In part four of our 4 part series exploring the career of kiwi musician Phil Judd we examine his battle with bi-polar disorder and his thoughts of the future. After I had turned the recorder off he asked me why I had not broached the subject of his stalking conviction and his 2 weeks in prison for breaching a restraining order taken out against him by his immediate ex-wife. I replied that I thought the story had been covered enough and that I wanted to concentrate on his positive contributions to Australasian culture. At this point Phil became emotional and admitted that he had handled a difficult situation poorly. He was at pains to confirm that on appeal he was acquitted of culpability, a story that the media did not cover as extensively as his initial conviction.  Those blessed with great creative gifts also often posses complex personalities and in this case it seems that Judd fell victim to his own worst impulses. He has paid a heavy price, now ostracised by his family and often ridiculed publicly he has in my opinion been punished enough for something that in the greater scheme of things amounts to nothing more than a minor social infraction.  The songs in order of appearance are Spellbound written by Phil Judd and Tim Finn and performed by the NZSO, Mental Notes from the Split Enz Album Mental Notes and Tranquillina from Phil’s solo album Play it Strange.

The Life And Times Of Phil Judd Part Four

In Deep Conversations