SPLIT ENZ VHS CONCERT MELBOURNE 1980

When you've watched Kelly, are you able to confirm that the VHS and club True Colours DVDs are indeed the same thing (plus the extra song on the club one) please? I don't recall Tim going off at Mal on True Colours.

It's at end of Noel's harmonica solo on "What's The Matter..." -- Mal hammers away on the drums, Tim swings around and glares at him, and if you look closely you can see them exchanging a few heated words in the background as the song finishes.

I love this concert. The promo/fan club DVD version has 4 more songs than the initial video release.

I don't think the crowd were quite as bad as they seem. I recall Peter Green saying they were under strict instructions to remain seated and not go crazy in the interests of not damaging the venue, etc. I also reckon they weren't miked very well. That said, it's interesting watching Tim's frustrated reactions to the forcibly lacklustre crowd reactions.

'Outer Mongolia' is a stand-out for me, perhaps because it's such a rarity. Apparently the actual song dates from the time circa late '77/early '78 when Tim and/or the band were writing songs about places (e.g. 'Amsterdam', 'Bergen aan Zee', 'Abu Dhabi'). 'Double Happy' works well as warm-up number. 'Mind Over Matter' kicks along as a great punk tune.

Great little show.

MK, I'd say I have the video version, not the club version, but someone's put it to dvd.

There's alot of glances in WTMWY, with Noel, Neil, & Tim a few stuff ups in the singing, Neil goes on and Tim kinda cuts it off. You see Tim snap at Mal, with a curt nod and deffo says something to him. Then it blacks out for a sec and comes back with I Hope I Never and Tim says I'd like to introduce you to Malcolm Green & to smile in the beginning of the song. Tim quote
"He's just doing a little piece here of what can loosely be described as cocktail drumming I needn't stress how apt that is."
Meow. But that's the Enz, the good, the bad, the good again.

I love that cocktail drumming. I think the song sounds better with it.

I happened to stumble into one of these live video's on a car- boot sale (flea market) in Newcastle whilst backpacking through Oz in 1993 - i'd no idea at the time that it was anything particularly collectable as i'd only just got into investigating S.Enz after being a C.H fan, so bought it for a few Dollars,  thought nothing more of it. As it happened Tim Finn was performing/touring 'Before & after' at 'The Castle' in Newcastle that very night (which is why i'd gone there) & i was fortunate enough to meet him backstage after a fantastic & energetic live show which utterly blew me & my then girlfriend away (her first live gig), the video was all i had on me that i could get Tim to autograph (other than one of the posters from that show, which i also still have) & he showed great interest in it, & asked me if he could have it, or if i'd send him a copy of it to him when i got back home, i said i'd watch it & then pass it on to him next time we met (which was to be on the A.L.T tour couple of years later) & so i carried it in my backpack for the next 3 months around Oz with the intention to watch it when i got home & then give it to Tim. I did watch it, & have enjoyed it several times since, but didnt want to give it away as i liked it so much.! (sorry Tim.!)

 Anyhow, moving on 20yrs, was recently having a bit of a clear out & came across it again, watched it, enjoyed it as usual, & then wondered about selling it on, & if it was ever mentioned anywhere on the net..

 so can anyone tell me if it is particularly rare still these days? with the dawn of the internet now making the World smaller & collectable & previously scarce stuff perhaps not so these days.?? Is it valuable? Is this show now available on DVD??

 

 The 'Tim Finn' autograph was done with the pen that was used to write out all the st lists that night at the show, so it'd run out of ink somewhat - i didnt want to chance leaving the backstage area to find another pen in fear of not getting back there again, so made-do with the worn out black felt marker.!

 

Thanks for the picture Dave.... I've never seen a picture of the video before, I'd say it's pretty scarce...  it was in the very early days of video!  It did as mentioned come out through the club a while back on DVD with a few extra tracks.... including the legendary Outer Mongolia. 

 

I think it's good too and the band were a tight unit from all that Australasian touring from the previous year.... Mal comes in for a hard time I think but new wave music (which True Colours was) can be pretty metronomic, keeping a VERY steady beat for long periods = not easy... and to be fair Mal did it well and suits the bands style at this point perfectly.  It's funny as Noel's drumming style was totally the opposite of Mals and both got replaced!

I also had an original copy of this super rare video. The cardboard cover was in similar condition too (almost wrecked). Before 2006 it would have been considered extremely rare as there are not that many in existence but now that video is extinct & the footage + extra tracks are already available on the fan-club DVDR & also on youtube etc. the value of this item has dropped to almost give-away status. You will only find a few die hard collectors that would be interested in buying it because as you know, people just don't collect anymore. There are less collectors out there that are willing to splash out on an old video when they can watch the clips for free online.

 

I sold mine a couple of years ago for about $20 - $25 so now you will be struggling to get that amount. I have been trying to offload the rest of my collection at cheap prices with very little success. Only bits & pieces being sold here & there.

 

But saying all that, the item is still rare & will appeal to a collector who wants it in their collection. You can try & sell it on the forum, you might just find that person !

Yes this was one of the first music videos in Australia.  Also remember the studio audience had never heard most of the songs from True Colours (wasn't released when this was filmed).

"Outer Mongolia"(not on the original) for fans via the club much later on... I see to recall the original release also had this "HUM" which was a bit annoying.

It was incredibly expensive when it was first released, because music videos were so "new".

Enz manager Nathan had the vision to make this happen at the time.

Yeah - thanks for the replies fellas, some helpful info, I've been in quite a few bands myself & know a good few well known musicians & all keep collections of their own back catalogue memorabillia, so i kinda figured it was of some considerable intrest when Tim finn wanted me to give him it.! I hear you Enzboy, & I appreciate that there's been a dvd release - (which i'd like to get) but i'd still consider this to be a valuble peice to a collecting S.Enz/C.House fan - kinda like saying why would you want the Mona-Lisa when you can buy a postcard of it.? Its still the original & to my mind all the more desirable being so uncommon. Personally i like the old stuff, i prefer to play vinyl L.Ps over C.Ds anytime, The 'hum' on it is i belive a p.a hum that was coming out of the speakers at the gig, with today's studio technology it'd be faily easy to mix it out for a Dvd release - cleaning up the sound. But all said & done it was a big statement from the band to be the first in the World to come out with a music video - great stuff - i'll probably give it a whirl on the internet & see what it might raise, but most likely i'll hang onto it til next time i can get to meet Tim - then he can have it  as a retirement gift  ;-)

So is there a legit DVD release of this or not?  If so I am super keen to get myself a copy?

missingperson11: So is there a legit DVD release of this or not?  If so I am super keen to get myself a copy?

I'm a life member  Seriously though, they should do more Enz shows to DVD, even as club releases...I've never seen them live as I missed out last time they came to Melbourne...stupid partners birthday!  I will do ANYTHING to see them live, so hopefully if there is a next time...I'll be there!