Split Enz - New Faces

New Zealand’s first global pop success story made one of its earliest screen appearances on this TV talent quest. The episodes are no longer preserved, but a family friend of the Finns pointed his Super 8 camera at the television screen. The clips are combined with the band’s memories from 2005 radio documentary Enzology. Split Ends (the ‘z’ came later) competed in the 18 November heat with ‘129’, and a week later in the final, miming ‘Sweet Talking Spoon Song’. They lost to Wellington's Bulldogs Allstar Goodtime Band, with a pre-Simon Cowell Phil Warren judging the lads “too clever”.

I think we thought we were bound to win, that we were bound for glory ... but it was in a very naive sort of way.

– Tim Finn

Key Cast & Crew

Christopher Bourn

Producer

Lyn Bremner

Judge

Justin du Fresne

Judge

Jeremy Ansell

Interviewer

Ray Columbus

Judge

Jim McNaught

Presenter