“You’re going to be a raving, maniac pop star aren’t you boy?” The sage words proffered by Uncle Tim to Liam, aged one. Liam Finn has fulfilled the said prophecy with Betchadupa but don’t let the quote fool you, he is very laid back. When potential interview topics are discussed, “We can talk about having children or mathematics, I don’t really mind.”

Betchadupa, Liam’s own child was conceived in the nineties during a meeting between Finn and drummer Matt Eccles. The two bonded, writing the song Gee This Sounds Good, I Can’t Believe We Wrote It. “It was about meeting each other. We’d had a barbeque that night, there was a line about being squirmy because of too much food, happy ‘cause of knowing and fast things travelling through my head. It was kind of honest but sort of mystical at the same time.”

There is no mysticism regarding the band’s name. Originally called Lazy Boy, they changed it to a more original name. “You can’t go wrong with Betchadupa.” The name has been traced back to a novelty t-shirt, an eye test pattern, Polish cereal and a drum fill description. The stories are reminiscent of John Lennon offering multiple tales regarding The Beatles name. “Should I say I had a dream where someone, John Lennon was on a flaming pie and said ‘you should be called Betchadupa.”

The boys have toured with international bands Pearl Jam, QOTSA and Janes Addiction as well as numerous Australian acts. Liam is quick to acknowledge how great the musicians are and how privileged they were to tour with QOTSA.  The band were promoting Songs for the Deaf, a record Betchadupa were “obsessed with.” Unfortunately they were the least friendly, “Which we expected anyway. Cos you know if they were overly nice, it would ruin the imagery.” Dear readers, picture an overly friendly Josh Homme making you a cup of tea. I rest my case.

Betchadupa’s live shows aren’t weak tea and are really high energy. This was evident when Matt broke a steal pedal during a recent gig in Melbourne. “It was pretty intense. He broke the middle part of a thick steal footpad. It split in half and no one there has ever seen anyone break it like that before. He must have been doing something right or wrong or maybe it was the ghost of Paul Hester. But energy more likely.”

So what thoughts cross one’s mind in this intense atmosphere? “Sometimes I’m doing my shopping list. Ninety-nine per cent of the time I couldn’t tell you what I’m thinking. It’s important to try and remember what you were thinking when writing those lyrics… If you can’t deliver it with the same conviction that you had when writing it, I don’t think it seems as believable. But there are random thoughts of ‘Oh shit, I’ve got to call that person tomorrow.’

Those unacquainted with the band’s live show are up for a frenzied night of rock. Punters can also “watch a band of four really old, good friends having a good time. And hopefully everyone can tap into the same enjoyment and energy that we try to.”

During one Sydney show, Liam asked the audience to tell him something interesting. Granting this request proves a little more difficult. After careful consideration he offers, “Did you know that pound for pound a lemon has more sugar than a strawberry.” Dieters beware those beloved tequila shots!

Drinks aside, the band have been busy promoting Aiming For Your Head, the follow-up to The Alphabetchadupa. Producer ‘The Mad Professor’ a.k.a Nick Launay is “The most fun make music with.” A master craftsmen with the controls and tape, he pulls “Out the razor blade and slices up takes that were really good and you start going ‘Shit! He’d better know what he’s doing.” Nick is also famous for his naked romps and lighting kerosene (which he had poured on the desk) during the recording of silverchair’s Neon Ballroom. With this band, “He sort of encouraged us to get naked. He likes to prance around and does this funny little dance. The dance really stuck with me, he did that with his top off, maybe he learnt from the silverchair lads that they find it a bit scary.”

Aiming For Your Head is about “Aiming for someone and trying to impress them or make it happen.” Impress is what the album does, having been recorded in analog format and designed to capture the band’s live energy. “But you never fully capture that spirit at a show because it’s so loud and it’s in your face and you only have one chance to play that song.”

The new single is My Army of Birds and Gulls was written when Liam was jet-lagged and kept awake by birds. “I was feeling slightly maddened from it. I was thinking of what I should write a song about, ‘Oh, I’ll write a song about those fucken birds.” Liam was happy to be adopted by the bird species and to fly with them until he realised that “I eat chicken so it was a fuck you line to the birds.” The video clip is “really, really trippy” but it is the band’s favourite clip.

The subject turns to current music and the Kings of Leon album Aha Shake Heartbreak. “I think I enjoy trying to figure out what he is saying because he’s got such a strange way of singing words that sound like nonsense. I like that.” A fan may be forgiven for misinterpreting song lyrics but this is not the case here. “I’m hopeless, Matt’s always scowled at me for getting lyrics wrong. I’m like my mum in that way, she’s brilliant at getting words wrong.” With his lyrics however, when people post incorrect words on the net Liam thinks “Oh fuck, that would have been way better and that sings better too!” There’s a lesson to be learnt, “That you’re singing is as hooky as the melody.”

Melodies aside, music production is very satisfying. “You realise that something that meant a lot to you or something that you needed to express has gone and found someone else even if it’s only one person. The sign of a good song is when people connect to it and can relate.” In a live setting the interconnection of energy experienced by the fans and the musicians is “Such a good feeling and it defeats any kind of pain. It’s like a drug, it’s very addictive and that’s why we want to keep playing music for the rest of our lives.”

Finally, when asked about the future, Liam is adamant that the group are “Aching to get to a rehearsal room” to begin work on new songs. The boys are also trying to get Aiming For Your Head released overseas and complete resulting promotional activities.

Betchadupa continue their Army of Birds and Gulls tour. Go see a show and discuss some lyrics with Liam whilst Matt laughs at you deciphering songs like the Da Vinci Code. Or you could just go and see the prophecy that is a young, maniac pop star, enjoy.

The tour dates are:

April 15th Carringbah Bizzo’s, Caringbah NSW supporting The Cops
April 16th The Annandale, Sydney
April 28th The Golden Vine, Bendigo, Vic
April 29th The Criterion, Warrnambool, Vic
April 30th The Barwon Club, Geelong, Vic
May 1st Rock’n’Bowl, Melbourne with Ground Components
May 6th The Tote, Melbourne
May 7th The Tote, Melbourne