Spiderbait’s stuff: “Which famous person would I fight? Anyone but Danny DeVito” | Music

Spiderbait is on tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of your insanely good cover of Black Betty. What does Black Betty mean to you?

It’s a fantastic song written by Lead Belly in the 1930s and has been turned into many different versions over the course of nearly 100 years. But essentially the song is still the same. We covered the Ram Jam version from 1979. But after our version came out, we researched the song again and listened to the original Lead Belly version. It’s just so different. It’s like Robert Johnson’s work – those guys could have achieved so much power with their voice and an acoustic guitar.

When our version became a hit in America, Lead Belly’s family contacted us and told us how much they liked the version, which we were very proud of.

What do you do when you can’t fall asleep?

I usually turn on Bob Ross. I’m also a huge Alec Guinness fan, so sometimes I turn on the BBC’s 1979 version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy just to hear Alec Guinness and as much lo-fi 70s sound as I can muster – there’s so much wonderful hissing silence. Bob and Alec – it’s my own version of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response).

What is the best drum solo of all time?

Right at the end of side two of Abbey Road by Ringo Starr, that’s just such a cool solo. He always hated drum solos. There were so many flashy drummers back then and he was the opposite. He was a real song drummer like Charlie Watts or Karen Carpenter. To hear someone interpret a solo from that perspective is really refreshing.

What is the weirdest thing you have ever done for love?

I’ve done this a few times: bought gifts and flowers for girls who have already broken up with you. I’m a total idiot. Sometimes you think they’ll change their minds, but at that point your attractiveness keeps dropping until you’re lucky to be in the friend zone at all. When I fall in love with someone, I fall hard. I have to be cooler! I feel like a total idiot.

What was your most embarrassing encounter with a celebrity?

I have a habit of saying the first thing that comes into my head. I remember saying something really inappropriate to one of the Bad Seeds at a Big Day Out show. I can’t remember what it was or which Bad Seed it was – I don’t think it was Nick Cave – but I remember how young and stupid I was. He looked at me like I was a complete idiot. I was as far away from being a Bad Seed as I’d ever been. I wasn’t invited backstage.

Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?

This question basically revolves around the concept of infinity. Space is infinite and time is infinite, in both directions. So the idea of ​​life on other planets is a sure thing for me. But will we be lucky enough to ever come into contact with that reality? That’s like walking through the Sahara desert looking for a dime.

Which book, film or piece of music do you return to again and again and why?

Vivaldi is my husband. When I came to Venice, I went to St. Mark’s Basilica where his orchestra was playing. Anyone who has ever been to Venice has probably been to St. Mark’s Basilica – it’s such a strange mix of medieval European and almost Turkish architecture. There’s gold and mosaic everywhere. Going into that church and listening to that incredible music coming from heaven must have been heavenly. I just love his music so much. It inspires me and gives me peace at the same time.

Which films left a lasting impression on you as a child?

The Omen! That really freaked me out. I remember in high school thinking that Satan was real and that I was going to meet the devil. For years I would stand in front of the mirror and see if I could find the number 666 on my head, just in case I was the chosen one.

What is the ideal length for men’s shorts?

It all depends on what you’re doing. I live in Byron so I spend a lot of time in board shorts with no shoes. Board shorts are tricky if you want to ride a bike because your knees get caught easily and you fall over like a complete idiot. I grew up in the Warwick Capper era of ultra short shorts. I loved it. The shorter the better. I love shorts.

If you had to fight a famous person, who would it be, how would you fight them and who would win?

I hate fighting. I couldn’t fight anybody. Even Danny DeVito would beat me. Actually, no, I met Danny DeVito and I would never fight him. I was in New York and I met up with a friend who’s a film director – Danny DeVito was in his latest film and he was there with some of his buddies and I played them some acoustic songs. He’s a pretty great guy. So I would say I would fight anybody. But Danny DeVito.