Split Enz at the Nambassa festival, New Zealand, January 1979True Colours Tour, Commodore Ballroom
Split Enz were a New Zealand band formed in 1972. Regarded as the first New Zealand band to gain significant recognition outside of Australasia,[2] 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.
Originally named Split Ends, presumably referencing split ends of hairs, the band were formed by songwriters Tim Finn (vocals) and Phil Judd (guitar/vocals). The original line-up was completed by Mike Chunn (bass), Miles Golding (violin) and Mike Howard (flute), with the band making their first live appearance on 10 December 1972, at the Wynyard Tavern in Auckland, New Zealand. At the beginning of 1973, they were joined by drummer Div Vercoe, though within a few months, Vercoe, Golding and Howard had all departed, with Finn, Judd and Chunn recruiting Wally Wilkinson on guitar and Chunn's brother Geoff on drums. Keyboardist Eddie Rayner and saxophonist Rob Gillies were also added in early 1974, around which time the band altered their name to Split Enz, with the "nz" in the name referring to New Zealand.
During 1973 and 1974, the group recorded three singles, "For You", "The Sweet Talking Spoon Song" and "No Bother to Me" (the latter not being released until 1975). Those singles, and their B-sides, along with several demos from this period, would later be released as The Beginning of the Enz album in 1979. Later in 1974, Rob Gillies and Geoff Chunn left the band, with the latter being replaced by Emlyn Crowther, while Noel Crombie also joined as percussionist and the band's visual director. In the early years of Split Enz, they were known as an "adventurous, flamboyant art-rock band" with unique, theatrical live shows. In 1975, the band moved to Australia and recorded their first album Mental Notes, which reached No. 7 in New Zealand and No. 35 in Australia. Shortly after the album's release, Wilkinson departed and Rob Gillies re-joined.
In 1976, the band moved to England, where they recorded their second album Second Thoughts, produced by Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera.[2] While in the UK, the band toured as support to English folk-rockers Jack the Lad.[3] Crowther left the band in late 1976 and was replaced by Malcolm Green.
Tim Finn/Neil Finn era (1977-1984)
Phil Judd and Mike Chunn left the band in 1977.[2] Tim Finn's brother, Neil Finn, joined as Judd's replacement on 7 April 1977,[4] while Nigel Griggs replaced Chunn on bass. Over time, as well as being the band's guitarist, Neil Finn became their co-lead singer and a key songwriter, both alongside his brother Tim. Split Enz' third album, Dizrythmia, was recorded at London's AIR Studios with producer, and former Beatles engineer, Geoff Emerick, from June to July 1977.[5] The album was released in August 1977.[2] At the beginning of 1978, Gillies left the band. An attempted reunion with Phil Judd lasted around a month before he departed for the second and final time, after which the remaining members continued as a six-piece.
By mid 1978, Split Enz had no agent, no manager, and no record contract. The New Zealand Arts Council gave the band a grant of $5,000. The grant money was used to book studio time, and the band used that time to record what became known as the "Rootin' Tootin' Luton Tapes". One of the songs the band recorded was called "I See Red".[2] Released as a single later that year, "I See Red" marked a significant move away from the band's early progressive/art rock style, towards high-energy, guitar-based power pop.[6] While "I See Red" did not chart in England, it did bring the band critical attention.[2] The single peaked at No. 15 in New Zealand.[2]
Grant of $5000 NZD for Split Enz from NZ Arts Council
The group went home to New Zealand for Christmas 1978. Just after Christmas, there was a serious setback when their equipment was destroyed in a suspicious fire at a rehearsal studio. Using borrowed equipment, Split Enz played what proved to be a pivotal concert, stunning friends and fans alike with a legendary performance at the second Nambassa Festival in January 1979.[7] The band released their fourth album Frenzy in 1979.
Split Enz in 1980
True Colours, released in 1980, further marked the band's shift to a "power pop" style. The hit single "I Got You" reached No. 1 in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, No. 12 in the United Kingdom, and No. 53 in the United States. True Colours reached No. 1 on the album charts in Australia and New Zealand and made the Top 40 in both the UK and the US.[2]
Split Enz's next album, 1981's Waiata, released as Corroboree in Australia, reached No. 1 in Australia and New Zealand. After the album's completion, Malcolm Green departed, and the band continued as a five-piece, with Noel Crombie moving from percussionist to drummer. The next album, 1982's Time and Tide, reached No. 1 in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. One of the album's songs, "Six Months in a Leaky Boat", was listed as the fifth-best New Zealand song of all time in the 2001 Australasian Performing Right Association, but the song became controversial in England because it was perceived as a criticism of the Falklands War.[2]
After releasing Conflicting Emotions in 1983, the band became a six-piece again with the addition of drummer Paul Hester, while Crombie returned to his previous role of percussionist. In the spring of 1984, Tim Finn left the band for a solo career, following the success of his first solo album Escapade the previous year. Neil Finn assumed the role of band leader and main songwriter, but felt uncomfortable continuing the band without either of its founders Tim Finn or Phil Judd. It was decided their next album See Ya 'Round would be their last. Following the album's release, Tim Finn re-joined for a final farewell tour. Split Enz played their final show on 6 December 1984 at Logan Campbell Centre in Auckland, after which they officially split.[2]
Neil Finn and Paul Hester went on to form a new band called the Mullanes with bassist Nick Seymour. They had changed their name to Crowded House by the time their self-titled first album was released in 1986, going on to achieve worldwide success.[8] Tim Finn also joined Crowded House as a fourth member from 1989 to 1991, during which time the band recorded and released their third album Woodface.
Reunions
In 1986, two years after Split Enz broke up, they reunited for a Greenpeace benefit concert.[9][10] That was followed by a pair of concerts in Australia in 1989/1990.[11] The first of those performances was scheduled for 28 December 1989 at the Newcastle Worker's Club. However, the club was virtually destroyed that morning by an earthquake.[12] The band instead appeared at a benefit concert in February 1990 which raised funds to support the town's recovery.[13]
The band reunited in 1993 for their twentieth anniversary tour, during which they played at Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland, supported by The Holy Toledos. They appeared on TV in 2002 to celebrate their thirtieth anniversary. In 2006, Split Enz toured with a membership consisting of the classic 1978–1981 line-up of Tim Finn, Neil Finn, Nigel Griggs, Eddie Rayner, Noel Crombie, and Malcolm Green.[citation needed]
Another reunion tour followed in March 2008, with four shows in New Zealand.[14] A one-off reunion performance took place on 14 March 2009, as part of the Sound Relief festival.[15]
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. Split Enz were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.[16]
Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987, it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987, initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week. The TV Week / Countdown Awards were a combination of popular-voted and peer-voted awards.[17]
Year
Nominee / work
Award
Result
1980
True Colours
Best Australian Album
Nominated
Most Popular Australian Record
Nominated
Best Australian Record Cover Design
Nominated
"I Got You"
Best Single Record
Won
themselves
Most Outstanding Achievement
Nominated
Most Popular Group
Nominated
Neil Finn (Split Enz)
Best Recorded Song Writer
Nominated
1981
themselves
Most Popular Group
Nominated
Neil Finn (Split Enz)
Best Australian Songwriter
Nominated
Most Popular Male Performer
Nominated
1982
Time and Tide
Best Australian Album
Won
"Six Months in a Leaky Boat"
Best Australian Single
Nominated
Themselves
Most Popular Group
Won
1983
Themselves
Most Popular Group
Nominated
Related Research Articles
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 a musician who played bass guitar in Split Enz. He is the brother of Paul Griggs from the 1970s vocal group Guys 'n' Dolls. A professional musician since 1963, Nigel Griggs played in a number of bands, notably The Cortinas and Octopus, 1963–1971, with his brother Paul, Carmen and Steve Hillage's Khan.
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.
Anthony Edward Charles Rayner 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.
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.
The Rootin Tootin Luton Tapes is a collection of demos made by New Zealand band Split Enz in 1978. During their 2006 tour of Australia it was announced that these recordings would finally be released as an official album after lengthy pressure from the fan club Frenz of the Enz.
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.
"My Mistake" is a 1977 song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in September 1977 as the lead single from their studio album Dizrythmia.
"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.
Spellbound, very often subtitled on the cover as "The Very Best Of Split Enz", is a 1997 compilation album by New Zealand rock band Split Enz. Apparently intended to be the final word on Split Enz compilations, it is the band's most comprehensive career survey. Featured amongst the album's 39 tracks are all the hits, live favourites, choice album tracks and a few rarities, all selected by members of the band.
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.
The Living Enz was the first live album released by New Zealand rock band Split Enz. Primarily recorded in Melbourne, Australia during the band's 1984 Enz with a Bang farewell tour, it also includes some material from the Auckland shows of that tour, plus recordings from the band's 1982 Time and Tide tour.
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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