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Neil Finn: 'Lorde should leave New Zealand' Neil Finn: 'Lorde should leave New Zealand'
(7 months later)
Neil Finn has some excellent advice for fellow New Zealander Neil Finn has some excellent advice for fellow New Zealander Lorde. And it’s this: get out of New Zealand.
Lorde. And it’s this: get out of New Zealand. “Those news teams are idiots,” he sighs, referring to the media scrum that jostled her in the airport upon her recent return from the US. “New Zealand had, up until that moment, been quite a good environment [for her] because people are not super celebrity-oriented, they pretty much leave you alone. But it keeps reaching this new critical mass and now with winning two Grammys, I think it’s getting pretty intense.”
“Those news teams are idiots,” he sighs, referring to the media scrum that jostled her in the airport upon her recent return from Finn is no stranger to life as a celebrity – first when roped into his brother Tim’s band Split Enz just as they were becoming an international concern, then enjoying even greater global success leading Crowded House. So, in Finn’s opinion, what should Lorde do?
the US. “New Zealand had, up until that moment, been quite a good environment “I’d think she might go well moving to New York or something, where there are more famous people and less bother about it. It wouldn’t be a bad move to get among the centre of operations.”
[for her] because people are not super celebrity-oriented, they pretty much The reason Finn is discussing the minutia of fame is the imminent release of his third solo album,Dizzy Heights. Its predecessor, One Nil, was released in 2001 – but it’s not as though he’s been idle in the interim.
leave you alone. But it keeps reaching this new critical mass and now with He’s released two albums under 7 Worlds Collide (a charity collaboration with the likes of Johnny Marr, Eddie Vedder and pretty much all of Wilco), 2004’s Finn Brothers albumEveryone is Here, two reunion albums with Crowded House and last year’s self-titled release with the indie band he formed with wife Sharon, the Pajama Club.
winning two Grammys, I think it’s getting pretty intense.” Throw in tours with all of the above, plus his theatre tour with Paul Kelly, and a song for the first of Peter Jackson’sHobbit films, and you can understand why he’s maybe had a few other things on his plate. And yet, “a lot of people are asking me why has it been over ten years since I’ve had a solo record,” he sighs.
Finn is no stranger to life as a celebrity – first when “And it’s obvious but it weirds me out a little bit because it doesn’t really feel like that in my head: you need to attach a name to something to give it a sense of identity, but it feels like one album after another in different contexts.”
roped into his brother Tim’s band Split Enz just as they were becoming an The distinctions between Finn’s projust are also far from clear cut. The Crowded House reunion albumTime on Earth began life as a Finn solo disc with guest bass from Crowded House co-founder Nick Seymour.
international concern, then enjoying even greater global success leading However, “it just got to the point with that record where Nick got so involved with it and we were enjoying each other’s company, and it we went ‘it feels like a Crowded House album’. Most of the music could have been almost exactly the same with my name on it. Well, it would have been the same album, essentially.”
Crowded House. So, in Finn’s opinion, what should Lorde do? So there’s no distinction made when a song is written as to whether it’s a solo song or for some other project?
“I’d think she might go well moving to New York or “No. Generally the pool is the pool and I’ll just draw from it. There is a few things that I park – for example, there are a few songs parked at the moment for a new Crowded House album, but for some reason I just didn’t feel like going the whole way with them at the moment.”
something, where there are more famous people and less bother about it. It So there’s a new Crowded House album in the pipeline (“which I think will be really good,” he emphasises). In fact, Finn is thoroughly enjoying having a variety of options when it comes to writing.
wouldn’t be a bad move to get among the centre of operations.” “I believe in bands,” he says simply. “In some ways it makes the process more continuous and easer because you establish a pattern: you go to rehearsal, you try the new songs, you go home and you know how to finish them now because you’ve just played them.”
The reason Finn is discussing the minutia of fame is the
imminent release of his third solo album, Dizzy
Heights. Its predecessor, One Nil,
was released in 2001 – but it’s not as
though he’s been idle in the interim.
He’s released two albums under 7 Worlds Collide
(a charity collaboration with the likes of Johnny Marr, Eddie Vedder and pretty much all of Wilco), 2004’s Finn Brothers album Everyone is Here, two reunion albums
with Crowded House and last year’s self-titled release with the indie band he
formed with wife Sharon, the Pajama Club.
Throw in tours with all of the above, plus his theatre tour
with Paul Kelly, and a song for the first of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films, and you can understand why
he’s maybe had a few other things on his plate. And yet, “a lot of people are
asking me why has it been over ten years since I’ve had a solo record,” he sighs.
“And it’s obvious but it weirds me out a little bit because
it doesn’t really feel like that in my head: you need to attach a name to
something to give it a sense of identity, but it feels like one album after
another in different contexts.”
The distinctions between Finn’s projust are also far from
clear cut. The Crowded House reunion album Time on Earth began life as a Finn solo disc with guest bass from
Crowded House co-founder Nick Seymour.
However, “it just got to the point with that record where
Nick got so involved with it and we were enjoying each other’s company, and it
we went ‘it feels like a Crowded House album’. Most of the music could have
been almost exactly the same with my name on it. Well, it would have been the same album, essentially.”
So there’s no distinction made when a song is written as to
whether it’s a solo song or for some other project?
“No. Generally the pool is the pool and I’ll just draw from
it. There is a few things that I park – for example, there are a few songs
parked at the moment for a new Crowded House album, but for some reason I just
didn’t feel like going the whole way with them at the moment.”
So there’s a new Crowded House album in
the pipeline (“which I think will be really good,” he emphasises). In fact,
Finn is thoroughly enjoying having a variety of options when it comes to
writing.
“I believe in bands,” he says simply. “In some ways it makes
the process more continuous and easer because you establish a pattern: you go
to rehearsal, you try the new songs, you go home and you know how to finish
them now because you’ve just played them.”
And how about solo?And how about solo?
“In that environment there are any number of possibilities, “In that environment there are any number of possibilities, so it’s actually trickier – but leaves you more free to push boundaries and explore.”
so it’s actually trickier – but leaves you more free to push boundaries and How does having these sorts of options compare with the process when Crowded House was the sole creative outlet for every song?
explore.” “Well, we tried everything,” he shrugs. “We didn’t set restrictions for ourselves that much, though there were songs that didn’t suit the band and we didn’t play them very well. Strangely enough, thinking back, the first few times we tried to play Don’t Dream it’s Over we were terrible. We played it really badly.
How does having these sorts of options compare with the process “It took Mitchell [Froom, producer] suggesting a new way of approaching the bassline. And he put the organ on there – that was a big revelation. But we had to really learn how to play that song, and in the end we had to learn how to play other kinds of songs as well.”
when Crowded House was the sole creative outlet for every song? ForDizzy Heights Finn had the best of both worlds: a solo album with a core band, but one he knew extremely well. In fact, he was directly responsible for two of them: his sons Elroy and Liam Finn.
“Well, we tried everything,” he shrugs. “We didn’t set “I spawned!” he laughs. “Breed your band! It was a nice opportunity that sprung up because they were available and keen. And we are aware that we can play together really well.”
restrictions for ourselves that much, though there were songs that didn’t suit With Sharon also in the core group that made the record, does this mean that the Good Time Finn Family Band and Medicine Show is on the horizon?
the band and we didn’t play them very well. Strangely enough, thinking back, “We haven’t done a lot together, and I would be wary of assuming that my view of what would be great would be the same as that of the boys,” he carefully replies, “but I think we’re working towards a meaningful collaboration at some point, where everyone’s writing as well.”
the first few times we tried to play Don’t Dream it’s Over we were terrible. We played it really badly. It would seem that working with one’s kids clearly has some advantages (“we know we can get through any small family moments, any old sensitivities that crop up …”), but it raises some unique questions too. For example, how does one sit down with your sons and have them run through a song about their father’s eventual death, as with the new album’s In My Blood?
“It took Mitchell [Froom, producer] suggesting a new way of Finn’s momentarily taken aback. “It’s not actually that dark, that song. There’s a heavy subtext but what I’m trying to say in that is that there are certain times when you feel something and unmistakable, and my theory is that you inherit memories from your ancestors: memories of feelings, pure feelings.”
approaching the bassline. And he put the organ on there – that was a big
revelation. But we had to really learn how to play that song, and in the end we
had to learn how to play other kinds of songs as well.”
For Dizzy Heights Finn had the best of both worlds: a solo album with a core band, but one he knew
extremely well. In fact, he was directly responsible for two of them: his sons Elroy and
Liam Finn.
“I spawned!” he laughs. “Breed your band! It was a nice
opportunity that sprung up because they were available and keen. And we are
aware that we can play together really well.”
With Sharon also in the core group that made the record,
does this mean that the Good Time Finn Family Band and Medicine Show is on the
horizon?
“We haven’t done a lot together, and I would be wary of
assuming that my view of what would be great would be the same as that of the
boys,” he carefully replies, “but I think we’re working towards a meaningful
collaboration at some point, where everyone’s writing as well.”
It would seem that working with one’s kids clearly has some
advantages (“we know we can get through any small family moments, any old
sensitivities that crop up …”), but it raises some unique questions too. For
example, how does one sit down with your sons and have them run through a song
about their father’s eventual death, as with the new album’s In My Blood?
Finn’s momentarily taken aback. “It’s not actually that
dark, that song. There’s a heavy subtext but what I’m trying to say in that is
that there are certain times when you feel something and unmistakable, and my
theory is that you inherit memories from your ancestors: memories of feelings,
pure feelings.”
Via the culture?Via the culture?
“No no, in the DNA. Essentially I was thinking that if you “No no, in the DNA. Essentially I was thinking that if you have a really intense experience, you pass that on to your children and it’s responsible for certain ways that they respond to certain things, little mysterious elements of character. But what the boys think of it, I don’t know.”
have a really intense experience, you pass that on to your children and it’s Have there been moments when the subject matter is too raw, though?
responsible for certain ways that they respond to certain things, little “Actually, there was a moment on the last record, and it was a slightly distressing moment for me, where I realised I’d really laid myself open. The first track, Tell Me What You Want. To me it seemed to be a very playful, mischievous spin on saying ‘c’mon baby, this is what I like’ and your baby saying ‘yeah, tell me what you want’,” he sighs.
mysterious elements of character. But what the boys think of it, I don’t know.” “But because we’re a little older and have kids, people thought it was quite creepy. My nephew asked me about it one day – ‘eww, that was a bit saucy, isn’t it, that one?’ – and I just went ‘aww’. People do pore over things a little more than I may be comfortable with admitting.”
Have there been moments when the subject matter is too raw, He admits that he still finds the lyrics the most challenging thing (“There’s still a part of me that thinking I’m just getting by”), especially given those writers he particularly admires. “The guy from Arctic Monkeys [Alex Turner] is clearly a really good lyricist, of a style. He’s a very clever writer.
though? “I actually think in places Lorde is a very impressive with her language. I hope she has something to write about now that her life’s been transformed to massive celebrity, because she certainly wrote about being a teenager quite well. And there are great lyrics in the rap world: there’s some great wordsmithery, albeit talking about things that I don’t necessarily relate to.”
“Actually, there was a moment on the last record, and it was He confesses that he doesn’t always recognise every pop culture reference in rap music, althoughDizzy Heights has a surprising amount of them. Among the reflections in the album's most Crowded House-sounding moment, Recluse, are references to Howard Hughes, Sly Stone and Game of Thrones.
a slightly distressing moment for me, where I realised I’d really laid myself “I threw a few references that were rolling around the house when I was writing the album. My wife got really intoGame of Thronesfor a while – I never got to watch it.”
open. The first track, Tell Me What You Want. To me it seemed to be a very playful, Well, with the upcoming tour schedule, maybe it’s worth downloading for the flights.
mischievous spin on saying ‘c’mon baby, this is what I like’ and your baby “To be honest, I don’t have much endurance with those series, even if they’re good," he says. "I didn’t even get to the end ofBreaking Bad."
saying ‘yeah, tell me what you want’,” he sighs.
“But because we’re a little older and have kids, people
thought it was quite creepy. My nephew asked me about it one day – ‘eww, that
was a bit saucy, isn’t it, that one?’ – and I just went ‘aww’. People do pore over things a little more than I may be
comfortable with admitting.”
He admits that he still finds the lyrics the most
challenging thing (“There’s still a part of me that thinking I’m just getting
by”), especially given those writers he particularly admires. “The guy from Arctic Monkeys [Alex Turner] is clearly a
really good lyricist, of a style. He’s a very clever writer.
“I actually think in places Lorde is a very impressive with
her language. I hope she has something to write about now that her life’s been
transformed to massive celebrity, because she certainly wrote about being a
teenager quite well. And there are great lyrics in the rap world: there’s some great
wordsmithery, albeit talking about things that I don’t necessarily relate to.”
He confesses that he doesn’t always recognise every pop
culture reference in rap music, although Dizzy
Heights has a surprising amount of them. Among the reflections in the album's most Crowded House-sounding moment, Recluse,
are references to Howard Hughes, Sly Stone and Game of Thrones.
“I threw a few references that were rolling around the house
when I was writing the album. My wife got really into Game of Thrones for a while – I never got to watch it.”
Well, with the upcoming tour schedule, maybe it’s worth
downloading for the flights.
“To be honest, I don’t have much endurance with those
series, even if they’re good," he says. "I didn’t even get to the end of Breaking Bad."