Having released one of my favorite albums of the year, Liam Finn seems to finally be getting his due from American audiences. Though he is from New Zealand, Finn currently lives in Brooklyn, which has allowed for his creativity to flourish. At PJ20 and once again at Culture Collide, I managed to catch up Finn; both on and off stage to chat about a variety of topics and here’s what happened.

DK: Having played with Eddie Vedder on his first solo tour, what kind of things did your learn from him by performing and watching him on-stage?

Liam Finn: I think what I learned the most was draw out and tell a good story. He’s so good at just about when you think a story is about to go nowhere or fall apart, Ed somehow nails the punchline and you realize that it was so calculated. That’s what makes him such a good storyteller and something I picked up from him. I know it’s not a musical thing, but it’s something that I learned and has been helpful.

 

Was that reflected on the new record?

I’m sure there’s lots of stuff that I picked up, but it’s hard to put a finger on it. I think growing up listening to Pearl Jam helped shape it. Listening to my father’s (Neil Finn) music or Nirvana or Fugazi, all these things helped form how I listen to music and how to make it unique.

 

There’s a variety of sound on Fomo that range from rockers to slow tunes. They’re all different; yet still retain an element that is distinctively you. Did you purposely write like this or were these the songs that naturally came from you?

It’s always what’s come out of me.  Ever since I’ve been making music, I’ve been trying different things. I wanted it to be a challenge and is still something that’s new and fresh to me. As you said, it’s me making the music that’s natural to me. It does have a lot of different sounds and now when I listen to it, it feels quite telling as to what my year was like while writing this record.  It reflects the varying emotions that I have…

Which is?

I’m as mellow as I am manic.

Where did you record and write most of this material?

Back in my home in New Zealand. It was my first time back there in about seven years. It was nice to go home, but ultimately it fueled a bit of anxiety as well. I’ve spent so much time touring in the Northern hemisphere, so I was worried that going back there was a mistake or a step backwards.

Do you think that the angst of returning to your birth home was a natural emotion that could drew this material out of you?

Yeah definitely. I didn’t feel sorry for myself or anything like that. The record being called Fomo was quite a fitting title because I had this fear of missing out. I love being in New Zealand and enjoy being home, but it’s also a very isolated place. It’s hard not to be caught up in the insecurities of the country. I think that’s a big part of what made the record.

How do you choose your set?

When I was with EJ (Eliza Jane Barnes), it was easy and spontaneous, but with the band it’s a bit trickier, but I’ll do them about a half hour before I go on-stage. There are tried and true little combinations that work. But I got something that always has an element of improvisation that I use at all the shows. I always try to start with a special improvisation. I get a feel for what kind of show it’s going to be. It depends on whether it’s a day or night show.

What makes a show in the U.S. different than playing in, perhaps, New Zealand?

American audiences are great. Back home, I play some amazing shows but it’s harder to step outside myself because I’m playing in front of friends and it’s a bit harder to step outside do some stuff. Here, it’s easier to do that because people like the mysterious and theatrical, especially when I get some adrenaline flowing. I let myself get taken over by a madness on-stage.

Sort of like a no pressure zone?

Yes, exactly! In New Zealand, there’s a feeling of “Hey I’m doing something awesome here, but I’m just your mate from around the corner.” Again, here I can lose myself and it’s really exciting to be back in the States.

Are you excited about Culture Collide?

To play at a festival that highlights so many different artists from all over the world is something that excites me. It’s a very unique lineup and I’ve been a fan of what Filter has been doing for a long time and again, there’s a ton of cool bands playing so it’s gonna be great. It’s nice that it’s at small venues and I’ve always enjoyed that. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing big ones as well, but I like being able to connect with the whole room and playing at a room like The Echo always feel like you’ve done that.