If you feel like you're going nowhere fast in life, Uncle Luke Buda from The Phoenix Foundation has some advice:

'Sometimes you'll have baked beans on toast and a boiled egg for dinner, instead of slow-cooked pork belly on a bed of Israeli couscous – it's alright.”

In celebration of their new album ‘Give Up Your Dreams', The Phoenix Foundation are on stage at Mount Maunganui's Mauao Performing Arts Centre on Thursday, October 1.

It is part of the band first national tour since 2013 and their first outing with their latest line-up, which includes new drummer Chris O'Connor.

'It's the first time we've gone on tour with material that everyone feels ownership of and we're pretty excited by the material on GUYD,” says Luke.

'We're looking forward to playing Mount Maunganui because we haven't been there much. We've stuck to the main centres in the past so it's great we get to branch out more this time.”

Self-produced by The Phoenix Foundation, Luke admits descriptions of their 2013 release ‘Fandango' as 'a slow burner” bounced around in his head during GUYD's conception.

So he made it his mission to create an album which sucked you in from the moment you hit play.

'I thought about was excited me the most about the band right now and that was our new drummer Chris,” he explains.

'So we went in that direction – rhythm is exciting and Chris can play crazy rhythms, and we've got a great percussionist and bass player, so we exploited the resources we have.

When asked the story behind the album's title, he lets out a low sigh. It's a question he's been asked to death – but plays along.

The story goes like this: The title was inspired by a conversation Luke had with fellow musician James Milne (a.k.a Lawrence Arabia) who supported The Phoenix Foundation on their last UK tour.

'I was stressing about something to do with our last album, and James said to me, ‘Look, I've found life's a lot more enjoyable if you give up your dreams' or some similar phrase.

'The idea is more about being happy with what you've got, rather than giving into the uber-aspirational culture of the moment about life having to be absolutely perfect and amazing at all times.”

The Phoenix Foundation's plays the Mauao Performing Arts Centre on Saturday, October 3. For more information and where to buy tickets visit: www.thephoenixfoundation.co.nz