I was watching the DVD recently and one of the band members commented that Spellbound included the first "Maori strum" by a white bloke (ie Phil Judd). I don't know anything about Maori music myself, but I would be interested in anyone's observations of the influence of Maori rhythms and melodies on specific Split Enz songs.

God, that's quite a heavy topic I've raised.

I doudt that Judd was the first white guy to play a maori strum.

Excellent topic! I was wondering about this myself and thought about posting something on it. I wonder if the elusive Stranger Than Fiction tome sheds any light on this.

The Maoris are of Polynesian descent I believe and the only Polynesian music I'm somewhat familiar with is Hawaiian music, which if you listen to some samples of Maori music on this site
I just now came across

http://folksong.org.nz/waiata.html

I think you will hear some similarities. The lament "Rimurimu" is particularly beautiful. The more rhythmic, chanted pieces remind me of Balinese ritual/theater music. I could imagine Phil Judd in particular having a strong fascination for this music, but I can't point you toward any evidence of this. I've often wondered what influenced Judd's exaggerated staccato style of singing that's especially pronounced on Mental Notes. Could it have been derived from a style of Maori chant or was it inspired by all those sheep down there? Either way, I love how he sang back then and I hope someone can shed some light on this topic.

Oh boy oh boy another sheep reference
He is not the first "White guy" to use a maori strum. Pale skin have been using Maori strum many moons before Phil Judd was born. Some of the big band groups of the 50's and 60's in NZ used the Maori strum as the Maori artists like Sir Howard Morrison were very sucessful and crossed the Maori sound with jazz, Blues and rock N Roll. Phil Judd is proberly like the 576,987th white person to use the Maori strum.

quote:

Originally posted by Melmo:
[qb]Phil Judd is proberly like the 576,987th white person to use the Maori strum. [/qb]

I don't think Phil's that far down the list. NZ only has a population of four million.

Yeah sure Phil, Tim and Neil weren't the first to artists to use the maori strum in their guitar playing in their music. But they were the first to make it famous on a truly international scale.

Also Judd and both Finn's do a lot more than just copy the maori strum. They've merely sampled it somewhat, combined with their own styles of playing to create a unique sound of their own.

Good point, Jeremy. I, for one, would know little to nothing about New Zealand, the Cook Islands, the Maori culture and so on without our guys giving the proper respect to their original homeboys. I've never heard even a whiff of it elsewhere and now it's part of the music playing in my head. The gratitude list just keeps growing.

quote:

by Jeremy Loder:
I don't think Phil's that far down the list. NZ only has a population of four million.

I know we have a population of 4 million I was just pointing out that there are so many others that did the maori strum before him, i didnt mean he was actually the 576,987th person to do it, it was a joke. Like i said i was just pointing out that on the list of white musicians doing the Maori strum, he's hardly near the top.

Hmm the Maori strum. It seems like that's the standard Finn strum, that and a very distinctive 8/8 strum (123 123 12). Spellbound has it, Charlie has it and so does Don't Dream It's Over, amongst others (the maori strum that is).

Re: the sound of sheep. I've always presumed that Judd's singing style is heavily influenced by Robert Plant (or do I mean the other one?) anyway, the singer from Led Zeplin. According to STF their records were heavily played during Phil and Tim's student days when they shared a flat together. Listening to the two side by side, I can hear an obvious influence.

Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Camus:
[qb]Re: the sound of sheep. I've always presumed that Judd's singing style is heavily influenced by Robert Plant (or do I mean the other one?) anyway, the singer from Led Zeplin. According to STF their records were heavily played during Phil and Tim's student days when they shared a flat together. Listening to the two side by side, I can hear an obvious influence.[/qb]

I've always thought Judd sounded more like a really strained Ian Anderson of the Stand Up - Benefit era. Jethro Tull were as much an influence on Split Enz as Led Zeppelin were.

Jethro Tull ?

Led Zeppelin ?

If Split Enz sounded like anyone - the band is called GONG

If you are an early Enz-Head, Gong are fabulous and here is a tune by their girlie singer which maybe some of you will enjoy and hear the similarities....

http://www.milltownbrothers.com/tunes/I Am The Fool.mp3

Hey Lozza,

Not Split Enz, just the quality of Phil's voice.