Liam Mullane Finn (born 24 September 1983) is a New Zealand singer and musician. Born in Melbourne, Australia, he moved to New Zealand as a child. He is the son of musicians Sharon and Neil Finn.[1] In 2020, he joined his father's band, Crowded House.[2]
Liam Finn | |
|---|---|
 Finn at the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – November 2012 Wellington, New Zealand | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 24 September 1983 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Origin | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | Indie rock, dream pop |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, drums, keyboards, bass |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Liberation Music (AUS/NZ) Yep Roc Records (USA) Independent Records (Ireland) |
Personal life
editHis father, Neil Finn, wrote the song "Our Day" (on the 1983 Split Enz album Conflicting Emotions) about Liam prior to his birth.[3]
Liam Finn married his long-term partner, Janina Percival, in June 2015[4] and they have two sons.[5]
Career
editLiam Finn co-founded and performed with the band Betchadupa from 1997 - 2006 which released several albums and EPs between 2000 and 2004.
He has a solo career as a multi-instrumentalist playing drums, keyboards and guitar and singing over loop tracks, composing songs on stage and on live streams.
Liam Finn also records and tours with Crowded House and as of 2024 both he and his brother Elroy Finn are members of the band along with their father Neil Finn, touring the UK, Ireland, Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Live shows
edit
In 2008 and 2009 Finn opened for Eddie Vedder's solo tour throughout America.[6] Finn also headlined his first North American tour and headed out on the road with The Black Keys in November 2008 in the UK and Europe. At the Dutch Crossing Border Festival he met Yuri Landman and borrowed a drum guitar, which he used on stage in the Netherlands and Germany.[7] Afterwards Landman invented a new instrument for him, a 24-string electric cymbalum called the Tafelberg,[8] which he incorporated at his stage performances.
Finn played a series of solo concerts in Ireland in April 2008 with guest appearances from vocalist E J Barnes the daughter of Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes.
Finn played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 14 March 2009 for Sound Relief, a multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief for the Victorian Bushfire Crisis.[9][10] The event was held simultaneously with a concert at the Sydney Cricket Ground.[9] All the proceeds from the Melbourne Concert will go to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire relief.[9][10] Appearing with Finn in Melbourne were Augie March, Bliss n Eso with Paris Wells, Gabriella Cilmi, Hunters & Collectors, Jack Johnson, Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson with Troy Cassar-Daley, Kings of Leon, Jet, Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, Split Enz and Wolfmother.[11]
In August 2009, Finn performed with a new band called BARB on a small New Zealand tour with a band consisting of Connan Hosford (Connan and the Mockasins), James Milne (Lawrence Arabia), Eliza Jane Barnes, Seamus Ebbs, Jol Mulholland and Wild Bill Rickets. Their album (recorded at Roundhead Studios in Auckland) was released 24 August 2010.[12]
In January 2014, Finn toured New Zealand for the first time since 2011, this time with a new backing band The Salty Women, which consisted of mostly past collaborators including James Milne (Lawrence Arabia), Eliza Jane Barnes, and brother Elroy Finn.[13]
With Neil Finn and Crowded House
editOn 29 November 2009, Finn and his father also sang together (along with Pearl Jam, Ben Harper and Eliza-Jane Barnes) at Christchurch's AMI Stadium. They sang "Better Be Home Soon" and the Split Enz classic "I Got You".[14]
On 24 August 2018, Finn released the album Lightsleeper with his father.[15]
In 2021 he appeared on Crowded House's album Dreamers Are Waiting as a core member of the band. The album features several songs cowritten by Liam and Neil Finn, and one song ("Goodnight Everyone") that was written by Liam alone.[16]
Discography
edit
Albums
editStudio albums
edit| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ [17] |
AUS [18] |
UK | US | |||
| 2007 | I'll Be Lightning |
|
7 | 57 | 13 | 46 |
| 2011 | FOMO |
|
5 | 26 | 21 | |
| 2014 | The Nihilist |
|
8 | 11 | 9 | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||
Live albums
edit- Live (in Spaceland) – 22 February 2008, Spaceland Recordings
- Live From The Wiltern – (2008) Yep Roc Records
EPs
edit- Second Chance (2007)
- Champagne in Seashells (2009)
With Betchadupa
edit- betchadupa EP (2000)
- 3D EP (2001)
- The Alphabetchadupa (2002)
- Aiming For Your Head (2004)
With BARB
edit- Barb, (2010)
With Neil Finn
edit- Lightsleeper (2018)
With Crowded House
edit- Dreamers Are Waiting (2021)
- Gravity Stairs (2024)
References
edit- ^ Harrop, Nicky (19 November 2016). "Weekend Rewind: The Finn Family Tree". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ "Liam Finn idolised the Crowded House legacy growing up. Now, he's part of it". 2 June 2021.
- ^ "Our Day — Neil Finn website". Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ "The Finn family gather for a very special wedding". Stuff.co.nz. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- ^ Behan, Alex (2 June 2019). "My Sunday: Kiwi musician Liam Finn". Stuff. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ "Liam Finn to tour with 'family friend' Eddie Vedder". Nzherald.co.nz. 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Youtube clip where Liam performs with the drum guitar". Youtube. 30 November 2008. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ "Liam Finn: No place like home". The Days of Lore. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ a b c Brumby, John (24 February 2009). "Artists Unite For 'Sound Relief' Bushfire Benefit – Premier of Victoria, Australia". Premier of Victoria. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
- ^ a b Mitchell, Geraldine (24 February 2009). "Coldplay, Kings of Leon to headline bushfire relief concerts". Herald Sun. Australia: The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
- ^ "Latest News". Sound Relief. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
- ^ "Yep Roc Records > Artist Info". Yeproc.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ "Liam Finn - Live Reviews". Undertheradar.co.nz.
- ^ Anderson, Vicki (30 November 2009). "Pearl Jam a hit in Christchurch-review". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
- ^ Hann, Michael (24 August 2018). "Neil and Liam Finn: Lightsleeper review – father and son pour out the melodies". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- ^ Ian Rushbury, "Crowded House prove pop music is still in good hands with 'Dreamers Are Waiting'". PopMatters, 28 June 2021.
- ^ "LIAM FINN IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". Charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 103.
External links
edit
- Official website (archived)
- Liam Finn Myspace
- Liberation Music