In the second part of our two part interview with Neil Finn, we discuss some of the key tracks on The Sun Came Out, the future of the 7 Worlds Collide project and the forthcoming Crowded House record.

READ PART 1

It seems like having all the guests families come out was a large incentive for everyone.

It wouldn't have been possible otherwise. I think it was part of the attraction that the Christmas/New Year's time is a time when people are not doing anything. We couldn't have expected people to come all this way without their families and it was at the heart of the feeling for the project. That that's what it should be. We've always had our family very close at hand with what we've done. My kids have toured and my wife and I have found that having an open door policy is really productive and fantastic (for the kids), and they turned out really well. And I think these people are of the same mindset. It's good for them to have the experience of recording an album and having kids running in and out. Because it doesn't happen like that in most people's worlds.

One gets the impression that it rubs off on the tracks as well, they have a very communal feel to them.

I think so yeah. There's a pretty joyous feeling on a lot of it. There's some darkness there too. Songs like Lisa Germano's 'Reptile' she hauled all the kids in for that and you can hear the good time unfolding on the track. That's Spencer Tweedy, Jeff's son, on the drums.

I was going to say that I like listening to him doing his best to stay in time.

(Laughs). There's one particularly strange moment in there that I really love actually, where it almost completely breaks down. But it's somehow quite brilliant. He's actually a really good drummer but that was the first take. In some ways he sounds a little more remedial on that than he actually is. He's quite an accomplished drummer.

It works with the song though, especially with the background atmosphere (of kid's singing). It's definitely a good business card for the time that it was.

(Laughs). Lisa's quite a wilful and unusual performer and she wanted Spencer to lay down the groove and she wanted Glenn Kotche to play like a kid, on top. So all the percussive things are him. Which is quite a good reversal of roles I thought.

Just on a sidenote, I've read Spencer's blog a few times. Have you read him talking about his time at the studio?

I was aware at the time that he was doing stuff from the studio but I haven't looked at it in recent times. I know he was giving quite the account of Piha and various aspects.

It must be nice to think that there's some sense of handing down those experiences through each of your families.

They had a great time all of the kids, and the girls got on really well. There was a lot of sadness when everyone left actually.

I really love some of the songs that arguably wouldn't make the headlines, so to speak. The Don McGlashen song 'Girl Make Your Own Mind Up' is a really beautiful song.

Oh isn't that a great song. He wrote that during the project and it's one of my favourites.

Maybe it's just me but I'm not super familiar with The Mutton Birds (McGlashen's cult NZ band) and his past stuff but it's the kind of song that makes me want to seek it out.

Yeah he's written some really amazing songs in his time, Don. He's obviously very well known here in New Zealand although not probably given his due by radio or by the media. He's got a lot of respect. His songs haven't traveled as far as they should've and I don't know what the reason for that is. He should be better known internationally. That song is really a standout but he's written lots in his past as well. I definitely encourage you to check it out.

It must be nice to not so much give a leg up but to be able to participate with a bunch of musicians that you respect but also maybe aren't so well known.

Well yeah, I mean...both Bic (Runga) and Don are people in New Zealand that I've done work with and have known for a long time. And whose work and songs I respect, so it was nice to have that New Zealand connection. And it was lovely to have Glenn Richards (Augie March) contribute as well. I think he's written a really good song (Duxton Blues).

How did that overlap, was that while Augie were doing their record (Watch Me Disappear, at Roundhouse) or...

No he came overin January and stayed a few days while we were recording and said he had a song that he could contribute, which I was delighted about. He and Liam actually ended up working on that together quite a bit. He wrote it down the road in the hotel, the 'Duxton Blues' and it's a really fine song. I'm delighted it's on there.

At risk of going through the album track by track I really dig Liam's 'Red Wine Bottle' song as well.

Yeah it's a great tune isn't it. He had the music written before he had the lyric and he stayed up all night one night and got the vocal done. He had it by about 6 in the morning, it was an all night session. So I would pick the 'Red Wine Bottle' as a literal reference point.

Maybe it's a bit close to home for you but it's spooky how more and more his voice is sounding like yours.

Well there's a genetic thing in him that's a Finn thing. I think it's got a little difference about it which is his own thing. And he's got a very unusual, maverick approach to performing which is definitely his own. I guess it would stand to reason that we've got some similarity. When we sing together we've certainly got a sound, like when I sing with Tim.

What was the idea behind getting Jim Scott (producer) in? Apart from presumably being able to handle a bunch of multi-instrumentalists and their families?

He's somebody that I've always been aware of and admired. I'd only ever had something mixed by him before, I'd never recorded with him properly. Wilco have done work with him before and they were keen to use him on their upcoming record. It was their suggestion that he might be good for this. I mean as it turned out they recorded most of their rhythm tracks for their new record at the studio, because he was there with them and it was going so well. But he was a great choice. He's so positive, he's incredibly experienced, he gets a fantastic sound, he's funny and really supportive and really affirmative. No mind games whatsoever. He was the perfect guy really.

And is it right that he then worked on the upcoming Crowded House record?

I enjoyed working with him so much I invited him back to work on the Crowded House record. Now I'm going to LA in a weeks time to finish it off with him.

Coming out of a project like that, did you find it informed the Crowded House process as well?

It definitely informed it. And it inspired me. And y'know we had the studio humming and working with Jim, the process was already established a little bit. I think it had a very positive affect. I was able to watch Wilco record their new rhythm tracks too and that was inspiring.

I know you're playing tonight and you're doing another little show in LA but would you ever try - people's scheduling allowing - to do a few more shows?

Well there's a great will to do it but it's very difficult to work it out with everybody's schedules, yeah. Johnny's about to start touring with the Cribs, he's in the Cribs at the moment, so...Wilco have obviously got their new record out and they've been doing lots and lots of touring so. Radiohead are about to go back into the studio...it's tricky. But you know there's a great will to do it. If there's a window it'll happen and I'm sort've hopeful. Some time in the next six months.

Any great insights into the newest Crowded House record?

I think it's a really cohesive "band" sounding record. You know the last one was definitely an album in transition. To a degree. This one has a sense of cohesiveness and I think there's a few unusual step off points for us. Some songs sound different from anything we've done before. But also there is a sound that evolved over the last two years of touring. I think we became a really good band and Matt (Sherrod) as a drummer has really come into his own. I'm finding him really effortless to play with now. Yeah I think there's a good energy to the record I'm really excited about it.

When do you think it might be out?

I think it'll be out in January, no later than February.

With those two things behind you now - at least in a recorded sense anyway - do you think the 7 Worlds project is something that might continue?

I'm sure it will emerge again but I'm not sure when and I don't know what the context will be. The good thing is that this is a very distinct project to the first one, being a recording project. We now have a repetoire, you know, 24 songs between us all. It means that things could happen, (though) I wouldn't make any expectations on anybody. The great thing is that everybody left the project thinking that it was just a good time. So we don't have to worry about it being a long lasting career and I think that's one of the nice things about it.

It's like the pop music version of the 7 Up series.

Maybe, yeah (laughs). It'll turn up at some point. Hopefully not seven years away but yeah, that wouldn't be the end of the world either.


The Sun Came Out by 7 Worlds Collide is out September 4th.