When your father is a superstar it can often be tough going for the offspring. Fortunately for Liam Finn, he got the good genes and is one hell of a musician himself. While not at the level of his dad Neil Finn's band, Liam is starting to crawl out from the shadow of Crowded House. Basically born into the biz, Liam was playing in bands as a teenager and even joined Crowded House for their reunion gigs in 2007. But it was later that year that things really started to come together for the young Finn. Recording by himself in his father's Auckland, NZ studio, Liam found his sound. He needs no stinking band. Instead, he played nearly every instrument, produced and engineered the whole thing, and walked out with the stunning experimental folk-pop gem I'll Be Lightning (released 1/22/08 on Yep Rock). Here's where things really get interesting. Finn takes his one-man-band approach on the road, but instead of a hushed coffee house vibe, he rocks the scene with fuzzed guitars, big bass, slamming drums and layers upon layers of loops. When you're this good folks take notice. Finn is on tour now (dates available here) and has recently secured a string of dates opening for Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. Come along for a look at life on the road for a rising star.

Name: Liam Finn
Band(s): Liam Finn, betchadupa
Instruments: All of 'em
Nicknames: Finn Finn, Fisty, Toothpaste
Place You Call Home: New Zealand
Last album to flip your lid: The Mint Chicks – Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No!
Album you always take on tour: The Beatles - White Album

What would someone always find in your van or tour bus?

Origami.

What supplies don't you leave home without?

A guitar capo, Nurofen Plus, camera.

What personal rituals do you have to help keep your sanity while on tour?

Are you just trying to make me admit I'm a stoner?

Speaking of rituals, do you have a pre-show ritual to help prepare for the stage?

Ej (my backing vocalist and shaker extraordinaire) and I like to have a whisky and sing a Neil Young song together before going on.

Audiences come in all shapes and sizes. What's the screwiest fan encounter you've had?

I seem to get a lot of obsessive fans of my father making me hats with my name on them.

What's a great, positive fan encounter you've had?

Are you trying to make me admit I'm in this for the groupies?

What's the strangest thing you've seen from the stage while performing?

Funnily enough, I once saw two people having sex in the front row of a festival while I was on stage. I didn't know whether to be flattered or grossed out.

What's the first thing you like to do after a show?

Dry myself off, catch my breath and fix myself a drink before I have to pack up my gear. Exciting huh?

Tell us about a great road food stop you've discovered in your travels.

I once discovered an amazing road side food stop in NZ that served all it's food in the skulls of Moa's (an ancient NZ bird)... Crazy!

If I weren't a musician I'd probably be a (fill in the blank) because (fill in the blank).

If I weren't a musician I'd probably be a drummer because I'd get to hang out with musicians.

(Fill In the Blank) are the baddest mothas on the planet.

British school kids are the baddest mothas on the planet.

Name a few things we'd find on your rider.

Jameson Whisky, ginger ale and socks.

What was the musical highlight of your last or current tour and why?

In New York a few of my friends from other NZ bands (Connan and the Mockasins and Lawrence Arabia) got up to help sing the last song of the set. It turned into a wild Theremin and drum jam.

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