Neil Finn: 'I just wanted it to feel like you were going out to a club'
The legendary musician's Infinity Sessions are back this week with ten New Zealand artists playing live in the intimate setting of Finn's Roundhead Studios in Auckland.
Live sessions featuring New Zealand music legends will be held at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios in Auckland this week.
The rollcall includes The Beths, Dave Dobbyn, Tami Neilson, Don McGlashan, Bic Runga, Tom Scott, Troy Kingi, Tiny Ruins, Leao and Finn himself. Each show will be streamed live for ten nights in a row starting this Wednesday.
“We had the idea that we wanted to create something that was a pick-me-up for midwinter and to continue the Infinity Sessions, which are sort of amorphous, but gathering steam all the time as an idea of how to present live music for people in the comfort of their lounge room,” Finn told RNZ’s Afternoons.
Alien Weaponry recording at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios
RNZ
And there’ll be no archiving of the broadcast, Finn says, watch it or miss out.
“It's a play on demand world. And there's something about this, I just wanted it to feel like if you were going out to a club, you don't get a replay on that.”
The venue for the live shows, Roundhead Studios in Auckland, was a project that took on a life of its own once Finn bought the building in the early 2000s.
“Once you embark on it, man, it's a big thing.”
The studio has a musically storied console, he says.
“I bought an old Neve desk from upstate New York. It was a ‘70s recording desk that has an incredible sound.
“It has an incredible history. It was built for The Who and then shipped over to America, to upstate New York. I think REM recorded Automatic for the People and Grace was recorded [on it] by Jeff Buckley and lots of really cool stuff."
The Neve desk at Roundhead Studios.
Roundhead Studios
Once the studio was complete, Finn turned his attention to the downstairs part of the building.
"I thought, oh, I don't really want anybody to rent it out to an advertising company or something, because that was on the cards. So, I made another studio.”
There’s music-making going on there every day, Finn says.
“One week it's an Indian ensemble. The next week it's a heavy metal band and folk trios.”
He is, however, wary of popping his “head in the door,” he says.
“It'll feel like Mr Burns up top or something, ‘Smithers, what is that infernal racket?' But I do enjoy hearing things drifting up the stairs.”
Neil Finn’s Bookmarks picks
Film: Being There (1979)
“One of Peter Sellers' last movies… it's just got the most beautiful representation of him in his poignant, slightly melancholy role of Chauncey Gardner.”
TV: The Repair Shop
“The love and craft and all that stuff, I do like it. And there's a bit of emotion in there. I've shed a tear watching The Repair Shop.”
Song: Reb Fountain - 'Hey Mom' (live Infinity Session)
“She's a great lyric writer, wonderful performer.”
Song: Tinariwen – 'Sastanaqqam' (live Infinity Session)
“One of my favourite bands from West Africa. In fact, one of my favourite bands in the world.”
Song: Jimmy Barnes - 'Forever now' (live Infinity Session)
“Jim's a really good friend, and he happened to be in the studio, so I whipped him in there. Victoria Kelly did a string arrangement for that song, I don't think it's ever been heard quite like that before, and it was a very wonderful moment.”
