Hit That Beat!

Rip It Up, Issue 70, 1 May 1983, Page 19

Hit That Beat!

Russell Brown

OUT WITH THE VIEHARDS

Several days before the following interview was done, the Diehards resolved to stop getting drunk before gigs. In the seven months of their existence they'd become quite (in)famous for their drinking. A couple of weeks later I bumped into singer Eddie at Wellington's Sheaf nightclub, where the band was supporting the Dance Exponents on their national tour. Eddie offered a near empty half-bottle of whisky. Accepted with thanks. But weren't the Diehards going to stop drinking before

playing? "We haven't stopped drinking," said Eddie. "We've stopped getting drunk." But they mean it. Not getting drunk, that is. "Carrying on like that was fine when we weren't sure how far it was going to go but now we realise we've got to take it seriously," explains bass player Max Doyle. "You disappoint people they re paying up to five dollars to see you," Eddie adds. The Diehards were born in Meemee country when Max and Eddie fooled around with a little Casiotone keyboard, making tunes and putting them on a tape

recorder. One day Troy Merz came around with his new synthesiser and then Stephen Eldson started bashing on a drum kit that was there. He hadn't played before. Only a few weeks later they did a gig at the Rumba Bar, supporting Rank and File. "God it was terrible," Max grins. "We only had five songs. It didn't matter because there were only about five people there anyway." After that they didn't play very often, something they've been criticised for. "At first that was the plan, to play as little as possible, selective things," Max explains. "There was never really any logic behind our plans at the beginning. We've changed. You sort of come to terms with the fact that you're getting good money from it and you want more. "We don't want to play to the extent of someone like Prime Movers, though. They were an excellent band and they played themselves to death. "That's why this tour we're going on (with the Dance Exponents) has just come at the right time, because any longer and we've done everything we can do in Auckland, except for schools. You've got to get out of the city." A rash statement. The Diehards are far from exhausting the city's possibilities. Eddie is a little more cautious: "We've done it, but we haven't done it very well," he admits. "I think we could do it better. - "On this tour we're going to really try to play well, especially

seeing as we’ve got the single coming out." Eddie wrote both the songs. He does most of the writing, at home, with his guitar. Does he write songs for people to dance to? "Yeah, that's one of the major things." "I think that just comes naturally with the songs," Max comments. "They just seem to be that way. "Now everyone's learning to use their instruments it's starting to get complicated," Max explains. "I'd like it to stay simple if we can." "Yeah, we don't want to get too self-indulgent," Eddie adds. This year the Diehards want to record more, play some more schools (with Eddie and Max both 18, it stands to reason they'll have more in common with students than the average pub audience) and put on a couple of "real flashy" gigs, with elaborate staging. Further ahead, Max has his sights set on England. "I think we all want to be in this band so badly that I don't think we'll let it run down. Even if it means stopping for a few months and all getting jobs to earn money to get to England." What it comes down to is the Diehards have a spark. If they want it to develop into something more it'll take work. That doesn't necessarily mean playing all the time or living a monastic life, but it does mean more time in the practice room and more time thinking about what they're doing. There's time. End of sermon.