Jon Toogood (top) and Dolf De Borst.

Jon Toogood (top) and Dolf De Borst.

Shihad's Jon Toogood and Dolf de Borst from the Datsuns first met each other in the early- to mid-90s - they can't remember exactly - at a Hamilton venue called the Wailing Bongo. De Borst was still in a band called Trucker and Shihad were well on their way to becoming one of the best live acts in the country.

Then, in 1998, reckons de Borst, at Hamilton's old student pub, the Hillcrest Tavern, Shihad and the Datsuns played their only show together. This New Year they're joining forces again.

Shihad are veterans of New Year's Eve gigs but the Datsuns have only played one. "And that was the worst gig of the tour so I'm not really qualified. I don't really like doing the shout out thing," laughs de Borst.

"I always mess it up, eh," adds Toogood, "and it's usually on purpose and you get in shit because it's usually timed with fireworks and stuff. So I try and throw a curve ball in there."

Like all of us, Toogood's had some good and bad end-of-year celebrations. He remembers an outdoor concert in Napier where the wind was so strong it turned the gig into a dust bowl.

"I remember hating every minute of it and I ended up destroying a drum kit which cost $5000, which meant the hire company in New Zealand hated me for about three years," he laughs.

Today the pair are in Melbourne: Toogood is his usual chirpy and cussing self and the Datsun is a little croaky and quiet after last night's gig and a drinking session at the Cherry Bar that went on until 4am. Let's talk rock'n'roll.

So what do you think of each other's music?

DdB: Well we've grown up with these guys' music completely. We used to sneak in to their shows when we were 16 or 17 and I remember getting into fights at the Wailing Bongo 'cause our drummer Matt, who was a bit younger than the rest of us, was getting his arse kicked by some old hairy man and he was only about 14. So I was going to see Shihad and bands like Nothing At All in the mid-90s.

JT: I saw you guys at the Corner Hotel supporting the White Stripes and I thought the Datsuns stole the show. It was the first time I'd seen the White Stripes too and I think [Jack White] was packing a big tanty. These guys were playing in between and they didn't mess around. It was [expletive] awesome. It reminded me of a good Head Like a Hole show, you know, that same sort of energy, because when Head Like a Hole were on fire they were dangerous. That's how Shihad learned to be a good live band, by touring around Germany and having to go on after Head Like a Hole every night - that was pretty intimidating. That was awesome, until the drugs kicked in and then we started winning every night.