New Fans
Encyclopedia
"New Fans" is the tenth episode of the HBO comedy series Flight of the Conchords
. This episode first aired in the United States
on Sunday, August 19, 2007.
" results in the Conchords gaining two new fans, but Mel is suspicious of the newcomers and their motives. Murray encourages the band to adopt a more "rock star
" attitude.
After the meeting they head off to a gig which turns out to be a 'World Music Jam'. When it is their turn on stage they begin to perform "Rock The Party", but the show MC
is unimpressed and stops them early.
Their performance has interested two girls at the bar though, Summer and Rain. They introduce themselves and flirt with the boys, much to Mel's displeasure. Murray encourages the guys to be seen drinking beer to improve their image despite the fact that Bret and Jemaine both dislike it.
Bret and Jemaine stop by Dave's place to borrow some "cool and sexy" clothes from him. Jemaine requests clothes that project a "casual Prince" image. Dave complains about his room-mates whom he vehemently denies are his parents.
At the consulate, Murray shows them how he answers the band's emails for them and demonstrates the webcam
s that he has had installed in their apartment without their knowledge. Murray is pleased that the girls from the gig have joined the fan club. He reminds them about the dinner with Mel but the guys have a double date with the two new fans. Murray insists that they go and implores them not to upset their old fans "like Zed Zed Top
did".
Bret and Jemaine take Summer and Rain to dinner at Mel's place. Mel is hostile towards the new women and is defensive when asked about her husband, who Bret discovers has been banished to the basement. Mel tells Bret that she thinks the new fans are only interested in sex, which leads them to cut the dinner short and leave with Summer and Rain.
At Summer's place the girls offer the boys acid tabs which they are reluctant about, but they end up agreeing to take a sixteenth of a tab each. Afterwards, Summer suggests to Jemaine and Bret — separately — that they have a threesome
, so each tries to send the other band mate home. They soon discover that Summer meant her and the two guys. That idea doesn't appeal to the guys much, so they attempt to sneak out but Summer catches them.
When they tell Murray about the new fans giving them drugs and wanting to have a threesome, he is impressed. He thinks it is very "rock and roll." Unfortunately it turns out that Summer and Rain have now dropped out of the fan club. So has an upset Mel, leaving them fanless.
During the end credits, Bret and Jemaine are talking in bed about the threesome the night before. Murray rings them to tell them to get some sleep. He has been watching on the webcam — and so, it seems, has Mel.
, the hallucinating boys sing "The Prince of Parties", a song with appropriately trippy
lyrics and a video featuring Bret, Jemaine, Mel, Summer and Rain dancing around a forest glade
tempted by a satyr
played by Murray. The song is reminiscent of the later work of the Beatles
(including a reference to Sitar
guru Ravi Shankar
), as is the imagery shown while the song is playing, which appears to be inspired by the video for Rain
. Also the psychedelic music made by Donovan
in the late '60s, complete with trippy wordplay, and fey vocals is clearly an inspiration on the song.
Flight of the Conchords (TV series)
Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement...
. This episode first aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Sunday, August 19, 2007.
Plot synopsis
A performance at a local "World Music JamWorld music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
" results in the Conchords gaining two new fans, but Mel is suspicious of the newcomers and their motives. Murray encourages the band to adopt a more "rock star
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
" attitude.
Plot
At a band meeting at a local restaurant, Murray and the band discuss ways to improve their 'rock' image. Murray announces that Mel has won the fan competition — the prize is to cook the guys dinner at her place.After the meeting they head off to a gig which turns out to be a 'World Music Jam'. When it is their turn on stage they begin to perform "Rock The Party", but the show MC
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
is unimpressed and stops them early.
Their performance has interested two girls at the bar though, Summer and Rain. They introduce themselves and flirt with the boys, much to Mel's displeasure. Murray encourages the guys to be seen drinking beer to improve their image despite the fact that Bret and Jemaine both dislike it.
Bret and Jemaine stop by Dave's place to borrow some "cool and sexy" clothes from him. Jemaine requests clothes that project a "casual Prince" image. Dave complains about his room-mates whom he vehemently denies are his parents.
At the consulate, Murray shows them how he answers the band's emails for them and demonstrates the webcam
Webcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
s that he has had installed in their apartment without their knowledge. Murray is pleased that the girls from the gig have joined the fan club. He reminds them about the dinner with Mel but the guys have a double date with the two new fans. Murray insists that they go and implores them not to upset their old fans "like Zed Zed Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
did".
Bret and Jemaine take Summer and Rain to dinner at Mel's place. Mel is hostile towards the new women and is defensive when asked about her husband, who Bret discovers has been banished to the basement. Mel tells Bret that she thinks the new fans are only interested in sex, which leads them to cut the dinner short and leave with Summer and Rain.
At Summer's place the girls offer the boys acid tabs which they are reluctant about, but they end up agreeing to take a sixteenth of a tab each. Afterwards, Summer suggests to Jemaine and Bret — separately — that they have a threesome
Threesome
A threesome is a group of three engaged in the same activity. In relation to a sexual activity a threesome refer to the activity involving three people of any gender or sexual orientation...
, so each tries to send the other band mate home. They soon discover that Summer meant her and the two guys. That idea doesn't appeal to the guys much, so they attempt to sneak out but Summer catches them.
When they tell Murray about the new fans giving them drugs and wanting to have a threesome, he is impressed. He thinks it is very "rock and roll." Unfortunately it turns out that Summer and Rain have now dropped out of the fan club. So has an upset Mel, leaving them fanless.
During the end credits, Bret and Jemaine are talking in bed about the threesome the night before. Murray rings them to tell them to get some sleep. He has been watching on the webcam — and so, it seems, has Mel.
"Ladies of the World"
"Ladies of the World" (a.k.a. "Something Special for the Ladies") is an ode to all the women of the world and a plea to make love, not war. Bret and Jemaine begin singing this song after they notice that there are a lot of hot women at the world music gig. Part of the song in which Bret and Jemaine rap is similar to MC Miker G. and Deejay Sven's "Holiday Rap"."The Prince of Parties"
After taking some acidLSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
, the hallucinating boys sing "The Prince of Parties", a song with appropriately trippy
Psychedelic experience
The term "psychedelic experience" is vague – characterized by polyvalence or ambiguity due to its nature – however in modern psychopharmacological science as well as philosophical, psychological, neurological, spiritual-religious and most other ideological discourses it is understood as an altered...
lyrics and a video featuring Bret, Jemaine, Mel, Summer and Rain dancing around a forest glade
Glade (geography)
A glade or clearing is an open area within a woodland. Glades are often grassy meadows under the canopy of deciduous trees such as red alder or quaking aspen in western North America. They also represent openings in forests where local conditions such as avalanches, poor soils, or fire damage have...
tempted by a satyr
Satyr
In Greek mythology, satyrs are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus — "satyresses" were a late invention of poets — that roamed the woods and mountains. In myths they are often associated with pipe-playing....
played by Murray. The song is reminiscent of the later work of the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
(including a reference to Sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
guru Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
), as is the imagery shown while the song is playing, which appears to be inspired by the video for Rain
Rain (The Beatles song)
"Rain" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first released in June 1966 as the B-side of the "Paperback Writer" single...
. Also the psychedelic music made by Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
in the late '60s, complete with trippy wordplay, and fey vocals is clearly an inspiration on the song.