Tim Finn
The art-pop architect who founded Split Enz, crafting its whimsical early sound before launching a enduring solo and collaborative career.
Born 1952 (age 74)·New Zealand musician·Birthday: June 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Before his younger brother Neil became a household name, Tim Finn was the driving creative force behind one of Australasia's most inventive bands. Co-founding Split Enz in 1972, he steered the group through its wildly theatrical, prog-rock beginnings, penning early anthems like 'Six Months in a Leaky Boat' and 'I See Red.' His vision was one of artistic daring, expressed through elaborate costumes and complex arrangements. After leaving the band at its commercial peak, he embarked on a solo career marked by sophisticated pop craftsmanship on albums like 'Escapade.' His frequent collaborations with Neil—most famously in the Finn Brothers duo and as a temporary member of Crowded House—highlight a fraternal chemistry that has produced some of their most poignant work. Finn's legacy is that of a restless songwriter who valued artistic evolution over mainstream conformity, leaving a deep imprint on Antipodean music.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Tim was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded the influential art-rock band Split Enz, writing and singing lead on many of their early hits.
- Released the successful solo album 'Escapade,' which spawned the hit single 'Fraction Too Much Friction.'
- Co-wrote and performed on the Crowded House album 'Woodface,' contributing songs like 'Weather with You.'
- Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame twice, as a member of Split Enz and as a solo artist.
Did You Know?
He played the role of Judas in the New Zealand stage production of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' in 1992.
Finn is a published author, having written a memoir titled 'Escapade' in 2019.
He turned down an invitation to join the supergroup Asia in the early 1980s.
His song 'Six Months in a Leaky Boat' was mistakenly banned by the BBC during the Falklands War, as it was thought to be pro-Argentine.
“It's a strange feeling making a record that you know is good, but you also know nobody's going to hear it.”
