I had a bit of a blast catching up with David Desrosiers and Jeff Stinco from Simple Plan when they were over here with Green Day earlier in the month. And while we talked about a whole range of topics in our allocated time, the conversation kept coming back to girls.
Simple Plan hail from Montreal, Canada – yes, that means they’re French Canadian, which means they speak French as their first language.
“I started learning English when I was like 16, you learn a bit at school, but it’s music. You read lyrics, you watch people on television and you start getting it,” said Jeff.
Not that the band sound French in a Pepe Le Peu kinda way, in fact I could have missed the French connection if it wasn’t for the fact the guys thought it was funny to have a bit of a natter about me and the other journalist in their native tongue (how rude!).
It’s not just when talking about journalists that French comes in handy;
“Just speaking French, that’s a good pick-up line right there. Especially for a girl who doesn’t understand,” said Jeff, who clearly thinks he’s found the way to our hearts.
I thought it might be good to get a foolproof French pick-up line for any of you girls heading out into the big wide world and hoping to score an exotic Frenchman.
“If she just tries to speak French a little bit we’ll go nuts, like whatever she’s says, it’s kinda hot,” instructs David. “I think it’s sexy”
These boys think a lot of things are sexy and they rate nzgirls very very highly.
Don’t worry, I’m not totally shameless and I didn’t ask them for their opinion on the local lasses then put them in a headlock till they spat out the desired answer. An inquiry was merely made about how they were finding New Zealand.
“I think it’s beautiful, we got here yesterday afternoon, it’s very pretty. I think New Zealand and Australia are really close to Canada in lots of ways – open minded, friendly…” said David before he was interrupted by Jeff who butted in with “hot girls”.
What followed was boy grunting noises as they debated the relative merits of nzgirls compared to the ones they’d just finished perving at in Sydney. So I had to jump in there with one for all you nzgirls – do we top the Ozzie chicks?
“I think so,” said Jeff (left), who then went all defensive when I told him he really has to say that.
“No, no, we went out yesterday, actually we had dinner. and we were looking at the streets and the girls were like hot hot hot.”
As flattering as that is for our collective egos, you probably want to learn more about what it’s like being in a world famous band, but before I know it we’re back to girls.
When the guys are asked if they get star struck by anyone it’s female performers who come up.
“You know what, when I saw Natalie Imbruglia. It’s not really star struck, but to me like the top one was Gwen Stefani, I got to meet her and hang out a little bit and we played a couple of shows with her in December and she was amazing,” said David.
Jeff had his moment at the recent MTV Video Awards held in Sydney.
“I couldn’t say I had a drink with Danni Minogue, but I would call it more of a sip. I stood with her, and I had my little stopwatch and it was five minutes! But we actually got to talk it was really nice, she was sooooo beautiful! Wow, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”
This provoked a snide comment from David (right) to the effect that Jeff’s been raving about “the moment” ever since.
We moved away from girls and onto the music.
Obviously Simple Plan were feeling a lot of love for Green Day (given they were kicking off a tour with them later that day) so it was no surprise they worked mentions of the band in whenever they could.
Asked what about their favourite CD was at that moment and Jeff’s response was the Green Day record, while David had a lot of good things to say about The Killers, who he’d managed to see perform live recently.
Then it was back to girls, or more specifically Avril Lavigne’s “chest” but the rest of that conversation is probably best not printed.
I had a bit of a blast catching up with David Desrosiers and Jeff Stinco from Simple Plan when they were over here with Green Day earlier in the month. And while we talked about a whole range of topics in our allocated time, the conversation kept coming back to girls.
I thought it might be good to get a foolproof French pick-up line for any of you girls heading out into the big wide world and hoping to score an exotic Frenchman. 
“I think so,” said Jeff (left), who then went all defensive when I told him he really has to say that.
This provoked a snide comment from David (right) to the effect that Jeff’s been raving about “the moment” ever since.