Biography
Split Enz earned their primary recognition through early-1980s new wave pop successes, above all the track “I Got You.” After weathering repeated upheavals in image and lineup plus an entire decade without notice beyond New Zealand, the ensemble became the first band from that country to reach an international audience. Although they stopped short of superstar standing anywhere except Australia and New Zealand, a devoted worldwide following kept growing more than ten years after the group disbanded. Their releases consistently felt slightly removed from prevailing fashions and remained stubbornly little-known, yet the catalog they assembled stayed consistently engaging and at times attained genuine pop mastery.
The ensemble formed in Auckland, New Zealand, during 1972 when Brian Timothy Finn and Phil Judd came together. At the outset it operated as the gentle acoustic unit Split Ends, whose members included Judd on guitar and vocals, Finn handling vocals and piano, Miles Golding on violin, Mike Howard on flute, and Mike Chunn on bass. During those first years Finn and Judd supplied the chief songwriting drive. Judd drew ideas from an eclectic range of sources that often lay outside music, whereas Finn favored the British pop of the Beatles, the Kinks, and the Move. Over several months of intense activity the pair hammered out material on acoustic guitars, Judd supplying core structures and words while Finn added melodies. Golding, trained in classical music, steered the group toward intricate neo-classical forms and orchestrations. The outcome was a distinctive blend of styles that felt fresh yet sold poorly. Following lengthy rehearsals the musicians entered the studio in February 1973 to cut their debut single, “For You”/“Split Ends.” Once the record appeared they undertook a modest tour; Golding then departed to pursue studies in London. At Chunn’s suggestion the remaining members adopted a fully electric approach, bringing in Geoff Chunn on drums, Wally Wilkinson on guitar, and part-time saxophonist Rob Gillies. With the revised lineup set, Judd declined to tour, arguing that the music was too intricate for live presentation; he remained behind to compose and record while the others traveled, although he eventually returned to the stage roster. The band performed on the New Zealand television contest New Faces, finishing next to last yet gaining valuable early visibility. In 1974 former Space Waltz keyboardist Tony (Eddie) Rayner joined and the name was altered to Split Enz. After the change the group staged a series of radio-sponsored “Buck-a-Head” concerts in theaters rather than pubs, feeling the former suited their theatrical style. Performances grew more dramatic: members donned vivid costumes and eccentric hairstyles, Finn served as master of ceremonies with peculiar spoken interludes, Judd appeared occasionally, and costume designer plus spoons player Noel Crombie also participated. By autumn 1974 Crombie had become a permanent percussionist. Before the tour ended Geoff Chunn gave way to Paul Crowther and Gillies exited.
In March 1975 the musicians headed to Australia, where every member except Judd began using middle names. Billed incorrectly as “New Zealand’s raunchiest rock & roll band,” they labored for nine months before attracting a modest cult audience and landing a contract with Mushroom Records. Their first album, Mental Notes, was completed in two weeks. Although limited studio experience and an unsympathetic producer left the band dissatisfied, the record captured their most ambitious and art-oriented phase. It charted briefly in both Australia and New Zealand. By November 1975 Wilkinson had been dismissed and Gillies returned. Split Enz attracted the notice of Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera, who proposed assisting with their next project; the group arranged to meet him in England to rework Mental Notes. Before departure they cut the single “Late Last Night.” Despite its elaborate structure the track signaled a shift toward pop, yet it made little commercial headway. The single arrived with a video clip—an uncommon choice in 1976—and the band continued producing conceptual clips thereafter. In April 1976 Split Enz linked up with Manzanera in England and signed with Chrysalis for worldwide release. Although the sessions themselves proved fruitful, live opportunities in Britain proved scarce without an agent. The musicians rehearsed constantly, but the Judd-Finn songwriting partnership had stalled and fresh material stopped appearing. Second Thoughts, essentially a revised Mental Notes, surfaced late in 1976 and was issued internationally under the original title. Before supporting the album on a U.S. tour in early 1977, Crowther was replaced on drums by Mal Green. During that tour Judd, exasperated by indifferent crowds and promotional pressures, departed; Chunn followed two months later. The band regrouped in England, replacing Judd with Tim’s younger brother Neil and adding bassist Nigel Griggs.
Tim Finn took charge of the new configuration, and the ensemble began shedding its arty theatrical habits on the 1977 album Dizrhythmia. In Australia the record went gold and the single “My Mistake” became their first Top 20 hit. In England results were poorer; amid the punk upheaval Split Enz appeared somewhat dated, and although their streamlined look and leaner songs were not far from post-punk aesthetics, their earlier progressive reputation aligned them with the very styles punk sought to eradicate. A small cult audience nevertheless persisted in the U.K. By early 1978 Chrysalis had dropped the band; unable to secure bookings, the members went on the dole. They kept writing prolifically and rehearsing. Gillies was let go and Judd rejoined, yet he soon realized he no longer fit the new direction and left again; he later achieved modest success leading the Swingers and as a solo artist. The New Zealand Arts Council awarded the group a $5,000 grant. A Luton studio was booked and twenty-eight songs were recorded in under five days. These “Rootin’ Tootin’ Luton Tapes” revealed sharper edges and clear commercial promise. Around the same period the band cut the straight-ahead rocker “I See Red” with producer David Tickle; the single charted respectably in Australia. Split Enz returned to Australia to complete the 1978 album Frenzy, re-recording many Luton tracks. The finished record failed to match the tapes’ energy, however, and several strong songs remained unreleased at the time; many Luton versions later appeared on the 1981 North American A&M edition of Frenzy.
The band reunited with David Tickle for 1979’s True Colours. The album shed prior excesses and highlighted their emerging pure-pop focus. Neil Finn’s alluring “I Got You” finally delivered breakthrough success: both single and album reached number one in Australia and New Zealand, and the LP ultimately sold 200,000 copies in Australia—roughly one per ten households. The achievement secured an international deal with A&M Records. True Colours also performed solidly in the U.K. and U.S. and earned platinum certification in Canada. During a mid-year touring break the group quickly recorded the follow-up, released in Australia as Corroboree and internationally as Waiata in April 1981. The set proved somewhat formulaic and contained weaker material; although it did not replicate True Colours’ sales, it yielded two hits—“One Step Ahead” and “History Never Repeats.” On the subsequent North American tour Split Enz shared equal billing with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, underscoring their rising profile. Mal Green departed for solo work and Crombie assumed drumming duties.
By late 1981, after extended touring, the band withdrew to the studio for their most personal and creatively rewarding album, Time and Tide. Issued in 1982, it immediately topped charts in Australia and New Zealand. MTV’s embrace of new wave acts boosted the band’s cult visibility in America, where “Dirty Creature” and “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” (along with earlier clips) received heavy rotation, yet the album itself made limited chart impact. Early in 1983 Tim stepped away to record the solo album Escapade. The project succeeded in Australasia, generating several hits including the Top Ten “Fraction Too Much Friction.” Its popularity nonetheless diverted Tim’s attention, postponed the next Split Enz release, and halted the momentum built across the prior three albums. Conflicting Emotions finally appeared in autumn 1983. Whereas Tim had previously dominated songwriting, Neil now supplied the majority of material. The album performed as expected in Australia and New Zealand but arrived late in the States and made little impression. Drummer Paul Hester joined, shifting Crombie back to percussion. Before the next album began, Tim announced his departure. With Neil at the helm the band completed one final record, 1984’s See Ya Round, issued only in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. After a farewell tour titled Enz with a Bang! that brought Tim back for the occasion, Neil dissolved the group.
Neil and Paul Hester subsequently formed the globally successful Crowded House. Tim pursued an intermittent solo career and joined Crowded House for the 1991 album Woodface. Nigel Griggs, Noel Crombie, and Phil Judd created Schnell Fenster, releasing two albums before disbanding. Eddie Rayner contributed session work and founded his own group, the Makers. Tim and Neil reunited for a Finn Brothers album in 1995. Split Enz endures as a national institution, occasionally staging reunion performances. In 1996 the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra presented a symphonic tribute arranged by Eddie Rayner and featuring contributions from both Finn brothers plus other New Zealand artists including Dave Dobbyn. The resulting album, ENZSO, spent several weeks in the Australian and New Zealand Top Ten. A second project, ENZSO 2, followed in 1999. The classic lineup reunited for a New Year’s Eve millennium concert in New Zealand. In 2005 the band entered the ARIA Hall of Fame, and the True Colours-era members reconvened for a short yet highly successful Australian tour in 2006.
The ensemble formed in Auckland, New Zealand, during 1972 when Brian Timothy Finn and Phil Judd came together. At the outset it operated as the gentle acoustic unit Split Ends, whose members included Judd on guitar and vocals, Finn handling vocals and piano, Miles Golding on violin, Mike Howard on flute, and Mike Chunn on bass. During those first years Finn and Judd supplied the chief songwriting drive. Judd drew ideas from an eclectic range of sources that often lay outside music, whereas Finn favored the British pop of the Beatles, the Kinks, and the Move. Over several months of intense activity the pair hammered out material on acoustic guitars, Judd supplying core structures and words while Finn added melodies. Golding, trained in classical music, steered the group toward intricate neo-classical forms and orchestrations. The outcome was a distinctive blend of styles that felt fresh yet sold poorly. Following lengthy rehearsals the musicians entered the studio in February 1973 to cut their debut single, “For You”/“Split Ends.” Once the record appeared they undertook a modest tour; Golding then departed to pursue studies in London. At Chunn’s suggestion the remaining members adopted a fully electric approach, bringing in Geoff Chunn on drums, Wally Wilkinson on guitar, and part-time saxophonist Rob Gillies. With the revised lineup set, Judd declined to tour, arguing that the music was too intricate for live presentation; he remained behind to compose and record while the others traveled, although he eventually returned to the stage roster. The band performed on the New Zealand television contest New Faces, finishing next to last yet gaining valuable early visibility. In 1974 former Space Waltz keyboardist Tony (Eddie) Rayner joined and the name was altered to Split Enz. After the change the group staged a series of radio-sponsored “Buck-a-Head” concerts in theaters rather than pubs, feeling the former suited their theatrical style. Performances grew more dramatic: members donned vivid costumes and eccentric hairstyles, Finn served as master of ceremonies with peculiar spoken interludes, Judd appeared occasionally, and costume designer plus spoons player Noel Crombie also participated. By autumn 1974 Crombie had become a permanent percussionist. Before the tour ended Geoff Chunn gave way to Paul Crowther and Gillies exited.
In March 1975 the musicians headed to Australia, where every member except Judd began using middle names. Billed incorrectly as “New Zealand’s raunchiest rock & roll band,” they labored for nine months before attracting a modest cult audience and landing a contract with Mushroom Records. Their first album, Mental Notes, was completed in two weeks. Although limited studio experience and an unsympathetic producer left the band dissatisfied, the record captured their most ambitious and art-oriented phase. It charted briefly in both Australia and New Zealand. By November 1975 Wilkinson had been dismissed and Gillies returned. Split Enz attracted the notice of Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera, who proposed assisting with their next project; the group arranged to meet him in England to rework Mental Notes. Before departure they cut the single “Late Last Night.” Despite its elaborate structure the track signaled a shift toward pop, yet it made little commercial headway. The single arrived with a video clip—an uncommon choice in 1976—and the band continued producing conceptual clips thereafter. In April 1976 Split Enz linked up with Manzanera in England and signed with Chrysalis for worldwide release. Although the sessions themselves proved fruitful, live opportunities in Britain proved scarce without an agent. The musicians rehearsed constantly, but the Judd-Finn songwriting partnership had stalled and fresh material stopped appearing. Second Thoughts, essentially a revised Mental Notes, surfaced late in 1976 and was issued internationally under the original title. Before supporting the album on a U.S. tour in early 1977, Crowther was replaced on drums by Mal Green. During that tour Judd, exasperated by indifferent crowds and promotional pressures, departed; Chunn followed two months later. The band regrouped in England, replacing Judd with Tim’s younger brother Neil and adding bassist Nigel Griggs.
Tim Finn took charge of the new configuration, and the ensemble began shedding its arty theatrical habits on the 1977 album Dizrhythmia. In Australia the record went gold and the single “My Mistake” became their first Top 20 hit. In England results were poorer; amid the punk upheaval Split Enz appeared somewhat dated, and although their streamlined look and leaner songs were not far from post-punk aesthetics, their earlier progressive reputation aligned them with the very styles punk sought to eradicate. A small cult audience nevertheless persisted in the U.K. By early 1978 Chrysalis had dropped the band; unable to secure bookings, the members went on the dole. They kept writing prolifically and rehearsing. Gillies was let go and Judd rejoined, yet he soon realized he no longer fit the new direction and left again; he later achieved modest success leading the Swingers and as a solo artist. The New Zealand Arts Council awarded the group a $5,000 grant. A Luton studio was booked and twenty-eight songs were recorded in under five days. These “Rootin’ Tootin’ Luton Tapes” revealed sharper edges and clear commercial promise. Around the same period the band cut the straight-ahead rocker “I See Red” with producer David Tickle; the single charted respectably in Australia. Split Enz returned to Australia to complete the 1978 album Frenzy, re-recording many Luton tracks. The finished record failed to match the tapes’ energy, however, and several strong songs remained unreleased at the time; many Luton versions later appeared on the 1981 North American A&M edition of Frenzy.
The band reunited with David Tickle for 1979’s True Colours. The album shed prior excesses and highlighted their emerging pure-pop focus. Neil Finn’s alluring “I Got You” finally delivered breakthrough success: both single and album reached number one in Australia and New Zealand, and the LP ultimately sold 200,000 copies in Australia—roughly one per ten households. The achievement secured an international deal with A&M Records. True Colours also performed solidly in the U.K. and U.S. and earned platinum certification in Canada. During a mid-year touring break the group quickly recorded the follow-up, released in Australia as Corroboree and internationally as Waiata in April 1981. The set proved somewhat formulaic and contained weaker material; although it did not replicate True Colours’ sales, it yielded two hits—“One Step Ahead” and “History Never Repeats.” On the subsequent North American tour Split Enz shared equal billing with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, underscoring their rising profile. Mal Green departed for solo work and Crombie assumed drumming duties.
By late 1981, after extended touring, the band withdrew to the studio for their most personal and creatively rewarding album, Time and Tide. Issued in 1982, it immediately topped charts in Australia and New Zealand. MTV’s embrace of new wave acts boosted the band’s cult visibility in America, where “Dirty Creature” and “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” (along with earlier clips) received heavy rotation, yet the album itself made limited chart impact. Early in 1983 Tim stepped away to record the solo album Escapade. The project succeeded in Australasia, generating several hits including the Top Ten “Fraction Too Much Friction.” Its popularity nonetheless diverted Tim’s attention, postponed the next Split Enz release, and halted the momentum built across the prior three albums. Conflicting Emotions finally appeared in autumn 1983. Whereas Tim had previously dominated songwriting, Neil now supplied the majority of material. The album performed as expected in Australia and New Zealand but arrived late in the States and made little impression. Drummer Paul Hester joined, shifting Crombie back to percussion. Before the next album began, Tim announced his departure. With Neil at the helm the band completed one final record, 1984’s See Ya Round, issued only in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. After a farewell tour titled Enz with a Bang! that brought Tim back for the occasion, Neil dissolved the group.
Neil and Paul Hester subsequently formed the globally successful Crowded House. Tim pursued an intermittent solo career and joined Crowded House for the 1991 album Woodface. Nigel Griggs, Noel Crombie, and Phil Judd created Schnell Fenster, releasing two albums before disbanding. Eddie Rayner contributed session work and founded his own group, the Makers. Tim and Neil reunited for a Finn Brothers album in 1995. Split Enz endures as a national institution, occasionally staging reunion performances. In 1996 the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra presented a symphonic tribute arranged by Eddie Rayner and featuring contributions from both Finn brothers plus other New Zealand artists including Dave Dobbyn. The resulting album, ENZSO, spent several weeks in the Australian and New Zealand Top Ten. A second project, ENZSO 2, followed in 1999. The classic lineup reunited for a New Year’s Eve millennium concert in New Zealand. In 2005 the band entered the ARIA Hall of Fame, and the True Colours-era members reconvened for a short yet highly successful Australian tour in 2006.
Albums
The Collection: The Best of the Early Years
2006
Conflicting Emotions
1983
Time And Tide
1982
Waiata
1981
True Colours
1980
Dizrythmia
1977
Dizrythmia [2020 Remaster]
1977
Mental Notes [UK Version]
1976
Mental Notes
1975
Singles
