Neil Finn? Pretty much a lyrical genius.
Y/Y?
From Wikipedia:
“Crowded House toured Europe and had begun their US tour when Hester left the band on 15 April 1994,[13] he flew back to Melbourne to await the birth of his first child and indicated he required more time with his family.[1][13]Wally Ingram, drummer for support act, Sheryl Crow, temporarily filled in;”
We were there that night. A surprisingly good show for a volunteer unrehearsed drummer. K spent 20 minutes in the ladies’ room line with Sheryl’s mom, and pronounced a perfectly wonderful person.
I believe I was the first person ever to review Neil Finn in concert. He was doing a support spot for Split Enz — his older brother was singer and songwriter Tim Finn, and of course it was Split Enz I had gone to see, probably late 1975.
Neil would have been about 17, and was humble and yet very assured on stage. I told readers of The Press, Christchurch, where I was a journo, to watch him, he would be a star. I would likely still have the clipping in a scrapbook somewhere.
I have never seen Neil since but have had a message relayed to me from him: that he never forgot my review and that he was ever grateful. That information came to me 30 years later via an ex of mine who he worked with briefly.
