Liam Finn is a talented singer-songwriter, a famous son and a man on a mission.
The son of Crowded House’s Neil Finn, he is spreading the word on “I’ll Be Lightning,” his debut solo full-length recording that has taken his native New Zealand by storm.
It’s been a long road for Finn — a journey that has taken him to London and back to Auckland, to the Coachella Festival, South by Southwest and all over the United States. But Finn is having a good time, and he’s ready for Friday’s show at the Walnut Room in Denver, where he’s opening for Laura Viers.
The Denver Post caught up with Finn to talk about his dad, his music and his life.
Q: You played Coachella last year with your dad’s band Crowded House? What was that like?
A: It was a very surreal experience to be on stage with the House, especially since the last time I would have seen them play, I would have been 12 or 11 years old. And to be on stage at Coachella was a trip, too.
Q: And you played other gigs with them? Did you tour the U.S. with them?
A: I did the North American tour, and I opened, as well. I didn’t know if it would be too involved with families, but the music was a priority. And it was a good way to introduce myself to America.
Q: Tell me about the song “Second Chance.” It sounds like the kind of love song somebody writes after something goes wrong.
A: It was obviously written from a breakup. I moved to London a few years back with my band and my girlfriend. My band broke up, and so did my relationship. I guess it’s about growing up and learning about yourself and human nature.
Q: When did you make the call to record the album in analog?
A: It was how I had the studio hooked up. I was using all this gear in the upstairs of my dad’s studio, a temporary room. I’m a big fan of analog recording. It’s a slightly more romantic way of making an album — the way they used to.
Q: Did it change the way you played the record?
A: It actually was the first time a lot of the songs had been demoed. I wanted to wait until I was there so that I could capture it all with a good enough body. I guess I was trying to make an album of demos that sounded good enough to release as a real album.
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com
Liam Finn
Singer-songwriter. The Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut St. Friday night with Laura Viers. 8:30 p.m. $12-$15. .
