Jeff Tweedy singing 'Fake Plastic Trees?' Radiohead drummer Phil Selway (pictured) singing folk tunes? Neil Finn has the best address book.

The Crowded House frontman first conceived of the 7 Worlds Collide in 2001, when he called on buds like Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Johnny Marr (The Smiths/Modest Mouse), Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway (Radiohead), Tim Finn, Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing), and Lisa Germano to travel to New Zealand for a series of shows. A subsequent live album documenting the trek was released.

This time Finn has reinvented the project as a way to assist Oxfam International. He invited buds like Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway, Smiths/Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr,Soul Coughing bassist Sebastian Steinberg, solo artist Lisa Germano, Jeff Tweedy, John Stirrat, Glenn Kotche andPat Sansone from Wilco, and New Zealand songwriters Bic Runga and DonMcGlashan. Oh and his son Liam Finn. Together they're currently holed up in Finn's own Roundhead Studios in New Zealand recording an album together. Sales of which will go entirely towards Oxfam International. Nice.

The Voltron-like outfit played three shows this week at the Powerstation in New Zealand. All were sold out, of course. Though helmed by Neil Finn the frontman took a backseat for much of the gig, with the band running through various covers drawn from its starry members catalogues including The Smiths 'There is a light that never goes out', Wilco via Woody Guthrie's 'California Stars' and a run through Radiohead's In Rainbows track 'Bodysnatchers'. Which according to the New Zealand's Herald: "provided the night's biggest wobble. Finn snr wrestled manfully with the vocal to Radiohead's 'Bodysnatchers', but couldn't quite pin Thom Yorke's original hyperventilations over its monster riff."

Otherwise, the report was effusive: "...the depleted-to-four-piece Wilco and ring-ins kickedalmost as hard as their last Auckland show in March. Their shortbracket included oldies like Woody Guthrie's 'California Stars' and a freshly recorded newie, while later frontman Jeff Tweedy made a fine job of Radiohead's 'Fake Plastic Trees', even if beforehand he worried out loud "this is going to be like Paul Rodgers fronting Queen."

Radiohead'sdrummer Phil Selway delivered one of the night's nicest surprises inwhat was his live singing debut of a rather lovely self-penned songdestined for the album.

Now thanks to some shaky video cam, here's them clips:


Fake Plastic Trees (Radiohead cover) - Jeff Tweedy and band


Radiohead drummer Phil Selway in his live singing debut


Neil Finn and Johnny Marr doing The Smiths 'There is a light that never goes out'