WEBVTT - Neil Finn 0:00:01.560 --> 0:00:04.360 Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Inside the 0:00:04.360 --> 0:00:07.600 Studio on iHeart Radio. My name's Jordan runt Dog, but 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:11.360 enough about me, my guest today is a legendary musician 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:14.600 and songwriter who hails from the land down Under, New Zealand, 0:00:14.640 --> 0:00:17.520 to be specific. He first hit the global music scene 0:00:17.520 --> 0:00:19.680 as a member of the pop rock group Split Ends 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:22.479 alongside his brother Tim in the late seventies. When the 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:25.000 band split, he put together a new one of his own. 0:00:25.320 --> 0:00:28.920 After several incarnations, they became known as Crowded House, one 0:00:28.960 --> 0:00:30.840 of the best loved bands to ever come out of 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:33.560 the Southern Hemisphere. They topped the charts in the US 0:00:33.640 --> 0:00:37.560 and around the world with a sublime Don't Dream It's Over. 0:00:37.880 --> 0:00:41.280 A string of superbly crafted singles followed, including better Be 0:00:41.360 --> 0:00:44.519 Home Soon When You Come and something So Strong to 0:00:44.640 --> 0:00:47.320 name but a few. For the last decade, he's worked 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:50.800 solo with a series of family members, and perhaps most famously, 0:00:50.880 --> 0:00:53.320 is one of the newest members of Fleetwood Mac. But 0:00:53.400 --> 0:00:56.200 now he's back with a new Crowded House album. Dreamers 0:00:56.200 --> 0:00:58.920 Are Waiting is the band's first new record in over 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:01.480 a decade, and it Teacher's help from band made Nick 0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:05.759 Seymour longtime collaborator Mitchell Froom, not to mention his own sons, 0:01:05.840 --> 0:01:08.759 Liam and el Roy. I'm so happy to welcome Neil Finn. 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:11.039 I'm very happy to be here. Oh my goodness, so 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.240 much to ask you. But first and foremost Crowded House 0:01:13.319 --> 0:01:15.680 or Bag dreamers are waiting your first new album since 0:01:16.400 --> 0:01:18.200 why now? What made you decide it was time for 0:01:18.240 --> 0:01:21.480 another Crowded House record? Well, I'm restless by nature, so 0:01:21.520 --> 0:01:23.160 I do a bunch of stuff, you know, on my 0:01:23.240 --> 0:01:26.840 own and with various other collaborators, And in recent times 0:01:26.840 --> 0:01:29.319 I've played quite a lot with my sons, Liam and Elroy, 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:32.040 both of whom have become my favorite musicians in the world. 0:01:32.160 --> 0:01:35.360 And I just there was just this idea congealed in 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:38.319 my mind. Played with Nick recently as well in a 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:41.080 different context, and Mitchell and another show. So there was 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.640 all these people from the past and people that deeply 0:01:43.680 --> 0:01:46.800 connected to Crowded House, and I suddenly realized that a 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:48.720 five piece line up of Crowded House with all of 0:01:48.760 --> 0:01:51.720 these people who really have some spiritual and soulful connection 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:53.920 to the band, might be a tremendously exciting thing and 0:01:54.000 --> 0:01:56.640 might offer great potential and I can also get me 0:01:56.680 --> 0:01:58.120 off the back of the feet. With Matt Tour, I 0:01:58.160 --> 0:02:02.200 had a new found appreciation for classic bands and how 0:02:02.240 --> 0:02:04.840 they can be reimagined. And you know, no band more 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:08.359 so than Fleetwood Mac can still maintain that incredible charisma 0:02:08.480 --> 0:02:10.880 and meaning for so many people. What is it like 0:02:10.919 --> 0:02:12.639 you imagine making music with your sons? I mean that 0:02:12.760 --> 0:02:15.120 must be really special that to have that familiar bond 0:02:15.200 --> 0:02:18.120 but also a musical bind. What's that been like for you? Well, 0:02:18.120 --> 0:02:20.000 it came in exactly the right time. And we, as 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:22.480 I said, Liam and Ori have been developing their own 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:25.720 skills for many years now, and as songwriters arrangers, we've 0:02:25.720 --> 0:02:28.160 played together a lot. So in a way, that musical 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:31.639 relationship was caught up with our parental father son relationship 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:34.960 and become almost independent of it. Certainly the instincts and 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:37.320 intuitions of family count for a lot, but when we 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:39.560 all walk into the room together, it's very much on 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.839 an equal basis musically. You know, some some people get 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:45.000 the pleasure of playing with their kids. I would say 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:47.400 it's very rare when it's a it feels like an 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:50.680 equal collaboration. It's always bound to be some hierarchy. Hey, 0:02:50.720 --> 0:02:52.760 I get the final start in my songs, you know, 0:02:52.840 --> 0:02:55.960 like there's ation to be made, but it's all for one, 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:57.680 one for all in this band. It speaking of it 0:02:57.720 --> 0:02:59.960 being a family affair, I understand that you your grand 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:02.919 son played a part in the track whatever you Want, 0:03:02.960 --> 0:03:05.239 the lead single from the album. What role did he play? 0:03:05.320 --> 0:03:08.480 Understanding he inspired the song in a way? Well, he did. 0:03:08.600 --> 0:03:11.120 It was it was merely a fraction of an idea 0:03:11.160 --> 0:03:13.160 when he first heard it. It was on a demo 0:03:13.320 --> 0:03:15.360 and Liam was playing along trying to get some ideas 0:03:15.400 --> 0:03:17.600 for it as well, and but he just started singing it, 0:03:18.080 --> 0:03:21.880 jumping around him, going and whatever you want, whatever you want. 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:23.520 So we sort of figured it was a pretty good 0:03:23.560 --> 0:03:26.160 sign and it gave us some inspiration. Really, he didn't 0:03:26.160 --> 0:03:27.920 come up with any other lines that I can remember, 0:03:27.960 --> 0:03:30.160 but he just called onto that really fast. You know, 0:03:30.400 --> 0:03:33.040 nothing like having a small kid catch onto something to 0:03:33.080 --> 0:03:34.880 make you feel like you're on you have on your 0:03:34.880 --> 0:03:38.040 onto something. Yeah, it's such a great song and it 0:03:38.040 --> 0:03:41.200 feels so so perfect for this really uncertain time that 0:03:41.200 --> 0:03:44.280 we're in now, this age of misinformation, and the video 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:46.680 is so great with mc de marco. He's he's watching 0:03:46.720 --> 0:03:49.680 television and the forecast is fear and anxiety. Tell me, 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:52.680 tell me more about about the meeting of the song. Well, 0:03:53.080 --> 0:03:55.200 it obviously came out of the time. I mean, the 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:58.600 concept of yes man, sycophans and people surrounding people in 0:03:58.680 --> 0:04:01.400 power is not a new one. I'm sure ancient Rome 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:03.440 was full of them, you know, people that would tell 0:04:03.520 --> 0:04:07.040 near anything while Rome burned. But it's certainly very much 0:04:07.360 --> 0:04:10.360 of the time, you know, with politics. I don't even 0:04:10.400 --> 0:04:12.440 need to mention he who shall not be mentioned, but 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:17.040 the level of gathering around those quite dishonest ideas and 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:19.880 people being prepared to sell their soul to back them 0:04:19.960 --> 0:04:22.360 up and to keep their little part of the power 0:04:22.800 --> 0:04:27.280 structure is staggering, mind boggling. So that song definitely arose 0:04:27.279 --> 0:04:29.679 out of that. Watching this day after day on TV, 0:04:29.880 --> 0:04:32.240 people standing on stage is telling bare face lies and 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:34.640 you know, trying to keep their face straight. But it 0:04:34.680 --> 0:04:36.960 also occurred to us that it's the sort of self 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:40.640 deception that you you convince yourself if that everything's all right. 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:43.680 And in Max's case, he was asking the inanimate objects 0:04:43.720 --> 0:04:45.840 around the house to give him reassurance that he wasn't 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:48.120 her had made a complete dick of himself. The night 0:04:48.160 --> 0:04:51.200 before that. Of course, he probably had the expression I 0:04:51.279 --> 0:04:54.599 heard we would sell your own grandmother to stay in power, 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:57.640 I believe was the expression I heard that they stuck 0:04:57.640 --> 0:04:59.680 with me quite a bit. Yeah, I probably should have 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:01.120 tried to work down into the lyric too. It's the 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:04.880 good bye. Don't be more about about how did the 0:05:04.960 --> 0:05:07.240 music start for this album? How much of the album 0:05:07.279 --> 0:05:10.880 was made in lockdown? Did did COVID impact the mood 0:05:10.920 --> 0:05:12.760 of the songs and the manner that you recorded them, 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:14.640 or did you have a healthy chunk out of the 0:05:14.720 --> 0:05:18.120 way before. Well, we were fortunate because the timing on 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:20.440 the record was that we recorded some rhythm tracks in 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:23.279 Los Angeles all together in a room, as you know 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:26.520 traditional bands do, and most of the rhythm tracks came 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:28.240 about that way, but we didn't get a chance to 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:30.360 finish them in the studio because we went into lockdown, 0:05:30.400 --> 0:05:33.599 And so in some ways of perfect opportunity for everyone 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:36.880 to get into their individual pods in isolation and try 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:39.080 ideas which maybe you wouldn't get round from the studio 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:41.160 because you would think I'm holding everybody up here. We're 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:43.200 just gonna I don't know if it's going to work, 0:05:43.240 --> 0:05:45.560 but it enabled quite a lot of experimentation, so I'd 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:48.080 say some of the atmosphere of the songs it definitely 0:05:48.120 --> 0:05:51.080 emerged through through lockdown, and some of the songs changed 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:54.640 a little bit structurally in every way. There are a few, however, 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:56.440 that are pretty very similar to how we put them 0:05:56.440 --> 0:05:58.640 down on the on the floor with live vocals and everything. 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:01.200 It sounds like that you and your songs and Mitchell 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:03.479 were in the l A area, and I think Nick was, 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:06.200 I believe in Ireland. Was it hard to to not 0:06:06.400 --> 0:06:08.840 have that chemistry and energy in the same room or 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:12.719 did you adapt quite quickly to the zoom and email sessions. Well, 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:15.040 like I said, we were fortunate we had these tracks already, 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:18.320 so we'd all shared those. The zoom calls were tremendously helpful, 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:20.479 and we were sending files to each other, and you know, 0:06:20.600 --> 0:06:22.560 Mitchell had worked on one song one day and then 0:06:22.760 --> 0:06:25.360 I'd work on the next, and we're making great gains 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:28.440 and comparing notes, and Nick was sending surprising, you know, 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:31.960 heart parts and French horn parts in places he has 0:06:32.000 --> 0:06:34.240 no business being. But because he was home, you know, 0:06:34.320 --> 0:06:36.360 he was able to try things and some of them 0:06:36.360 --> 0:06:38.600 were really good. So I think it was quite we 0:06:39.040 --> 0:06:40.800 used it well and it was quite an important part 0:06:40.800 --> 0:06:52.400 of the creative process. You later Singles released a few 0:06:52.440 --> 0:06:55.880 weeks back, Playing with Fire, an amazing, infectious track. I 0:06:56.440 --> 0:06:58.880 love those Burt Backer Act style horns that are in 0:06:58.920 --> 0:07:01.000 the background. I was, it's so great. Can you tell 0:07:01.040 --> 0:07:03.160 me a little more about about that song. I understand 0:07:03.160 --> 0:07:05.480 it came from from more of a jam, right, Yeah, 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:08.400 we were jamming and in those sessions at Valentine and 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:11.000 came up with well, I mean the chords, I guess, 0:07:11.040 --> 0:07:13.440 and the and the basis of the melody. But I 0:07:13.520 --> 0:07:16.720 changed it around once we got out of the studio 0:07:16.800 --> 0:07:18.760 and into lockdown and did a bit of a major 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:23.120 reconstruction job. It's a Frankenstein arrangement. Now it's been compiled 0:07:23.120 --> 0:07:26.480 from different parts, but it really went through a massive transformation. 0:07:26.520 --> 0:07:28.200 I was delighted the way it turned out, because it 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:31.640 didn't suggest that whole sort of back erect swingers, swingle 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:34.480 singers kind of love was there to start off with. 0:07:34.600 --> 0:07:36.920 But it was a really nice discovery one day and 0:07:36.920 --> 0:07:38.480 I did it with my voice and then sent it 0:07:38.520 --> 0:07:40.080 to Mitchell and he sent it back with all these 0:07:40.160 --> 0:07:43.320 beautiful brass parts on it. So yeah, it's uplifting. Oh, 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:45.640 I love it so much. I read it. Much of 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:47.320 this is true, and this is this is a serious 0:07:47.400 --> 0:07:50.080 music nerd question. I'm sorry in advance that some of 0:07:50.080 --> 0:07:53.360 this was recorded at United on Sunset. Is that is 0:07:53.400 --> 0:07:57.640 that true? Yeah? Some of it was here, legendary facility. 0:07:57.680 --> 0:08:00.960 Brian Wilson made pet sounds there and Phil Specter did 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:03.240 as well, sounds stuff that What was it like working 0:08:03.240 --> 0:08:05.160 in a in a venue like that was such a 0:08:05.200 --> 0:08:08.520 cool history. There is gravitas in those places that is 0:08:08.600 --> 0:08:12.320 really fun, and they sound great. They've got amazing geared 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:16.000 by microphones, and the atmosphere deffinitely counts for something for sure. 0:08:16.280 --> 0:08:19.360 So we went to both two really quite amazing studios. 0:08:19.400 --> 0:08:21.800 We started in Valentine, which was a place that was 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:24.560 hadn't been open since the sixties, but they found they 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:26.560 reopened it about four years ago and still got the 0:08:26.560 --> 0:08:28.640 shag pile carpet on the wall. It's it's a real 0:08:28.720 --> 0:08:31.200 time piece. You know, what's the song? There's a there's 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:33.000 a few famous songs that have come out of there, 0:08:33.000 --> 0:08:35.319 but every all a studio from that area was turning 0:08:35.320 --> 0:08:37.560 out some good stuff. So we we like, we like 0:08:37.640 --> 0:08:39.640 recording there. I've got a studio back here in Augan 0:08:39.720 --> 0:08:42.160 and it's a great place as well. But something about 0:08:42.160 --> 0:08:44.640 being away from your normal environment is good. There's not 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:47.960 so many distractions. Good point. Was it a relief in 0:08:47.960 --> 0:08:50.240 a way to have this project to focus on during 0:08:50.280 --> 0:08:55.640 this incredibly tumultuous, stressful time in the world. It certainly was. 0:08:55.679 --> 0:08:57.800 We were very fortunate and we had each other doing 0:08:57.800 --> 0:08:59.720 a band rick as well. It was fantastic because there 0:08:59.760 --> 0:09:02.800 was so much communication collaboration going on. We felt like 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:05.360 we had something between us that we could share and 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:06.920 we had we had a good laugh in the midst 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:10.120 of it, you know, on Zoom and something to see 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:13.800 through that process. So yeah, in terms of who was 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:18.480 suffering from the pandemic, we know, you know, thousand millions words. 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:20.280 So I don't want to be glib about the fact, 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:23.280 but it was a purely accident of circumstance. But we 0:09:23.400 --> 0:09:25.200 felt like we were quite lucky and we had a 0:09:25.440 --> 0:09:27.520 music to work on. We were safe, we were near 0:09:27.520 --> 0:09:29.880 the family, and you know, I was climbing the Hollywood 0:09:29.920 --> 0:09:32.400 Hills every day and going for a walk to Griffith 0:09:32.400 --> 0:09:35.640 Observatory and seeing far more wildlife than I normally did, 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:37.880 so you know, there was an upside. Now I was 0:09:37.920 --> 0:09:40.640 wondering about for your creative process. Do you rate every 0:09:40.720 --> 0:09:43.640 day almost like someone would would would do a yoga 0:09:43.640 --> 0:09:45.679 practice or jog every day, or do you only rate 0:09:45.679 --> 0:09:47.240 when you have something in your mind that that you 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:49.520 want to get out. I feel I should write every day. 0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:52.240 I don't, but in my music room here, so this 0:09:52.400 --> 0:09:54.400 is where I write, and I come in with the 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:57.640 intention of playing the piano, and I do most days, 0:09:57.760 --> 0:10:00.319 but I get distracted with the fair is of the 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:02.360 day and I'll end up Yeah. I mean, you know, 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:05.080 it's just the kind of a process of willing yourself 0:10:05.120 --> 0:10:08.000 into that mode where you're dreaming away and just playing 0:10:08.040 --> 0:10:10.800 like a child. But sometimes daily life it's hard to 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:13.000 deliver up that moment. But I do try and maintain 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.200 a practice of coming in every day at least. How 0:10:15.280 --> 0:10:18.160 you superstitious about it at all? Are there any instruments 0:10:18.160 --> 0:10:20.520 that you feel like a lucky instrument or a certain 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:22.840 time of the day or only right after a cup 0:10:22.840 --> 0:10:25.280 of coffee or something like that. Not really, I'm not. 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:28.400 I'm not a superstitious person. And ultimately I just believe 0:10:28.480 --> 0:10:31.000 that inspiration strikes when you once you're working, you know, 0:10:31.760 --> 0:10:33.760 if you would rely on it to start working, you'd 0:10:34.280 --> 0:10:36.280 end up feeling a bit hopeless most days. What do 0:10:36.280 --> 0:10:38.040 you do when you start to you take a breather 0:10:38.120 --> 0:10:40.160 and come back to it, or just just willpower and 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:43.680 plow through. It depends depends on how much energy I 0:10:43.720 --> 0:10:46.280 have on the day. Sometimes if you get a good idea, 0:10:46.320 --> 0:10:48.679 it's tempting to sort of go wow and just luxuriating 0:10:48.760 --> 0:10:50.839 that little idea and go off and have a break, 0:10:50.880 --> 0:10:52.920 and when you come back you're intending to finish it. 0:10:52.960 --> 0:10:54.600 But it's really hard once you're out of that that 0:10:54.640 --> 0:10:56.800 moment of you know, the moment of inspiration does strike 0:10:56.880 --> 0:10:58.360 you sort of should try and mind it for as 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:00.520 much as you can get at the time, it's hard 0:11:00.559 --> 0:11:02.440 to get back into the same frame of mind. Did 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:05.079 did you you mentioned that that being on tour with 0:11:05.120 --> 0:11:07.319 Fleetwood Mac kind of put you back in the crowd 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:10.840 at househead Space. Did it influence you on a musical level? 0:11:10.960 --> 0:11:13.240 Did somehow playing those songs take you to a different 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:16.599 place musically when you started composing for this album. I 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:19.200 think it influenced me musically, but I couldn't say specifically. 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:22.240 Will point to a song where you know I'm evoking 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:25.560 a Fleetwood mac mentality. It just was more the thrill 0:11:25.640 --> 0:11:30.000 of singing somebody else's songs and singing high and outgoing manner. 0:11:30.200 --> 0:11:32.520 It definitely influenced what I wanted to do on this 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:34.719 record in a in a more sort of holistic way, 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:36.920 I suppose. I mean, that must have been an unforgettable 0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:39.560 experience for so many reasons. But is there any like 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:41.520 one lesson that that your time on the on the 0:11:41.600 --> 0:11:45.120 road with them taught you that that really sticks with you? Well, 0:11:45.360 --> 0:11:48.640 I mean, they were meticulous about putting the show together musically. 0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:50.439 We had a two month rehearsal and now I've never 0:11:50.440 --> 0:11:52.200 spent that long or hardly even spent that long one 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:54.679 to it, but but we could have done it in 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:56.680 a month. But what I really appreciated about that it 0:11:56.720 --> 0:11:59.400 was it gave the chance for the songs to nuances 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.720 of the record records to be done really well. And 0:12:01.840 --> 0:12:03.880 we were usually on the fly with crowded house, and 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:05.400 we would do it two or three days rehearsal and 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:07.160 be out and when to have great gigs. But some 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:09.320 of the nuances would get lost along the way. And 0:12:09.320 --> 0:12:12.000 I'm reminded now that Liam and al Roy and Mitchell all. 0:12:12.200 --> 0:12:14.360 They all care about those nuances and they've probably been 0:12:14.400 --> 0:12:16.920 listening to us playing for the last teen years ago. 0:12:17.000 --> 0:12:18.720 Oh I missed that little part. They didn't not doing 0:12:18.720 --> 0:12:20.880 that little part, you know, and so they've learned them all. 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:22.640 And the tour we just did of New Zealand was 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:25.600 fantastic because some of these signature little parts are being 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:28.080 played beautifully, their little hit you know, the little hairs 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:30.040 on the back of your neck moments. And it was 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:32.320 the same with Fleetwood. Mac. I really appreciated the devil 0:12:32.440 --> 0:12:44.080 level of attentions. Detail you mentioned going on a tour 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:46.360 of New Zealand. I mean where I am right now 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:49.079 in the United States, I mean that tours are still 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:52.080 a pretty far away off a So how how was 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:54.400 that for you? Getting back out there. It's amazing and 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:56.920 we obviously knew how lucky we were. It was. You know, 0:12:57.160 --> 0:12:59.200 every other musician we know in the world was shaking 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:02.120 their heads, going you lucky bastards. So we've made most 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:04.360 of it and we really enjoyed every minute the audiences. 0:13:04.360 --> 0:13:07.640 We had a sense of wonder as well. I think 0:13:07.640 --> 0:13:11.400 they've navigated it well down here, our government, and we've 0:13:11.400 --> 0:13:14.360 been lucky. So we just grabbed that opportunity right up 0:13:14.360 --> 0:13:15.760 to the last minute. I could have all four and 0:13:16.280 --> 0:13:18.840 if there had him in any cases, but yeah, we'd 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:21.880 like people a night going nuts and all in the 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:25.160 room together. It was just phenomenal. Is a live, constant 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:27.240 streaming event of it coming up in the next couple 0:13:27.280 --> 0:13:29.880 of weeks, and I'm really really excited for people to 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:31.600 see it because I think the band is on fire, 0:13:31.760 --> 0:13:35.040 and I think there's an undeniable spirit and we're playing 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:38.000 just playing so well. So yeah, if you've got even 0:13:38.000 --> 0:13:42.240 Remot's interest in Crowded House, be prepared to be transformed. 0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:44.520 Oh my gosh, and you mentioned I meant it as 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:47.760 this earlier. You have a Mitchell in the band full time. 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:51.360 He played on your first three albums, but from my understanding, 0:13:51.760 --> 0:13:54.880 declined to join to produce pursue production work. How did 0:13:54.880 --> 0:13:57.360 you did you get him in full time? Now, the 0:13:57.440 --> 0:14:00.679 timing was right for him and he wanted We asked him. 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:03.200 We'd asked him to join way back in the day 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:05.600 when he first did our record, but he was very 0:14:05.720 --> 0:14:08.400 intent on becoming a great producer that he's probably had. 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:10.800 He's had years to ponder. Now, what a bad mistake 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:14.160 that was, and when I asked him again, he jumped 0:14:14.160 --> 0:14:16.120 at it, and God, he's enjoying it. You know, being 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:18.800 in a band jamming in a room is really He's 0:14:18.840 --> 0:14:21.600 a really good, instinctive, intuitive musician. Has been in a 0:14:21.760 --> 0:14:23.840 role for years where he's had to make decisions all 0:14:23.840 --> 0:14:26.240 the time, and the first time we were jamming when 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.040 we don't have to make decisions, you just have to jam, 0:14:28.280 --> 0:14:30.400 he kept sort of stopping and go, well, we could 0:14:30.440 --> 0:14:33.120 make that first thing, the first verse, and saying, let's 0:14:33.160 --> 0:14:35.680 just take it easy. We're not a record yet, we're 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:38.600 just jamming. You know that he's a really gifted jammer, 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:40.880 and now he's loving that. You know, can't stop him. 0:14:41.440 --> 0:14:43.800 I love I love the B three sound that he 0:14:43.840 --> 0:14:47.000 has and all of his keyboard parts, so yeah, he's 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:48.520 a master on the B three. It was such a 0:14:48.600 --> 0:14:51.080 joy to see those to the audiences faces light up 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:52.880 when he started the solo and don't dream it so 0:14:52.920 --> 0:14:54.880 because no one plays it like him. You know, it's 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:58.480 been amazing. Is there a song that that really you 0:14:58.520 --> 0:15:01.760 look forward to more than any l to performing each night? 0:15:02.120 --> 0:15:04.480 You know? Luckily the set that we put together for 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.240 New Zealum was full of songs and I'm really loved playing. 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:10.080 There's so many and every night maybe a different one 0:15:10.200 --> 0:15:13.080 comes through that you just revel in because you're actually 0:15:13.160 --> 0:15:16.080 hitting it an unusually good form. I really enjoy a 0:15:16.120 --> 0:15:19.120 song called Private Universe, which is off the album Together Alone. 0:15:19.280 --> 0:15:21.280 Maybe not one of our most known songs in America, 0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:23.600 it's quite well known near and it's it's got a 0:15:23.680 --> 0:15:27.200 quite a different groove, very atmospheric and mysterious and has 0:15:27.240 --> 0:15:30.200 a big old jum and bongo work out at the 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:32.880 end on two on stage, which was really exciting, and 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:34.680 so I always used to look forward to that. It 0:15:34.760 --> 0:15:36.720 was kind of like the emotional high point of the 0:15:36.760 --> 0:15:38.520 set right in the middle of the set, and the 0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:42.840 lights were spectacular to suit. But what is next for 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:45.000 for you and crowded house? What can fans look forward 0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:47.520 to this year? Well, as soon as we can get over, 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:49.640 we'll be coming to play. We'll be putting out a 0:15:49.640 --> 0:15:51.880 bunch of stuff in the meantime. As I said, the concert, 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:55.320 the live concert, which is turned out incredibly well, is 0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:57.320 out within weeks, so hopefully people can tune in and 0:15:57.360 --> 0:15:59.120 get a taste of what we'll be doing when we 0:15:59.120 --> 0:16:02.600 do come. And I would think we're probably we will. 0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:04.880 We will be working on new material this year, given 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:07.400 that the you know, we're still having to deal with 0:16:07.440 --> 0:16:09.920 a bit of isolation, not as busy as schedule out 0:16:09.920 --> 0:16:11.920 there in the general public. So yeah, we're going to 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:13.760 focus on some new songs and try and get another 0:16:13.800 --> 0:16:17.320 album up by next year. Amazing, my, my, My last question, 0:16:17.680 --> 0:16:20.280 has there been a silver lining for us last year 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:23.640 for you, something that maybe the slowing down taught you 0:16:23.720 --> 0:16:26.640 or or made you a little more introspective, or there 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:28.760 were some silver linings for us? And like I said, 0:16:29.480 --> 0:16:32.360 you know, there was an accident of our circumstances to 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:35.000 have some good fortune. But yeah, I mean, you notice 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:37.200 when you have to shut down certain parts of your life, 0:16:37.520 --> 0:16:40.040 you notice the parts that you've been maybe neglecting or 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:43.640 not fully appreciating. I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful um, 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:46.280 a couple of grandchildren, and a family that's close by, 0:16:46.320 --> 0:16:48.240 and we'll get on really well. So we've had really 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:51.080 good family time. I would say, we've all got closer together, 0:16:51.200 --> 0:16:54.000 and I'm appreciating being back in New Zealand, the good 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:57.560 things about this place more and more evident. Yeah, looking, 0:16:57.680 --> 0:16:59.800 you know, like other things, I'm not I'm not missing 0:17:00.000 --> 0:17:01.600 it and things as much as I thought I might. 0:17:01.840 --> 0:17:04.720 The plane travel I'm not missing. Getting there is good, 0:17:05.040 --> 0:17:07.879 but you know, the trackling and all the miles on 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:09.679 the road and all that stuff. But it'll be interesting 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:11.240 to see when we start up. I did so on 0:17:11.240 --> 0:17:13.120 the dept to that quite well again. Can wait to 0:17:13.200 --> 0:17:15.439 see you back at there soon. Neil. Thank you so 0:17:15.560 --> 0:17:17.399 much for your music and your time today. It's been 0:17:17.440 --> 0:17:28.760 a real pleasure. Thank you, pleasure talking to you. We 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:31.280 hope you enjoyed this episode of Inside the Studio, a 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:35.000 production of I Heart Radio. For more episodes of Inside 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:37.720 the Studio or other fantastic shows, check out the I 0:17:37.800 --> 0:17:40.440 Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:41.520 your favorite podcasts.