One Step Ahead

BIGSOUND keynote interviews are all about dissecting and celebrating interesting musical journeys and experiences, and careers don’t come much more fascinating than that of legendary New Zealander Neil Finn. For nearly four decades he’s been serenading the world with the gorgeous odes he’s penned for Split Enz and Crowded House, as well as numerous other projects and his still burgeoning solo career.

Given that his songs have not just soundtracked countless lives but also become ingrained in our cultural fabric, Finn is no stranger to the stage, yet he readily admits having relatively little experience being onstage talking about himself and entertaining with anecdotes and life lessons rather than the usual instruments and songs.

"Some people get a bit bogged down in their circular self-absorption."

“I’m really looking forward to it,” he offers. “I hear great things about BIGSOUND, and it’s obviously grown into something that people really rate quite highly as a chance to get together not just to check out some new music but also to discuss the very confusing nature of the way that music is made and delivered to the public now. It’s an incredible transition going on at the moment and nobody really knows what the new rules are, possibly because there are no new rules. It’s a really tough time for young artists trying to get income from music – for all the benefits of customer service that exist like Spotify and that sort of thing, there’s a tremendous gap now in terms of value of music. Records are ceasing to have much value at all – barring the top 40 – so in terms of income for artists the live aspect is becoming super important; it always has been but it’s even more so now."

“It’s confusing, so it probably is a good time for people to be swapping ideas. I used to be a little bit skeptical about whether you can learn anything from a music conference – I kinda thought that everyone has to go and do it for themselves – but I’m actually now starting to realise that even I need to start getting a better handle on what’s going on. I’m interested in the new stuff, and I’m hoping to learn something too.”

Finn attests that the current musical landscape is significantly different to when he was starting out across the ditch all those years ago.

“I think the biggest change from my point of view – because I’m thinking about making music all the time and recording and the creation of music – is that there’s been a lot of facility and power put in the hands of the bedroom operator. Now people can get a long way with their records without having to embrace the traditional pathways. That doesn’t mean that this is always a good thing, although I say that as a studio owner,” he chuckles.

“I still believe in the process of getting into an environment and upping the ante, creating a sense of occasion and being able to really utilise the full effects of the studio, but a lot of people are getting a long way on their own and great music is being made so it’s completely valid. I think that’s a really profound and significant change in the music industry, in the sense that the power to some degree is resting in individual’s hands. I think in some ways it’s actually more difficult to go that route, because I think at certain points you need to make the transition and embrace a collaborative music-making experience – I think some people get a bit bogged down in their circular self-absorption.”

"When great songs are used to market really tacky products it’s pretty disappointing."

In recent times there’s been a change in the way artists view licensing their material – ‘selling out’ is no longer relevant in relation to syncing – but Finn believes that even this new avenue is suffering from oversaturation.  

“It’s very competitive now because so many people are angling to get their music in ads and film and TV, so the prices have dropped because people are falling over themselves to do it,” he argues. “Musicians are being got at from so many different sources. It is a way of exposing your song ultimately and getting people to hear it, but I’ve been very picky about the few things that I’ve let my songs be used for – and there’s been a specific reason each time – but I still say no to more things than I say yes to. I still think you should be wary – when great songs are used to market really tacky products it’s pretty disappointing.”

And for budding songwriters, it has to be encouraging that even a master craftsman like Finn can suffer from creative malaise and existential dilemmas along the way.

“It can be pretty thankless at times, and when you’re struggling you’re reminded that for all intents and purposes it doesn’t matter a shit whether you’re any good – nobody cares except you,” he mulls.

“That’s the great cosmic insignificance that you have to ponder. Then at some point you have to gather yourself and go, ‘Actually no, this is crucially important that I do this.’ You have to believe that this is the most important thing that anybody can do to push yourself over the hump. It’s a constant battle between being aware of your insignificance, but also being aware that if you come up with a good song it’s one of the most positive things that you can ever do. Music can give incredible comfort, joy and inspiration to people like nothing else on earth; it can encourage people to think good thoughts and it spreads love without doubt.”