Three bedrooms, paper planes fine for Finn

Press, 29 June 1987, Page 29

Three bedrooms, paper planes fine for Finn

PA Hamilton Success can amount to a crowded house of materialism — but for Neil Finn, three bedrooms and throwing paper planes will do just fine. Residing in Melbourne, the former Split Enz member was visiting his parents in Cambridge before a seven-city tour with his band, Crowded House. The group achieved American pop chart success with Finn’s song, "Don’t Dream It’s Over,” peaking at No. 2.

This brought the band international fame and respect, but at heart Finn is a family man. While touring America his wife, Sharon, and son Liam, aged three, accompanied him. "It’s not easv on them, travelling every day, but it’s better than being apart about six months of the year,” Finn said. “As long as Crowded House is going well we can afford to be together if we want to be.

“It gets boring for Sharon and Liam, but we just have to come to some sort of compromise where they’re not out for too long and we’re not away for so long that it’s pointless having a marriage.” Achieving a top five chart success in America means huge exposure, soundtrack offers and big money.

Finn says: “I suppose

I’m loaded, but I don’t know how much. I haven’t received a cent yet as it takes a while for money to come through, but I suppose I’m doing really well.”

Even with that knowledge, Finn is not interested in flash cars or multi-roomed mansions.

“I can’t see myself buying a Maserati or a huge mansion — maybe just a bigger house than the one we’re living in now,” he said. “That’s a reasonably normal inner-city three bedroom house in Melbourne.” Melbourne has been their home for more than five years. Finn says he likes Melbourne. As far as Australian cities go, “it’s got the most depth.”

But he admits that it’s his New Zealand upbringing that gave him a good perspective on America. “While touring you see a lot of silly things you don’t want to get caught up in — like the more glamorous trappings of rock and roll, the partygoing indulgent lifestyles,” he said.

“I’m not particularly unsociable. I do go to the odd party, but I get suspicious of the lifestyles that accompany the rock and roll successes over there.” After Crowded House’s concerts in America, Finn would go back to Sharon and Liam, or return to the

hotel with the band and make paper planes to throw out of the window. “I don’t think I’ll ever change. I’ve been doing

this for so long now I don’t think anything is going to alter my lifestyle drastically enough to change me.”