It was a cold Auckland afternoon and Sharon Finn was fielding questions from the media, not about her chandeliers – which she has exhibited in New Zealand and Australia, but about her music.
Sharon, a fledgling bass-player, and her husband have just formed their first band together – The Pajama Club and they are currently touring Australia playing the Great Northern in Byron on Saturday night and the Zoo in Brisbane on Sunday night before heading overseas for shows in the US and UK.
Now this probably isn’t what happens to most new bands – but Sharon’s husband Neil has had a bit of experience before – you may have heard of his bands Split Enz and Crowded House.
But despite being new to the whole interview process Sharon seemed relaxed and happy to chat about the band and their music.
“Oh I’m a old hand now, you’re my third ,” she laughed..
She explains that with her boys now flown the coop (and touring together in older son Liam’s new band – the whole family will meet up at a music festival in the US in a few weeks) the empty nesters used to put on their pajamas, pick up their instruments and jam, making a racket in the grand tradition of enthusiastic amateurs.
For the next few weeks it became a nightly ritual, dinner, a few wines, and into the music room to jam. They happened to hit the record button and on listening to what they had created were inspired to take it further, which they did, with eleven brand new songs.
Respected Auckland singer-songwriter and musician Sean Donnelly was invited to join them on keyboards and guitar, and providing an extra layer of vocal harmonies. And Alana Skyring, best known for her role behind the drum kit for The Grates, rounds out the live sound on drums.
The completed debut album (vinyl, CD, digital) will be available in stores and online in August
“We are going to America soon,” she said.
“But for the warm-up shows I thought it would be really great to do them in Australia rather than New Zealand,” she said.
“Because we lived there for so long its like going home and it’s a chance to visit friends in Australia.”
Sharon said the new band was the next step after the pair did a song together as part of the recent “The Sun Came out” project while the talented artisan was featured on the recent Crowded House album and toured with the band.
“We just started jamming – because the kids were overseas,” she said.
“We didn’t think about it – we just thought ‘this is great’ dancing and having a good time.”
She admits to being nervous about going out on the road but she said this would happen “whether you have been doing this six months or 60 years” .
“But I’m looking forward to it,” she said.
WHO: Pajama Club
WHERE: The Northern, Byron Bay; The Zoo, Brisbane;
WHEN: Sat, June 11; Sunday, June 12
INTERESTED: $25 + bf www.thenorthern.com.au ph 1300 762 545; 711 Ann St Fortitude Valley Tix $25 + bf www.thezoo.com.au ph 1300 762 545.
