The sun may be shinning here in Sydney – but over on the icy cold slopes of Thredbo all the action is about to kick-off for ‘MTV Snow Jam 2010!’
And we aren’t the only ones preparing to brave the freezing temperatures for the sake of some frost-bitten fun!
Queensland based pop-group Operator Please - who are joining ARIA Award winning hip-hoppers Bliss N Eso and DJ Duo Stafford Brothers on stage - are also getting ready to rock the bash this Thursday (August 26)!
Fresh from releasing their smash second album ‘Gloves,’ we speak to drummer Tim Commandeur for the lowdown on their first ever sub-zero degree performance, warming up with Rihanna and hanging out with Franz Ferdinand.
MTV: So Tim, how stoked are you guys to play at MTV Snow Jam?
Tim: We’re all really excited. I’ve only ever been to the snow twice in my whole life, so I’m really looking forward to it!
Plus the Stafford Brothers are playing too and we’re quite good friends with them, they’re from the Gold Coast as well, so I’m really excited to hang out with them.
MTV: We take it you’re all prepared for performing in the freezing cold weather?
Tim: Well, I should be ok playing drums, but I imagine it’s going to be harder for Amandah and Ash who play the guitar. Their fingers will be freezing!
MTV: Can you give us a sneaky insight into your set?
Tim: We’ll be playing quite a bit of the new stuff and also some of the old stuff that people know and we’ll probably chuck a cover in there too. I think we’ve got a couple to choose from. It will be upbeat and a good party vibe, which I think is the whole vibe of the festival right?
MTV: Absolutely! And while you’re in Thredbo are you going to have a go at snow-boarding?
Tim: Yeah I’m going to try snow-boarding and I think there’s some kind of tobogganing thing set up for us. I’m down for anything I can’t wait.
I actually surf and I used to skateboard so I should have a little head start against the others!
MTV: Do you guys have any pre-stage rituals before you go on stage?
Tim: We don’t have any chants or anything, but if there’s a laptop lying around usually we put on music and Amandah and Ash like to ghetto crump to Rihanna or Wu-Tang Clan.
MTV: Your album ‘Gloves’ has been a huge success. Have you started work on your third record yet?
Tim: Amandah and I have written a few songs, in the break we found we were sitting around a bit so we thought we’d see what we could come up with. So we’ve got a few songs under our belt that we’re going to want to demo some time soon.
MTV: You’ve toured with some huge names like the Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian – has anyone ever left you star-struck?
Tim: The Arctic Monkeys for me. I remember the first show we played with them at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney and we walked into the room and they were sound-checking and we all sort of just stood there and were like ‘woah!’
And also at Future Music Festival this year, Franz Ferdinand. We got to talk to them quite a bit and hang out and they were really cool, so I was pretty star-struck then.
MTV: If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be?
Tim: Personally I would like to collaborate with Friendly Fires – a lot of their stuff is very rhythmic, and they use a lot of percussion. Groove Amada too. I’ve been listening to them a lot recently.
MTV: And lastly, what’s the best thing about being famous?
Tim: I think it’s cool that you can inspire people. I’ve had people say, ‘You’ve really inspired me to play drums’ after seeing me play. So sort of getting people to start music and start bands and help them out wherever you can, with advice or hooking them up with contacts, that’s really cool.
MTV: And getting to play at Snow Jam of course…
Tim: Well yeah exactly, that’s a big perk!
Don’t miss Operator Please, Bliss N Eso, DJ Duo, Stafford Brothers, as well as a sensational Big Air Comp with international and local riders at ‘MTV Snow Jam 2010!’
MTV Snow Jam 2010 takes place on Thursday August 26, and will steam up your screens on MTV Australia, September 5 @ 4pm (AEST).
Meanwhile see more from Operator Please below...
Copyright : MTV Australia
