Split Enz Artistfacts

1972–2009, 2026
Tim FinnVocals piano, guitar1972–2009, 2026
Phil JuddVocals, guitar, mandolin1972–1977 1978
Mike ChunnBass, piano1972–1977
Eddie RaynerKeyboards, percussion1974-–2009, 2026
Noel CrombiePercussion, drums1974-–2009, 2026
Neil FinnVocals, guitar, mandolin, piano1977–2009, 2026
James MilneBass2026
Matt EcclesDrums2026
Miles GoldingViolin1972-1973
Mike HowardFlute1972-1973
Split Enz originally performed under the name Split Ends, later changing the spelling to "Enz" to underline their New Zealand ("NZ") identity. Founding songwriters Tim Finn and Phil Judd formed the core, with other early members including Mike Chunn, Miles Golding, and Mike Howard.
From the start, Split Enz stood apart for their theatrical art-rock presentation. Live shows were as visual as they were musical, featuring vividly colored, asymmetrical suits and makeup largely designed by percussionist and visual director Noel Crombie. The band leaned hard into surreal humor and stagecraft, treating concerts as performance art rather than standard rock gigs.
Their outré visual approach didn't always land. When Split Enz hit the Australian pub circuit in 1975, they often played to crowds of around 30 people, and about half of them openly hated what they were seeing. Tim Finn credited those hostile rooms with sharpening the band's instincts and accidentally turning them into a cult act: the audiences who did connect became fiercely loyal.
One of the tougher audiences came when Split Enz shared a bill with AC/DC. Neil Finn remembers facing hard-rock purists who had little patience for theatrical art-pop, while Bon Scott famously swung over the crowd in a Tarzan outfit. Neil described the moment as thrilling, intimidating, and completely alien to Split Enz.
A major turning point came in 1977 when Phil Judd abruptly left the band. Rather than replacing him with a seasoned electric guitarist, Split Enz invited Tim's brother Neil Finn to join, even though he'd only played acoustic guitar. The band bet on his voice, songwriting instincts, and intuitive understanding of their aesthetic, a gamble that quietly reshaped their sound and future.
Before offering his brother Neil the gig, Tim Finn phoned their mother to check whether it was okay for him to join.
Split Enz' career is often divided into two phases: an early, more progressive art-rock era and a later, more concise pop/new wave period. The stylistic shift accelerated after Judd's departure and Neil Finn's arrival, leading to their most commercially successful work.
Signature songs include "I Got You," "History Never Repeats," "Six Months In A Leaky Boat," and "Message To My Girl," several of which became major hits in Australasia and found international audiences.
Split Enz officially disbanded in 1984 following the See Ya 'Round album and the Enz With A Bang! farewell tour, with their final show held in Auckland that December. By that point, none of the original members remained in the lineup.
Members went on to influential projects, including Crowded House (Neil Finn and drummer Paul Hester) and the Finn Brothers. The Split Enz catalogue has been periodically revived through reunions, orchestral reinterpretations, and anniversary tours.
In September 2025, the band announced their reunion to headline the Christchurch Electric Avenue Festival in February 2026, their first performance together in nearly two decades. The lineup was Tim Finn, Neil Finn, Noel Crombie, and Eddie Rayner, joined by Matt Eccles on drums and James Milne on bass.
During rehearsals for the reunion, Neil Finn plugged into the exact Roland guitar amp he'd used in the early '80s, untouched for decades. The True Colours guitar tone reappeared instantly. "It was like being transported, you know, back to the future," Neil Finn told ABC News.
Many Americans know Split Enz thanks to MTV, which played their highly conceptual videos for "I Got You," "History Never Repeats" and "Six Months In A Leaky Boat." Most American artists at this time (early '80s) were making bland performance videos if they made them at all.

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