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New Holland are something to believe in

What's in a name? Not much it seems. Taking theirs from a tractor company – and sharing it with an academic book publisher – New Hollandsound like they should, by all accounts, be making sokkie dans treffers. But their stellar second album, 'Exploded Views', is bold, adventurous, and (quite rightly) SAMA-nominated.

We speak to the band about the name, experimentation, winning over Potchefstroom, strippers, and Leona Lewis.

Why choose the same name as a company that publishes some pretty boring books and another that makes farming equipment?

Gerdus Oosthuizen: At that time it made sense, because we are a bunch of Afrikaans guys singing in English.

Odendaal Esterhuyse: And those companies didn't do the name justice.

Do you ever regret the choice?

Gerdus: Quite often I do. Not in terms of originality really, trying to find a name for a band that has not already been used is quite difficult and often leads down the road of obscurity. But we keep getting asked about it, which makes me want to tattoo the answers to some FAQs on my forehead.

Sonically the new album is a huge leap forward from your first album, '01', and you don't seem afraid to experiment. What do you attribute the growth and the new sense of adventure to?

Odendaal: Listening to a wide variety of music and taking what we want from it. As you grow musically you learn that it's all about having fun and expressing yourself. In today's post modern age it seems we are more free than before to express ourselves in as many ways as possible. We also had the opportunity to work with masters in the field.

Gerdus: We like experimenting with things. This album we did entirely differently in that we recorded and produced it ourselves, we tracked the drums at Sue studios and got the album mixed by Neal Snymann. We have been listening to a vast array of music and that ultimately led to this album. I think the fact that success is quite a relative term in South Africa contributes to the fact that we are not afraid to experiment - it is not like you are going to alienate a million fans. I think we will always be experimenting.

The album embraces a variety of different styles. Why? And how did you decide what approach to take on what song?

Gerdus: We all have a hand in every facet of the creative process. When someone comes with an idea he normally has a preconception of how the production should sound. We normally venture down that avenue and see where it leads. Mostly we decide together, but I think the biggest reason for the diversity was the lack of a set procedure for going about things. I quite like the way things turned out, but I will definitely go about things differently next time around. I think every album is a learning curve.

Did you ever feel pressure (from within the band, or from external sources like record companies) to "streamline" the sound to more straightforward guitar-drums-bass?

Gerdus: Not really, they do obviously want you to be pop-sensible. One tries to let them not faze you too much. I don't really care what anybody wants me to do, I follow my own head anyway. The problem is normally the timeframe they give us to do it in.

Considering you use autotune on 'These are the best days', what are your thoughts on Jay-Z's song 'Death of Autotune'?

Gerdus: To be honest...I really like Jay-Z, but I don't specifically know that song. I have been withdrawn from the current scene, but ultimately what Jay-Z says is law, be it the rapper or the politician.

How does it feel to hear 'Something to believe in' on national radio stations like 5FM? Is commercial success a swearword or something that you're after?

Odendaal: Commercial success is a necessity for anyone looking to make money with their music. It does not mean you have to sacrifice the originality of your music. With the variety of genres on our new album we don't feel like we sold our souls to get radio play and we embrace exposure.

Gerdus: Commercial success is cool. If you want to do what you want to do, people have to like what it is you are doing. I don't think one should suck on the teat of consumerism constantly, but one has to get by.

Name something you believe in.

Odendaal: Interracial relationships.

Gerdus: I'm with Odi on this one. Interracial relationships are awesome.

What's the biggest problem with SA rock music?

Gerdus: We are a developing country, and it shows in the scene. There is a general lack of funds, and people don't generally buy as much local music as one would hope for.

Odendaal: And bands are just too over-eager to achieve fame.

You've been touring quite extensively in support of the album. What's the oddest place you've visited or driven through so far? And how do you keep sane on the road with four guys in each others' faces all the time? Who has the worst habits while you're touring – and what does he do?

Odendaal: Witbank because you can't really see the sun through all that pollution. And who said we are sane to begin with?

Gerdus: Once again I am with Odi on this one, Witbank is a very strange place. We keep sane in the car by constantly listening to music or playing 'I spy', otherwise we party I guess. I think the person with the habit with the most negative externalities is Teejay, he farts a lot when we are in the car. I get the humour, but it's mostly only funny when you are dishing it out.

Are there any odd shows that stand out from your time in the band? Guys falling through the stage, playing in a strip club, that kind of thing.

Odendaal: I take it you heard about the album launch at House Of Rasputin. That was fun and interesting. Where I would normally stare straight into TeeJay I had a view of strippers' behinds.

Gerdus: The oddest one was most likely a show we played on our first tour. It was in this empty Snowflake factory in Potchefstroom. They showed like three consecutive rugby games on big screens, lots of big angry men getting drunk and wanting to 'bliksem' Teejay for being a 'moffie', and then we had to play. The weirdest thing was that the people really dug it, and were super nice to us after that.

What's the first song you each learned to play or made you want to play in a band?

Odendaal: 'Father and Son' by Cat Stevens

Gerdus: I had lessons from Johnny de Ridder when he was still playing for 22 Stars and he taught me a song by Jimmy Eat World. I can't remember the name of it though - it was one of those three chord beauties.

You've mentioned being influenced by bands like MGMT and The Raconteurs. Who might be considered surprising influences? Are you closet Modern Talking fans for example?

Gerdus: Surprise influences will be stuff like Leona Lewis and Radio Kalahari Orkes.

Are there any different bands you started listening to while writing and recording 'Exploded Views'?

Gerdus: Discovery and Phoenix

What's the most embarrassing album in your collection or song on your iPod?

Gerdus: I don't consider it embarrassing, but I think the fact that I love Leona Lewis is considered something to keep quiet about.