By the time rock band Semi Precious Weapons get home from tour they would have been away almost 2 years - mostly thanks to Lady Gaga.
And singer Justin Tranter says the group wouldn't have it any other way. He says the "hipster" attitude which separates the supposedly "cool" bands from touring with pop acts is everything that is wrong with the music industry today.
He spoke with NovaNation about the fact Australian band Cut Copy could have been in the same position as his band - on a long-term tour with Gaga. When Cut Copy was asked, members said they were "repulsed" by the thought.
"Firstly, that they thought that is probably a lie," he laughs. "That sort of attitude is the death of music. I know Cut Copy - at least in the US - are considered a "hipster" band. Personally I think Cut Copy is amazing band but there is this idea in those circles that nothing in the mainstream can exist in music. I think these sorts of attitudes are awful for Gaga and awful for Cut Copy."
It was exactly the opposite for Semi Precious Weapons at Lollapalooza last weekend. Lady Gaga played drums, sang back-ups and stagedived during their set.
"I think the reason it's become the media frenzy that it has is because no one was expecting such a rock n roll show," Tranter says. "It was f**king amazing."