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A goalkeeper who used to hold the record for the Premierships youngest player when he played for [[West Ham]] against [[Man City]]. He now plays for [[Romford F.C]]
{{Infobox musical artist 2
|Name = Neil Finn
|Img = NeilFinn1996.jpg
|Img_capt =
|Background = solo_singer
|Birth_name = Neil Mullane Finn
|Alias =
|Born = [[May 27]], [[1958]]
|Died =
|Origin = [[Te Awamutu]], [[New Zealand]]
|Instruments = [[Singing]]
|Genre = [[Pop music|Pop]],
|Occupation(s) =
|Years_active = 1976-present
|Label =
|Associated_acts = [[Split Enz]]</br>[[Crowded House]]</br>[[Finn Brothers]]
|Notable_albums =
|Notable_songs =
|Related_acts =
|URL =
|Current_members =
|Past_members =
}}

'''Neil Mullane Finn''' [[Order of British Empire|OBE]] (born [[May 27]], [[1958]] in [[Te Awamutu]], [[New Zealand]]) is a [[singer]] and [[songwriter]] and one of [[New Zealand]]'s foremost musicians. He is the [[frontman]] of the band [[Crowded House]].

==Biography==
===Early Years / Split Enz===
Neil attended school at [[Sacred Heart College, Auckland|Sacred Heart College]], 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.

Neil finished school in [[1975]]. In 1976, he formed a group known as After Hours (with Mark Hough, Geoff Chunn and Alan Brown). 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 [[1980 in music|1980]], 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 in music|1983]].

===The Mullanes / Crowded House===
Split Enz broke up in [[1984 in music|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]] 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" ([[United States|U.S.]] #2, 1987) and "Weather With You" ([[United Kingdom|U.K.]] #7, 1992).

After releasing four albums, ''Crowded House'', ''Temple of Low Men'', ''Woodface'', and ''Together Alone'', the group broke up in [[1996 in music|1996]], and followed this action by releasing a [[greatest hits]] album ''Recurring Dream: The Very Best Of Crowded House''. Following this, Neil went solo. Later the album ''Afterglow'' was released, which contained Crowded House tracks not previously found on Crowded House albums. In [[January]] [[2007]], it was announced that Crowded House would reform with Neil, Nick Seymour and Mark Hart with a new drummer to join following auditions, Paul Hester having died in 2005. A new album titled ''Time on Earth'' will be released in 2007, accompanied by a world tour.

===Solo years===
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 as a remixed and reordered version named ''[[One All]]'' (2002).) In addition, he and brother Tim have collaborated on two [[Finn Brothers]] albums, ''[[Finn (album)|Finn]]'' ([[1995]]) and ''[[Everyone Is Here (album)|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]].

Also in 2001, Finn was heavily involved in creating the soundtrack for the motion picture ''[[Rain (film)|Rain]]''.

Finn has also produced and recorded with various New Zealand acts such as [[Bic Runga]], [[The Mutton Birds]] and [[Dave Dobbyn]].

Both Finn and his brother were made [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (Order of the British Empire) for services to New Zealand music in the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

The [[Dixie Chicks]] latest release ''Taking The Long Way'' has a song co-written by them and Neil, entitled "Silent House."

Finn also features as a backing vocalist for the Sheryl Crow song "Everyday is a Winding Road" from her self-titled second album of 1997.

In February 2007, Neil Finn performs 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]], Englands largest charity working for people living with [[Cerebral Palsy]] and their families.


==Family==
Neil married his wife Sharon Dawn Johnson on February 13, 1982. The song "I Love You Dawn", available on the album of unreleased Crowded House tracks and B-sides called ''Afterglow'' was penned in her honour.

They have two sons, [[Liam Finn|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 [[chandelier]]s in her workshop, [http://www.sharondelier.com/ Sharondelier], 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 (album)|Crowded House]]'' and [[Alex Lloyd|Alex Lloyd's]] ''Watching Angels Mend''.

==Neil Finn Solo Discography==
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
!align="center" valign="top"|Cover
!align="center" valign="top"|Date
!align="center" valign="top"|Title
!align="center" valign="top"|Label
!align="center" valign="top"|Charted
!align="center" valign="top"|Country
!align="center" valign="top"|Catalog Number
|-
|[[Image:Try Whistling This.jpg|center|40px|]]
|align="left" valign="center"|[[1998 in music|1998]]
|align="left" valign="center"|'''[[Try Whistling This]]'''
|align="left" valign="center"|[[EMI]]
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| 72434-95139-2-1
|-
|[[Image:One Nil.jpg|center|40px|]]
|align="left" valign="center"|[[2001 in music|2001]]
|align="left" valign="center"|'''[[One Nil]]'''
|align="left" valign="center"|
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"|
|-
|[[Image:One All.jpg|center|40px|]]
|align="left" valign="center"|[[2002 in music|2002]]
|align="left" valign="center"|'''[[One All]]'''
|align="left" valign="center"|
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"|
|-
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=7 align=center | '''Live Albums'''
|-
|[[Image:Neil Finn Sessions at West 54th.jpg|center|40px|]]
|align="left" valign="center"|[[2000 in music|2000]]
|align="left" valign="center"|'''[[Neil Finn: Sessions at West 54th]]'''
|align="left" valign="center"|
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"|
|-
|[[Image:7worlds.jpg|center|40px|]]
|align="left" valign="center"|[[2001 in music|2001]]
|align="left" valign="center"|'''[[7 Worlds Collide]]'''
|align="left" valign="center"|
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"|
|-
|- bgcolor="#DDDDDD"
| colspan=7 align=center | '''DVDs'''
|-
|[[Image:Neil Finn Sessions at West 54th.jpg|center|40px|]]
|align="left" valign="center"|[[2000 in music|2000]]
|align="left" valign="center"|'''[[Neil Finn: Sessions at West 54th]]'''
|align="left" valign="center"|
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"|
|-

|[[Image:7worlds.jpg|center|40px|]]
|align="left" valign="center"|[[2001 in music|2001]]
|align="left" valign="center"|'''[[7 Worlds Collide]]'''
|align="left" valign="center"|
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"| -
|align="left" valign="center"|
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"|width=100%
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
!align="left" valign="bottom"|Year
!align="left" valign="bottom" width="225"|Single
!align="left" valign="bottom" width="130"|Album
!align="center" valign="top"|Charted
!align="center" valign="bottom" width="50"|Certification
|-
|- bgcolor="#F0F8FF"
|align="left" valign="top"|'''1998'''
|align="left" valign="top"|"[[Sinner (Neil Finn song)|Sinner]]"
|align="left" valign="top"| ''Try Whistling This''
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|-
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|align="left" valign="top"|'''1998'''
|align="left" valign="top"| "[[She Will Have Her Way (song)|She Will Have Her Way]]"
|align="left" valign="top"| ''Try Whistling This''
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|-
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|align="left" valign="top"|'''1999'''
|align="left" valign="top"| "[[I Can See Clearly Now]]"
|align="left" valign="top"|
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|-
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
|align="left" valign="top"|'''2001'''
|align="left" valign="top"| "Rest Of The Day Off"
|align="left" valign="top"| ''One Nil''
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|align="center" valign="top"| -
|-
|}

==References==

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

== Other links==
*[http://www.music-city.org/Neil-Finn/discography/ Neil Finn complete discography]
*[http://www.frenz.com/neilfinn/ Neil Finn News from Frenz.com]
*[http://www.myspace.com/neilfinn Neil Finn on Myspace.com]

[[Category:1958 births|Finn, Neil]]
[[Category:Irish New Zealanders|Finn, Neil]]
[[Category:Living people|Finn, Neil]]
[[Category:New Zealand pop singers|Finn, Neil]]
[[Category:New Zealand songwriters|Finn, Neil]]
[[Category:New Zealand guitarists|Finn, Neil]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire|Finn, Neil]]

[[cy:Neil Finn]]
[[de:Neil Finn]]
[[nl:Neil Finn]]

Revision as of 19:40, 5 March 2007

A goalkeeper who used to hold the record for the Premierships youngest player when he played for West Ham against Man City. He now plays for Romford F.C

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neil_Finn&oldid=112875031"