Fat Freddy's back to roots for northern homecoming

When you're planning a world tour, there's really only one place to bring the whole shebang to an end in dramatic style - that's Opononi, on the southern banks of Northland's Hokianga Harbour.
Well, it is if you're Kiwi band Fat Freddy's Drop, as that's where this band of roots/rock/reggae/soul pioneers will be ending their Roundhouse World Tour after taking their unique brand of music to the United Kingdom, France, Ireland and many places in between.
They have played to hundreds of thousands at some of Europe's biggest festivals, including Bestival on The Isle of Wight, Electric Picnic in Ireland and Paris' Rock en Seine.
The band's Road to Opononi tour includes dates at Lower Hutt, Oakura, Rikawa, Waihi, Coroglen, Mount Maunganui, Mangawhai and, of course, a finale at Opononi Hotel on January 8.
The band's trombone, harp and tuba player Hopepa - aka Joe Lindsay - grew up in Northland and his dad lives in Whangarei, where he went to Kamo High School. A graduate of Wellington Jazz School he also plays with The Eggs - a funk boogaloo band - Eru Dangerspiel, Scribes of Ra and more.
Hopepa is also known worldwide for his "booty" dance moves on stage and he's been getting in plenty of practice on the stages of Europe.
So why would Hohepa end the tour in Opononi? It's hardly the place you'd think of when ending an international tour.
"Why not? It's on the circuit now, man. There's an established touring circuit running and Opononi Hotel is in there. We'll set up a marquee on the lawn and play away," he said.
"Also it's a bit of a homecoming for me. I grew up in Kaikohe and Kerikeri and used to go all around the Hokianga. Also, it'll be the furthest north we've ever been [in New Zealand].
"It's really exciting for me and I'll show the rest of the guys around the north afterwards as well.
"We've got a few weeks off after that last gig and I want to show the boys around Northland, you know, take them down the sand dunes at the Hokianga, take them [into the] bush and just hang out in the north, getting a bit of fishing in and stuff."
Hopepa said he always spent his family holidays in the north and as few Fat Freddy's members hadn't been further north than Mangawhai he wanted to show them "my beautiful homeland".
It'll also be a nice way to round off an amazing year for the band.
"Yeah, we've had a really good year. In fact it's been an amazing year for us. We've had some great gigs overseas and played to so many people."
So, will he be humming by the time he hits Mangawhai and Opononi after a year of fine-tuning his live act?
"Ha, ha, yeah. We should be in top form by then. Nah, we're good all the time - but being the last day at Opononi there might be something special planned - I'll get back to you on that one."
There is also likely to be a new Fat Freddy's album next year, with Hopepa saying the band has already started work on a number of tracks.
"We've been working on some new songs the past few weeks, actually. We've been in the studio at my house a bit. We rehearse and record everything that goes on.
"We set up and play for five days or so. We just jam like crazy and see what comes out of that. Then we sift through what we've recorded to see what works and what doesn't and then we expand on things from there.
"It's a fairly intense, and interesting, process that's very natural and organic. We all throw things into the mix and it's just a very natural process of jamming and refining."
It can make for some interesting outcomes, I'd imagine.
"Definitely. You can find stuff a bit later when listening to the recordings and say, 'Wow, that's really good, did we do that?' ... You don't always hear when you are playing exactly what it sounds like."
So does that mean we'll see a new album soon?
"I wouldn't say that. Hopefully we'll look at getting something new out in the middle of next year, but anything can happen."
One of Fat Freddy's strengths is the way they can meld diverse musical styles into a great new sound. It's a roots style that really does include all the band's musical roots, and more, he says.
"We all come from different backgrounds to a degree and while we like some of the same stuff, we all like different stuff and we all throw what we like into the mix."
Hopepa says he learned this early, with his trombone teacher, Herman Otto, who instilled in him the importance of improvisation.
"Herman was the man. He taught me so much, not just about improvisation. We would play for hours on end and it was never a chore.
"He was a great teacher for me and I credit him really for my playing."

TOUR DATES
December 28: Station Village,  Lower Hutt (with DJ Vee).
December 29: Butlers Reef Hotel, Oakura (with DJ Vee).
December 31: Riwaka Hotel (with DJ Vee).
January 2: Waihi Beach Hotel (with Bella Kalolo).
January 3: Coroglen Hotel (with Bella Kalolo).
January 4: Brewers' Field, Mt Maunganui (with Bella Kalolo).
January 6 and 7: Mangawhai Hotel (with Bella Kalolo).
January 8: Opononi Hotel (with Bella Kalolo).