![\"goin_your_way\"](\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/goin_your_way.jpg\")
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Two Australia\/New Zealand-based giants of heartfelt and intelligent pop music \u2013 Paul Kelly<\/a><\/b> (a solo artist and longtime leader of The Messengers<\/b>) and Neil Finn<\/a><\/b> (member of Split Enz<\/a><\/b>, founder of Crowded House<\/b>, solo artist, and collaborator with select other artists) \u2013 teamed up in 2013 for a short run of concert dates in Australia. A 2CD document of one of that tour’s shows was initially released in its country of origin, and in late 2015, Grammy-winning American label Omnivore Recordings<\/a> licensed Goin’ Your Way<\/i> for release in North America. I chatted briefly with Neil Finn about the album. \u2013 bk<\/p>\n Bill Kopp:<\/b> Assuming that the order in which the songs are presented on Goin’ Your Way<\/i> is a reflection of how the concert actually unfolded, it seems that a lot of thought went into the sequencing. You alternate \u2013 more or less \u2013 between your songs and Paul Kelly’s tunes, and end with a pair of covers. As far as song selection, did you have any input into which of Paul’s songs were performed, and vice versa?<\/span><\/p>\n Neil Finn:<\/b> We spent quite a few weeks going back and forth about the songs. And we also had a good face-to-face get-together here at my studio, trying songs out to see which ones suited our vocal blend well, [which had the] best potential for harmonies, and so on.<\/p>\n BK:<\/b> Notwithstanding the fact that they’re excellent musicians, were the choices of Dan Kelly<\/b> and Elroy Finn<\/b> part of the overall plan\/concept for these concert dates, or did the decision process unfold in a more spontaneous fashion?<\/span><\/p>\n NF:<\/b> As you say, we knew they were wonderful musicians in their own right. But it did seem a soulful addition to have a family band. They grew up with these songs and inhabit them.<\/p>\n BK:<\/b> Since you haven’t played most of Paul’s songs before \u2013 and vice versa \u2013 how did you develop the arrangements for the songs as you’d perform them on these dates? <\/span><\/p>\n NF:<\/b> We learned them as best as we could individually, and then a exhaustive week of rehearsal tied up the loose ends. I had to really concentrate to remember all of Paul’s words; Paul had to concentrate to learn to play synthesizer and the guitar intro for \u201cDon’t Dream It’s Over.\u201d<\/p>\n BK:<\/b> Many of the songs you performed date from quite a long time ago, with \u201cOne Step Ahead\u201d from Waiata\/Corroborree<\/i> being the oldest, I think, of yours. Do these songs mean something different to you than they did when you wrote them? <\/span><\/p>\n![\"neil_finn_2016\"](\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/neil_finn_2016.jpg\")
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