Story: Kiwis overseas

'Split Enz with a bang' tour, 1984

Until recently, the New Zealand music-buying public would not buy Kiwi music until it had proved popular with overseas audiences. New Zealand’s small population means that many bands still take the flight overseas, chasing dreams of rock stardom. Like many other Kiwi bands, Split Enz, which formed in 1972, went overseas. From 1975 they were based in Australia, where they enjoyed huge success. It wasn’t long before they were claimed by the Australians as one of their own. Listen to band member Eddie Rayner speak of the group’s early days spent in England.

Sound file from Radio New Zealand Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero (Split Enz – Eddie Rayner/Reference number T4994).

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-D-MUSIC-Popular-1984-01

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Carl Walrond, 'Kiwis overseas - Small country syndrome', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/speech/882/split-enz-with-a-bang-tour-1984 (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Carl Walrond, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 17 Sep 2014