Liam Finn

Liam Finn

Liam Finn is a New Zealand musician and songwriter, born in Melbourne in 1983 and raised in New Zealand. His work sits across indie rock and dream pop, and he is associated with several projects including Betchadupa, BARB and Neil & Liam Finn.

Background

Finn is the son of Neil Finn, known for his work with Split Enz and Crowded House, and the nephew of Tim Finn. He attends Selwyn College in Auckland, where he begins developing his music career. He also takes the lead role in Return to The Forbidden Planet while at high school.

Betchadupa and early work

While still at school, Finn helps form Betchadupa with Joe Bramley, Matt Eccles and Chris Garland. The band releases two albums that chart well in New Zealand before taking a break. Finn later releases his first solo album, I’ll Be Lightning, with help from former Betchadupa bandmates.

Touring and collaborations

After Crowded House reunites in 2007, Finn joins its touring band and performs at festivals and major shows including Coachella Festival and Live Earth in Sydney. In 2008 he opens for Eddie Vedder on a solo tour across America, then heads out on his own first North American tour and tours the UK and Europe with The Black Keys.

BARB and later projects

In 2009 Finn performs with BARB on a small New Zealand tour. The group includes Connan Hosford, James Milne, Eliza Jane Barnes, Seamus Ebbs, Jol Mulholland and Wild Bill Rickets, and records its album at Roundhead Studios in Auckland. The album appears in 2010. In 2014 Finn tours New Zealand with The Salty Women, a backing band made up largely of past collaborators including James Milne, Eliza Jane Barnes and his brother Elroy Finn. He later releases Lightsleeper with his father Neil Finn in 2018.

Other work

Finn is also described as an accomplished photographer.