7 Worlds Collide

7 Worlds Collide is a musical project by New Zealand singer/songwriter, Neil Finn. The first 7 Worlds Collide album, a collection of amazing musical talents from across the globe in aid of Medicin Sans Frontiers, was a unique live performance experience, fusing the varied talents of a stellar cast across a range of cover versions to create a series of shows that culminated in the live album of the same name. Seven years after that project, instigator Neil Finn has upped the ante with the new 7 Worlds Collide project, The Sun Came Out, scheduled for release on 31st August 2009: a double album of original songs created and recorded by many of the original cast alongside notable new additions in an intense three weeks in his native New Zealand. This time the beneficiaries of this album will be Oxfam, as well as music lovers worldwide. Familiar faces from the original album abound, Johnny Marr, Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway of Radiohead but this album, first and foremost presents the listener with new songs rather than interpretations of old favourites. The Sun Came Out also features a whole host of new guest talents such as KT Tunstall and Wilco and heart stopping firsts, including Phil Selway's songwriting and vocal debut as well as dream collaborations such as those between Johnny Marr and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy; and KT Tunstall and Neil Finn. The first 7 Worlds Collide album was released in 2001 and is a live recording culled from a series of five shows from April 2, 2001 to April 6, 2001 featuring Neil Finn & Friends recorded at the St James theatre in Auckland, New Zealand. Notable guests in Finn's band included Eddie Vedder, Johnny Marr, Ed O'Brien, Tim Finn, Sebastian Steinberg, Phil Selway, Lisa Germano, and Betchadupa (featuring Neil's son Liam Finn).