Two years after saying goodbye to Crowded House, Neil Finn returns with solo debut

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 9, 1998 By Steve Newton After making the agonizing decision in 1996 to break up his world-famous Kiwi pop combo Crowded House, Neil Finn wasn’t exactly sure what to do next. An Aussie artist-musician friend of his suggested Finn try painting, so he spent two weeks at a beachside location doing … Continue reading Two years after saying goodbye to Crowded House, Neil Finn returns with solo debut

Ron Sexsmith’s conversational pop wins over Elvis Costello and Interscope

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 5, 1997 The night before Ron Sexsmith calls from Norway, I’m giving the TV clicker a workout when some tabloid-style show appears, updating the lives of TV child actors who played roles such as the pointy-eared werewolf kid on The Munsters and the six-year-old twins on Family Affair. … Continue reading Ron Sexsmith’s conversational pop wins over Elvis Costello and Interscope

Paul Kelly’s Ways & Means reveals two sides of an Aussie giant

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MARCH 18, 2004 By Steve Newton When the Straight reaches Paul Kelly by phone at a New York hotel room, he's just hours away from playing Manhattan's famed Knitting Factory. The Aussie rock great has been in the Big Apple for a couple of days, mostly doing radio interviews, but he got out … Continue reading Paul Kelly’s Ways & Means reveals two sides of an Aussie giant