Q&A on Twitter

Neil answered followers’ questions on Twitter today:
https://twitter.com/neilmullanefinn
You might need to be signed into Twitter to get the full Q&A.

Nilfun

Around the turn of the millennium, Neil Finn and designer Rakai Karaitiana created nilfun.net. It was online for a short time, went offline, reappeared as nilfun.com and then just as quickly disappeared again.

As Neil said in his diary entry from 14th November 2012, “I did some serious flirting with the internet back in 2001 on a site called Nilfun where we assembled musical games, art pieces, curious bits of nostalgia and flights of fancy… I loved the freedom and possibilities we discovered but then other work came along to distract. I left the internet behind to a large extent…”

Now that Neil’s back online with neilfinn.com, we’ve resurrected “some archive works from the Nilfun experiments“ which still seem pretty relevant and modern to me.”

If you have Flash on your device, have a play. We’ll be adding more audio and video from the Nilfun days soon.

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly – The Palais Theatre reviews

The tour has begun! Here are reviews of the first shows at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre, February 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th.

Rhythms review of Feb 16 (added to diary 23rd Feb)

Tone Deaf review of Feb 17 (added to diary on 22nd Feb)

Beat Magazine review (added to diary on 20th Feb)

Faster Louder review of Feb 16 (added to diary on 20th Feb)

The Australian review of Feb 16 (added to diary on 18th Feb)

Herald Sun review of Feb 16 (added to diary on 18th Feb.)

The Age review of Feb 16 (added to diary on 18th Feb.)

AAP review of Feb 16

Frenz Forum reviews

The heat is on for Glenn Frey…

Session photos from Tarbox Road Studios

Tar Box Studios have uploaded a few photos from Neil’s recent recording sessions there:
http://www.tarboxroadstudios.com/tarbox/Photos/Pages/Neil_Finn.html

The solo album, featuring Sharon, Liam and Elroy Finn and produced by Dave Fridmann, is due for release later this year.

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly – Australian Tour Rehearsal video

Neil Finn and Paul Kelly rehearsing for the February-March 2013 tour of Australia. This video was shot at Neil’s Roundhead Studios in Auckland.

Unknown Pathways: Neil Finn on Songwriting and Creativity

Neil spoke at last year’s Yale Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Titled “Unknown Pathways: Neil Finn on Songwriting and Creativity”, this insightful and entertaining talk was videoed and is now online.

Chances are you’ll be writing a #1 hit after watching. (Should you be so lucky, we at neilfinn.com would be delighted to share your royalties.)

Neil Finn/Paul Kelly Australian tour – latest dates

Here’s the updated list with three dates added this week.

LIVE SHOW INFORMATION

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly Australia Tour 2013

16 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
18 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
19 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
20 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
23 February 2013 / Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley / A Day On The Green / with Lisa Mitchell (NEW)
24 February 2013 / Canberra / Royal Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell (NEW)
26 February 2013 / Brisbane Convention Centre / with Lisa Mitchell (NEW)
27 February 2013 / Brisbane Convention Centre / with Lisa Mitchell
01 March 2013 / Adelaide Festival / Elder Park (free) / with Lisa Mitchell
02 March 2013 / Rutherglen, Victoria / A Day On The Green
04 March 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre
05 March 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre
06 March 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre
09 March 2013 / Armidale, NSW / A Day On The Green
10 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall / with Lisa Mitchell
11 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall / with Lisa Mitchell
12 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall / with Lisa Mitchell
14 March 2013 / Perth / Kings Park / with Lisa Mitchell
15 March 2013 / Perth / Kings Park / with Lisa Mitchell
17 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
18 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

Ticket information at:
http://www.livenation.com.au/artist/neil-finn-and-paul-kelly-tickets

Crowded House: Live from the Artists Den

Download Crowded House’s Live from the Artists Den episode, available to purchase for the first time today through the Artists Den Store.
http://store.theartistsden.com/products/live-from-the-artists-den-crowded-house-digital-download

Here’s a taster from the show, recorded in New York’s Masonic Hall Grand Lodge in 2007.

Happy New Year

Happy new year from everyone at www.neilfinn.com.
2013 will see Neil touring Australia with Paul Kelly in February and March, there’ll be a new solo album later in the year and we’ll feature previously unpublished music from Neil’s archive. Plus more videos, live webcasts… everything AND the kitchen sink.

The Age interview

Melbourne’s The Age published an interview with Neil this week:
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/music/culture-neil-finn-20121227-2bwrq.html

More Hobbit photos & interviews

At last, we have a few photos of Neil performing at The Hobbit World Premiere in Wellington on November 28th. See Photos – Neil Solo.

Speaking of The Hobbit, this week Neil was interviewed by CBS Local and Entertainment Weekly about “Song Of The Lonely Mountain”.

And both Neil and The Hobbit are mentioned in Paul Kelly’s Facebook post from Wednesday. You can read that on Paul’s FB page or Neil’s FB Page. Toss a coin.

The Hobbit production diary #10

Neil and his band of hairy men (and the lovely Victoria) appear briefly in The Hobbit Production Diary #10.
Featuring “Song of the Lonely Mountain” from their performance at the film’s World Premiere in Wellington.

Peter Jackson takes you behind the scenes of the making of THE HOBBIT. This 10th installment covers the Premiere of AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY in Wellington, NZ.

NEIL IN THE MEDIA 7TH-14TH DECEMBER 2012

In the paper today… and on the radio and the web…

Neil was interviewed about The Hobbit on ABC Radio National Breakfast, Friday December 7th. Click here to listen or download.

“Song of The Lonely Mountain”, Neil’s end credit song from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, has made the shortlist for the Best Original Song category in the Oscar Awards. More information at tonedeaf.com.au

Paul Kelly talked about Neil and Tim and the upcoming Finn/Kelly tour of Australia on Nights with Bryan Crump, Radio New Zealand National, Thursday December 13th. Click here to listen or download.

Waikato Times has a review and photographs of The Finn Brothers’ concert in Hamilton for the True Colours Charitable Trust, Thursday December 13th.

Here’s the night’s setlist, courtesy of one of the Frenz of the Enz, Marylou:

Six Months In A Leaky Boat
History Never Repeats
Dirty Creature
Poor Boy
Chocolate Cake
Disembodied Voices
Fall At Your Feet
Only Talking Sense
Four Seasons In One Day
Won’t Give In
All the Colours
I Hope I Never
Angels Heap
I Got You
It’s Only Natural
Weather With You
Irish Heartbeat

Happy 40th Anniversary to Split Enz

On the 10th of December, 1972, Split Ends (as they were spelled then) performed their first gig at Auckland’s Wynyard Tavern. There is no audio or visual record of this night but we do have the next best thing: television footage from a year later which hasn’t been seen at this length, nor the correct speed, since its broadcast in 1973.

New Faces, 1973 was a talent competition which guaranteed a large nationwide audience on New Zealand’s only television channel. For their TV debut, the band mimed to their EMI recording of “129” (aka “One Two Nine” and “Matinee Idyll”) for their heat, broadcast Sunday night, 18th November 1973.

Neil Finn: I remember so clearly watching New Faces in the living room 1973, black and white TV, Tim singing 129 with Phil strumming the mandolin. It was remarkable that one of our family was on TV but it sounded amazing, still does. One of the judges thought it was too clever. I thought, “what an idiot.”

The final was broadcast the following week. Split Ends performed “Sweet Talking Spoon Song”. The Enz lost to Bulldogs All Star Goodtime Band.

The band:
Tim Finn — vocals and piano
Phil Judd — mandolin, vocals and spoons
Wally Wilkinson — guitar
Mike Chunn — bass
Geoff Chunn — drums
(Robert Gillies plays brass on the sound recording)

Compere — Jim McNaught
Judges include Ray Columbus and Phil Warren.

NZBC wiped the videotapes after the broadcast. Fortunately, Split Ends’ performances were captured from the TV screen onto silent 8mm film by Trevor Langley, an amateur film club friend of Tim’s father, Richard Finn. Because the film spools allowed only three minutes of filming, the camera was turned off during the instrumental sections.

Watch the video below.

The audio interviews with Tim, Wally, Mike and Phil are from Radio New Zealand’s ten part series “Enzology — The Story of Split Enz”. The entire series can be streamed or downloaded at www.radionz.co.nz/enzology

“129” and “Sweet Talking Spoon Song” are available on the Split Enz CD The Beginning of the Enz through Warner Music.

Photos from The Hobbit World Premiere

In addition to the images shown here, the Photos page has a couple of photos from last week’s The Hobbit World Premiere preparations. More pix coming soon.
Neil’s band members on the day were Liam Finn, Elroy Finn, Victoria Kelly, Connan Mockasin, Jimmy, Tom Callwood, Luke Buda, Sam Scott and Will Wicketts (on anvil).

Australian Tour 2013 – New date added

LIVE SHOW INFORMATION

Neil Finn & Paul Kelly Australia Tour 2013

16 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
18 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
19 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
20 February 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre / with Lisa Mitchell
27 February 2013 / Brisbane Convention Centre / with Lisa Mitchell
01 March 2013 / Adelaide Festival / Elder Park (free) / with Lisa Mitchell
02 March 2013 / Rutherglen, Victoria / A Day On The Green
04 March 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre
05 March 2013 / Melbourne / Palais Theatre (NEW)
09 March 2013 / Armidale, NSW / A Day On The Green
10 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall / with Lisa Mitchell
11 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall / with Lisa Mitchell
12 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall / with Lisa Mitchell
14 March 2013 / Perth / Kings Park / with Lisa Mitchell
15 March 2013 / Perth / Kings Park / with Lisa Mitchell
17 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
18 March 2013 / Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

Ticket information at:
http://www.livenation.com.au/artist/neil-finn-and-paul-kelly-tickets

See an interview with Paul and Neil about the tour.
Watch “Into Temptation” from the press conference in Sydney, 8th November 2012

”Leaps and Bounds.”
Click here for audio of the entire press conference.

Neil’s interview on Newstalk ZB

Neil Finn spoke recently to Newstalk ZB’s Andrew Dickens about his upcoming song to be featured in the film ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’, an update on his son Liam, solo records and his tour with Paul Kelly.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/player/ondemand/2017573237-neil-finn-talks-to-andrew-dickens

The Hobbit – from Neil

I was very happy to be asked to co-write Song Of The Lonely Mountain as the end credit song for the new Hobbit movie. This is now able to be listened to at Rollingstone.com. I was asked to write new lyrics for and expand on a theme, sung by the dwarves, that appears early in the Hobbit movie. That theme was written by the good folk from Plan 9 and David Long in Wellington who have done previous soundtrack work on Lord of The Rings.

– Neil