QUOTE(lean @ Jul 8 2005, 02:48 PM)
I would like to see that one he is eating the hot dog!!!
I guess it´s fun to watch that!!

sadly, no one has ever been able to track down that early MTV2 interview.

all we have is the transcript...
MTV Interview July 22nd 2002(Abby Gennet is the interviewer- she is the 'rock' vj on mtv2- she hosts all the shows in the rock genre)
Scenario:
Craig Nicholls- (stoned) wearing his 'Highly Evolved' black t-shirt, jeans, and the same sunglasses as when they performed on the Conan O'Brien show
Patrick Matthews- wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans
Ryan Griffiths- wearing a yellow t-shirt w/ parrots on it and jeans
Hamish Rosser- wearing a green t-shirt that says 'just say no' and jeans
Monday, July 22nd-
Part 1:
Abby Gennet- How did it feel to have all of that dirt thrown at you- you guys got pretty dirty by the end of it?
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah... it was kinda... it was fun for like a bit but then after a while then it was like (cough, cough) my eyes like i can't see or anything
Abby Gennet- Yeah did anyone get hurt?
Craig Nicholls- Not really
Abby Gennet- Well didn't it look dangerous?
Craig Nicholls- Yeah it was dangerous but you know we knew that we were making a video and we were prepared to risk our lives for that
Abby Gennet- Yeah, now this is your first video right?
Craig Nicholls- Yeah that's true
Abby Gennet- So how was the whole experience besides the dirt gettin' down your throat?
Craig Nicholls- Well, it was fun i think (clears his throat and then nudges Patrick)
Hamish Rosser- It takes a long time to make 2 minutes of video footage
Abby Gennet- Yes it does, I don't think that a lot of people realise how much goes in to it
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah but a lot of dirt and.. for us and.. you know
Patrick Matthews- (interrupting) to get you more money...
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah but you know... it's all about video and so i mean... when you're making a video...so.. we had fun with it yeah
Abby Gennet- Well let's get to it then
Craig Nicholls- okay
(plays 'Get Free' and other music videos)
Part 2:
Abby Gennet- What's up you guys we're hanging out with The Vines today. Now, i know you have a new drummer, Hamish- what happened to David your old drummer?
Craig Nicholls- um.. he used to take lots of alcohol (Patrick starts laughing)... he injected it straight into his temple... so we couldn't have that... (everyone is laughing).. if it's anywhere its in the buttocks.. but um...so..um..we just thought.. ya know we had a big meeting and that we kicked him out of the band.. we didn't tell him though
Abby Gennet- Oh..
Craig Nicholls- Yeah and he tried to kill me once (Abby gasps quietly)...so that wasn't very cool though so...
Abby Gennet- So he's not in the band anymore?
Craig Nicholls- Yeah.. like we have like 4 different drummers and 2 like tamborine players so we kinda switch it up
Abby Gennet- Oh, okay.. so how's Hamish been? is it been alright with him so far?
Craig Nicholls- He's been okay.. he has been like snorting a lot of salt and pepper...
Abby Gennet- Oh no- it's illegal here in the states
Hamish Rosser- Only in some states (smiles)
Craig Nicholls- it's not very cool nonetheless...
Hamish Rosser- i think i can do it in Alaska...
Abby Gennet- Now is it a different style of drumming that he's bringing to the table?
Craig Nicholls- i guess so... i mean if it wasn't better we wouldn't have him... i think because ya know... the salt and pepper really improve his style
Abby Gennet- Well as long as he has a lot of cowbell
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah he has a lot of cowbell it's good (everyone laughs)
Abby Gennet- well, we're gonna check out a video now...
Part 3:
Abby Gennet- Hey everyone, it's MTV2 Rock with The Vines, Highly Evolved is their new CD, it's out in stores- check it out it's really cool and i'm not gonna even try and classify it because everyone is trying to classify music these days...
Craig Nicholls- Thank you soo much
Abby Gennet- ...i mean it's not emo, it's not nu metal, just listen to it for yourselves and you all decide...
Craig Nicholls- Yeah you might like it
Abby Gennet- Now..um.. lots of band are trying to sound like their album when they play their live shows and i understand that you guys do like the opposite- what are your live shows like?
Craig Nicholls- Well... we don't give a care man.. we just really have fun with it and you know... we sometimes... it sounds like the CD sometimes it sounds better, sometimes it sounds worse but it's always different like a spur of the moment type of thing because in the studio we had controlled environment so it's about having fun... you know.. and like if that means like an improvised guitar solo or whatever.. then so be it or whatever.
Abby Gennet- (laughs) Are your shows pretty wild... i know in the video you guys look like you're having a lot of fun
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah
Abby Gennet- You guys go crazy on stage?
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah... we go crazy.. i mean you know we're already crazy when we go up there but it doesn't change much... you know... it's fun.
Abby Gennet- well.. i'll have to check out your show and all of you guys should too.
Tuesday, July 23rd: (they first repeat Part 2)
Part 4:
Abby Gennet- What's up you guys, MTV2 Rock, chillin out with The Vines here today. Now you guys are playing the Gig on the Green in Scotland soon, that's pretty cool. Who else is playing? Jane's Addiction.. The Strokes...
Craig Nicholls- Yeah..
Abby Gennet- White Stripes..
Patrick and Craig- yeah White Stripes...
Abby Gennet- Actually, we're sending a lucky winner, we have a contest going on MTV2 called 'Backpacks and Backstage' Competiton... we're gonna send a lucky winner to some and hang out with you guys and watch the show- so be nice to them..
Craig Nicholls- We'll be nice to them.
Abby Gennet- Now- Have you ever played a big festival like this- it's gonna be huge!
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, we played Glastonbury..yeah... so that was big but this i'll be really cool i think like we're gonna keep our eye out for the Lochness Monster and..um.. the locals being moronic about all the...
Patrick Matthews- the haggis
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah!... i know i said that once but i get repeating....
Abby Gennet- (confused) wait, what?... i missed that... all the what?
Craig Nicholls- uh... you should miss it.. yeah
Abby Gennet- oh- is that some australian humor?
Hamish Rosser- um..No- haggis it's a Scottish nettle dish.
Abby Gennet- oh- like some intestine dish?
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, yeah
Abby Gennet- Oh fun!
Hamish Rosser- sheep entrails and oats
Abby Gennet- It would be nice to eat a big bowl of that right before you go onstage, right?
Craig Nicholls- yeah, yeah...
Abby Gennet- Get some energy built up...
Craig Nicholls- That should be exciting...
Hamish Rosser- Yeah, with a few shots of Scottish whiskey to wash it down
Abby Gennet- Oh yeah
Craig Nicholls- But it's not really the australian sense of humor... i think it's more of a mental illness we all have but this one (pointing to Hamish) has got it the worst (laughing)
Hamish Rosser- Second worst
Abby Gennet- So- What's your mental illness?
Hamish Rosser- Mental illness?
Patrick Matthews- He tells bad jokes
Abby Gennet- he tells bad jokes?
Patrick Matthews- Yeah a lot of bad one-liners
Abby Gennet- Really? what's a bad one- tell us a really bad one
Hamish Rosser- Well.. nah- they just have to pop out and stuff...
(Craig points at his shirt with 'Just Say No' on it)
Hamish Rosser- yeah... well.. this is a bad one-liner
Abby Gennet- Just say no
Hamish Rosser- Hey kids (pointing to the camera) Just say no
Abby Gennet- Well no that's a good thing.. they should just say no
Patrick Matthews- Yeah and what do you say when you're in Cleveland?
Hamish Rosser- Hello Albuquerque!
Abby Gennet- Well... That's a good way to win over the crowds in Cleveland...
Wednesday, July 25th:
Part 5:
(Craig is stuffing his face with a hot dog, he's about half done as the interview starts)
Abby Gennet- Hey it's MTV2 Rock and The Vines here. Craig is enjoying some New York hot dogs which he doesn't get in Australia (Craig nods enthusiatically) and.. (she laughs) speaking of Australia, what's the music scene like there these days?
Craig Nicholls- (he tries to talk with hot dog still in his mouth but Abby won't let him)
Abby Gennet- You don't talk because your mouth is full sir!
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, sorry (laughs)
Abby Gennet- Let's hear from some of the others...
Hamish Rosser- We've got lots of good bands but not enough places for them to play...
Abby Gennet- Really?
Hamish Rosser- ...unfortunently in Sydney... yeah.. i mean
Abby Gennet- Wow... so what's exactly the scene? is there a good rock scene or what?
(Craig is still eating his hot dog and is trying not to laugh)
Hamish Rosser- Yeah, we've been into rock...
Patrick Matthews- yes, definitely..
Hamish Rosser- ...definitely has been a rock scene, it's always been a rock scene.
Abby Gennet- So now you guys recorded your album 'Highly Evolved' in L.A. actually- how come you didn't record in Australia?
(Craig finally swallows his food)
Craig Nicholls- because we thought that we had the oppurtunity to work with Rob Schnapf and he really wouldn't come to Australia because he thought that it was all about kangaroos and such.. so we just...
Abby Gennet- isn't it though?
Craig Nicholls- Well yeah,... well 50 percent at least... but..
Hamish Rosser- was always scared of the drop bears...
Abby Gennet- the what?
Hamish Rosser- The drop bears, you know... they drop outta the trees at ya in the middle of the night with big claws and fangs...
Abby Gennet- oh okay (laughs) yeah, i'd be scared too
Craig Nicholls- They're actually called koala bears, they're just koalas... but anyways we went to L.A. because he had all of the equipment there so we just thought... yeah we'll use that when we're there and..
Abby Gennet- Cool..
Craig Nicholls- yeah, it worked out...
Abby Gennet- How did you like L.A.?
Craig Nicholls- I thought that it was far out man...
Abby Gennet- Far out (laughs) groovy..
Craig Nicholls- it was.. yeah it was neon.. i mean i thought that i was in the 60's man in our year 2500 but ya know... Hollywood is a very different place... and when i say different, as in not good, not bad... it's different.
Abby Gennet- Yeah, and the hot dogs aren't as good there
Craig Nicholls- (taking another bite and shaking his head enthusiastically) uh-huh
Abby Gennet- Are ya enjoying that? how's it goin for ya- alright?
Craig Nicholls- (nods his head again) uh-huh!
Abby Gennet- Well... while he's gobbling his hot dog we'll get to some music videos...
Part 6:
(At this point Craig is finally done with his hot dog and is now making sure that there is nothing in his teeth)
Abby Gennet- You're watching MTV2 Rock and The Vines are here, we're just eating hot dogs here.. having a grand ole time... Now NME called you guys the 'future of rock' and we here at MTV2 called you one of our 'Artists to Watch for 2002'... how do you feel about all this hype you're getting?
Craig Nicholls- We'd like to think of it not as hype and that we're actually are gonna save guitars and not break them! (everyone laughs)
Abby Gennet- yes.. so um...
Craig Nicholls- ...no seriously, um.. we take this seriously what we do.. we're trying to give back to music every...alll of the great things we got outta it by the bands and how all this.. just the musical ideas and the ideas that we've had about art or whatever.. and so... ya know i'm not gonna..um agree or disagree it's not my job ya know... i mean i write music, i sing and we all play together and it's good fun and it's intense and it's spiritual and um... ya know... it's a good thing so i mean for any attention we get... you know.. we appreciate it so thank you..
Abby Gennet- Yeah, i really enjoyed the CD... you know.. i think that a lot of people compare bands to other bands these days.. and you know.. people these days are saying that you're like the Beatles meets Nirvana and da-da-da... how would you guys classify your music?
Craig Nicholls- Well... i think that we're just a song orientated band, i mean people hear the CD and they're not songs that have been recorded before and it's a whole idear it's meant to work as an album.. you know.. and i think it does.. you know.. it's a mixed bag it's colorful and it's fast and slow and medium and has any space in between that...
Hamish Rosser- it's kinda a cross between ABBA and Megadeath i think...
Abby Gennet- (Laughing) No it's not! i'd say Beatles and Nirvana and they're very good bands to be compared to..
Craig Nicholls- yeah.. it's good yeah..
Abby Gennet- So i would take it as a compliment..
Craig Nicholls- Yeah, we're not gonna complain yeah
Abby Gennet- So.. let's get back to the music videos...
Part 7:
Abby Gennet- Hey, this is MTV2 Rock, with The Vines. 'Highly Evolved' is their CD, check it out!... how did you guys get your names, 'The Vines'
Craig Nicholls- well... (he is interrupted by Patrick surprisingly)
Patrick Matthews-(he quickly responds)...Craig's daddy's name... (Craig is going nuts that Patrick is actually talking) his band name was called 'The Vynes' .... yeah! i said something!!!!
(Everyone is laughing)
Abby Gennet- Yes!... Speak!
Craig Nicholls-... but it was my dad's name so...
Abby Gennet- You're stealing his story!
Craig Nicholls-... this is the part where i actually shoulda been saying but yeah... (still laughing) they were spelling it with a 'y' and we were like that's not right we just wanted to fix up the spelling...
Abby Gennet- Okay...
Craig Nicholls- and weren't really that imaginative to think of our own name. so we stold it...
Abby Gennet- You stole it from your dad! (Laughing)
Craig Nicholls- yeah.. we're trying to make that live again the 60's and all that crap...
Abby Gennet- Yeah...
(Everyone laughs)
Abby Gennet- So did you have to ask for his permission or you just took it?...
Craig Nicholls- no.. uh we just took it! and uh.. yeah.. we're not very polite...
Abby Gennet- Well that's alright (laughs)
Craig Nicholls- but we try to be most of the time...
Abby Gennet- Now you're calling your album 'Highly Evolved' what do you thihnk of us as humans- do you think we're highly evolved?
Craig Nicholls- yes and no.... uh.. and maybe... (pondering) ...nope... no i just think it's great man.. i mean i'm just gonna talk about music, that's what i'm doing in the moment and what we're doing so it's a great time to be recording... the technology that we have (snaps his fingers) so we wanna use the electronica in our music...
Abby Gennet- Oh yeah?
Craig Nicholls- Yeah because we're not all just about real instruments i mean... they're great and... but there's also other things that we can use and it's great you know.. but you just have to watch out for them pollution and stuff... but um... but you know... we'll get to that later...
Abby Gennet- Yeah...sure...alright... way to not answer my question.. good way- good job! (Everyone laughs)
Hamish Rosser- He should be in politics...
Abby Gennet- (Laughs) Yeah really!! well.. we got to get back to the videos... (Craig gives the peace sign)