If you’re an aficionado of comedy, you likely recognize Bret McKenzie as one half of the uproarious noughties musical act Flight of the Conchords. Since then, Bret has been quite active, winning both an Oscar and a Grammy for his songwriting on The Muppets, landing a significant role in the Minecraft Movie, and expertly parodying guitar-pop icon Morrissey in a spot-on sketch on The Simpsons.
Bret's big break, characteristic of a Kiwi, came from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy long before the Conchords gained fame. In an almost surreal twist, it was merely three seconds of silent screen time – portraying "Figwit," the charming elf – that launched Bret into the entertainment realm.
And fortunate for me, I managed to spend about an hour chatting with him about all this and his new album 'Freak Out City' over Zoom.
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Hey Bret McKenzie! So, what was the story behind Figwit?
I was a background elf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I appeared on screen for about three seconds. At that time, it's important to note that the internet was still new, and LOTR fans represented a large portion of internet users. The LOTR website was among the top five globally.
Really?
Yes! My character didn't even have a name. But someone decided to name me FIGWIT, which stands for “Frodo Is Great, Who Is That!?” The fans embraced it, writing detailed erotic elf fanfiction, you name it. This became useful when we took the Conchords to the Edinburgh Fringe. We were relatively unknown, having only about ten audience members. Yet, if you looked closely, half of them sported LOTR merchandise. It helped us a lot. Jermaine found it hilarious. He was really into MySpace back then.
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Your new album, ‘Freak Out City’, marks a shift from your usual punchline-driven songs to something more intricate and surreal. How does your audience react to that?
With the Conchords, we wrote songs for comedy venues, and to succeed – particularly with British audiences – you had to keep the jokes flowing consistently. This album draws more from artists like Randy Newman and John Prine, who embed their punchlines within the verses. Even Leonard Cohen incorporates humor in his verses.
So what happens with the choruses?
The choruses offer a chance to express something more emotional or philosophical. Music feels more sacred that way. The magic of comedy music often lies in having a sacred moment that suddenly shifts when it's humanized by a joke.
You execute that brilliantly on the opening track ‘Bethnal Green Blues.’
Thanks! The verses feel like a stand-up routine about a guy getting trapped under a vending machine. However, the chorus takes a more reflective tone, focusing on making a difference in life – “All I wanna make is a difference / Not fade away into insignificance.” Starting with a track like that helps acclimate the Conchords audience, since it can be a bit disorienting if I’m not delivering straightforward punchlines.
I suspect comedy songs have a lifespan. Once the joke lands, it becomes challenging to surprise again.
Oh, completely. It’s a double-edged sword. People still want to hear the songs, but the laughter isn’t the same. Playing for an audience that isn’t laughing feels odd. Sometimes they question, “why are you doing this?” And I respond that I'm doing it for myself. I enjoy writing and recording songs; it brings me joy. You have to pursue what you love.
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Credit: Rebecca McMillan
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The band you've gathered for this record is incredible.
Absolutely! There's an amazing Wellington 'wrecking crew' from home, along with top-notch talent from Los Angeles. For example, Leland Sklar on bass looks like Gandalf with his massive white beard. He has a switch on his bass called the ‘producer switch’. Essentially, when a producer asks him to change the sound, he flicks this ‘producer switch’ – which does nothing, by the way – and says, “how about now?” He’s quite the character.
That’s fantastic.
Also, there's Dean Parks, often dubbed the most recorded guitarist in history. He played on Thriller, the Whitney Houston Bodyguard soundtrack, and has worked with Stevie Wonder. When experienced musicians like him are engaged with your work, you realize you're onto something special.
Does it ever become challenging working with these legends? Can you direct them?
Dean Parks brings a truckload of 80 guitars to each session. You can describe the sound you envision, and he’ll respond, “I know what you mean,” then select the perfect guitar, ukulele, or banjo. One of my favorite moments with Dean on this album is in ‘Shouldna Come Here Tonight’. He initially laid down something great, but I asked him
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If you're a comedy enthusiast, you're likely familiar with Bret McKenzie as one half of the amusing musical duo Flight of the Conchords from the 2000s. Since that time,