Neil Finn, the founding member and main songwriter of beloved Australian band Crowded House says the latest album “feels more special than ever” as the refreshed band prepare to tour New Zealand.
He has also hinted another album is likely.
Alongside bassist Nick Seymour, keyboardist Mitchell Froom and Finn’s sons Liam and Elroy, the band were currently touring their eighth Crowded House studio album Gravity Stairs, playing audiences in Aotearoa from next month.
“We’ve become a better band from having done so many shows. There’s a lot of trust and a lot of jamming, and we’re getting off script,” Neil Finn told Breakfast.
He said the band worked hard to stay connected to the audience and create a sense of intimacy despite playing to big crowds at large venues.
“We sort of look for accidents; look for opportunities to let the audience in and moments where they go ‘well this wasn’t rehearsed’… which lets them in.
“You want the live experience to be something more than just listening to the polished record, and hopefully the audiences appreciate that,” Finn said.
Seymour said he had to remind himself that other people are wanting to share what he loves on stage.
“It’s the pure joy, and the chemistry with the musicians that I’ve been blessed to work with.
“You can lose yourself in that joy and suspend the horrors of what seems to be going on everywhere,” he said.
Finn said there was a “huge amount of commitment needed” to still be making new music nearly 40 years since their self-titled debut album rocketed them into popularity in Australia, New Zealand and the US.
“We are committed to the idea of being a band. Being in a room with five other people and making music together. Going through the hard yards of learning a song, trusting each other, and learning how to jam,” he said.
“It feels more special than ever, and I think that’s what we’re bringing to the stage now. And with these new songs it gives us a chance to expand, explore and people are incredibly receptive, and they seem to be listening and going with us, which we’re very grateful for.”
The band has been through a few iterations over the years, before reforming in 2020 with a new line-up featuring Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, and Finn’s sons Liam and Elroy.
Speaking about playing alongside his sons, Finn said they were talented musicians in their own right.
“They have to be two of the best musicians that I know in the world, they have so much history of the band and they’re so connected to the people.
“Certain things happen every night and there’s just this little ripple of awareness in the audience that this has got some soul and some history, and everyone is deeply connected with the band.”
He said Liam and Elroy were contributing songs, and bringing their “style to the proceedings”.
“We are going forward, we’re not just repeating our formulas or providing some kind of nostalgic exercise, we’re a band that is becoming better and looking toward making another record already.”
The band will play Wellington’s TSB Arena on November 9; Dunedin’s Town Hall on November 12; Christchurch’s Wolfbrook Arena on November 13; Palmerston North’s Regent on Broadway on November 19; Tauranga’s Mercury Baypark Arena on November 20; Hamilton’s Globox Arena at Claudelands on November 22; and Auckland’s Spark Arena on November 23.
After that, they’ll head over the ditch for shows in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle and Brisbane.
