Split infinitives

Press, 28 February 1980, Page 16

Split infinitives

By

NEVIN TOPP

Split Enz, possibly New Zealand’s oldest top professional rock group, appear to be riding the crest of a wave at present. The band are on their most successful New Zealand tour ever, to promote an album and single that have shot up the charts. The single, “I Got Ytfu, by Neil Finn, entered the charts at No. 30, went to No. 10 in one week, and is now placed at No. 3, while the album, “True Colours,” was predicted as chartbound a week ago, and is now at No. 2 *— “with a bullet” as record parlance goes. According to lead vocalist Tim Finn, the tour has been pre-sold everywhere in New Zealand. The venues had been sold out at least three days in advance of the group’s arriving in town. In the past the concerts had usually been sold out on the day that Enz were to play, he said. Additional concerts had to be put on in Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland to satisfy the fans, who, incidentally, have been . giving the group the kind of in-con-cert treatment usually reserved for overseas bands. Tim Finn describes “True Colours” as the best album the group has ever done. It reflected a new maturity as a unit, with Neil Finn contributing three Of the songs on the album, and Eddie Rayner, the keyboards player, one. Split Enz seems to have done what previous New Zealand bands have not

been able to achieve, with the new single and album, and that is get lots of airplay from New Zealand radio stations. Tim Finn put this down to the reception the band got at the Sweetwaters rock festival at Ngaruawahia in January, and the change in the group’s record company to Polygram, which, he suggested, had a good rapport with radio stations. Split Enz seem to be

succeeding in spite of changes in management personnel and record companies. The New Zealand' tour, “Trooping Of the Colours,” started in Hamilton on February 14, and will end in Auckland on March 1. Then it is off for a sevenweek tour of Australia. The band hope to be able to go back to Britain, where, if sales of the last single, “I See Red,” are anything to go by, a hard

core of Split Enz fans exists. The single sold 10,000 copies in Britain and the group was not even there to promote it. The group also hope to secure an album deal with a big British record company, according to Tim Finn. On the present popularity of Split Enz, Tim Finn said: “I think we have always been able to deliver. People know that from us.”