The Datsuns Interview

Virtual Festivals: Has the rise in commercial success put new pressures on the band?

Dolf Datsun: I s'pose it has, but we don't really think about that stuff - other people think about that. They're like, "wow your next album's going to sell more cause you're better now", whereas we don't really care cause we played for seven years and didn't make a cent from it and nobody cared so why should we care if it succeeds or fails?

What do you think has been the band's biggest achievement so far?

I think it's probably different for everybody [in the band]. Just getting to do what we have always wanted to do for a living has probably been the best achievement but there are things along the way where we just stop and think, "wow that was cool". For example, I used to have the video of Radiohead playing at The Astoria in London and then we played there, so it's things that we saw bands we loved doing and all of a sudden we're doing those things and playing those places so you can kind of feel like you're achieving something.

Can you tell us about your Top Of The Pops experience?

That was kind of funny really because all the acts were girl bands and boys bands and they were all miming - Celine Dion was miming to her single - then we came on and played live and we were like twice as loud as everyone else and all the kids were blown away, in fact they warned them and said, "this is going to be very loud!". But they really liked it which was cool. They had a bar backstage where everyone was hanging out and Pink who was filming her thing that day was standing behind these huge bodyguards who were literally twice as tall as her, she was in the corner just sitting there behind them . As for the other Boy/ girl bands they all kind of kept to themselves but we brought some friends along to hang out with so that was fine.

What do you love about music?

If I could describe it then you could put into a formula and bottle it and sell it, the fact that you can't and that it's different for everybody, that's the magic about it. Like when I play on stage sometimes I actually forget where I am and that's the bit I really love, that you can play some music and its takes you out from where you actually are and you can be somewhere else. It's hard to describe.

What's the biggest misconception about being a rockstar?

That it's glamorous. It's hard work and it can be really boring and it sometimes can be really lonely. You tour in a bus for like 3 months on end, you don't see anyone you know and you can never stop in a town. You do interviews all day, you play the show, you drive to the next town, everything is scheduled out down to 5 minutes - you're kind of like a prisoner on a moving bus.

We work a lot harder than other bands; we toured 10 months last year and we are going to tour 10 months this year - whereas most bands only tour 4 or 5 months tops. So it's not glamorous its hard work- but that's only because we have chosen to do it that way. But at the same time it can be really exciting y'know. I get to go out and play in front of thousands of people and do what I love to do every night so it's like pros and cons, It's better than you think and it's not as good as you would think.

If you were making a mixed tape of the 5 greatest songs of all time what would be on it?

That's tough... umm I'd put 'Baby Love' by the Supremes, "Dancing Queen" by Abba - believe it or not, there is something about the bridge in that song that gets me emotionally choked up and I don't know why - "Kashmir" By Led Zepplin, "Hopelessly Devoted To You" by Olivia Newton John, and "Know Your Product" By The Saints. Ask me again tomorrow and it could be a different 5.

What's Your Favourite song off your debut album, "The Datsuns"?

That changes all the time.We just wrote a couple of new songs and I really like those - that's probably because they are really new and we have been playing the others for years. I really Like track 9, "You build me up" because we have never played it live. I like them all for different reasons. They are like children and it's like asking your favourite one!

What have you got planned for the coming year ?

Big Day Out was our first show in 3 weeks then we tour non stop till September 1st. We are looking forward to it but we are worrried about it at the same time because that's a lot of work and we have just been told all these stories about bands who have broken up like "At The Drive In" They were kind of in the same position as we are, they were getting popular and a lot of hype and they were touring non-stop and that's what actually broke them up.

But you guys are solid, right?

Ha ha. Well we're solid now - 10 months on the bus together.. talk to us again then. Just imagine 10 months of Christmas day with your family! But it's going to be good, its going to be an exciting year and I'm looking forward to it.