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Flight of the Conchords are Bret McKenzie (guitar and vocals)
and Jemaine Clement (vocals and guitar) and they're New Zealand's
fourth best folk guitar-based jazz, techno, hip-hop due. Over
six episodes we follow their attempts to crack the UK's novelty
music scene with songs such as Frodo, Don't Wear the Ring
("Magical Bling Bling"), Fudafafa, Hiphopapotamus
and Think About It (Think, Think About It)...
If,
like me, the thought of listening to a novelty music band
fills you with dread, then let me reassure you that this is
not a CD collection full of rubbish songs with badly rhyming
lyrics. Flight
of the Conchords is
best described as a folk guitar-based jazz, techno, hip-hop
homage to Spinal Tap - or rip-off, if you like.
Over
six 30 minute episodes, this spoof documentary follows the
attempts of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement to break into
the UK music scene. With their manager, Bryan, who is attempting
to get them gigs, a record deal, as well as managing their
fan club - which numbers less than half a dozen members.
Why
is he managing The Conchords? Well, apparently when he saw
them he realised that they had the "A" factor. What's
that? Apparently it is something special, when you look at
them you go: "Eh?"
And
then there are the songs. Having heard some of their live
material (not really advised unless you really do like novelty
music bands) the songs are much better in their edited form
as presented here.
Examples
of some of the better material include, from Think About
It (Think, Think About It):
They're
turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers,
What's the real cost? 'Cos the sneakers don't seem that
much cheaper,
Why are sneakers still so expensive when you've got little
slave kids making them?
What are your overheads?
And,
from Frodo, Don't Wear the Ring ("Magical Bling Bling"):
I
don't rap about bitches and hoes,
I rap about witches and troll,
Frodo, don't wear the ring (magical bling bling)
You'll never be the Lord of the Rings.
This
series charts the band's rise and rise on the UK music scene;
the release of a single, which they write for a producer (played
by Greg Proops) who manages a Britney Spears-like teenage
pop star; their eventual split-up and reforming; and finally
their reflections on the whole music business. Along the way
they have to deal with the problems of being the support act
for a panda; bring out their street alter egos Hiphopapotamus
and Rhymenocerous; while their manager constantly phones ex
Crowded House front man Neil Finn (who he once met at a wedding)
for music advice.
There
are also explanations of how the band formed. Apparently Bret
couldn't play a guitar. Jemaine had a video and had mastered
the basics even though he didn't have a guitar - he played
air guitar. And one day the two met... and the rest is history.
They
also reveal that they wrote a song for Peter Jackson's Lord
of the Rings movie - he hadn't asked them, they just thought
it would be cool. Actually, this whole segment is made all
the funnier when you know that Bret is the son of Peter McKenzie,
who plays Elendil in The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship
of the Rings, and that Bret appeared briefly in the The
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King as an elf escort.
The
whole series is linked together with narration by Rob Brydon,
whose "Hi! You might remember me from..." dialogue
is not a million miles away from the Simpsons's Troy
McClure character.
If
you ignore the fact that this is Spinal Tap with Troy
McClure narrating, you'll have a folking good time.
Darren
Rea
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£15.19
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£11.99
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£10.89
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All prices correct at time of going to press.
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