Neil Finn

For the football player, see Neil Finn (footballer).

Neil Finn
Neil Finn, 13 June 2006, Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia
Background information
Birth name	Cornelius Mullane Finn
Also known as	Neil Finn
Born	27 May 1958 (1958-05-27) (age 53) Te Awamutu, New Zealand
Genres	Pop, rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, ukulele, mandolin, keyboards, bass guitar, drums
Years active	1976–present
Labels	Columbia
Associated acts	After Hours, Split Enz, Crowded House, Finn Brothers, The Mullanes, Flight of the Conchords, 7 Worlds Collide, Pajama Club

Neil (christened Cornelius^[1]) Mullane Finn, OBE (born 27 May 1958) is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House. He has also recorded several successful solo albums and assembled diverse musicians for the 7 Worlds Collide projects.

Finn rose to prominence in the late 1970s after replacing singer songwriter Phil Judd in his brother Tim Finn's band Split Enz. With the group, Finn wrote the hits "One Step Ahead", "History Never Repeats", "I Got You" and "Message to My Girl", among others. Finn rose from prominence to international fame after Split Enz broke up in 1984. While his brother Tim Finn left for England, Neil was the founder of Crowded House with Split Enz's final drummer Paul Hester in 1985. The group achieved international success in 1987 when they released the single "Don't Dream It's Over" written by Neil.

He ended Crowded House in 1996 to embark upon what was to become a moderately successful solo career, and has released two albums with his brother Tim under the title the Finn Brothers. In 2006, following the death of Hester, Finn reformed Crowded House (adding Beck's former drummer Matt Sherrod) and released the first studio album in over thirteen years, Time on Earth, and the band began a world tour. In 2010, Finn commenced another world tour with Crowded House in support of their 2010 release, Intriguer.

Biography

Early years / Split Enz

Neil Finn during Crowded House's heyday – San Francisco, 1987

Neil Finn was born the youngest of four children to Dick and Mary Finn in Te Awamutu, New Zealand.^[2] His mother, a devout Catholic who moved to New Zealand from Ireland at the age of two, maintained a religious influence over the family.^[3] Speaking of Catholicism, Finn stated "It's a great fertile ground for pulling lyrics out. [There's] lots of good stuff going on in there, good rituals and imagery and lots of guilt. It's a very potent combination. I think you're blessed, really, to be brought up with some kind of weird dogma like that."^[4] His father, the son of a farmer from Waikato, served in the army in Italy and became an accountant during World War II.^[3] His parents instilled an "inspiring admiration of music" in young Finn; the family would often engage in sing-alongs around the family piano.^[5] In addition to music, Finn also enjoyed sports, particularly swimming, rugby, tennis, and biking.^[6]

As a child, Finn would often perform at family gatherings with his older brother Tim. Finn recalled, "We'd sing all night. It was very much part of our upbringing...That was the first inkling of the seduction of live performance."^[7] He idolized his brother and wished to imitate his actions, learning to play guitar and piano at the same time Tim did.^[8] Finn was more public about his musical aspirations, and won ten shillings in his school's annual talent contest shortly after enrolling.^[9] When Tim left to study at Sacred Heart College, a boarding school in Auckland, eight-year-old Finn started playing a guitar that he had left behind.^[10] A naturally willing performer, Finn was nicknamed 'The Ant' by his family due to his determined and ambitious nature.^[11]

He attended Sacred Heart boarding school and Te Awamutu College. He decided to become a musician at the age of 12 and throughout his school years performed in prisons and hospitals as well as at home gatherings. Neil finished school in 1975. A year later he formed a group known as After Hours with Mark Hough, Geoff Chunn and Alan Brown. Not long after the band's debut performance, Neil was invited to London to join Split Enz, the band formed by his elder brother Tim. By 1980, he was sharing lead singer duties. He wrote their first international hit "I Got You" and contributed significantly to all their later albums, even briefly assuming leadership of the band after Tim left in 1984, soon before its breakup.

Crowded House

After the breakup of Split Enz in 1984. Finn formed a new band called The Mullanes (Mullane being both his middle name and his mother's maiden name) with Split Enz drummer Paul Hester, guitarist Craig Hooper of The Reels and bassist Nick Seymour (younger brother of Hunters & Collectors leader Mark Seymour), whom Neil had met on the final Split Enz tour. Hooper left just before they recorded their first album, at which time the band was renamed Crowded House, inspired by the rental home they shared while recording in Los Angeles.

Crowded House went on to enormous success worldwide, in particular with two major hits: "Don't Dream It's Over" (US #2, 1987) and "Weather With You" (UK #7, 1992). Both Neil and his brother Tim were invested as Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to New Zealand music in the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours List.^[12] After releasing four albums, Crowded House, Temple of Low Men, Woodface, and Together Alone, the group broke up in 1996, and followed this action by releasing a greatest hits album Recurring Dream. Following this, Neil went solo. Later the album Afterglow was released, which contained Crowded House tracks not previously found on any of the band's albums.

In January 2007, it was announced that Crowded House were reforming with Neil, Nick Seymour, Mark Hart and new drummer Matt Sherrod (following the suicide of Paul Hester in 2005). The group's new album Time on Earth was released in June 2007; in the pre-release build up, they headlined a show at Coachella in April 2007, then commenced a world tour.

Performing with Crowded House in 1996

In March 2009, Neil joined brother Tim on stage with son Liam Finn at Melbourne's charity Sound Relief concert at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in support of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.

Solo work

Finn has recorded two solo albums to date: Try Whistling This (1998) and One Nil (2001). (One Nil was released in the US and Canada – remixed, reordered and renamed One All – in 2002.) In addition, he and brother Tim have collaborated on two Finn Brothers albums, Finn (1995) and Everyone Is Here (2004).

In 2001, he released a live album/DVD (7 Worlds Collide) consisting of songs recorded at St James Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand with the likes of Lisa Germano, Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing), Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway (Radiohead), Johnny Marr (The Smiths), Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Paul Jeffrey, Tim Finn, and Betchadupa. Finn was additionally heavily involved in creating the 2001 soundtrack for the motion picture Rain.

Finn has contributed solo music to various film and TV soundtracks including Rain, Boston Legal, Boston Public, The Waiting Game, Antz, and Sports Night.

Collaborations

The Dixie Chicks release Taking The Long Way has a song co-written with Finn, entitled "Silent House". It deals with people suffering from Alzheimers disease, slowly finding that familiar faces and items long cherished are slipping away from their memory. Neil Finn was also featured as a backing vocalist on the Sheryl Crow song, "Everyday is a Winding Road" from her self-titled second album, released in 1997. He also produced the song "Greenstone" from Emma Paki's debut album "Oxygen Of Love". Finn has also produced and recorded with various New Zealand acts such as Bic Runga, The Mutton Birds and Dave Dobbyn.

In 2006, Neil and Tim Finn were both honoured by a slew of women re-recording and re-interpreting a selection of their songs with the album She Will Have Her Way which featured artists performing Neil Finn's songs such as Kasey Chambers, Clare Bowditch, Boh Runga with her band Stellar*, Renée Geyer, Brooke Fraser, Holly Throsby, Sarah Blasko, Amiel and Natalie Imbruglia.

Finn playing at Calvin Theatre, August 2007

Neil played solo at New Zealand WOMAD 2008 festival, filling in at short notice for another performer who had become unwell.

In December 2008 several of the 7 Worlds Collide lineup reconvened in Auckland, New Zealand to record The Sun Came Out, a charity album for Oxfam to be released 29 September 2009. It was recorded in Finn's own Roundhead Studios and will feature all-new material, with singing and songwriting contributions divided amongst the group. Most of the original members of Crowded House have returned, along with several new additions including Jeff Tweedy and three other members of Wilco, Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, and notable New Zealand songwriters Don McGlashan and Bic Runga. As in 2001 the group gave a series of live performances, though at three nights the run was shorter and the venue was more intimate.

Finn had a cameo appearance acting role on the BBC Radio Show Flight of the Conchords.

Finn appeared on fellow musician Missy Higgins' CD, On a Clear Night (2007). He played electric guitar for the song "Peachy", and sang backing vocals on "Going North".

Charity work

In 1986 Finn performed with The Rock Party a charity project initiated by The National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), which included many Australasian musicians such as Reg Mombassa from Mental As Anything, Eddie Rayner, Tim Finn, Nick Seymour and Paul Hester of Crowded House, Geoff Stapleton, Mark Callaghan and Robbie James of GANGgajang, Mary Azzopardi of Rockmelons, Andrew Barnum of The Vitabeats, Lissa Barnum, Michael Barclay, Peter Blakely, Deborah Conway, Jenny Morris, Danny De Costa, Greg Herbert (The Promise), Spencer P Jones, Sean Kelly (Models), John Kennedy, Paul Kelly, Martin Plaza (Mental as Anything), Robert Susz (Dynamic Hepnotics) and Rick Swinn (The Venetians).^[13] The Rock Party released a 12" single "Everything To Live For", which was produced by Joe Wissert, Phil Rigger and Phil Beazley.^[13]

Neil Finn in 1996

In February 2007, Neil Finn performed with his son Elroy and Jimmy Barnes at a charity benefit concert for cerebral palsy. The event was held at the Roxburgh Hall, Stowe School, Stowe in Buckinghamshire, UK. The benefit was in aid of he UK charity Scope (formerly "The Spastics Society"), England's largest charity working for people living with cerebral palsy and their families.

Personal life

Finn married Sharon Dawn Johnson, on 13 February 1982. The song "I Love You Dawn", available on Afterglow (an album of unreleased Crowded House tracks and B-sides) was penned in her honour. Sharon creates chandeliers in her workshop in Auckland, many of which featured on stage in the 2004–05 tours promoting the Everyone Is Here album. She has appeared on backing vocals on various albums such as Crowded House and Alex Lloyd's Watching Angels Mend She also features prominently on the new 7 Worlds Collide project, co-writing (and sharing lead vocal) the track 'Little By Little' with her husband and sings on the track 'Isolation' on the new Crowded House album, Intriguer.

Finn and wife Sharon formed a band of their own titled 'Pajama Club' after their two sons moved out of the family home and they were left with a lot of free time. They released their self titled debut album in September 2011.

They have two sons, Liam Mullane Finn (born 1983) (Split Enz's "Our Day" was written about his birth) and Elroy Timothy Finn (born 1989). Both sons are multi-instrumentalists, like their father, and often perform alongside him on tour and in the recording studio. Liam had his own band, Betchadupa, originally based in Auckland, then London before releasing a solo album, I'll Be Lightning in 2008. He also played in Crowded House's touring band lineup in 2007. Elroy Finn is also following in his father and brother's musical footsteps as drummer for the psychobilly band The Tricks and has previously filled in on drums for Cut Off Your Hands. Elroy began touring as Liam's drummer in 2011 to promote Liam's second album 'FOMO'.

Recent work

Both Tim and Neil Finn share the stage and have released an album under the name The Finn Brothers. They have also performed with Neil Finn's son Liam Finn.

Neil Finn solo discography

This discography relates to solo releases by Neil Finn only. See Split Enz discography, Crowded House discography and The Finn Brothers' discography for other related works.

Albums

Album	Release	Charts	Singles
Try Whistling This	1998 Debut studio release	#1 (AUS) #1 (NZ) #5 (UK) #18 (NOR) #88 (NL) #19 (US Heat)	"Sinner" "She Will Have Her Way" "Last One Standing"
Sessions at West 54th	2000 Part of the US television series Sessions at West 54th.
One Nil	2001 Second studio release Released with the title One All in the United States in 2002.	#1 (NZ) #9 (AUS) #14 (UK) #26 (US Heat)	"Rest of the Day Off" "Wherever You Are" "Last to Know" "Hole In the Ice"
7 Worlds Collide	2001 Features guest musicians including Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Lisa Germano, Sebastian Steinberg, Johnny Marr, Tim Finn, Betchadupa and New Zealand originated musicians and members of UK band Radiohead.	#5 (NZ) #140 (UK) #45 (US Heat)	"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"
The Sun Came Out	2009 Features guest musicians including Lisa Germano, Sebastian Steinberg, Johnny Marr, Tim Finn, Liam Finn, Elroy Finn, Sharon Finn, Ed O'Brien & Phil Selway of Radiohead, Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche & Pat Sansone of Wilco, KT Tunstall, Bic Runga, Don McGlashan, Nile Marr, Spencer Tweedy.	#2 (NZ) #39 (AUS) #58 (UK)

Singles

Date	Single	Album	Charts
			NZ	AU	UK
1996-06	"Message to My Girl" (ENZSO with Neil Finn)	ENZSO	–	56	–
1998-06-14	"Sinner"	Try Whistling This	–	40	39
1998-06-21	"She Will Have Her Way"	Try Whistling This	19	61	26
1999-02	"Last One Standing"	Try Whistling This	–	–	–
1999-06-27	"I Can See Clearly Now"		16	88	–
1999-10-03	"Can You Hear Us"		1	–	–
2001-03-25	"Rest of the Day Off"	One Nil	29	77	–
2001–04	"Wherever You Are"	One Nil	–	–	32
2001-07-24	"Last to Know"	One Nil	–	–	–
2001–09	"Hole In the Ice"	One Nil	–	–	43
2001–11	"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"	7 Worlds Collide	–	–	–

Other contributions

As performer

• Live at the World Café: Vol. 15 - Handcrafted (2002, World Café) – "Driving Me Mad"
• 107.1 KGSR Radio Austin - Broadcasts Vol.10 (2002) – "Private Universe"
• Andrew Denton Breakfast Show Musical Challenge (2000) – "Billie Jean"
• Andrew Denton's Musical Challenge V.2: Even More Challenged (2001) – "Sexual Healing"
• Through Space To Your Place (2001) – "Norwegian Wood"
• Maybe This Christmas (2002) – "Sweet Secret Peace"
• Antz Soundtrack (1998) – "I Can See Clearly Now"

As producer

• "No Commotion" (1983, single) - Karen Ansell
• Greenstone (1994, album) - Emma Paki
• Twist (1994, album) - Dave Dobbyn
• Nature (1995, album) - The Mutton Birds
• Moana and The Moahunters (1998, album) - Moana and The Moahunters
• Brand New (1999, album) (as executive producer) - The Stereo Bus
• Soul Lost Companion (1999, album) - Mark Lizotte

As session musician

• Just Drove Thru Town (1979, album) - Citizen Band
• Sing (1984, album) - Big Choir
• "Everything To Live For" (1986, maxi-single) - The Rock Party
• Rikki & Pete (1988, soundtrack)

^[14]

References

1. ^ http://www.95bfm.com/default,18,bcasts.sm?cast=195369
2. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 8
3. ^ ^{a b} Apter, 2010. pp. 9-10
4. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 9
5. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 16
6. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 19
7. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 22
8. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 25
9. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 27
10. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 41
11. ^ Apter, 2010. p. 49
12. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 53334. p. 38. 11 June 1993.
13. ^ ^{a b} "The Rock Party". Australian Rock Database. Magnus Holmgren. http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/r/rockparty.html. Retrieved 25 September 2008. 
14. ^ Australian Rock Database - Neil Finn

• Apter, Jeff (2010). Together Alone. Omnibus Press. ISBN 1-84449-381-4. 
• Bourke, Chris, Something So Strong, Macmillan Australia, 1997, ISBN 0-7329-0886-8
• Chunn, Mike, Stranger Than Fiction: The Life and Times of Split Enz, GP Publications, 1992. ISBN 1-86956-050-7
• Dix, John, Stranded in Paradise: New Zealand Rock and Roll, 1955 to the Modern Era, Penguin Books, 2005, ISBN 0-14-301953-8
• Twomey, Chris & Doole, Kerry, Crowded House: Private Universe, Omnibus Pr, 1998, ISBN 0-7119-4816-X

External links

• Neil Finn on Myspace.com
• Neil Finn: Songwriter

Persondata
Name	Finn, Neil
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1958-05-27
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death