A Finn Adventure...
 A day in Te Awamutu... Hello everyone, my name is Sean, and i am from Leith in Scotland. The following is a recollection of the day i spent visiting Te Awamutu in April 2004. Te Awamutu is a town in the Waikato region of New Zealand`s North Island. It is a place famous for it`s roses, but closer inspection to the town`s motto gives a clue to why i`m here. `One Step Ahead` is a song by Split Enz, the country`s most famous musical exports. The band included co-founder Tim Finn and later, fellow songwriter and younger sibling Neil. After much commercial success in Australasia, and to a lesser extent, in the UK, Tim left the band to pursue a solo career, Neil remained in Split Enz before quitting to form a band of his own, Crowded House. In 1991, Tim briefly joined the `Crowdies` for one album. It was to be this record, `Woodface` which first got me into the music of the Finn Brothers. Both Neil and Tim were born and raised in Te Awamutu... I started my trip when my coach dropped me off outside the town`s Information Centre. In i went, to see if there was a hostel in town. "There is a hostel," they tell me, "but it`s a few kilometres away on the outskirts of town." Fear not, however, as they inform me there is a motel just down the road, and at NZ$35 for a cabin for the night, will do for me. Whilst i was still at information, i thought i should perhaps explain my reasons for being there in the first place(Neil & Tim!). I am in luck, as it appears there is a Walking Tour you can go on by yourself. "Great!" i said. However, the `Tour` in question was really just a map of the town, with various X`s scattered around signifying points of interest for us Finn-Nuts out there... "And there is the museum." I already knew about the exhibition, through the Te Awamutu museum website... "I`ll be going there first!" was my reply. Off i go then, to the `Roadrunner` motel, a few hundred yards away. I pay my 35 bucks at reception, drop my pack off in my room, grab my camera and set off in search of all things Finn! First stop is Roche Street, and the town`s museum, which doubles as Te Awamutu library. There`s no entrance fee, and i find myself chatting away to the girl at admission about how excited i am to be seeing the exhibition, when it dawns on me that she probably has the same conversation with fans of the band every day. I call a halt to the chit-chat and enter. The `True Colours` exhibition is a little smaller than i expected. I take a seat and read through some of the red folders which contain newspaper articles collected through the years since the days of early Split Enz. Next thing i notice is the original song lyrics to a Crowded House song `Tall Trees.` It was hand written on a scrap piece of paper, presumably by Neil, although possibly by Tim. Also on display here, which, as the title suggests, is devoted mainly to the Split Enz era of their careers, are old family photos, an old costume which was apparently worn by Neil on stage, record company awards for sales achieved(notably Woodface) and an old schoolbook of Neil`s. On the TV nearby there is the promo videos of the two bands playing constantly, and if you ask nicely at reception, they will show two other videos, a Split Enz rockumentary, and some old home-made footage of the young Finns, which is about 10-15mins long. All in all the exhibition was a little small scale for such rock gods(at least in my mind!) but, with free admission, i wasn`t expecting the world. I say goodbye to the girl at admission, help myself to a free anzac biscuit from the cookie jar(it was Anzac Day the day before) and leave the museum. I decide to take time out for a coke and a steak & cheese. Mmmm... New Zealand pies, i love `em!! With my Finn tour-map guiding me, i started my walk along Alexandra St, which is the main street in the centre of town. Having spent more time than i probably should have at the exhibition, i made my way to St. Patrick`s school and, further on, Te awamutu College where Neil studied from Form 4 after spending an unhappy time at Sacred Heart in Auckland. By now it was mid-late afternoon and many of the students were returning home. So i decided it was best NOT to take any photos of the buildings save for getting some strange looks!!! Walking back along Alexandra St, there was a building on the left, no. 486, which caught my eye. `Finn & Partners. Chartered Accountants.` was the sign outside. I popped in to see if this was the offices of THE Richard Finn. "Yes, this is Dick Finn`s premises" said the lady at reception. Richard is Tim and Neil`s father, and it turns out this is the company`s new headquarters, after relocation from Arawata St. I leave and decide to cross the street. As naturally as night follows day, a truck pulls up outside the building as i`m about to take a photo!! Next up, i make my way to Teasdale St, to see the houses where the boys were born and grew up. I called into a bar in the town centre for directions as the map i had was a little confusing. "You are best to turn left into Rewi St, and left again into Jacob Rd. That will take you onto Teasdale St" says the barman. "So, why are you trying to get there?" asks a customer at the bar. After explaining my reasons, the barman pipes in with a great response, which went something along the lines of... "My uncle used to play cricket with Neil`s dad, if you wanna take a picture of me!?!" Tempting as it most surely wasn`t, i politely refused the offer. "Perhaps another time!!" After taking the shortcut, i am now walking up Teasdale St, looking for number 588. finally, i reach it. This was the house where Dick and Mary Finn raised their four children, Judy, Carol, Tim and Neil. Formerly no.78, this house is now Te Ata resthome. I recognize the steps leading into the main door of the home, as it was prominent in the home video footage i seen earlier at the museum. The manageress at the home lets me take a snap and off i go. I continue up Teasdale St, past some skateboarding kids, and into Wallace Terrace. I`m looking for Avoca House(also now a resthome!). It`s at number 140. I knock at the front door to see if this was the birthplace of Tim and Neil. The lady who answers seems a little bemused, "Not sure but i`ll ask someone who does know." After a brief moment, a lady called Jenny comes to the door. "Yes i believe the brothers were born here", she says. She invites me in to have a look around. I had never been in a resthome before and, as you would perhaps expect in such a place that specialises in alzheimer`s disease and related illnesses, it`s patients were elderly. Most of them were in the lounge, some watching TV, some watching me as i came in, and some just staring into deep space. Avoca House is perhaps better known in Te Awamutu as being a maternity clinic called Wharenoho, and Jenny shows me a bedroom, adjacent to the lounge, which apparently used to be the nursery in those days. I`m intrigued, "So this was probably Tim and Neil`s first resting place?". "Perhaps so", she replies. Angela, the manager then takes me to the office, "i think i have some photos somewhere of the building, if you`d like them." "Sure," i said "although i do have my own camera with me." Soon after, she hands me four pictures of the resthome, two of which are of the building from the driveway, one picture of the main door and a photo of the back garden. "I don`t suppose you kept the records of the people born at Wharenoho?" i asked, hoping to see the Finn`s existence on paper. Not to be. "No, i think that would now be kept up in the main hospital." Jenny appears again, "come with me!" I follow her to the kitchen area. "Listen," she says. As fate would have it, `Don`t Dream It`s Over` is playing on the radio. "My timing is perfect!" i said. I ask Jenny how long she has been working here. "32 years," she replied. "Wow... So you must have had a few people knocking on the door asking about Neil and Tim over the years, huh?" "Actually no, you are the first!" I am astounded, and immediately started wondering whether i am alone on this earth in being SO into the Finns. "Maybe it`s just me, then!" i said, a little worryingly. The staff at Avoca House were fantastic, in letting me into their (rest)home, and generously giving me some photos. Jenny sees me to the door, "Thanks for that," i said, "is it ok if i take another piccy of the house with my own camera, just incase i lose the other ones?" " No worries, have a safe journey, see you." "No, wait" i said, "you`re in the photo, too." I take a picture and wave goodbye. I make my way back towards Alexandra St, looking for two shops where Neil used to work and perform as a child. The craft shop Pot Pourri is where Neil used to play his guitar at special events like christmas. It`s now a charity shop called Trade Aid, with most of the souvenirs on display being African made, profits of which going back to African causes. The elderly lady and gentleman behind the counter, whilst remembering the previous name of the store being Pot Pourri, were seemingly oblivious to the fact that one of New Zealand`s most famous sons used to perform here many moons ago. I have a look around the shop for a souvenir of my time in Te Awamutu. "Do you have anything with the town`s name on it?", i ask. "I don`t think we have anything, except maybe for these keyrings." I would have purchased one, had i not bought a glow-worm keyring whilst in Waitomo two days earlier. "I just bought a keyring, no thanks." I said my goodbyes and left. Last stop was Martin`s Electrical Store, a stone`s throw away from Trade Aid, which i imagine looks very different now to the store in which Neil used to work in the 1970`s. I cross the street to take a snap of the shop, and as i do, i`m trying to imagine a young Neil performing outside on piano as he did back then on friday nights after work. Apparently in those days, friday nights were late night shopping in Te Awamutu, with stores being open until 8.30pm. With the coming of shops opening on a saturday however, late night shopping on a friday gradually stopped. I head back to the `Roadrunner`, a little tired after all the walking. As daylight fades, i unlock the cabin door and flick the light switch as i enter. No light. I about turn and head back up the steps to inform one of the staff at reception. He hands me a new 60w bulb, "i`ll be down in a minute" he says. I take the lightbulb down into my cabin. After waiting a few moments, i pull up the chair from underneath the table and change it myself. "You`re too quick for me!" he says as he comes in the door. "Cheers" i say, as i hand him the old one. He turns to leave, "wait," i said as i jumped back to earth. I head back up to the office to get a towel for a shower. I spend the next couple of hours looking through my accumilation of pictures on my digi-cam and listening to music on my mp3 player. I dozed off for a little while too. I woke up around 7.30pm and went for a shower, which were around the back opposite the cabin. After getting showered and changed i decided to check out the local night-life! Though i certainly wasn`t expecting anything too special. Not least on a monday night!! I left the `Roadrunner` and made my way into the town centre in the hope of finding a bar and a bite to eat. I didn`t have to look too far. The `Rose & Crown` is on Arawata St between Bond Rd, where i was staying, and Alexandra St. I sit down in the restuarant area and order. Afterwards i move through to the bar and get myself a Mac`s Gold. Whilst on my second `handle` of beer, i struck up a conversation with a guy from Hamilton, called Patrick. He seemed a little surprised i should come all the way to Te Awamutu bacause of the Finns. He had, naturally, heard of Tim and Neil but didn`t realise they were born and raised here. The restuarant area was now closed and, after a short while, one of the chefs came through to the bar to play pool. The barman offered him a game, in between serving customers, which there were only three. Soon after, this other guy, staggering a little, enters the bar, making it a whopping four customers now. His name is Nick, and after ordering himself a beer, puts a coin on the pool table, signalling his intentions to play the winner. After the chef and barman played, Nick gets up off his stool to play. "Want to play doubles?" the barman said to Nick. "Yeh, whatever," was the reply. "Does anyone want to play?" the barman asks, looking towards me and Patrick. I`m feeling lucky, "ok then, i will." The Rose & Crown staff are sticking together so it looks like it`s me who`s partnering Nick. The chef breaks and from early on Nick and i are up against it. I decide to put my erratic pool skills to use and, soon after, i find myself on the black. It`s me to go again and i take it upon myself to pot both the black, then a split second later, the white to give the R&C`s finest the game, "Damn!" The chef and barman agree to a justifiable re-match, with me breaking this time. After a while, Patrick informs me that i`ve sunk all our balls so far, leaving just one more and the black to go. It`s Nick to go and somehow he manages to pot them both and tie up the contest. We all decide to leave it at that. I finish my third beer and decide to head home to my cabin. I set the alarm clock on my mobile and fall asleep. It`s Tuesday morning, and my bus is picking me up at 10.40am. I would spend the morning trying to get some kind of souvenir of my time in Te Awamutu. After checking out of the motel, i headed along Arawata St and found a cafe. After a coffee i headed to the Gifts & Souvenirs shop across the road just as rain starts to fall. "What can i do for ya, mate?" said the woman inside. "Hi, i`m looking for a souvenir. Maybe with something to do with the Finn Brothers? This being their home town and all?..." Not to be, "sorry, we don`t have anything with the Finns on, i`m afraid." I take a look at the t-shirts she had, hoping for at least something with the town name on it. My luck was changing! There were 3 or 4, all different coloured, though all with the same unspectacular design. "I`m going to have a look around first, but i may come back for one of your t-shirts." "No worries," she said. The rain is now pouring as i spend the next 45mins walking along Alexandra St trying to find myself an elusive Finn memento. My attempts are in vain, however. I can`t believe it. How can the birthplace of such respected musicians the world over, not have anything to symbolise it`s most famous sons? In and out of the shops i go, with nothing to show for it. The normal reaction i would get from speaking to people in the town was that they probably don`t realize how popular they became after they left. Another thing i`ve noticed since i came to New Zealand is how Split Enz seem to be held in higher regard than Crowded House. Whereas in the UK, it would probably be the opposite. Anyway, i decide to head back to the Gifts & Souvenirs shop. I pay the $25 with my Eftpos card, and purchase a t-shirt. "Damn, i forgot to check out the information centre", i mumble to myself as the payment goes through. As i still had a little time, i walk back along Arawata St to have a quick look inside. The best they had, however, was a few t-shirts with the town name on - albeit with different designs - but, alas, nothing to do with Neil or Tim. It`s now around 10.20am and it`s time to catch my bus back to Auckland. My closing thoughts as i sat on the bus leaving Te Awamutu was the warmth and kindness of the people, but also how blissfully unaware they were of their most famous sons` achievements. A Finn Adventure... Written by Sean McKinlay Born 10 Dec 1974, Edinburgh. e-mail seaneeboy_2@hotmail.com |
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