're in a close-knit family like we are, things are always said and vibes are felt and occasionally it feels like you're on the verge of breaking up. But I don't think anyone in the Dandy Warhols wants to go and be a session player. This kind of opportunity we've got doesn't come along every day so you just ride with it as long as you can."
The Dandy Warhols play the Big Day Out, Gold Coast Parklands Sunday Jan 18. Welcome To The Monkey House out now on Capitol/EMI.