Neil Finn absent from brother Tim's big event

The song was Montego Bay (the cover of the Bobby Bloom song). The year was 1980. The look was open necked shirt, gold bling, snug-fitting mint green slacks, white moccasins and a full head of hair. It was a look the ladies lusted after and launched a flourishing career.

New Zealand-born singer Jon Stevens, 46, became a household name in pop music in this country during the late 1970s and '80s, before uprooting to Sydney and fronting the band Noiseworks, and later INXS after the death of Michael Hutchence.

Today he remains in a Sydney hospital after suffering complications from open heart surgery.

He was hospitalised last month after doctors discovered an artery blockage following a routine heart check up. Sydney's Daily Telegraph said doctors sedated the performer more heavily than they might a normal patient to lessen the chance of damaging his vocal cords.

He underwent heart surgery three weeks ago but his condition deteriorated last week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, due to fluid around the heart and infection.

His publicist said on Friday he remained "in good spirits" but was expected to stay in hospital for the next five days.

Stevens, thirteen years younger than his brother, New Zealand Idol judge Frankie Stevens, is also famous for his dalliance in to the world of reality television. He played host on the short-lived show The Resort in 2004 and Celebrity Treasure Island in 2005.


Tim Finn 's collaboration with iTunes draws big music names, except his brother's

It was a music partnership made in heaven, or at least at the pub. Click here for photos.

Celebrated singer-songwriter Tim Finn launched his new anthology album North, South, East, West with iTunes last Friday afternoon at the Windsor Castle pub in Parnell.

The collaboration with Apple was also an opportunity to announce the new iTunes gift cards in New Zealand. In a Kiwi first, Finn performed live, much to the enjoyment of his kids Harper and Elliot. The event was the first iTunes live event in New Zealand. The recording of the performance is now available on iTunes as a pre-order and will be live on October 27.

Hollywood film director Andrew Adamson was found in the audience, so too were Finn's gorgeous wife Marie Azcona, Blindspott star Damien Alexander, Kerre Woodham, Hamish Gee and James Reid from The Feelers, Supergroove's Nick Atkinson and his girlfriend, former Goldenhorse front woman Kirsten Morell.

Neil Finn was a notable absence at his big brother's milestone event. PR flacks tell me he chose to visit their dad in Cambridge.

 

- Rachel Glucina

 

Photo: New Zealand-born singer Jon Stevens. Photo / Supplied