Elise and Mo for their version of Business Time. And going so far as to film themselves performing it! Go ladies. I've yet to shrink the file to host it with you, but as soon as I do, I'll let you know. Your tee shirts and BBC radio CD will be winging their way to you in the New Year :)
Chica for her Very Conchords Christmas. Inspired and lo, I think I got all the references. A WTF! tee shirt for you!
Ms Dandy Lyons for her photoshopped seasonal pic of the Conchords. A WTF! Binary Solo mousepad is yours!
And lastly, an extra winner, Heather. Anyone who bakes Conchords cookies has to win something in my book! A WTF! mousepad for you too!
View the winning entries here. Many thanks to everyone who took time to enter. It was such a difficult thing to choose just a few of you for prizes as there were many great entries. Honourable mentions should go to Electra for her artwork, Simon for his version of Business Time, Elizabeth for her version of the same song and Bianca for her great photoshop pic (Bret as Rudolph made me smile)
December 15 2007 - Eeny, meeny, miny.... I'll start *here*
I know I've been a bit slow updating about the recent Conchords nominations, but I've a whole heap of other news also to include for you that you may not have read about elsewhere. I like to try to cover all the goings on for the Conchords, wherever it may be happening in the world, so without further ado, one big news update for you :)
WTF! is giving stuff away!Christmas cheer has reached me and I've got a couple of tee shirts, a BBC radio CD and a mousepad up for grabs. Alas you do have to do *something* to try to win one, but I know you are a creative bunch ;) It's a Christmas theme, so feel free to photoshop a picture of the Conchords with all the trimmings, write a seasonal lyric for one of the Conchords songs (and record it if you really want to), draw a picture, whatever takes your fancy really.
The long awaited studio album from the Conchords is due for release April 22 2008. It's been bumped back from a tentative release earlier in the New Year. As yet untitled, it'll feature 10-12 songs from a possible 15, all used in the Conchords HBO series and elsewhere in the past. All the tracks have been re-recorded in LA as the Conchords themselves felt the versions used in the HBO series were not quite what they should be and wanted to improve on them. I guess recording the tracks for the HBO series on weekends during filming was not ideal and I think its cool the guys wanted to go back and make changes to songs. And lets hope its still slated for a vinyl release. Read more on Billboard.
WGA have announced its television and radio nominees for the 2008 Writers Guild Awards Wednesday. And lookie, the Conchords are in there! They got a nod for Comedy Series, New Series and Episodic Comedy for the Sally Returns episode. Read more about it over at Variety.
TheNZ Herald ran an article on the Conchords today. Pretty much things we know already but a decent recap on events for the NZ public. They also ran their pick of local talent and named the Conchords are #1 and Taika Waititi at #3. Read the article here
Australian press article on Eagle vs Shark. Click image for larger size.
The Guardian in the UK has its annual Gong Show list for 2007 and Rhys Darby's character Murray Hewitt came out tops as the Best Supporting Character. The snippet says
In comedy, supporting players brought in to bring up the funny quota can often usurp the lead performer. Larry Sanders had Hank Kingsley, Seinfeld had George Costanza, now The Flight Of The Conchords has Murray. It's all about Murray. Narrowly beating fellow co-star Kristen Schaal's adorable and terrifying stalker Mel, Rhys Darby's turn as sweet natured, dim but enthusiastic Murray is exemplary, hysterical stuff. Be it baring his soul in the song Leggy Blonde ("I like pie") or his band meeting rollcall etiquette ("Murray... present") Murray nails every line. Even the posters in his office are hilarious - "New Zealand... It's not part of Australia." The Conchords just wouldn't fly without old Ginger Balls.
December 6 2007 - Nominations everywhere - Conchords bag a couple
It's awards season in the US. And a few other places. The Conchords have been nominated for a Grammy in the Best Comedy Album section. Good going for an EP! Congrats on the nom guys.
O and North & South, another Kiwi magazine and fans of the Conchords dished out an award to the Conchords recently. They were their Arts and Entertainment winners! Congrats Bret and Jemaine.
And a big thank you to all those who have been helping to support What The Folk! by visting the WTF! shop and shopping. Thank you :)
December 1 2007 - Mentioning everyone else today...
No actual real Conchords news but more a round up of the goings on with other projects and co stars from the HBO Conchords series...
One or two Conchords snippets - they are apparently going to appear on the Daryl Hall webcast sometime early next year, but I've no idea of the exact (or even vague) date. I'll post more info as it comes in. Daryl was asked in a recent Q&A interview -
Q: How did your cameo on "Flight of the Conchords" come about?
A: They were fans. They asked me to do it before the show had been broadcast here, so I was given a tape of the pilot, which I thought was amazing. Not only are they really funny, they write great songs. Their droll act is the way they are in real life. When I asked them to be on my webcast show, Jemaine just said, "Hmmm, we'd better practice ..."
And I heard that the Conchords have been nominated for a Satellite Award. Waiting for the offical listing to go up on the website to confirm this. This blog has predictions and explains a bit about the awards themselves.
New movie search for talent - The star director and writer of the Oscar-nominated film Two Cars One Night is looking for the cast of his new feature film. Taika Waititi's new film The Volcano is about a young boy's coming of age on the East Coast in the 1980s.
Producer Ainsley Gardiner says the new film will begin shooting late next year. She says The Volcano is loosely based on Waititi's critically acclaimed short film. Gardiner says the characters and story are different but it has definitely come about because of Two Cars, One Night.
Casting sessions will be held in Rotorua, Whakatane and Gisborne over the next two weeks.
Rhys Darby, back home for a while, was interviewed by TV3 in New Zealand recently. You can read about it here or watch the video here. He has a few gigs lined up while home but alas they are already sold out. Details here.
Kristen Schaal will be appearing on Never Mind The Buzzcocks (imo the funniest music quiz on TV - Simon Amstell = top notch presenter) this coming Thursday December 6 on BBC2 at 9PM. Listing here. She'll be sitting alongside team captain Noel Fielding of The Mighty Boosh.
November 27 2007 - Conchords radio interview on Radio New Zealand
This Conchords interview flew under the wire last week with the rest of the world, but there is an option to go listen it it again on the Radio New Zealand site here . Or you can download it from WTF! here :> *Warning* Bret and Jemaine are not in character during this interview and actually sound like they know stuff about stuff ;)
November 23 2007 - Out there in the depths of the internet....
Peter Bradshaw over at the Guardian thinks Flight of The Conchords is the best comedy on TV (in the UK) and it deserves to be given a slot on BBC2 soon. Read his thoughts on the show here
You can now download Conchords songs from the Humans Are Dead EP in MP3 format from Amazon. Flight of the Conchords - Distant Future EP
For all other Conchords albums please visit the Shop page for links.
Like the guys dulcet tones so much you'd like soundbites of them? Well someone had you in mind when they made these soundboards. Go listen to clips of Jemaine, Bret and Murray in action (click links in names)
And a couple of old clips have surfaced thanks to the joys of the internet. You can view them over at Leftfield or I have them for you to download also. Frodo clip - Pencils In The Wind (aka Sellotape) clip (in .flv format)
The above clips should be popular with those who are liking Jemaine's new facial hair growth :p It's not the first time he has sported the fuzzy look as these clips (and pics) prove ;)
And Eagle vs Shark news for Australia! It's due for release there in December apparently. I found a listing for it at an arthouse Melbourne cinema and it should slowly do the rounds at other arthouse/indy cinemas around the country. Check local listings for details.
And I know I'm late with uploading them all, but loads of people sent in their Halloween pics and they do deserve to be seen. Dressing up as the Conchords seems to be becoming a national pastime :p Go view the Halloween does the Conchords page here.
November 18 2007 - I know I know, they won something and other news
I've been busy, life and all that waffle so excuse that I am a little behind in posting the Welly awards news.
The Conchords have been recognised back home in New Zealand at their local awards ceremony and been named Wellingtonians of the Year 2007. Stuff NZ reports -
Conchords soar over all
Business time made way for some hard-earned celebration when comic musical duo Flight of the Conchords were named 2007 Wellingtonians of the Year.
The award presented at the Duxton Hotel last night caps a year of staggering success individually and collectively for Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement.
Since June they have gone from being unknown in the United States to securing a hold on TV viewers through The Flight of the Conchords series with their catchphrases picked up by a much wider audience. Sports commentators have taken to bawling "it's business time", the phrase Clement made his own, and it is known to millions.
The two Wellington College old boys have secured filming of a second series of their show on cable network Home BoxOffice - best known for prime-time hits such as The Sopranos and Sex and the City.
As the first series went to air in June, viewers also had their first opportunity to see Clement's lead role in the comedy film Eagle vs Shark directed by friend Taika Waititi, also from Wellington.
His documentary about the cult following McKenzie earned for a fleeting role in The Lord of the Rings trilogy screened to New Zealand audiences in September, the month the Conchords' series started here.
The duo have released an EP, and finished a studio album of songs from the show. A DVD was released in the US this month.
The Wellys were started 18 years ago by The Evening Post.
View the Conchords accepting their award below
November 9 2007 - I did something. Small in the world of somethings but its something
I really did. Something. I finally got to updating the Fantastic section of the site. So called as it's where you, the fans, send me the fruits of your creative talents and I post them for all to see. Artwork, icons, clips and fan reviews. All there to be seen and read. I created a new page solely for icons as there seem to be so many out there now. And tweaked a few pages elsewhere content wise. If you have sent something in recently and its not yet been posted, please be patient as I have a fair few to try and include.
If you would like to send something in to be included in the Fantastic section drop me an email.
Wanting to yell a little at HBO for the lack of Conchords DVD extras? I have an updated contact page for you to visit. Click here to contact HBO Most people are very happy to finally have a copy and be able to watch the Conchords, but many were hoping for extras also. I'm all for supporting the guys (I have bought everything else they ever put out) but I won't be parting with my cash for a DVD without extras I'm afraid. I already have the episodes saved so don't see the need to invest in the DVD. Sorry if I am depriving Bret and Jemaine of a bit of cash there, but it's really not worth it for me without extras. Plus I am worried HBO will release an extras laden one in the not too distant future and I'd then be coughing up the money twice. That's more of a rip off than anything in my book, if it were to happen. So no, I shall resist.
November 7 2007 - No you don't get extras with that
Flight of The Conchords HBO series was finally released in the US yesterday. Yay! And for those eager to know what other goodies the DVD contained, alas you may be disappointed. Not yay :/ As I thought and posted a little while back, not a sniff of an extra to be seen. It was also never listed as having extras, so I just felt it was not likely to happen. Seems pretty poor showing in this day and age of home entertainment to leave off extras of some kind. But at least people will be able to watch the show as and when now its gone from On Demand.
Please don't yell at me regarding HBO's glaring omission to the Conchords DVD content. Go yell at them direct... click here to contact HBO
November 3 2007 - Eagle vs Shark news and other stuff!
Firstly, concerns abound about the looming strike by writers in the US abound. You can read more about it in an article on the Wall Stree Journal and the BBC. Last ditch talks are due to be held tomorrow apparently. And yes, it would seem the Conchords HBO second season would be affected. So, let's hope tomorrow turns out well eh :)
Eagle vs Shark update next. Amazon have fixed the DVD format listing. Now listed in standard DVD format for pre-order from Amazon. Go shopping!
The UK DVD release of Eagle vs Shark will be January 21 2008 I am informed. Thanks to Emma for the tip off. Pre order fromAmazon UK here And lookie, we get a different cover to the US one. And yay I have the DVD extras listing - Eagle vs Shark DVD Extras: Commentary with director Taika Waititi and lead actors Loren Horsley and Jermaine Clement / UK Exclusive Interview with Director / Director Introduction / Deleted Scenes / Cast & Crew Interviews / Mouse Wheel (Behind the Scenes footage) / Theatrical Trailer / Hard of Hearing subtitles
You can also order an Eagle vs Shark movie poster. Imagine ladies, an almost lifesize if not larger than life pic of Jemaine for your wall! Order 11x 17 here and the 27 x 40 one here.
The Conchords HBO season 1 is due for release in Canada in the not too distant future.
October 27 2007 - Something to cheer US Conchords fans up a little
If you have Comedy Central that is! The Conchords One Night Stand show is airing on Friday Noveber 2. Check listing here at 10.30PM. Check your local listings also as I've no idea what timezone this is for. Thanks Sara for the heads up.
Next, the Conchords appear on the cover of this months Channel Guide magazine. Although I think the actual content inside will only amount to a brief explantion of the cover tagline which is '#9 - Why Flight of The Conchords soared'. Thanks Lauren for the scans :)
Bret tries falling out of the photo while Jemaine keeps busy propping up a wall. Click image for larger pic.
Now onto the Conchords DVD release. Released in the UK on October 29 and reviewed by The Telegraph today as one of their DVD's of the week. Points of interest re this DVD release a) A 2 disc set, b) listed on Amazon UK as having a running time of 346 minutes but clocks in at 360 minutes in the US Amazon listing. Now the UK running time has me wondering, as it would not leave much room for extras. Or it may be incorrect. Other sites list differing details. Anyways, no definate word if the Conchords DVD on either side of the pond will include extras, but with a running time of 360 minutes you'd hope for a few. I'm leaning toward it including the trailers and such stuff, but that's only wishful thinking on my part. I'll keep you posted.
Well my DVD release date of October 29 was apparently correct. For those in the UK/region 2 anyways. The Conchords HBO series is due for release then confirms DVDActive. And Amazon UK has the same date listed.
Next a bit of fan art. I've finally gotten round to updating the Fantastic page with some new submissions. You can check them out over on Fantastic . I'll add more in the next few days.
The Fix recently ran a Conchords article online and also have a Murray Hewitt/Rhys Darby one, which I forgot to mention :| Anyways, go read the Murray one here and the Conchords one here.
O and I finally saw Eagle vs Shark at the cinema recently and loved it. I'd write a review but I've not seen Napoleon Dynamite so can't possibly comment :p
October 9 2007 - You've always got the Conchords...
Meanwhile Sarah Barnett of the same publication interviewed Rhys Darby. If you've not read the great interview/article Barnett did on the Conchords earlier this year, you can go take a peek at the magazine scans here or read it online here (no pretty pics to be seen there however) Thanks Missy for the heads up on the lastest articles.
And one Kiwi writer mentions the Conchords in his piece titled 'Rugby schmugby, New Zealand's got plenty of other reasons to be cheerful' Read it online here
And I hear that Eagle vs Shark, the film starring Jemaine Clement has been pencilled in for a DVD release date of January 8 2008. No pre order info as yet, but as soon as it comes in I'll be sure to share.
October 4 2007 - The Conchords may have gone to ground but news trickles on
Bret and Jemaine are both back in New Zealand. Hopefully taking it easy and able to enjoy being home for spring and summer. Their HBO series, Flight of The Conchords has now begun airing in New Zealand and the UK and seems to be received well. Good reviews in the press and pretty positive feedback from people tuning in!
A few newsy bits for you. Firstly an interview over at BlackBookMag with the Conchords. I'm guessing it was done a little while back however.
The Mirror online here in the UK (the height of journalistic integrity second only to The Sun and The Sport, which I guess makes it 3rd then.... ) wrote a short review type piece on the Conchords series. And wondered why its been stuck on BBC4 and not given prime time on BBC2! My sentiments there exactly. BBC2 would be a great place for the show, given that the Beeb is known for great comedy! Hint hint the BBC :>
The Fix online ran the Conchords on their cover this month/quarter. And included them inside also. Read it here
September 28 2007 - Propping eyelids open and it's only 7pm
Before I fall back to sleep (I'm doing a lot of that at the moment) here is a news update.
The Conchords are back home in New Zealand. Well Jemaine is. Spotted somewhere on the North Island by an eagle eyed fan ;)
...Still, even with my parent-goggles on, I can’t deny that the best new series of the night was Flight of the Conchords (BBC4). Made for HBO, this is a sitcom that features a couple of blokes from New Zealand (Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement) living in America, talking about girls and wondering why their two-piece band has only one fan. The dialogue is interspersed with songs sung directly to camera, commenting on the action (or lack of it).
If this makes the programme sound slightly peculiar, then that wouldn’t be unfair. On the other hand, in a rare twist for such an original sitcom, the originality feels entirely unself-conscious. More importantly, the jokes are funny.
The dialogue, in fact, is delivered in such a low-key way that it takes you a moment to realise how witty and well-crafted it is. The songs combine more gags with surprisingly touching tunes. All in all, I feel a cult hit coming on.
FromThe Scotsman - Review of episode 1 on BBC4. Read the review below.
Conchords take off with a slow burn by Andrea Mullaney
REALLY good sitcoms are rarely immediate hits: usually it takes a while for them to hit their stride. Flight Of The Conchords is a dry, subtle slow-burner and it's a wonder it survived in the American TV market, which ruthlessly cancels shows before their first ad break, practically, if they're not an immediate smash. Being on the subscription cable network, HBO, which specialises in offbeat shows, helped save it and now it's become a cult hit with acclaim for its unconventional format.
For British viewers, it's less unusual: not just because the duo whose act gives the show its title went from the Edinburgh Fringe to a Perrier nomination and a Radio 4 series. But the style of humour is more familiar to us and it feels like a show which could easily have originated here - though probably to rather less financial reward for its stars.
Playing versions of themselves, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are a New Zealand folk/electronica band trying to make it big in New York, where everyone thinks they're either British or Australian. Both go around with hangdog expressions and speak in monotones, unless they're performing one of their songs, when the show suddenly turns into a musical. In last night's episode, Jemaine saw a girl at a party and burst into a song about how she was pretty enough to be a "part-time model - but you'd probably still have to keep your other job". She was the most beautiful girl in that particular room, he told her, and probably in the top three of any street, depending on the street. Strangely, she was not charmed.
The show is certainly not for everyone: I tried showing it to two Peep Show fans on the grounds that it's a little similar (well, there are some extreme camera close-ups and Rachel Blanchard plays a girlfriend in both). One walked out of the room the minute they started singing and the other, after about a minute of music, said politely: "Is this going to go on long?" Sadly, they didn't stick it out till the hilarious music video the Conchords create later, for a Kraftwerk-style robot song called The Humans Are Dead ("We used poisonous gases and poisoned their asses"). Budget constraints meant they filmed this on a cameraphone, so it's probably not going to get them on MTV any time soon.
In fact, the first episode is actually the least funny of the three I've seen so far, so it's worth staying with it. There's something appealing, in an age when so much comedy is getting progressively more frenetic and catchphrase-based, in the show's refusal to milk its deceptively clever lines. And as their manager/consular official, Murray, Rhys Darby almost steals the show.
The Guardian Unlimited has an article about viewing figures for the first Conchords episode on BBC4. Read the snippet pertaining to the Conchords below.
Flight of the Conchords fails to soar - John Plunkett
Much-anticipated HBO comedy Flight of the Conchords made a low-key debut on BBC4 with 161,000 viewers, a 1% share of the audience. The Kiwi comedy, which stars Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie as a pair of musicians struggling to make it in New York,has been described as "Peep Show meets the Monkees" and first aired on BBC Radio 2 two years ago.
Its first episode had 161,000 viewers at 9.30pm last night, a 1% share, according to unofficial overnight figures.
The Conchords have the top selling comedy album on the US Billboard chart. Congrats to Bret and Jemaine! Read the article here.
September 25 2007 - Got five minutes to read all this?
Now that the Conchords HBO series is airing in their homeland and as of tonight begins airing in the UK on BBC4 there is another flurry of press activity. I've compiled a round up of news and reviews...
Firstly a short interview over at Chortle with Rhys Darby where he tells about his new film role alongside Jim Carrey and the possible back to work date on the second Conchords series. Congrats to Rhys on the film role :)The article says
Stand-up Rhys Darby has landed a key role in Jim Carrey’s new movie, Yes Man. The film is an adaptation of Danny Wallace’s autobiographical book about his decision to say ‘yes’ to whatever he was asked to do.
Darby, a London-based New Zealander, will play Norman, the boss of Jim Carrey’s character Karl in the loan company where he works.He landed the role on the back of the success of HBO series Flight Of The Conchords, in which he plays Murray, the hapless manager of the New Zealand folk parodists.
Darby told Chortle: ‘The director Peyton Reed is a big fan of Flight Of The Conchords, and loved my work in that. So I got a call from him and he asked me to audition on a tape, which I sent him from the UK.
‘And now I leave for Los Angeles in three weeks, for filming which will take me up to January, when we start work on the second series.Read the rest of the article here
Long time fan/supporter of the Conchords, The Guardian newspaper has a great article online including a short, enlightening interview with Bret and Jemaine. It says
Do the flight thing - They say it's 'Peep Show meets the Monkees'. Not only that, Flight Of The Conchords - a comedy series following the trials of two New Zealand musicians in New York - is the funniest thing on TV, says Tim Jonze
Comedy and music - it's a combination known to inspire yawns, tears and the sudden impulse to violently beat passers by with a Tenacious D 12-inch.
Thankfully, the genre has met its saviours in Flight Of The Conchords, two geeky guys - Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement - here to stake their claim as,"formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo a cappella-rap-funk-comedy-folk duo." Their recent HBO series has earned them a devoted following in the States - they're even signed to legendary grunge label Sub Pop - while over here they've built up a cultish buzz thanks to the modern miracle of YouTube.
A kind of Mighty Boosh meets Peep Show, the show documents the lives of Bret and Jemaine, two struggling musicians whose manager never seems to get them any gigs and whose fan (yep, they only have the one) makes.... read the rest of the article here
Flight of the Conchords is, nutshell-wise, the New Zealand version of The Mighty Boosh. Jermaine Clement and Brett McKenzie are a long-standing institution in New Zealand, from where their digi-folk parodies and impressively low-key comic delivery have got them a Sony Award-winning Radio 2 show.
Now we have their HBO show on import. The premise is simple – an aimless Kiwi digi-folk two-piece move to New York to “make it”. What distinguishes Flight of the Conchords from everything else, however, is that this is the first sitcom musical. Yes – my final TV dream has finally come true.
It is a proper musical, too – not just men singing a song occasionally. The songs extrapolate, move scenes on and impart information, just like Rodgers and Hammerstein. While deadpan in their day-to-day affairs, in song, Clement and McKenzie can suddenly express what they have secretly been thinking – “You’re so beautiful, like a part-time model or high-class prostitute”; “I’m not crying because you left me today/ It’s just my eye is/ Sweaty”; and, just before a seduction, in a painful falsetto: “My room is usually/ Tidier than this.” There is also immense kudos for the joyous Dad-ness of the Fleetwood Mac joke: “Some of their best work came out of that sordid love triangle.” “Rumours?” “No, it was all true.”
Meanwhile, back in New Zealand the Sunday Star Times called the Conchords 'American Idols'
Their faces are on T-shirts, their songs are on cellphone ringtones and their catchphrases are on the lips of the nation's biggest sports commentators. Just how big are Kiwi comedians Flight of the Conchords in the US? Very, very big. Tim Hume reports.
On the ESPN highlights reel, the world's highest-paid baseball player steps up to the plate and prepares to swat a hapless pitch deep into the stands.
"Alex Rodriguez. He steps in at the top of the first: you know what time it is," intones commentator Scott Van Pelt, anchor of the cable network's flagship SportsCenter show, before - CRACK! - the Yankees star wallops his 52nd home run of the season over leftfield. "It's business time, baby!" roars Van Pelt, breaking into manic, half-scatted song: "Let's get down to business, it's business time!" ... read the rest of the article here
September 21 2007 - The Conchords are off back home to New Zealand
I know this as the kind lady publicist at the BBC had been hoping to have them do a bit of publicity for their HBO series now airing here in the UK. Alas she has been told they are unavailable for the next 6 weeks and that they are going back to New Zealand. I can only think that Bret and Jemaine are taking a well earned break from all things Conchord like (at least overseas) although who knows if they will do some New Zealand publicity to promote the show when back home. Hopefully she'll get to talk to Rhys Darby (Murray) and a few other people, but the UK is going to be lacking in actual Conchords comments and stuff. Ah well, it would have been nice as the Conchords have a decent fan base built up here over the years but it was not meant to be. Any news from the BBC I'll be sure to share with you here :)
Now for some news and reviews from the guys homeland. First up Jane Bowron of The Dominion Post had this to say about the first episode of Flight of The Conchords that aired this past Monday on NZ Prime.
You have to wonder what Americans made of HBO serving up Flight of the Conchords (Prime, 10pm Monday) in the wake and devastation of The Sopranos and such raunchy shows as Six Feet Under and Sex and the City.
On the Common Sense Media website, which gives a steer to parental guidance of TV viewing, the assessment of Flight of the Conchords came with the advisory: "Parents need to know that this musical comedy about a faux folk duo is pretty mild."
And indeed this show is so innocent it could be called No Sex in the City or, if Woody Allen had anything to do with it, Everything You Wanted to Know about Not Getting Sex in the City.
In fact, even though Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie use awkward silences rather than words as their preferred way of communication...read the rest of the article here
Also The Hit List on Stuff NZ ran an article and the writer said he was putting Flight of The Conchords in his top 5 sitcoms of all time! OK, so at number 5, but it's in there! Read the article here
TVScoop posted a review of the Conchords One Night Stand. OK, so the show was filmed back in the summer of 2005, but only aired in the UK this past week to help kick of the Conchords HBO series which starts airing from next week on BBC4. Read the One Night Stand review here
September 18 2007 - O those guys - plus BBC Conchords trailers - tres amusing
The Conchords partied with Kristen Schaal at the HBO Emmy's after party. Jemaine kindly matched the wallpaper. What a gent ;)
Photo by Gus Ruelas
Go check out more pics of them here. Yahoo TV was at the after party and had a few words with Jemaine. View the clip here (yay for interviewer flirting :| )
The BBC is airing the Conchords HBO series starting in the next week or two. They are running a couple of made for UK TV Conchords trailers at the moment and also have them to view online on their Conchords page. View the BBC trailers here (Choose Trail 1 & 2) Visit the BBC Conchords page here
Did New Zealand enjoy the first Conchords episode? If you caught the show on NZ Prime last night and liked (or didn't like) what you saw, drop me an email . I may post your comments here.
The Sunday Star Times in New Zealand ran an article on the Conchords this past weekend..
Flight Path - By Grant Smithies - 16 September 2007
Rejected at home, embraced in the United States, now about to be world famous in New Zealand. Grant Smithies asks Flight of the Conchords how they did it.
There wasn't much local comedy on the telly when Jemaine Clement was a teenager. "I felt really starved for it," the star of Eagle vs Shark and half of comedy duo Flight of the Conchords says. "In fact, when Melody Rules was about to start, I remember getting up on our garage roof in my school uniform and trying to hook up an aerial so we could watch TV3 in Masterton. In the end I never got the aerial to work, so I never saw the show."
He is, of course, extremely lucky on that score. Melody Rules was crap. I've had funnier dental appointments. But the sad thing is that there's still very little decent homegrown comedy on the telly now, 14 years later. You have to wonder why. Are we simply an unfunny nation? Or are the wrong people commissioning comedy television in this country? Going by the experience of Clement and his Conchords co-star Bret McKenzie, you'd have to suspect the latter.... read the rest of the article here
New Zealand Herald, posted a review of the Conchords first episode which aired on NZ TV station Prime last night...
TV Review: Flight of the Conchords, September 18, 2007 - By Linda Herrick
Wellington boys Jemaine (Clement) and Bret (McKenzie) are all alone in New York, following the time-honoured Kiwi tradition of trying to make it as a band in the Big Apple. Their two-man band is called Flight of the Conchords ... and so is their outstanding HBO series (opened last night, Prime, 10 o'clock) following the trajectory of their struggle for success, and with each other.
Jemaine and Bret are mates - but not when it comes to girls. Last night's show opened with Jemaine musing on his great success with chicks back home... read the rest of the article here
September 16 2007 - Gone from US TV but appearing soon on UK and NZ stations!
So the Conchords have gone from US TV now, repeats aside, until sometime in 2008. But in New Zealand, TV station Prime is beginning airing the Conchords HBO series from tomorrow. It's a Monday night, never known for huge viewing figures but lets hope people tune in :) Prime are also airing a newhome grown comedy series before it. Click here for Prime listing In the UK BBC4 will start airing in the next couple of weeks. BBC4 are also showing the Conchords One Night Stand to kick start the season this Tuesday 18 at 9.30pm. BBC TV listing info here - Conchords BBC page here
Somewhere in New Zealand people are seeing this sign promoting the series. Thanks Chris for the pic :) Click on image for full size
Click on image for full size
Something for the Bret fans now! Recorded back in early June, check out these clips at MUD of Bret McKenzie and his fellow uke players Gemma Gracewood and Carmel Russell.
Also NZ Herald reports Bret will be reuniting with his old band The Black Seeds for a gig at the Manawatu Arts Festival soon. Read the article here. Go here for ticket and some online booking and click on 'Upcoming Gigs' on the top right side. No listing at yet for that specific gig. But sometime early October is looking likely.
Sabrina over atYumSugar is a fan of the Conchords and came up with a recipe for the Conchords lasagne for one! Go check out the write up and recipe here. Thanks Sabrina.
Harp Magazine now have an online version of their Conchords interview. Read it here
September 12 2007 - Cricket... football... rugby... and I still found time to update!
Kiwis flying high in the States - By Tom Cardy. From Stuff NZ
New Zealand folk-parody duo The Flight of the Conchords have gone from obscurity to celebrity in just a few weeks. Wellington comedians and musicians Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement don't have to wonder whether their sitcom Flight of the Conchords has had any impact in the United States.Speaking from the offices of American cable channel HBO in Los Angeles, just days after the final episode of the 12-part first season aired, the two say they are recognised wherever they go.
"Over the last 12 weeks it's really incredible, the change," says Mc- Kenzie.
"Up until when the show started airing no one recognised us on the street. A few weeks into the show a few people recognised us, then about eight weeks into the show a lot of people. And now every time we go out someone comes over to us."
The BBC have let me know the Conchords page on their site has changed. You can now find it living here . Don't forget that One Night Stand airs on BBC4 Tuesday September 18 at 9:30pm and will be repeated on Friday September 21 at 11pm. The Conchords HBO series should begin airing the week after! They are also going to try to let me know what sequence the episodes will be shown in.
September 8 2007 - I have news! No really its almost newsworthy enough to be news anyways :p
Round up of some bits and pieces I've mentioned here in recent times....
That series, Flight of The Conchords, well the last part aired in the US this past Sunday. And I rather enjoyed it. In fact, more than rather enjoyed it. Didn't mind the lack of songs, the episode held together well without any as there were plenty of things going on plot wise to keep us occupied, loved the dancing and thought the Todd and Demetri played their parts well. And also felt that acting wise, this was one of the better ones. A worthy season ending.
BBC4 are going to be airing Flight of The Conchords One Night Stand to kick off the Conchords HBO series they are airing from this month. One Night Stand will screen on BBC4 on Tuesday September 18 at 9:30pm and will be repeated on Friday September 21 at 11pm. Visit BBC4's Conchords page here . My one thought is will they air the episodes out of sequence as happened on HBO or now they are all completed, will they be shown in order and therefore Murray wont suffer computer woes one week, get a new one another, then be back on the old one the following episode...
And o. AConchords news story that kicks off with Figwit. If you ask 'Figwit? What's that then?' then you are not alone :p Not everyone had internet back in 2002 or went to see LOTR Fellowship of The Ring at the cinema. And only a handful spotted Bret's uncredited appearance (pre Conchords taking off) as an elf extra during a scene. And only two people thought it would be funny to start a website about it and call the extra 'Figwit'. Anyways, back to the Conchords news article, it's decent, but I for one think the whole Figwit thing had it's moment and it'd be nice to let Bret move on :p I think maybe even Bret thinks that also seems as he said about it elsewhere in interviews. I'll go on the record and say I for one shall never mention Figwit in news updates again *closes that book finally* It was fun back in its day though ;)
The Guardian newspaper in the UK listed Flight of The Conchords HBO series at #8 of its 50 Must See Shows! The Guardian has always been a strong supporter of the Conchords so cool to see they thought enough of the series to rate it. Thanks Claire for the link :)
September 4 2007 - HBO Conchords series on BBC 4 - update
BBC 4 have put together a Conchords page on their website and are keeping me in the loop as to news and airing dates. At the moment, the latest transmission date is September 25, although that has yet to be confimed. I'll post updates as they come in and you can also visit the BBC4 Conchords page here Thanks for the link back BBC :>
Much like HBO have done, the BBC plan to put up new clips each week as the series airs. So all you UK Conchords fans with freeview or satellite TV, enjoy the Conchords on your TV screens soon :) And let's hope the Conchords prove popular and who knows, a move to BBC2 might happen....
September 3 2007 - HBO Conchords DVD release date
Well I was out by a week ;) Apparently the DVD of season one is due out on November 6 2007. Read more about it on tvshowsondvd.com
And the last episode has aired. Hope you enjoyed it! Now for the guys to take a break, head back home and come back with some fresh ideas and songs for the second season.
Rhys Darbygrabbed a news article mostly to himself recently. The New York Post had this to say about him...
I'D CATCH THIS DELIGHTFUL 'FLIGHT' ANYTIME September 2, 2007 -- You've heard of the summer of Sam?
Well, this was the summer of Murray. And unfortunately, it ends this week with the season finale of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords."
Murray is Murray Hewitt, goateed cultural attache to the New York office of the New Zealand consulate and hapless manager of the two-man band known as the Flight of the Conchords.
Murray (played by New Zealand comedian Rhys Darby) livened up my summer immensely with his ludicrous, by-the-book rollcalls (when the only other attendees at his band meetings were the two band members) and absurd prohibitions on such things as booking the band into nighttime gigs because he felt the streets of New York would be unsafe for them after dark.
Murray was one of the standout characters seen anywhere on TV this summer, although he could not have attained that status without the Conchords themselves - deadpan musicians and fellow New Zealanders Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement.... read the rest of this article here
August 31 2007 - mtvU and Billboard
I mentioned a while back about mtvU interviewing the Conchords are Bonnaroo and wanting fan questions sent in to put to the guys. Well, finally (mtvU said a month or so for it to run, its been ooo 2 and a half) they have posted the Conchords clips on their site. Go view the Conchords interview and fan questions here Worth mentioning it may not be viewable to those outside the US. But at least I managed to see it :>
Next up Billboard.com ran an interview with the Conchords. I'm eating my supper as I write this update, 8.45PM, so excuse me for not saying much here about it. Maybe later, if I've not nosedived into the duvet to sleep.
HBO blurb for the last episode of Flight of The Conchords reads - In the Season One finale of Flight of the Conchords, Murray foists a new bongo-playing band member on Bret and Jemaine, triggering much disharmony. After the group splinters into mutant half-bands and Bret works his aggression out in angry dances, where will the dust settle?
Lastly, Demetri Martin, friend of the Conchords, appearing in the last Conchords episode on HBO and a funny guy to boot is filming a pilot for Comedy Central in New York on September 7 apparently. Limited tickets for the pilot filming are available via here . I am amused they state a dress code and ask for it to be 'hip, fashionable, casual' Be sure to dress smart as no one will really see you :p Anyone who gets to go along to the filming, feel free to drop me an email reporting all :>
August 30 2007 - BBC 4 to air Conchords series from mid September
Or at least, that's what I think I deciphered from the email :p I'll double check the start date, but as I understand it, its due to begin the week of September 22-28. Now while I think its great BBC 4 have picked the Conchords series up, I'd love to see it reach a wider audience on BBC 2. The Beeb are known for great comedy and Thursday evenings are always funny, so maybe they would squish the Conchords in there sometime once Mock The Week ends... I can live in hope ;)
BBC press release says
HBO’S FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS TOUCHES DOWN ON BBC FOUR
HBO’s new comedy series Flight of the Conchords will be shown on BBC Four this Autumn.
Co-created by James Bobin and cult New Zealand comedy duo Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, this 12-part comedy series follows Jemaine and Bret’s fictional characters as they attempt to make their way as musicians in New York.
The pair - who live in New York’s Lower East Side - divide their time between seeking gigs and awkwardly courting women. Sometimes finding it easier to express themselves through music, they are apt to break into song at any moment.
BBC Four Acting Controller George Entwistle said “we are very pleased to have secured Flight of the Conchords for BBC Four. Jemaine Clement and Bret Mckenzie have already proved to be a huge success with their BBC Radio 2 comedy series, and have won several awards for their innovative variety of stand-up. We’re confident Flight of the Conchords will go down well with our audience.”
Now onto a disclaimer of sorts! I've been emailed by a fair few people lately who seem to be under the impression I am the lady who carries a picture of Jemaine's lips in her wallet and shows them to him in the Texan Oddessy documentary. And some people are also asking if the character of Mel is based on me at all. To both of those, the answer is no not me and no not me :p I was no where near Austin in March 2006 when the documentary was filmed. I wasn't in the country or on the same continent for that matter! And for the second part, I'm not Mel like in the least. The Conchords have said that Mel is based on a number of fans from over the years, so a whole mix of people.
August 27 2007 - Harp magazine scans featuring some comedians and the Conchords
Hehe, only kidding. Featuring lots of comedians and the Conchords. OK, seriously now, featuring some very cool comedians and the Conchords. Wait, better quit while I'm ahead. Some comedians and the very cool comedic Conchords! Yay I got there :>
Harp magazine is on the shelves now (at most good bookstores) and has a 20 page spread on various comedians. The Conchords got in on it and here are scans of their pages from the article. Click here to view/read full size scan pages.
August 24 2007 - I'll go sit on the fence, it's safer up there...
Rob McKenzie (no relation) has written an interesting article about the Conchords series for the National Post in Canada. I've read it, re read it and I have to admit, I can see his point. I am sure you will also, but as to if you will agree with it or not, that is another matter completely.
Moi? I have to admit to wishing to see more plotlines used. Ones that don't involve trying to get with a woman or having a girlfriend and then not having one or the band breaking up and then getting back together again. Mugged was good as it got away from that and outside the box. Drive By was another one that stood out as its plot was a big change and more animated. What Goes On Tour was for me the weakest episode so far but it was a different setting and storyline, so that was something.
But anyway, I've sat and backspaced, deleted and rewritten this paragraph 10 times over now and nothing I say makes it better. Most who watch the Conchords on TV are loving it. Good thing. Some are enjoying it but wishing for something more.... a Josh Duchee type, or a Rob Brydon narrator with brilliantly funny commentary and witty one liners or Brian's phonecalls to Neil Finn... "Hi Neil, umm, sorry, I think my phone... accidentally... rang you!" But then some need to stop comparing series. But its kind of hard to do when quite a lot of the storylines in the TV show are taken from said radio series! And in my humble opinion, the original remains better than the remake :P There I said it (again). But I am thrilled the Conchords are on TV and chuffed to bits for them for the second season. I'm looking forward to it. I'm still here and I'm still a fan :p Now I'm off to officially sit on the fence and try to remain there without falling off while the emails come in!
Largo The Film! LAist reports a Largo concert film in the pipeline. And it features the Conchords. Read what the LAist has to say and view the trailer.
August 23 2007 - Put down the remotes, step away from the TV.... erm wait, that doesn't work...
New York Times ran an article about HBO today. Eagle eyed Chris spotted a Conchords mention and sent it along. Thanks Chris.
Mr. Plepler pointed to positive recognition for HBO’s movies, like “Longford,” as well as for its documentaries, like “When the Levees Broke,” which recently won a Peabody Award. And he cited the continued success of the comedy “Entourage,” the drama “Big Love” and the new comedy “Flight of the Conchords,” which was renewed for a second season.
In terms of raw numbers “Conchords,” with only about a million viewers on average for its initial run on Sunday nights, is not in the same league as previous HBO hits like “Entourage,” which has drawn as many as 3.8 million viewers. But increasingly HBO is measuring its success both by how many viewers a show accumulates over multiple plays and especially by how well it drives the on-demand business, where viewers can order specific episodes of shows.
HBO says that its on-demand business is not dominated by its hit shows but by the niche interests of its audience for choices from theatrical movies to sports programs. According to the channel, “Flight of the Conchords” has been a strong on-demand entry with men between the ages of 18 and 34.
HBO have a couple of new Conchords podcasts online. Download Making Beautiful Music and It's A Kiwi Thing via either the HBO podcasts or HBO RSS feed. Enjoy :)
Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good have an interview with Flight of The Conchords manager Murray (ok so it's Rhys but he was in character) online. Check it out here Amusing reading.
I uploaded anotherTongan Ninja trailer. View it below or download from us here. Is there a talk like a Ninja day out there already.... and is that Bret appearing there at the end...?
Eagle vs Shark is doing well at the New Zealand box office, coming in at #4 in its opening week. Over in the UK the film opened on 70 screens (and coming to an independant cinema near me soon :> ) and was #15 here in its opening week. Read the report on Stuff
Friends of the Conchords and providers of the soundtrack to Eagle vs Shark, The Phoenix Foundation have announced a new album. The Eagle vs Shark soundtrack is available on iTunes. And TPF will be on a nationwide summer tour round New Zealand in November. Their latest album, Horsepower, is available from Amazon US and Amazon UK.
August 21 2007 - Early DVD cover - Bret and Jemaine getting ready to hit the shelves
Not looking all that much different from the artwork used on posters, website and about a thousand blog type pages out there now. Be cool if they could make the guys heads bobble about a bit, or have it go 'Baaaaa' when you open it. Just a thought HBO, just a thought...
Bret and Jemaine getting ready to hit the shelves.
In time for the holiday season no doubt according to TVShowsonDVDdotcom . You know how it is, cash strapped cause you've already overspent on presents no one will ever use and a turkey thats the size of a small country.... and lo you spy it on the shelf there. Do you buy it now or hope someone will care enough to make one worthy purchase and get you a copy....
Remember thatTongan Ninja, Jemaine Clement goodness I said was coming your way on this site in the not too distant future. It's mostly here! Those of you wondering what the hell Tongan Ninja is, you can read more about it on the WTF! forum. Or watch the clips below..
Tagline reads: A film that will touch your heart...
after it's finished with your teeth, ribs, spleen and kneecaps.
A film worth it for the stunning opening sequence
alone.... *whispers* It has a lil appearance by Jemaine... see if you can spot him!
And to show you what else you are missing, here is a trailer from the movie.
Musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords will fly again next year on American television.
Cable giant Home Box Office announced at the weekend it had renewed the self-titled sitcom by Wellingtonians Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie for a second season.
The 12-part first season, filmed in New York, has been airing on HBO each Sunday night since June, after Hollywood drama Entourage. It airs in New Zealand from September 17. Clement, speaking from the United States, told The Dominion Post the pair had known for the past month HBO had renewed their show.
"It was so much hard work this time, but we knew it was going well. We thought it was likely they would ask us again."
Clement said it was likely the second season would be less than 12 episodes so they could concentrate on "quality not quantity". He and McKenzie would return to Wellington next month. Rather than write in Los Angeles, which they had done for the first season, they preferred to write in Wellington before returning to New York next year for filming.
Clement also stars in the feature comedy Eagle vs Shark, directed by Wellington film-maker Taika Waititi. Waititi has directed two Flight of the Conchords episodes, including one by Wellington playwright Duncan Sarkies, which aired yesterday.
Clement said he hoped Kiwi writers and directors would also be involved in the second season. Though the show has yet to rate in the top 40 cable shows, HBO entertainment president Carolyn Strauss said it was renewing Flight of the Conchords because it had "quickly become a show to watch".
Clement and McKenzie have been performing live throughout the US – and selling out many venues, including the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.
Seattle record label Sub Pop, best known for signing Nirvana, has released a Flight of the Conchords EP, The Distant Future. Clement said the two would soon complete recording a full-length album in Los Angeles.
O I don't know what I'm on about (actually I do, but you don't want to know the contents of my email inbox the past few weeks :p ). If you'd asked me five years ago when I started this site if I thought the Conchords would be where they are today, I'd have said no. Not that I didn't think they were talented enough, but because I saw them as a live comedy act and never thought of them as transplanting to TV. But here they are, and a second season looms... somewhere in the far distant haze of 2008.
Congrats to Bret, Jemaine, James, Rhys, Kristen, Arj and everyone else connected with the Flight of The Conchords TV series.
The Conchords also clocked up another first a couple of days ago, being the number one subscribed podcast on iTunes.
Keep an eye out for some Tongan Ninja, Jemaine Clement goodness coming your way on this site in the not too distant future. I dug out the old files, cleaned them off and am cobbling a page together for it all :>
And lo, The Distant Future is already on filesharing sites *sigh* I know it goes on, I know the arguments for and against, but I have always encouraged people to purchase legally and help support the Conchords. Let's be honest here, $5 for an EP is not exactly going to break the bank. If you would like to purchase their albums, check out the Shop page here on the site for all the info you'll need. Folk The World was self funded by the guys back in 2002, so even more of a reason to get it legally rather than elsewhere.
August 17 2007 - About the last episode....
HBO and the Conchords have agreed to a second season!
HBO has renewed its Sunday comedies, handing out a fifth-season pickup to veteran "Entourage" and bringing rookie "Flight of the Conchords" back for a second season.
Both shows are slated to return with original episodes in 2008.
While the renewal of "Entourage" -- one of HBO's top series -- was widely expected, things weren't that certain for "Conchords" as the half-hour starring the New Zealand folk duo of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie quickly developed a cult following but came up short of the wider appeal of "Entourage."
"'Entourage' is a full-fledged cultural phenomenon, and 'Flight of the Conchords' has quickly become a show to watch," HBO Entertainment president Carolyn Strauss said. "I'm delighted that we'll be bringing new seasons of these distinctive series to our subscribers."
The listing info for the last episode of Flight of The Conchords has finally been released.
Episode 12 -The Third Conchord - September 2 - Murray introduces a new bongo-playing band member on Bret and Jemaine, triggering angry dances and mutant half-bands.
As I understand it this is the episode where Todd Barry and Demetri Martin appear. I won't give away details as I don't want to spoil any surprises ;)
And that leads me on to the other remaining episodes. New Fans has me wondering. Part 3 of the BBC radio show, had a couple of weird fans appear (played by Jimmy Carr and Nina Conti) and I am curious to see if the premise has been reworked for TV or if they have done something different. Episode 11, The Actor does sound very much like the plot from part 2 of the BBC radio series, except the 'semi professional actor' part. They roped in 'Bernard' in the BBC series. Veery funny.
Episode 10 - New Fans - August 19 - The Conchords triple their fan base after playing a local world music jam, but Mel is suspicious of the two new fans' motives. Episode 11 - The Actor - August 26 - Bret and Jemaine enlist a semi-professional actor to cheer Murray up after a disappointing gig. Asked to place a good-hearted rejection call, the actor gets carried away, offering Murray and the Conchords a recording deal that's too good to be true.
Apparently The Distant Future EP has shifted 6,000 copies since release. I'd make that 5,999 as I've yet to receive mine :| *shakes fist at whoever thought it was a good idea to short the supply* Cock ups like this are what send some people to downloading (and not from iTunes) Support the Conchords she says , buy the albums/ EP legally she says... then can't get a copy of said EP shipped :/
NZ Scoop has an article up online about Prime airing HBO's Flight of The Conchords from September 17. Nothing new really contained within it other than Prime airs Dr Who. I never knew that :p *geekgeekgeekoutalittlegeek*
Thank you once again for all the emails of support and appreciation for What The Folk! It means a lot, especially during busy times when I am battling the site design and trying to write regular decent updates, newsletters, emails and other stuff along with my real life happenings.
August 16 2007 - Running in....
Rhys Darby is back at the Edinburgh Fringe (I may have mentioned this before :p ) The online booking set up is now online and setup. So if you are heading Fringeward and want to amble along to his show, book online here
And Arj Barker (Dave in the HBO Conchords series) is on tour in Australia from August 24. Just about everywhere. Go here for venues and dates. My Bloke tells me you don't pronounce Wagga Wagga as 'Wagga Wagga, more like Wugga Wugga. Joys and perks of me living with an Aussie, you get to learn weird place names along with me :p
NJ Ledger has a Conchords article online. I'd write something about it but I've hot crumbly cake to go eat.
August 15 2007 - Jemaine speaks about the HBO series... will they won't they make another season...
Just as I am about to nosedive into the duvet... Interview on IGN with Jemaine and James Bobin (director of HBO Conchords series). Bobin mentions at the end of the article that Demetri Martin is showing up in an episode. Hehe not news to those who read this site as I posted about his appearance, along with Todd Barry back on August 7. And I could tell you the plot secret James is on about, but I won't because I'm good like that. Anyways look out for Todd and Demetri in the last episode....
Jemaine was interviewed tomorrow in the NZ Herald. I've snipped the part where he talks about the HBO series...
Clement is looking forward to heading back home after spending most the year stateside filming, writing, singing and talking up his two big productions.
The reaction to the show, screening in the northern hemisphere summer, has generally been positive.
"I was nervous but we've got positive and negative.
"I saw a thing in the Guardian the other day saying it's the best new sitcom in years, and there are other people right on the other end of the scale ... the truth, of course, is somewhere in between. But it's probably the best reviewed new comedy show on TV here and a lot of new shows when they start they take a while to get some good reviews and ours straight away got some."
Clement says says HBO have indicated they are interested in keeping the Conchords flying.
"We know they are interested in doing another series but we have to think about it.
"It's not a definite offer but they have talked about us starting writing but we've got other things we want to do as well.
"But one season is not very long though. Twelve episodes - I think that is what Fawlty Towers did.
"The only reason I would want to do it is to do it better.
It's pretty much as I've been thinking all along so please don't lose sleep over the fact the guys may not make another season. I'ts really not all HBO's doing if they don't and Jemaine has said they (he and Bret) both wish to do other things. Let's wait and see :)
Eagle vs Shark is out on release in New Zealand today. Read an interivew with Taika Waititi online here
Flight of The Conchords airs on NZ Prime from September 17 2007
August 14 2007 - Whut? Whut! Whut
I'm really not surprised to read that HBO are supposedly undecided about a second season of Flight of The Conchords. And I find myself not really minding all that much. I come from a land where great and good TV comedy series are short and sweet but deservedly become classics. The bad ones merely short and sweet and forgotten. I can live with one season of FoTC. I can live with two, should HBO and the Conchords decide to plough ahead with more episodes, but it's no biggie. I'm a fan of the Conchords I really am, so don't think for one second I don't want them to do well. Of course I do, but far better the Conchords do things their way and in their own time.
Should the Conchords choose to renew with HBO if its offered then fair play to them. I hope season two will be a great success on their terms and not based on viewing figures and all that *waggles hand* stuff. However I am also remembering them saying in the past that they like to work on other things away from the Conchords and that that's what they might go and do once the album is finished. Something else.
Whoever decides about a second season, should it turn out that HBO cancel, I don't see Bret, Jemaine, James, Rhys, Kristen or Arj (and not forgetting all the other support cast and the crew) will have failed. I loathe the word, failure... failed and how it's used in terms of fame and fortune in that weird world of fame and fortune. It's a crappy word and one I will never feel comfortable with when it comes to art and the people who make and perform it. And comedy to me is an art. It gives me more enjoyment than peering at a painting in the Louvre or seeing a disheveled bed or dead cow in a tank. Its all subjective eh :) Should Bret and Jemaine be the ones who decide to walk away and do 'something else' then good luck to them. I'll follow what they do with interest in a non stalkerish way :p And I'm sure the Conchords will be back with a new live show sometime in the not too distant future.
If Flight of The Conchords is not renewed for whatever reason on either side, then so be it. My thanks and congratulations to all involved for making something fresh, different and with the ability to make some of us laugh. If it is reneweed, then ditto the previous sentence above.
So starring in a popular TV comedy series and looking half way decent had made Jemaine a fashion dweeb. Because in TV comedy series land its about how you look not how talented or funny you might be right? O wait, that was just The Simple Life. O wait that wasn't a comedy. That was tragic (confession time - I've never seen it but the ads looked dire).
August 12 2007 - Keeping you in the loop... Is this the HBO Conchords DVD release date?
October 29 2007.... It may well be. Amazon UK has a listing for what appears to be the DVD of the Conchords TV series, released via Warner Home Video (Warner being the bod which owns HBO.... ) The DVD description fits the HBO series and the retail price of £25.99 (£19.49 after Amazon reduction) would make sense also. Its not listed anywhere else as yet, but this is looking more and more like the Conchords DVD is due soon!
I've finally gotten my arse into gear and uploaded all the HBO podcasts for you. View or download them from the HBO page.
*Rhys Darby at the Fringe update* Rhys Darby's good lady kindly sent me his Edinburgh Fringe booking info as it is not appearing on the offical site. She says of the 2007 Fringe show -
'He had not intended to do one, but as Matt Kirschen is in the US on Last Comic Standing, Rhys has taken over his slot at the Pleasance Courtyard to show off some of his characters. The characters he will be doing were last seen in NZ at the Comedy Festival as part of a show called The Everymen in 2006. He will also being doing some standup, some of his old favourites, but lots of new stuff too. The show is on at 8.15pm at the Pleasance Courtyard in the Attic.
Some creative Conchords icons for you now. Thanks to Causette for letting me share these on What The Folk! More can be found on the Fantastic page
The Distant Future is at #6 on the iTunes Alternative Album Chart. So what's the alternative then eh? Thanks Kayla for sending it in.
I broke my own techno weenie skills on this here cap by filling a rectangle with colour AND then made it a bit transparent. Genius am I!
And go figure but over at Amazon its (or it was when I last looked but things change) #1 in 'Comedic Music' and 'Comedy' and #4 in Alternative Rock and #9 in Pop/Rock. Pop/rock? Alternative rock? If it crops up in 'Folk' I'll be worried :p
Looking for other Conchords albums to have shipped or download? Check the Shop page for listings.
Kristen Schaal is getting some decent Fringe buzz, both Chortle and The List posted good reviews. And here is a clip of her in action at a Fringe Preview. *Clip content warning*May contain mild references to world history, Winston Churchill, and the occasional vagina.
DMWire ran a review of the Concords HBO show. So late in the series run, but they had some good things to say about it. Read the Conchords HBO review here
August 8 2007 - Sold out already!
Flight of The Conchords EP The Distant Future has a supply and demand problem already! Not enough to go round. It's in at #14 on the Amazon best selling CD chart (thanks Kristi for the info). Not as high as the White Stripes (#3), but just ahead of Bon Jovi (#15). I think Bret might appreciate the outselling Bon Jovi bit. Or is that just me?
But SubPop it appears 'shorted' the EP supply as they did not expect such a high demand for it (they are not shipping to as many to stores as they originally planned). I've had a few emails from people unable to buy the Conchords CD in store. Either not there or sold out already. Be patient, you'll get a copy eventually :p
HBO's Flight of The Conchords series anyone? Yeah, that lil TV show I've mentioned a few times here. I reported back in March about Taika Waititi and Duncan Sarkies, fellow Kiwi's, being involved in a couple of Conchords episodes. Taika wrote and directed Drive By, but he also directs the eleventh episode The Actor, which was written by Duncan Sarkies who wrote Scarfies which starred one Taika Waititi.... see... veritable Kiwi fest!
Remeber that interview with Bret McKenzie I posted about a little while back? It was done pre to the Conchords appearing at Bonnaroo. Bret talked about how they had found their last lot of live gigs strange as fans joined in singing songs and made requests. Well, this lil Conchords clip from Bonnaroo shows how they managed to solve this happening during a gig. Nice one guys :) Thanks K for sending it along.
Let me mention a few changes happening here at What The Folk! Firstly Eagle vs Shark news posts, articles, clips, images and the kitchen sink have all been archived to the Eagle vs Shark page on What The Folk! Everything I've compiled on the film since 2005 is now all in one place to read
Secondly, there have been so bloody many HBO Flight of The Conchords related articles and interviews they now have their own page and index listing. You can find them all there on the HBO Articles page.
Thirdly, I'm updating various sections of the site so you may notice pages like Conchords FAQ, Jemaine, Bret, Sound, Vision, Conchords Links and Connections will have new material appearing on them in the coming few days. Its taking time as I am only one person and this is now, much to my shock, a HUGE flipping website. I had no idea it'd gotten so vast till I was trying to find an article and it was buried somewhere in the depths. So, it galvanised me into action and lo, changes are happening.
And to wrap things up for now, a Conchords site in Hebrew. Run by Dovi and Netta. Kinda cool to see other sites out there, spreading the word on the Conchords. Kudos.
August 7 2007 - That's a whole heap of update!
So the eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed the glaring continuity error in the most recent episode of Flight of The Conchords. Murray had a new computer last week, this week its back to prehistoric times and a Commadore 64 (the Bloke is a bit of a geek). Yes HBO are aware of this :p I reported on July 30 that due to 'some creative reasons we have made a change in the episode order. The remaining episodes will now air asfollows - Girlfriends, What Goes On Tour, New Fans, The Actor and The Third Conchord. Hope that clears up the confusion and speculation. Thanks to someone in the know at HBO for the info.
The Girlfriends episode was written by Eric Kaplan. Anyone found this episode and Drive By had a different feel to them? Being written by other people as they were and not by Bret, Jemaine and James Bobin. Post on the forum or email me if you have any thoughts you'd like to share on the HBO Conchords show.
And the songs in Girlfriends? Both oldies, from 2002! A Kiss Is Not A Contract is on their Folk The World live album, titled as K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Foux Da Fa Fa snuck on there also. Yes, get to the end of the CD, Frodo stops playing and lo, the track carries on.... gets to 2.53 on the running time and all of a sudden, this track starts up. The Conchords performed this live in 2002 and it was pretty much the same track, with lots of random basic tourist French, usually food products and the like being sprouted at random in sexy dulcet tones by Jemaine and Bret. It was revived and used in the BBC radio series I seem to recall and is now expanded for the HBO show. Proof that you can sing about *anything* in French and make it sounds sexy!
Next, I've been busy doing some detecting and have upcoming episode blurb for you. While I don't have the final episode write up as yet, I'll go out on a limb here and say I put 1 and 12 together, divided it by a carrot and multiplied it by magic and came up with Todd Barry and Demetri Martin as guest stars for the final episode (The Third Conchord) of Flight of The Conchords. And methinks they might even be using their own names. OK, maybe not Barry and Martin, but you never know as both can also be first names. Sneaky. I'll plump for Todd and Demetri. Friends of the Conchords and funny guys to boot.
August 7 2007 - The Distant Future is here already
The Distant Future is here. Already! Flight of The Conchords EP released today. Already been delivered to some people who ordered online! Click image for larger size pic. Purchase Flight of The Conchords - The Distant Future now
SubPop says - The Distant Future features, in audio form, all the hilarious songs you’ve come to know and love from HBO’s hit tv show Flight of the Conchords starring Flight of the the Conchords as Flight of the Conchords. All your favorites are there—“Business Time”, “If You’re Into It”, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room” and more. As an added bonus, you’ll get absolutely nothing for free when you order the Flight of the Conchords’ ep because we’re saving up all our free goods for the full length in January.
So the full length album appears to have been pushed back to January next year. But it is slated for a vinyl release which put a smile back on my face.
August 6 2007 - A newspost about the support cast! 'bout time I gave them (and you) a mention
The UK DVD release of Eagle vs Shark will be January 21 2008 I am informed. Thanks to Emma for the tip off. Pre order from 
The Fix recently ran a Conchords article online and also have a Murray Hewitt/Rhys Darby one, which I forgot to mention :| Anyways, go 
Bret and Jemaine getting ready to hit the shelves. 
The Conchords also clocked up another first a couple of days ago, being the number one subscribed podcast on iTunes. 
HBO and the Conchords have agreed to a second season!
I broke my own techno weenie skills on this here cap by filling a rectangle with colour AND then made it a bit transparent. Genius am I! 
Le baguette.... 
