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Regional | Fat Freddy's Drop

Fat Freddy's travel the world but home is always special

For fifteen years now, Fat Freddys Drop have been touring Europe, but before heading there again in March, they have kicked off their Summer Record Tour in Aotearoa.  Mahina Hurkmans caught up with the band before their show at Wharepai Domain in Tauranga today.

Iain Gordon, the band's keyboard player, has been in the band since 2000. Travelling the country is something he always looks forward to, he says.

"All the different places are different crowd, different vibe, different venues, all have a different feel. So yeah, all amazing," Gordon says.

He is better known as Cookie Blaze to his bandmates, which is a nickname that helps him switch into performance mode.

"I was originally Doby Blaze, that was my first name. We all had names, it is just a stage persona to help you sort of getting into a different frame of mind, to get out of your normal existence and into the stage one. So originally it was that, so I just become the cook in the band and so they said Cookie Blaze."

Keyboard player Iain 'Cookie Blaze' Gordon says "it's always massive" to perform in his hometown of Wellington.  Photo/File.  

Although they travel the countryside and around the world, Gordon says it is always special performing for his hometown.

"Regions are always awesome, Kerikeri is a beautiful spot, Queenstown is good too. It's good for us, we get to see the country, see all the different places and spaces, absorb the environment, absorb the people and absorb the food always. We are always mad about food.

"I love playing Wellington because I live there and so all the whānau comes, and that's always massive."

Fat Freddy's Drop will end their tour in Queenstown in February and head to Europe in March.