By Alva Casey

The Drones are making their way across the Tasman this October to play shows in Auckland and Wellington.  

The band have recently released their fifth studio album 'I See Seaweed'.  Earlier this year they played their long awaited New Zealand debut live shows opening for Canadian legend Neil Young in both Wellington and Auckland to a warm and rousing reception, gaining a bunch of new Kiwi fans.  

Alva Casey fired some questions to frontman Gareth Liddiard ahead of the NZ shows.  

What did your mothers think of the album title "Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By"?

Good question. I dunno.  I don't think anyones mum's really cared.  I don't even know if anyone's mum's even heard it.  Mine definitely didn't, being dead and all that.

How do you cope with post tour blues?

I just want to clarify what the definition of "tour".  Australia isn't really big enough to "tour".  My idea of a "tour" is at least 20 shows in about 24 days.  Then you do at least 100 shows in a year... at least.

So when you return from a tour you basically keep behaving as though you're on tour until you hit a wall. Then you hide indoors until you realise that life isn't supposed to be 24/7 action packed party madness.  Then your IQ goes up about 30 or 40 points and you kinda evolve into something more rational and less impulsive and generally more social.  Then you wonder at how anyone in their right mind can tour.  Then you go back on tour and it takes about a week or 10 days and you de-evolve back into a complete animal that stinks, drinks, sleeps anywhere yet never gets more than 6 hours of sleep a day, visits laundries, drinks, smokes, relishes conflict and confrontations with individuals outside it's own touring party and is basically disgusting, frightening and offensive and very good at playing shows.

Do you have a muse or a place for inspiration when writing?

Yes.  Anywhere above ground. anywhere ungravelike.

What has been your favourite album to work on to date?

The first one, because we had no idea what we were doing and everything was new.

If you had to work in any other profession (completely non music related) what would it be?

I'd be an apollo astronaut.  The 24 men who were apollo astronauts fill me with admiration and extreme jealousy.  Especially the men who went on the last three missions because they had a car.

On a scale of 1 - 10, how much are you looking forward to playing New Zealand in October?

10. Naturally.

The Drones

October 4th:  Kings Arms Tavern, Auckland

October 5th:  Bodega, Wellington

Tickets via Under The Radar