White Midnight

Have you always thought that you'd end up being a rock star?
Not really, no. I've never studied music. I had my first singing lesson like three months ago. I've never had any lessons on instruments. I've just started singing and writing music actually when I was in my first year of uni. I was doing something else for awhile, and I loved what I was doing but I was lucky enough that the songs are half decent.

With the songs that have been successful, did you think, "Man this is awesome, it's going to be big?"
Yeah, you do have inkling with songs but it's not always right. Our bassist thought 'Learning to Fall' would be the biggest song off our first album. You can't pick it, but I think you do have an inkling of putting a little bit of magic into songs. Then it just comes down to whether it sits on with sort of today and society and fashion and trends and all that kind of bullshit.

Do you think your music has changed since recording the first album? Your debut album [Brave Don't Run, in 2009] sounded more mainstream pop while your new sound leans towards 90's rock music.
Yeah I think that's fair enough. We really wanted to have the music reflect how far we have come as people over the last four years while touring the first album. We are five young dudes in a band and we all want to play hard and play loud. This time we wrote an album that came from our live show rather than making a live show from an album. So this album is definitely different and some people probably won't really like it but it's still melodic, it still tells stories, and it's still Midnight Youth. It's just got a bit more edge and a bit more attitude.

Do you consider the image of the band important? Does what you wear and how you present yourselves reflect the style of music you play or is it just a personal preference?
It's really hard, I mean it's something we've really battled with, this whole image thing. We've made some really horrible videos and done some really crap photo shoots. What we've learned over the past four or five years is you've got to just be yourself and wear what you wear everyday because people will believe that and want to be a part of that – as long as you are a little bit trendy.

Who's the most fashionable one in the group?
Probably our drummer, Aidan. He's pretty on to it aye. He looks like someone – well he has long hair, he looks like straight out of Motley Crue. And now he's got a bit more of a sophisticated swag about him. I think he's probably – he's got the look aye and he's the drummer you know – drummers are always cool.

If Midnight Youth has a catch phrase, what would it be?
Oh man. I don't know what it would be! Hold on, you've put me on the spot. I've never been asked that. I'll ask Simon he's good with this sort of stuff. [To Simon] Okay, I've been stumped – if Midnight Youth has a catch phrase what would it be? Oh this is hard! Okay we can't come up with something so we are going to steal one: "You're a slave to money then you die."

It's awesome that you guys are headlining the toga party. Have you ever been to one?
Oh really? Sweet. A toga party? No I haven't! [Laughs] My first year of uni I missed the toga thing 'cause I had to be at home and I was from Tauranga and I was going to uni in Auckland and I missed the first night and that was the toga night and yeah I never got to recreate everyone else's magic. So this is my opportunity!

Does that mean you guys are going to rock up in togas for the gig?
I don't know about that, but maybe if we get a supply of them, we'll see what we can do. We'll blend in afterwards.

Any tips for students starting university this year?
I think what might be my biggest regret I have from my first year of uni was I didn't make as many friends outside of people that I already knew as I should have. I reckon looks are deceiving, just try to talk to everyone, speak with as many people as you can, 'cause uni is the time where you actually meet real genuine friends. You've got so many people around you, you can find people who are just like you and into the same things as you. I reckon that's what it all about. Oh and actually, turn up probably to your papers; I didn't turn up to a lot of mine.

What did you study?
I did a history degree.

What is the band's New Year's resolution?
We've actually got a massive trip planned. We are pretty much doing the whole around the world sort of trip with this album. We are putting together a trip to LA, New York, London, Berlin, Amsterdam and Singapore.

So what you gonna do when the world comes calling?
Hahaha, oh God. Well it's a secret. It's a bit like, well, it's a secret plan on the way.