Graham Reid speaks to an Auckland rock band poised to make a big noise internationally—even if they are still largely unknown back home.

Auckland four-piece rockers Tourist are something of an oddity in the local music scene: They make big-hearted, radio-friendly songs that have a touch of Indie Brit-rock and power-pop about them; and they have influential friends and supporters offshore—but they find it tough to get attention here.

Latterly, they have found themselves falling between the alternative music crowd and mainstream rock.

With their impressive debut album Minutes Last For Years, recorded in Cardiff by a producer who has worked with some of the biggest names in the British rock scene; their publishing held by an American company; and interest from Europe—they seem to be doing something very right.

Yet they are hardly household names on home turf, despite playing around the pubs and clubs for the past six years.

"We haven’t had the opportunity to support any international artists or a big New Zealand artist on a national tour," says singer/songwriter and guitarist Peter J Rudd, "but we’ve played a lot and had some other good slots which has been good for us.

"We started off on the bFMs of the world two or three years ago—and getting good airplay there for singles. But then NZ On Air picked us up and you do this transformation and go onto The Rock and mainstream radio—although we haven’t gone totally mainstream onto the Edge or ZM yet.

"So we straddle both worlds which is difficult."

One listen to their powerful album—launched at the Kings Arms this October—and it is easy to hear how they could be accepted by both Indie-rock and mainstream audiences.

The ten tracks were recorded at Stir Studios in Cardiff by producer Greg Haver whose previous credits include work with the Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals and Catatonia.

Haver had heard an early Tourist’s single and when he came to New Zealand three years ago they recorded another together. But when Haver offered to do a whole album, the band made the leap of faith and went to his hometown of Cardiff.

"We run the band like a business and it was expensive to go there, but we worked out that we could cut an album there for a similar amount to what it would have been here. So we’ve achieved an album with great sound—although it was run pretty tight.

"We tracked, recorded and mixed eight songs in ten days, so it was quite full on. But they were all songs we have played live, so we were well rehearsed and knew what we wanted to achieve in the studio."

Already, there is enthusiastic interest from Swedish music promoter Peter Holmstedt, who represents major record labels throughout Scandinavia and considers the album "one of the best discs in the genre that I’ve heard in a long, long time".

"He’s managed to get some airplay and press activity up there," says Rudd, "so now we’re considering how we can get up there early next year."

With their publishing picked up by a company in Los Angeles and their previous single Do You Feel The Cold?—included on Minutes Last For Years—having been a finalist in the America-run International Songwriting Competition (which had over 15,000 entries from around the world), the band can feel confident that they are doing something very right.

"Things are pulling together nicely at the moment. We have a local distribution deal through King Music, so the album will be available in all record stores. We’re not expecting it to shoot out the doors because it’s a slow burner.

"We’ve had help from NZ On Air and we won a rock scholarship on the Rock FM, which gives us some advertising with the release, and hopefully they’ll playlist the new single Did You Kill Your Love.

"It’s getting a bit of play on Juice already. We’re also hoping to tour nationally in February and March, but we have a few dates in November and December already locked away."

Which might mean that this band—which is something of a well-kept secret at home—might start getting some local recognition.

"Hopefully. A lot of people think we are Australian or British. We just need more songs on radio and the video played a bit more. I think the album will be a big step in that direction.

"It's taken a long time to get here, but a lot of bands do it too quickly. We've done the EPs and now an album, and we’ve been playing all the time. It’s a long slog, but we prefer it that way."

Tourist’s debut album Minutes Last For Years is released in-stores on 30 October 2006.

The Tourist Album Release Party is being held at the King’s Arms in Auckland on Thursday, 26 October 2006.

Graham Reid, View Auckland, October 2006 (www.viewauckland.co.nz)