Eddie Rayner | |
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 Rayner in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Anthony Edward Charles Rayner |
| Born | 19 November 1952 Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand [1] |
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| Occupations |
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| Instrument | Keyboards |
Anthony Edward Charles Rayner (born 19 November 1952) is a New Zealand musician who spent ten years as a keyboardist in the band Split Enz. He has also played in the groups Orb, Space Waltz, Crowded House, the Makers, The Angels in 1986-1987 and 801.
Rayner was born in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, in 1952. [2]
Rayner has released two solo albums. The first, Horse, was an instrumental offering released in 1995, recorded entirely at Rayner's home studio in Melbourne, Australia. The second was entitled Play it Straight, a play on a Philip Judd Split Enz song called "Play it Strange" that was a particular favourite of Rayner's during the mid- to late-1970s. The song was not released at the time, but was played live when Judd rejoined the band in 1977. Play it Straight consisted of re-arranged and re-recorded versions of material gleaned from other New Zealand composers.
Rayner's keyboard talents were a notable part of the Split Enz sound. Paul McCartney caught one of their shows in 1979 and became a fan of the band,[ citation needed ] eventually inviting Rayner to play keyboards on his sixth solo album, Press to Play , which was released in 1986. Rayner has also produced material for many artists including Models, Margaret Urlich, Rikki Morris, Margot Smith, and The Exponents, as well as two Enzso recordings with Split Enz members, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
During the late 1990s Eddie Rayner decided to take the Split Enz songs to an orchestral setting. This sparked the idea for the Enzso project. Along with his synth, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, some Newland Singers and some former members of Split Enz, he created orchestral versions for Split Enz songs. The project ended between late 1999 and early 2000.
Recently he has acted as musical director for television show New Zealand Idol , and participated in reunions of Split Enz and Space Waltz. He is also a member of the 1960s cover band The Con-Rays. He has also recorded with Double Life, whose other members are guitarist Adrian Stuckey, Mark Dennison (sax, flute and clarinet), and drummer Patrick Kuhtze.
In 2022, Rayner collaborated with Tim Finn on a project called Forenzics. The resulting album, Shades and Echoes, used elements from early Split Enz songs combined with Rayner's jams with Double Life.
Rayner has performed Split Enz songs along with other ex-Split Enz members, such as a 2013 tour that included other ex-members Mike Chunn, Geoff Chunn, Emlyn Crowther, and Wally Wilkinson. Vocalists on that tour included The X Factor victor Jackie Thomas, contestant Tom Batchelor, and guest vocalists Annie Crummer, Rima Te Wiata, Rikki Morris and Jesse Sheehan. [3]
Eddie's son Harley Rayner is a member of dub band Mt Eden. [4]
During the career of Split Enz, Rayner used a wide, changing array of keyboards. In the band's early progressive rock incarnation keyboards he used included grand piano, organ, clavinet and a Mellotron, but his mainstays during the band's most popular phase were a Yamaha CP-80 electro-acoustic piano, a Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer and a Prophet 5. When he played keyboards for Crowded House on tour during the late 1980s, he was seen to be using a Yamaha DX7 and a Yamaha Clavinova. Later, during Split Enz reunion tours, Rayner used a Yamaha Motif, Ensoniq TS12 and a Clavia Nord Wave.[ citation needed ]
Crowded House are a Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1985. Its founding members were New Zealander Neil Finn and Australians Paul Hester (drums) and Nick Seymour (bass). Later band members included Finn's brother Tim, who was in their former band Split Enz; sons Liam and Elroy; as well as Americans Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod. Neil Finn and Seymour are the sole constant members.
Split Enz were a New Zealand band formed in 1972. Regarded as the first New Zealand band to gain significant recognition outside of Australasia, they were initially noted for their progressive/art rock sound, flamboyant visual style and theatrical performances. The band later moved toward a pop/new wave sound that yielded the breakthrough hit single "I Got You" (1980). Split Enz broke up in 1984. Since that time, the band has staged several brief reunions.
Brian Timothy Finn is a New Zealand singer, songwriter, musician, and composer. He is best known as a founding member of Split Enz. Finn founded the band in 1972 with Phil Judd and served as lead singer and principal songwriter. Following Judd's departure in 1977, he was joined by brother Neil. Finn wrote or co-wrote some of the band's best-known songs, including "I See Red" and "Six Months in a Leaky Boat". While still a member of Split Enz, he began a solo career, scoring the two hits "Fraction Too Much Friction" and "Made My Day" in 1983; he left the band in early 1984, briefly returning for their farewell tour later that year.
Geoffrey Noel Crombie is a New Zealand percussionist and former member of the band Split Enz. He fulfilled multiple roles including costume and hair designer, singer, album cover designer, and music video director. Prior to Split Enz, Crombie worked as a postal assistant and was also an artist. He attended Mana College and then moved to Auckland to study art at Elam School of Fine Arts.
Nigel Griggs is an English musician. He is perhaps best known for having played bass guitar in the band Split Enz. He is the brother of Paul Griggs from the 1970s vocal group Guys 'n' Dolls.
Schnell Fenster were a New Zealand rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1986 by Noel Crombie on drums and percussion, Nigel Griggs on bass guitar and backing vocals, Phil Judd on lead vocals and guitar, and Eddie Rayner on keyboards and piano – who were all former members of New Zealand-formed rock group, Split Enz. Fellow founder, Michael den Elzen on lead guitar had worked with Tim Finn Band, another band formed by a Split Enz alumnus. Judd's band were briefly named The Wanx: but Rayner soon left and they changed their name to faux-German for "quick window", because it "appealed to [their] perversity". The group formed the core members of Noel's Cowards, a short-term ensemble, whose sole output was six tracks for the soundtrack of a feature film, Rikky and Pete, in 1988. Schnell Fenster released two studio albums, The Sound of Trees (1988) and Ok Alright a Huh Oh Yeah (1990), before disbanding in 1992. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 they were nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Album for The Sound of Trees, Breakthrough Artist – Single for "Whisper" and Best Cover Art for Judd's graphic art.
Dizrythmia (1977) is the third studio album released by New Zealand new wave band Split Enz. It was the first Split Enz album without co-founding members Phil Judd and Mike Chunn. Neil Finn and Nigel Griggs, the first being the younger brother of band leader Tim Finn, replaced them respectively. Meanwhile, Nigel's old friend and former bandmate Malcolm Green took the place of Emlyn Crowther, who also left around this time. The album was released domestically by Mushroom Records, and overseas by Chrysalis Records.
Mental Notes is the debut studio album by New Zealand band Split Enz. The album cover was painted by band member Phil Judd. Original vinyl copies featured Judd saying "Make a mental note" in the runout groove of the record's second side, causing the phrase to be looped ad infinitum on manual turntables until the stylus is removed.
Second Thoughts is the second studio album by New Zealand art rock band Split Enz. It was recorded in London with Roxy Music's guitarist Phil Manzanera producing the album.
Conflicting Emotions is the ninth album by New Zealand band Split Enz.
Philip Raymond Judd is a New Zealand singer-songwriter known for being one of the founders of the bands Split Enz and The Swingers.
ENZSO was an orchestral project started by former Split Enz keyboardist Eddie Rayner. It combines the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra with contemporary pop singers to perform Split Enz songs.
Paul Emlyn Crowther is the former drummer of Split Enz who performed with the band from July 1974 to November 1976.
The Beginning of the Enz is the fifth studio album from New Zealand rock group Split Enz. The album is a collection of non-album singles and demos that pre-date the band's first album, 1975's Mental Notes. Three of these songs, "129", "Lovey Dovey" and "Spellbound", were later re-recorded and included on Mental Notes and Second Thoughts.
"I See Red" is a 1978 song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in December 1978 as the lead single from their studio album Frenzy.
"Late Last Night" was a single originally recorded by New Zealand band Split Enz in Australia in 1976. Written by Phil Judd, it was accompanied by the band's first promotional video clip. The single was a minor hit on the Australian Top 100, reaching number 93.
Enz of an Era was a compilation by New Zealand rock band Split Enz. Released to mark the band's 10th anniversary, and composed of tracks selected by members of the band, the album was released in New Zealand and Australia only. The album was followed up by two "Enz Of An Era" 10th anniversary concerts in early 1983.
Space Waltz are a New Zealand glam rock band formed in 1974 by frontman Alastair Riddell. In 1974, they had a number-one hit in New Zealand with "Out on the Street".
Beginning of the Enz is a compilation album by New Zealand rock group Split Enz. Released in the UK by Chrysalis Records, it compiles tracks from the albums Second Thoughts (1976) and Dizrythmia (1977), as well as the non-album single "Another Great Divide" (1977). Despite its almost identical title, the album bears a completely different track listing to the 1979 Split Enz album The Beginning of the Enz, which comprised non-album singles and demos from 1973 to 1974.
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