General frenzy...

Split Enz is a New Zealand group formed in Auckland in 1973 by Tim Finn and Phil Judd, who were soon joined by Mike Chunn, Miles Golding and Mike Howard.

The group released his first single "For you" the same year under the group name Split Ends, a single that will go somewhat unnoticed.

It was by participating in a late 1973 tele-hook called New Faces that things suddenly accelerated as their passage did not go completely unnoticed and launched their careers in earnest. It was also at this time that they changed their name to now called Split Enz and that they decided to create costumes, hairstyles, make-up and unusual theater sets that they would stage in their shows by the following. Artifices which will quickly become their trademark.

The year 1975 saw them leave New Zealand to settle in Australia, a country more conducive to their wishes for recognition and expansion. 1975 also saw them sign with Mushroom Records and release their first album called "Mental notes". A debut album which will be a significant success in the southern hemisphere but which will not produce any high caliber single.

They will have to wait for 1976 and the release of the single "Late last night" to finally see their efforts rewarded. They finally get their first ranked title, admittedly only in Australia but it is at least a start. The same year released their new album "Second thoughts", produced this time with the label Chrysalis Records.

New album "Dizrythmia" in 1977 (astonishing name which in fact designates a medical term meaning "disturbed bodily rhythm" ...), album which sees them rise in power and which allows them to obtain a new classified title with the single "My mistake".

Two years later in 1979 the album "Frenzy" was released, an album of equal success as its predecessors and which mainly produced the flagship single "I see red".

It is the passage to the following decade which will change everything with an obvious rise in power on the album "True colors" which comes out during the year 1980. The album finally brings the group a first class planetary success in particular thanks to the enormous single “I got you” which, too, will be a hit all over the world. Single which remains to this day their biggest single discographic success.

A dynamic of success which did not weaken the following year when the album "Waiata" was released in 1981, an album which produced two new top hits with on the one hand "One step ahead" released at the end of 1980 and on the other hand "History never repeats” which came out the same year as the album.

The album "Time and Tide" which was released a year later in 1982, and considered to this day by the critics as their best album, confirms the status of phenomenon of the moment of the group with a level of success equivalent to the 2 other albums released previously.

Album from which will be extracted first the single "Dirty creature" followed shortly by the enormous "Six months in a leaky boat", a flagship single which will give the group their second biggest success on the single side.

The great adventure continued in 1983 with the release of the album "Conflicting emotions", an album of lesser success but still successful and which mainly produced the 2 big caliber singles "Straight old line" and "Message to my girl" .

Unfortunately, all the best things come to an end and it was the 1984 album "See ya ‘round" that sealed the band's fate. First, with a plummeting level of success and the production of a single 'small’ hit. But also by dissensions within the group which will be fatal to him in the long term.

To discover or rediscover.

Discography (among others ...) :

For you 1973
No brother to me 1975
Maybe 1975
Late last night 1976
My mistake 1977
I see red 1978
Give it a whirl 1979
I got you 1980
I hope I never 1980
One step ahead 1980
History never repeats 1981
I don't wanna dance 1981
Hard act to follow 1981
Six months in a leaky boat 1982
Dirty creature 1982
Next exit 1983
Strait old line 1983
Message to my girl 1984
I walk away 1984

Clips :

1973 ... the first steps of a little group, to say the least, somewhat crazy. And yet who will demonstrate in the future a talent more than certain ...

1975 ... it is clear that there is still a little work to do before joining the big leagues but the potential is real and just waiting to be expressed ...

1975 ... things are moving in the right direction but the wacky side is still omnipresent. And too much strikethrough kills the strikethrough for now ...

1976 ... the first classified title, here it is. Certainly the success will be limited to Australia but it is always better than nothing as they said !

1977 ... the success spread slowly but surely to the whole southern sphere. It will all the same have to raise the level of play a little further to hope to break through once and for all internationally ...

1978 ... the style, like the sound, begins to evolve in the right direction. Admittedly, the tempo of this title borders on the speed of light but we can see that the best is yet to come ...

1979 ... well, for the big takeoff, it is clear that it will not take place during this decade of 70. But we are getting closer, it is on ...

1980 ... the big takeoff, here it is ! We suspected that at some point all their efforts would pay off. A deserved recognition and which suggests a most favorable result !

1980 ... they really don't do anything like everyone else. Even in the Intimist, their codes are not the codes of ordinary people ...

1980 ... a BIG year 1980 which saw them come out title after title. With the key to several major successes which finally allow the group to shine internationally ...

1981 ... after a year 1980 which saw the group take off for sure, the year 1981 will seem a little pale. Except for this title which will be the only one to succeed ...

1981 ... as soon as the group sets off again, the success is in free fall. A wacky side which is as much the strength of the group as its weakness ...

1981 ... and other titles like this will go under the radar. 1981 was really complicated for the group to manage ...

1982 ... the band makes the permanent yo-yo in the Charts. One title works, the other does not. A little more regularity in the style that suits them well wouldn't hurt, on the contrary ...

1982 ... when they want, they can. The proof with this title which gives them their second biggest record success. We were afraid of having lost them permanently. Oh no, here they are back. Phew !

1983 ... a year 1983 which saw the production of titles slow down drastically. A weakness of inspiration which does not necessarily bode well for the rest of the events ...

1983 ... the circle is now closed, success is now once again limited to the southern sphere. We therefore imagine that the end is fast approaching ...

1984 ... the last year of existence. Paradoxically, it is at this moment that the group finds a level of inspiration worthy of the name. Sometimes you don't have to try to understand ...