This is so close to the album/studio cut that I'm astounded. Such a complicated arrangement yet they really believed in what they were doing. Mental Notes was about 100 years ahead of it's time.
I was so ignorant of what Split Enz was producing in the 1970s that I got Mental Notes and was supremely pissed off that what we got in the States was such dreck compared to great music like this. Then again, we did have DEVO...
Actually it's not....but it is great! They were a great band....but they were actually just doing prog. I believe Genesis was their inspiration. Saw them live four times but the early stuff was the best.
Very astute, as I believe the same . I've love these early recordings wit buckets of tears. The ONLY album I put in front in Mental Notes/Second Thoughts is Selling England By The Pound. Anyone who knows me, knows how DYNAMIC & GENUINE this claim is 🤗
Same here man. I'm 70 also , Saw these fellas for the first time at a Double J concert on Manly Beach New Years Eve gig. This song seriously took me away. Their hair the way they moved the whole experience so incredibly wild and free.
I'am also 62, bought this LP 1975, turned me to be a freak in my peer group! Loved it and it determinates my whole life, always looking for new sounds and musics all over the world! 😊❤🙏😎🤗
I was 15 in 1975 and saw them at a 2JJ concert in Blacktown supporting Billy Bloody Thorpe. The bikie crowd waiting for Billy hated them, I was astounded, even in the hot afternoon sun they were captivating. Their first three albums are among their best, as it is with a lot of artists.
Hey Wes. I was there and captivated. Had never seen anything like it-not even close. Those bikies were yelling out f off pooftahs etc. It was shameful. I was one of about 20 dancing with my girl and even spoke with them after they finished. I also reckon it was 1976 not 75, but doesn't matter. I understand it was the first gig outside NZ. Became a life long fan that day. How good were the costumes!!!
@@michaelofsydney6128 I reckon you are right on it being 1976, Double Jay began in January 75 and as I recall the concerts were celebrating the one year anniversary. To be fair, it was an eclectic line-up to have Thorpe and Split Enz. Can you remember any other acts rom that day, I can't. as I said, they were captivating and the costumes were a large part of that.
Ah yes, those shithead bikies were heckling us audience goers at Manly beach during Split Enz performance on New Years Eve Double J concert. Bunch of dickheads.
I’ve always felt that Split Enz were New Zealand’s version of the Beatles, although in a strange way, their music evolved in almost the opposite way to the fab 4, in that it started out with enormous artistic complexity and over time, became simpler and more commercial.
I went to their concert at the mercury theatre around 1975. It was quite incredible had a power house performance I've never seen another band match ever. People just got blown away. Mezmerizing. It was so different but truly magnificent. I will never forget how people felt spell bound walking out. They had something else that was kinda ahead of its time. Punk was soon the rage and the Enz just fizzled out..... timing and their uniqueness faded. This is New Zealand's most creative band that was possible the most creative in the world in 75
And Tim's vocals. He has such an individual voice, at first it threw me but have quickly come to love it, especially here. "Time For A Change" is a beautiful song.
This early Split Enz stuff is amazing and future generations are gonna love them. Shame really the band lost they're creative edge in the later years - it seemed the baton was handed onto Neil Finn in a strange way. And boy did he run with it. I love all Enz but the early material was special - i'm sure that had a lot to do with the band line up at the time. Just remember they were one of the first mainstream and possibly the best ever band to come from New Zealand - we're lucky to have them.
Can confirm. I'm 19 and everybody I've ever shown Mental Notes / Second Thoughts era Split Enz to either thinks it's the coolest thing ever or they're completely baffled, or both :) I used to be really scared of the album cover / the early Split Enz aesthetic when I was a little kid but now Mental Notes is my favourite album of all time.
I love this but preferred the "Beginning of the Enz" album that was done for the UK in about 77/78 I think. Tracks were reproduced by Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music. Last track of side 1 was Charlie but on side 2 all the tracks bled into each other late last night/stranger than fiction/time for a change/walking down a road. When I was in my late teens then I liked listening to it with a beer in the dark with it full volume through my headphones. I am 61 now and still like to do the same. The most underrated band of all time in my opinion.
Thanks so much for sharing this. It's wonderful. Damn 70s TV and their lame special effects, though... early Split Enz were so fascinating to watch and we can't even see them here.... sigh.
The fuckin Pink Floyd of NZ! Only discovering Split Enz now. They were absolutely brilliant. Where have I been?!?!?! Tim Finn’s voice is one of the finest I’ve heard; it can be hauntingly beautiful, whimsical, and seems effortless. So glad to have found them, it’s been quite some time since being this smitten with a band (first two albums masterpieces). Last band that I fell for like this was Mondo Drag out of Oakland. CA. Anyway, brilliant. Enz are absolutely brilliant.
They were Quite unique back then. Ahead of their time. I remember first seeing them shortly after this and thinking these guys are nuts or genius. The later proved correct.
That guitar riff in "Stranger Than Fiction"... Dum, dadada, dum, dadada... dum, dadada da da da da da. Been ingrained in my head since the first time I heard it. Love it. Shame about the bloody graphic effects, but that was the seventies for you!
Saw them twice live around this time in Melbourne. First time supporting Ayers Rock, second time headlining. Different line-ups, but both absolutely brilliant shows.
saw these guys when they first came to california, they were in full gear, strobe lights and, everything! Phil Manzanera was there too, he did their 1st lp
@@santanocci TO explain: the first LP released in the US was called Second Thoughts, which was mostly a re-recorded and Manzanera-produced version of their actual debut album, Mental Notes, which I think was only released in Australia and NZ. Something like that anyway. Both are excellent in their own ways.
@@newsles2 To clarify, their 1st LP released in Australia/New Zealand in 1975 was Mental Notes , in 1976 a number of the Mental Notes tracks plus a couple of tracks recorded in NZ in 73/74 were re-recorded in the UK and produced by Phil Manzanera. This album was titled Second Thoughts in Australia/New Zealand.released in 1976. Also in 1976, in the UK/Europe/USA they titled it Mental Notes, this had an identical track listing to Second Thoughts with the addition of title track Mental Notes .
TR Ship wtf are you even talking about fella. The enz inspiration came from the English prog rock scene at the time like Genesis, king crimson, yes, pink floyd, gentle giant and Jethro tull.
It's fruity, It's complicated , it's far reaching and stretching into the unknown, It's also the birthplace and nursery in retrospect to what we now know, allowed two talented chaps to experiment and hone what will become some great songwriting skills, go on and create a dynasty of truly unique and non generic fresh new music the world had not seen before.
their early stuff was the best . not commercial but top mussos. i wish they would go back to that. the commercial stuff just didnt rate. 'The woman who loves you and the spoons ' 40 plus years ago was just so ahead of its time. and they were awesome live. i wish they would play live now
Nathan your mother Tracy Beehag said you were the worst problem child that was .. behaviour always was the issue..get your head together matey..give up the smokes..baa haa..also get those medication pills from ya DR..
This is brilliant stuff, love to see artists at work. Excessive potted-plant staging and over-egged 70s video production aside. Just film the artists guys 🙄.
Eh, it is what it is. This kind of nonsense was common in the 70s. You can't be too surprised to see it with highly theatrical bands like early early Genesis and Split Enz. It would have almost been more surprising if this stuff wasn't on it. I'll take what I can get. Until fairly recently for me Split Enz's music started with "I Got You". Had no idea they were once this artsy-fartsy, and I mean that in the most complimentary way. Swear I hear a mellotron, which is catnip to this Genesis and King Crimson fan.
I discover that band and sorry, it does not sound like Genesis or Pink Floyd or Yes or any other prog band. It seems as soon a band does mor sophisticated and complex music these comparisons are always made. To me they have their own original sound and a great singer. I knew their name before but always thought it was some kind of new wave band, in fact it was later on, but this first album is very good progressive music that is not a copy of any known band of that era. Great discovery. Just sad that they did not continue in this way.
Nathan Dee.. real name Nathan Beehag.. he has caused Phillip Judd more problems with the pop father thingy control stuff and also internet and Facebook pranks problems for years..finally Phillip Judd removed Nathan from his contacts and he is doing ok..
This is so close to the album/studio cut that I'm astounded. Such a complicated arrangement yet they really believed in what they were doing. Mental Notes was about 100 years ahead of it's time.
I was so ignorant of what Split Enz was producing in the 1970s that I got Mental Notes and was supremely pissed off that what we got in the States was such dreck compared to great music like this. Then again, we did have DEVO...
Actually it's not....but it is great! They were a great band....but they were actually just doing prog. I believe Genesis was their inspiration. Saw them live four times but the early stuff was the best.
@@stevemurrell6167 Totally. It was exactly of its time. Basically Gabriel/Hackett era Genesis meets Supertramp.
Very astute, as I believe the same . I've love these early recordings wit buckets of tears. The ONLY album I put in front in Mental Notes/Second Thoughts is Selling England By The Pound. Anyone who knows me, knows how DYNAMIC & GENUINE this claim is 🤗
@@cdfree3 With a dose of Roxy Music as well.
1975.. this just blew my socks off... I am 70 years old now... amazing debut album
Same here man. I'm 70 also , Saw these fellas for the first time at a Double J concert on Manly Beach New Years Eve gig. This song seriously took me away. Their hair the way they moved the whole experience so incredibly wild and free.
Mental Notes was an overlooked masterpiece.
Mental Notes was simply one of the greatest albums of the entire seventies.
Totally agree.
it’s not only the greatest Split Enz album by a million miles, it’s the best album made by a NZ / Aussie band ever. staggeringly brilliant
I love English progressive rock and I agree about Enzs mental notes album, a proper album of class.
It's a stupendous album.
Love love this album..l bought this when first came out in 70s….lm 62 now and still my favourite to listen to and never tire of hearing
Now 67 great album👍
I'am also 62, bought this LP 1975, turned me to be a freak in my peer group! Loved it and it determinates my whole life, always looking for new sounds and musics all over the world! 😊❤🙏😎🤗
Bought this album 1975. Was and still is my favorite ever. Tim you're a feckin legend
But it's Judd who had all the best material
Very early Genesis-sounding. These guys are excellent musicians. Eddie Raynor was SE’s secret weapon.
a band who had 18 different lineups..... and the mainstay keyboard player was the secret weapon? 🤣 watch a few more videos next time
@@coldacre yeah, really. How many different keyboardists did they have during all those changes?
@@blakkat4126Forget that guy youre 100% right
I was 15 in 1975 and saw them at a 2JJ concert in Blacktown supporting Billy Bloody Thorpe. The bikie crowd waiting for Billy hated them, I was astounded, even in the hot afternoon sun they were captivating. Their first three albums are among their best, as it is with a lot of artists.
Hey Wes. I was there and captivated. Had never seen anything like it-not even close. Those bikies were yelling out f off pooftahs etc. It was shameful. I was one of about 20 dancing with my girl and even spoke with them after they finished. I also reckon it was 1976 not 75, but doesn't matter. I understand it was the first gig outside NZ. Became a life long fan that day. How good were the costumes!!!
@@michaelofsydney6128 I reckon you are right on it being 1976, Double Jay began in January 75 and as I recall the concerts were celebrating the one year anniversary. To be fair, it was an eclectic line-up to have Thorpe and Split Enz. Can you remember any other acts rom that day, I can't. as I said, they were captivating and the costumes were a large part of that.
Ah yes, those shithead bikies were heckling us audience goers at Manly beach during Split Enz performance on New Years Eve Double J concert. Bunch of dickheads.
I'm a 67 year old American who grew up on many things besides this. I'm now enjoying it immensely for the first time. Love the Finns.
I love the sound of Phil and Tim's voices together 🧡🤍💚
I’ve always felt that Split Enz were New Zealand’s version of the Beatles, although in a strange way, their music evolved in almost the opposite way to the fab 4, in that it started out with enormous artistic complexity and over time, became simpler and more commercial.
still so fresh today
Mental Notes is the finest body of electric music from the South Pacific to date.
Absolutely brilliant
Sublime - such musicianship and creativity. Never to be surpassed.
Name a band...GENESIS, SUPERTRAMP.....This groupnof Musos' SLAYED IT!!!! 🇳🇿 KIWI PROUD!!! UP THE WAHS!!!
love the pre neil era...been from NZ i grew up on this stuff
They changed direction when Neil joined....lost their edge. I saw them on their first Oz tour around this time. Blew my mind!. Brilliant.
The greatest band with arguably its greatest song. Wonderful.
I went to their concert at the mercury theatre around 1975. It was quite incredible had a power house performance I've never seen another band match ever. People just got blown away. Mezmerizing. It was so different but truly magnificent. I will never forget how people felt spell bound walking out. They had something else that was kinda ahead of its time. Punk was soon the rage and the Enz just fizzled out..... timing and their uniqueness faded. This is New Zealand's most creative band that was possible the most creative in the world in 75
I was there and felt exactly the same it still haunts me now.
And Tim's vocals. He has such an individual voice, at first it threw me but have quickly come to love it, especially here. "Time For A Change" is a beautiful song.
I think he was a genius, vocally.
Mr crowther was and still is a genius!
This early Split Enz stuff is amazing and future generations are gonna love them. Shame really the band lost they're creative edge in the later years - it seemed the baton was handed onto Neil Finn in a strange way. And boy did he run with it. I love all Enz but the early material was special - i'm sure that had a lot to do with the band line up at the time. Just remember they were one of the first mainstream and possibly the best ever band to come from New Zealand - we're lucky to have them.
Can confirm. I'm 19 and everybody I've ever shown Mental Notes / Second Thoughts era Split Enz to either thinks it's the coolest thing ever or they're completely baffled, or both :)
I used to be really scared of the album cover / the early Split Enz aesthetic when I was a little kid but now Mental Notes is my favourite album of all time.
the rhythm section here was their greatest
No the same after Phil Judd left. Became a pop band with 'hit's. Not that I begrudged them commercial success. Just a shame they had to change.
@@rrr1063 Agreed!!....the stuff Judd did in Schnell Fenster just shows what an incredible amount of the creative talent he really had in the band.
I love the journey they take us on! Floyd and the Door's.... great artist take you away for a moment.
Mental Notes was Split Ends' Dark Side of the Moon, it seems to me.
My favorite piece of all time... Magical; painful... 😢
I love this but preferred the "Beginning of the Enz" album that was done for the UK in about 77/78 I think. Tracks were reproduced by Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music. Last track of side 1 was Charlie but on side 2 all the tracks bled into each other late last night/stranger than fiction/time for a change/walking down a road. When I was in my late teens then I liked listening to it with a beer in the dark with it full volume through my headphones. I am 61 now and still like to do the same. The most underrated band of all time in my opinion.
My fave band back in 70's Melbourne
Went and saw them every where
Thanks so much for sharing this. It's wonderful. Damn 70s TV and their lame special effects, though... early Split Enz were so fascinating to watch and we can't even see them here.... sigh.
First band I ever saw live. Queen Margaret Union in Glasgow 1976.
That's great!
Such genius incredible
The fuckin Pink Floyd of NZ! Only discovering Split Enz now. They were absolutely brilliant. Where have I been?!?!?! Tim Finn’s voice is one of the finest I’ve heard; it can be hauntingly beautiful, whimsical, and seems effortless. So glad to have found them, it’s been quite some time since being this smitten with a band (first two albums masterpieces). Last band that I fell for like this was Mondo Drag out of Oakland. CA. Anyway, brilliant. Enz are absolutely brilliant.
They were Quite unique back then. Ahead of their time. I remember first seeing them shortly after this and thinking these guys are nuts or genius. The later proved correct.
Seeing them play live is still a highlight of my life - video doesn't do justice to their amazing stage act.
Remarkable voice!
Curious to think that 'Time for a Change' was a Phil Judd song , yet Tim sings it so beautifully on his piano ...
Yep. Tim Finn is the first person to ever sing a song written by someone else.
🙄
Thank goodness that Harvey and Skipp had 'mental notes' in the collection, wayyyy back in 1979
That guitar riff in "Stranger Than Fiction"... Dum, dadada, dum, dadada... dum, dadada da da da da da. Been ingrained in my head since the first time I heard it. Love it. Shame about the bloody graphic effects, but that was the seventies for you!
Yes, and Phil Judd gets a raw deal with camera work too.
Great progressive rock from New Zealand!
Someone has discovered a cool new video effect and has decided to go mental with it.
Yep, like slow - mo breaking glasses and water in the 80's
I have praise MB..
Michael Black, they should of took mental notes about over use of that effect before going mental with it. 😁 sorry
Just finished installing the new Grass Valley mixer into Studio (21?) I bet!
Love it
Saw them twice live around this time in Melbourne. First time supporting Ayers Rock, second time headlining. Different line-ups, but both absolutely brilliant shows.
the first 5 enz albums were weird but brilliant , nothing commercial but worth a listen but you'll need time and patience and time.
Particularly the first two.
You'll need time and tide
Jesus H Christ. What a performance. There is no words to describe this.
saw these guys when they first came to california, they were in full gear, strobe lights and, everything! Phil Manzanera was there too, he did their 1st lp
He did their 2nd LP.
@@santanocci TO explain: the first LP released in the US was called Second Thoughts, which was mostly a re-recorded and Manzanera-produced version of their actual debut album, Mental Notes, which I think was only released in Australia and NZ. Something like that anyway. Both are excellent in their own ways.
@@newsles2 To clarify, their 1st LP released in Australia/New Zealand in 1975 was Mental Notes , in 1976 a number of the Mental Notes tracks plus a couple of tracks recorded in NZ in 73/74 were re-recorded in the UK and produced by Phil Manzanera. This album was titled Second Thoughts in Australia/New Zealand.released in 1976. Also in 1976, in the UK/Europe/USA they titled it Mental Notes, this had an identical track listing to Second Thoughts with the addition of title track Mental Notes .
@@robmac6508 That's the ticket. A much better description :)
Absolutely incredible performance
People would ask me ,What on Earth are you listening to ? They still do.
Fantastic!.. Great find
Mind blowing. Inspired stuff unlike anything that was happening in the UK at the time.
WTF? It has Peter Gabriel era Genesis stamped all over it!
TR Ship wtf are you even talking about fella. The enz inspiration came from the English prog rock scene at the time like Genesis, king crimson, yes, pink floyd, gentle giant and Jethro tull.
@@Eleventhearlofmars I'm well aware of those bands and stand by my statement - they were truly unique.
@@trship6274 yes, they did it their own way but they were heavily influenced by the bands I mentioned, they’ve even said as much in docos.
@@Eleventhearlofmars I thought they were just a motley crew of pirates adrift in antipodean timeless time.
Tim reminds me of Richard Davies of Supertramp on Time For A Change, normally Phil reminds me of Peter Hammill of Van Der Graaf Generator!!!
I wonder what people thought the first time they heard these guys. Creative is an understatement.
Tim you're amazing, I still remember seeing split-ends in Bell-Block pup outside New Plymouth way back. More please.
What an amazing performance!
An as good version as that on the album..
Stunning…
FANTASTIC!!
Great version. Best I have ever heard. Shades of Yes and Pink Floyd.
Shades of Genesis.Selling England By the Pound
@@patrickhoulihan7210 no. Original and not quite so blokey.
I hear a little hint of early David Bowie and very early Alice Cooper in here as well.
One of there best
They were at least five years ahead of everyone else
Wow, can’t believe this is still out here, my fav track. I’m in heaven (sort of)......
This is fantastic. I first got into this album in 1981 and I played it endlessly! Thanks for sharing!
Bloody awesome! Tim Finns vocals are stunning!
Absolutely love that riff at 1:10
me too
Yes yes yes!! 🧡🤍💚@@ParchedPinemarten
Beautiful.
absolutley sublime enz as i remember them , have worn out my "mental notes" LP
It's fruity, It's complicated , it's far reaching and stretching into the unknown, It's also the birthplace and nursery in retrospect to what we now know, allowed two talented chaps to experiment and hone what will become some great songwriting skills, go on and create a dynasty of truly unique and non generic fresh new music the world had not seen before.
Brilliant
Wish it didn't have those effects, but great footage nonetheless.
No one seems to remember this Split Wnz. Only the Neil Finn Split Enz, which is still great. Even DJ mates can't remember Maybe.
awesome! what a great discovery
This is awesome!
I was 14 days old when they filmed this. Useless information, but there it is.
Thanks for sharing! Great version!
..... Thought they came out in 1979.... Had no idea they've been around this long.
just magic!!!
This is so relaxing to listen to and very ahead of its time... I'd call this video 'Distortion'.
wow....what an archive...
The enz at their strange progressive best
This is great. Thank you.
My god,i forgot how this is fabulous
Good song ..
Thus track sounds suspiciously prog rock and
his voice has me thinking Roger Hodgson,
Supertramp with a tad of Caravan!
priceless
Phil Judd is a legend
their early stuff was the best . not commercial but top mussos. i wish they would go back to that. the commercial stuff just didnt rate. 'The woman who loves you and the spoons ' 40 plus years ago was just so ahead of its time. and they were awesome live. i wish they would play live now
music for the "hunt".
Emlyn was at the top of his game here.
Where did you find this?!!! And have you any more early Split Enz footage?
+Nathan Dee It was on rage a few weeks ago.
You "AGAIN"..I heard from one of your mates that Phil Judd unfriended you on Facebook and as a friend..
Nathan Beehag you have a mutual connection to Donald Trump..you both live in the nuthouse..
Nathan your mother Tracy Beehag said you were the worst problem child that was .. behaviour always was the issue..get your head together matey..give up the smokes..baa haa..also get those medication pills from ya DR..
You silly fool Nathan..FOOL
This is like a Chicago blues mixed with a swamp boogie woogie type feel
LOOK AT PHIL SUDDENLY STOPPING
Wow
totally George Harrison influenced....who knew? Well...I didn't. So good!!
This is brilliant stuff, love to see artists at work. Excessive potted-plant staging and over-egged 70s video production aside. Just film the artists guys 🙄.
9:46 Yeah @philjuddOFFICIAL That IS the look
Prog rock from Enz
Fuck yeah!
Almost prog rock here
Could do without the screen effects but wow great footage of the original guys =)
Eh, it is what it is. This kind of nonsense was common in the 70s. You can't be too surprised to see it with highly theatrical bands like early early Genesis and Split Enz. It would have almost been more surprising if this stuff wasn't on it. I'll take what I can get. Until fairly recently for me Split Enz's music started with "I Got You". Had no idea they were once this artsy-fartsy, and I mean that in the most complimentary way. Swear I hear a mellotron, which is catnip to this Genesis and King Crimson fan.
It sure is what it is Nick. Brilliant!
Ya, you betcha, @@TheBlueskyson.
Nick Webb - Mellotron Catnip 😻 Indeed
Nice mellotron during the last half of Time For A Change
Is Judd in this?
Intro sounds like early Pink Floyd
Let's just watch the band. We don't need special effects here.
Video effects = early CGI
you should amend the title to "Stranger than fiction / Time for a change". its 2 songs.
Shades of Floyd.
Not shades of Floyd.Shades of Genesis
@@patrickhoulihan7210 Dude stop refuting everyoneit does have shades of Floyd piper at the gates of dawn Animals umaguma etc .. Yes and Genesis
I discover that band and sorry, it does not sound like Genesis or Pink Floyd or Yes or any other prog band. It seems as soon a band does mor sophisticated and complex music these comparisons are always made. To me they have their own original sound and a great singer. I knew their name before but always thought it was some kind of new wave band, in fact it was later on, but this first album is very good progressive music that is not a copy of any known band of that era. Great discovery. Just sad that they did not continue in this way.
Stranger than fiction :shit just got real
Nathan Dee.. real name Nathan Beehag.. he has caused Phillip Judd more problems with the pop father thingy control stuff and also internet and Facebook pranks problems for years..finally Phillip Judd removed Nathan from his contacts and he is doing ok..