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Personal blog and comfy corner of Lyra Rhodes: musician, cake aficionado, whinger...maybe just a place where I can stuff things (words!), rather than them falling down the back of the sofa

Tuesday 9 July 2013

A Bit Of Love For Neil Finn

I was in a bad way in 1993. Not all that long out of University, I thought I could handle a job with a top company (Oracle). Many things happened. Some of them worked out. A lot of them didn't. A lot of them are a long story.
But I knew a couple of folks a bit, and they invited me to Crowded House playing in Manc, I think it was. I invited them to see Tori Amos (!) We both agreed, after her gig, that the latter was a terrible gig, so full of herself! (but these days, I quite like some of her stuff, back then she was just aping Kate).
But in my arrogance, I turned down the Crowded House gig.
They never went with me to a gig again.
So so stupid.
A few years after they'd (Crowded House that is) split up, I found my love for them.
"It's Only Natural", as Neil would say (no lols there).


This is his best album (although "The Finn Brothers" is pretty close)
Any album that uses an E-Bow is cool? Like REM! Look it up :-) :-)
This album had a US release, that was produced slightly differently, and had a different running order, and replaced a couple of duff tracks.
It really benefitted from that...I'm still a big believer in ALBUMS... and the order and feel of the tracks, it as a piece of production in its entirety, you know?
Bob Clearmountain also had a hand in some of the USA version (called "One All" as opposed to "One Nil" for the UK/Europe) that was released 14 months later!  Also in the credits is Mitchell Froom (married to Suzanne Vega a way back, and you'll see him on her albums),  and Sheryl Crow.  All good stuff, agree?
These guys credits...just speak for themselves.
But, then again, I'm one of those people that read the liner notes...
Do you?

So let's have some Neil Finn love.

Here's my playlist (why not?) :
She Will Have Her Way
Rest Of The Day Off
Say That Again
Driving Me Mad
Even A Child
Better Be Home Soon
Don't Dream It's Over
It's Only Natural
Four Seasons In One Day
Last To Know
Recurring Dream
You Can Touch
Disembodied Voices
Won't Give In
A Life Between Us

And I wish I'd gone to that gig.
Never did see them, or him live.
The Apollo in Manchester, I think.
I might be wrong.

So let's not forget that Neil is a master songwriter.
Never more so than in this company of Graham Gouldon (10cc) and Roddy Frame (Aztec Camera) on the BBC Songwriter's Circle programme I watched a few years ago.
Watch him tell the story of how he wrote "Better Be Home Soon" within 5 minutes of getting out of bed.
Classic.

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