Neil Finn
From Free net encyclopedia
Neil Mullane Finn OBE is a singer and songwriter and one of New Zealand's foremost musicians.
Contents |
Biography
Early Years / Split Enz
Neil Finn was born on May 27, 1958 in Te Awamutu, New Zealand.
He attended school at Sacred Heart College (a Catholic boarding school), and at Te Awamutu College.
He decided at the age of 12 to become a musician, and throughout school performed in prisons, hospitals, as well as at home gatherings.
In 1976, he formed a group known as After Hours (with Mark Hough, Geoff Chunn and Alan Brown).
He finished school in 1977.
Not long after the debut performance of After Hours, Neil was invited to London to join Split Enz, the band formed by his elder brother, Tim Finn.
By 1981, Neil was sharing lead-singer's duties in Split Enz. He wrote their first international hit "I Got You", and contributed significantly to all their later albums, briefly assuming leadership of the band after Tim left in 1983.
The Mullanes / Crowded House
Split Enz broke up in 1984.
Neil formed a new band called The Mullanes (Mullane was his mother's maiden name) with late Split Enz drummer Paul Hester, guitarist Craig Hooper of The Reels and bassist Nick Seymour, younger brother of Hunters & Collectors leader Mark Seymour.
Hooper left just before they recorded their first album, at which time the band was renamed Crowded House, after the rented accommodation 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 (U.S. #2, 1987) and Weather With You (U.K. #7, 1992).
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: The Very Best Of Crowded House. Following this, Neil Finn went solo.
Solo years
Neil has recorded two solo albums to date: Try Whistling This (1998) and One Nil (2001). (One Nil was released in the US and Canada as a remixed and reordered version named One All (2002).)
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 (Radiohead), Johnny Marr (The Smiths), Phil Selway (Radiohead), Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Paul Jeffrey, Tim Finn, and Betchadupa.
Also in 2001, the movie 'Rain' was released. Neil heavily involved in the soundtrack.
Neil has also produced and recorded with various New Zealand acts such as Bic Runga, The Mutton Birds and Dave Dobbyn.
In 2004 Neil, along with brother Tim, released the Finn Brothers album, "Everyone Is Here".
After the death of Linda McCartney, Neil was invited by Paul McCartney to perform at a televised concert in her honour. Neil was joined on stage by Sinead O'Connor who made a rather crude remark regarding Neil's wife being left alone in New Zealand while Neil was away touring. Reportedly she later apologised for the remark.
Both Neil and his brother Tim were made OBE (Order of the British Empire) for services to New Zealand music in the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
Neil's song "Driving Me Mad" from One Nil & its US incarnation One All was recently featured in the ABC television series "Invasion". It was being played in the background during a scene in the high school cafeteria on the kids' first day back to school, the scene continued about two minutes with Neil's distinctive vocals (along w/ singer Sheryl Crow's as well) being obviously heard throughout the whole scene. Since the show didn't see fit to list the song in its credits (and I looked as challenging as that is these days w/ TV networks running promos over the credits) I thought it only fair that it get a proper "shout out" somewhere. So here it is!
Family
Neil married his wife Sharon on February 13, 1982.
They have two sons, Liam Mullane (born September 24, 1983) and Elroy Timothy (born October 25, 1989). Both sons play various instruments, and often perform alongside their father on tour, and in the recording studio. Liam now has his own band, Betchadupa, based in London, UK.
Sharon Finn creates chandeliers in her workshop in Auckland. Numerous chandeliers designed by Sharon featured on stage in the 2004-5 tours promoting the Everyone Is Here album.
Sharon has appeared on backing vocals on various albums such as Crowded House and Alex Lloyd's Watching Angels Mend.
Solo Discography
1998 Try Whistling This
- Last One Standing
- Souvenir
- King Tide
- Try Whistling This
- She Will Have Her Way
- Sinner
- Twisty Bass
- Loose Tongue
- Truth
- Astro
- Dream Date
- Faster Than Light
- Addicted
2001 One Nil
Australia & UK Release
- The Climber
- Rest of the Day Off
- Hole in the Ice
- Wherever You Are
- Last to Know
- Don't Ask Why
- Secret God
- Turn and Run
- Elastic Heart
- Anytime
- Driving Me Mad
- Into the Sunset
2002 One All
A modified release of One Nil for the USA and Canada
- The Climber (New Mix)
- Driving Me Mad (New Bob Clearmountain Mix)
- Hole in the Ice (New Bob Clearmountain Mix)
- Last to Know
- Wherever You Are
- Secret God
- Lullaby Requiem
- Human Kindness
- Turn and Run (New Mix)
- Anytime
- Rest of the Day Off
- Into the Sunset