History Crowded House

1 history

1.1 formation , name change (1984–1986)
1.2 albums (1986–1990)
1.3 nineties (1991–1994)
1.4 saying farewell (1994–1996)
1.5 between farewell , reunion (1996–2006)
1.6 reunion , time on earth (2006–2009)
1.7 intriguer , current status (2009–present)

history

neil finn (vocals, guitar, piano) , drummer paul hester (ex-the cheks, deckchairs overboard) former members of new zealand band split enz, spent part of 1975–6 in australia , several years in england. neil finn younger brother of split enz founding member tim finn, joined crowded house in 1990 on vocals, guitars , keyboards album woodface. bassist nick seymour (ex-plays marionettes, bang, horla) younger brother of singer-songwriter , guitarist mark seymour of defunct australian rock group hunters & collectors.

formation , name change (1984–1986)

finn , hester decided form new band during first split enz farewell tour, enz bang , in late 1984. seymour approached finn during after party melbourne show , asked if audition new band. mullanes formed in melbourne in 1985 finn, hester, seymour , guitarist craig hooper (ex-the reels) , first performed on 11 june. secured record contract capitol records, hooper left band before remaining trio moved los angeles record debut album. @ capitol s behest, band s name changed crowded house, alluded lack of space @ small hollywood hills house shared during recording of album crowded house. former split enz keyboardist eddie rayner produced track can t carry on , asked join band. toured them in 1988, unable become full member due family commitments.

early albums (1986–1990)


crowded house, san francisco, april 1987. l r: paul hester, neil finn, nick seymour.

thanks split enz connection, newly formed crowded house had established australasian fanbase. began playing @ festivals in australia , new zealand , released debut album, crowded house, in june 1986. capitol records failed see band s potential , gave them low-key promotion, forcing band play @ small venues try , gain attention. album s first single, mean me , reached australian kent music report singles chart top 30 in june. failed chart in us, moderate american airplay introduced listeners group.

a single, don t dream s on , released in december 1986 , proved international hit, reaching number 2 on billboard hot 100 , number 1 in canada. new zealand radio stations gave song little support until months later when became successful internationally. ultimately, song reached number 1 on new zealand singles chart , number 8 in australia. remains group s commercially successful song.

in march 1987, group awarded best new talent , along song of year , best video awards don t dream s on @ inaugural aria music awards. video earned group mtv video music award best new artist year. song has been covered other artists , gave paul young hit single in 1991. used new zealand tourism board advertisement in 100% pure new zealand worldwide promotion october 2005. in may 2001, don t dream s on voted seventh in poll of best australian songs of time australasian performing rights association.

the band @ montreux pop festival, may 1988. l r: seymour, finn, hester.

in june 1987, year after release, crowded house reached number 1 on kent music report album charts. reached number 3 in new zealand , number twelve on billboard album chart. follow-up don t dream s on , strong , global smash, reaching top 10 in new zealand, america, , canada. world live , re getting somewhere released singles chart success.

as band s primary songwriter, neil finn under pressure create second album match debut , band joked 1 potential title new release mediocre follow-up. titled temple of low men, second album released in july 1988 strong promotion capitol records. album did not fare debut in us, reaching number 40, achieved australasian success, reaching number 1 in australia , number 2 in new zealand. first single better home peaked @ number 2 on both australian , new zealand singles charts , reached top 50 in us, though following 4 singles less successful. crowded house undertook short tour of australia , canada promote album, eddie rayner on keyboards. multi-instrumentalist mark hart, become full band member, replaced rayner in january 1989. after tour, finn fired seymour band. music journalist ed nimmervoll claimed seymour s temporary departure because finn blamed him causing writer s block; however, finn cited artistic differences reason. seymour said after month contacted finn , agreed return band.

early nineties (1991–1994)


multi-instrumentalist mark hart

crowded house took break after canadian leg of temple of low men tour. neil finn , brother tim recorded songs had co-written own album, finn. following recording sessions tim, neil began writing , recording third crowded house album hester , seymour, these tracks rejected record company, neil asked tim if crowded house use finn songs. tim jokingly agreed on proviso become member, neil apparently took literally. tim official member, band returned studio. new tracks, rejected recordings combined make woodface, released in july 1991. album features 8 tracks co-written neil , tim, feature brothers harmonising on lead vocals, except on sombre ask on tim sang lead. track later used on aids awareness commercials in australia. 5 of album s tracks neil s solo compositions , 2 hester, exuberant italian plastic , became crowd favourite @ concerts , hidden track m still here .

chocolate cake , humorous comment on american excesses not taken critics , sections of american public, released in june 1991 first single. perhaps unsurprisingly failed chart in us, reached number 2 on billboard s modern rock tracks chart. song peaked @ number 7 in new zealand , reached top 20 in australia. second single, fall @ feet , less successful in australia , new zealand did @ least reach hot 100. album reached number 1 in new zealand, number 2 in australia, number 6 in uk , made top 20 in several european countries. third single woodface, weather , peaked @ no. 7 in 1992 giving band highest uk chart placement. contrast, album had limited success in us, reaching number 83 on billboard 200 album chart.

tim finn left crowded house during woodface tour in november 1991, part-way through uk leg. performances on tour, @ town , country club in london, recorded live , given limited release in australia, while individual songs shows released b-sides of singles in countries. in june 1993 new zealand government recommended queen award obe neil , tim finn contribution music of new zealand.

for fourth album, alone, crowded house used producer martin glover (aka youth ) , invited touring musician mark hart (guitar , keyboards) become permanent band member. album recorded @ karekare beach, new zealand, gave name opening track, kare kare . album released in october 1993 , sold internationally on strength of lead single distant sun , followup private universe . topped new zealand album chart, reached number 2 in australia , number 4 in uk. locked out album s first single , received airplay on mtv , vh1. track , sharona knack, both included soundtrack of film reality bites, bundled on jukebox single promote film soundtrack.

saying farewell (1994–1996)


crowded house @ café de kroon, amsterdam, june 1996. neil finn (left) , mark hart

crowded house midway through tour when paul hester quit band on 15 april 1994. flew home melbourne await birth of first child , indicated required more time family. wally ingram, drummer support act sheryl crow, temporarily filled in until replacement, peter jones (ex-harem scarem, vince jones, kate ceberano s septet) found. after tour, finn brothers released album finn in november 1995. in june 1996, @ press conference announce release of greatest hits album recurring dream, neil revealed crowded house disband. june 1996 concerts in europe , canada final performances.

recurring dream contained 4 songs each of band s studio albums, along 3 new songs. album debuted @ number 1 in australia, new zealand , uk in july 1996. copies included bonus cd of live material. album s 3 new songs, released singles, instinct , not girl think , , featured backing vocals pearl jam s eddie vedder. paul hester returned band play drums on 3 new tracks.

worried goodbye had been low-key , had disregarded home fans, band performed farewell world concert on steps of sydney opera house on 24 november 1996, raised funds sydney children s hospital. concert featured line-up of neil finn, nick seymour, mark hart , paul hester. tim finn , peter jones both made guest appearances. support bands on day custard, powderfinger , i. concert had 1 of highest live audiences in australian history crowd being estimated @ between 120,000 , 250,000 people. farewell world released on vhs in december 1996. in 2007, double cd , dvd issued commemorate concert s tenth anniversary. dvd featured newly recorded audio commentary finn, hart , seymour , other new bonus material.

between farewell , reunion (1996–2006)


paul hester 1959–2005.

following 1996 break-up of crowded house, members embarked upon variety of projects. neil finn released 2 solo studio albums, try whistling (1998) , 1 nil (2001), 2 live albums, sessions @ west 54th (2000) , 7 worlds collide (2001). 7 worlds collide saw him performing guest musicians including eddie vedder, johnny marr, ed o brien , phil selway of radiohead, tim finn, sebastian steinberg, lisa germano , betchadupa (featuring son liam finn). double cd , dvd of shows released in november 2001.

tim finn had resumed solo career after leaving group in 1992 , worked neil on second finn brothers album, here, released in 2004. paul hester joined finn brothers on stage 3 songs @ palais theatre show in melbourne @ end of 2004. nick seymour joined them on stage in dublin, living, in 2004. peter jones , nick seymour joined australian group deadstar second album, milk, in 1997. seymour later worked record producer in dublin, producing irish group bell x1 s debut album, neither in 2000. mark hart rejoined supertramp in late 1990s , later toured ringo starr & all-starr band. in 2001 released solo album, nada sonata.

paul hester worked children s entertainers wiggles, playing paul cook . had own abc show hessie s shed in australia late 1997. formed band largest living things, name rejected capitol records in favour of crowded house. on hessie s shed finn, hester , seymour last shared stage, on episode filmed part of finn s promotion solo album try whistling in 1998. finn , hester performed not girl think largest living things, before being joined seymour sister madly , version of paul kelly s leaps , bounds , featured kelly on vocals. in late 2003, hester hosted series music max s sessions. hester , seymour reunited when both joined singer-songwriter matt o donnell s melbourne-based group tarmac adam. band released 1 album, 2003 s handheld torch, produced seymour.

in may 1999 crowded house issued compilation of unreleased songs, afterglow, included track recurring dream , recorded when group still called mullanes , included craig hooper on guitar. album s liner notes included information songs, written music journalist david hepworth. limited-release versions included second cd songwriting commentary finn. liner notes confirmed crowded house had no plans reunite @ time. 2003 compilation album, classic masters, released in us, while 2005 saw release of album have way, collection of cover versions of crowded house, split enz, tim finn , finn brothers songs australasian female artists. album reached top 5 in australia , new zealand.

on 26 march 2005 paul hester found dead, after hanging himself tree in park near home in melbourne. 46 years old. obituary in sydney morning herald stated had fought long battle depression. following news of hester s death, nick seymour joined finn brothers on stage @ royal albert hall in london, 3 played in memory of paul. snare drum top hat on stood @ front of stage tribute. writing in 2010 neil finn said, when lost paul pulled rug out underneath everything, terrible jolt out of dark blue. best drummer had ever played , many years, closest friend.

reunion , time on earth (2006–2009)


matt sherrod, dublin, 2007.

in 2006 neil finn asked nick seymour play bass on third solo album. seymour agreed , 2 joined producer , multi-instrumentalist ethan johns begin recording. recording sessions progressed decided album issued under crowded house band name, rather neil finn solo album. in january 2007, group publicly announced reformation , on 23 february, after 20 days of auditions, former beck drummer matt sherrod joined finn, seymour , mark hart complete new line up. sherrod , hart had not participated in initial sessions, 4 new tracks recorded producer steve lillywhite including album s first single don t stop .

on 17 march 2007 band played live show @ rehearsal studio in front of around fifty fans, friends , family. performance streamed live webcast. two-and-a-half-hour set included new tracks, including silent house co-written finn dixie chicks. concert onboard thekla, moored in bristol, followed on 19 march. crowded house played @ marquee theatre in tempe, arizona on 26 april warm-up appearance @ coachella festival on 29 april in indio, california. played @ australian live earth concert in sydney on 7 july. next day, finn , seymour interviewed on rove live , band, hart , sherrod, performed don t stop promote new album, titled time on earth. single minor hit in australia , uk. album released worldwide in june , july. topped album chart in new zealand , made number 2 in australia , number 3 in uk.

on 6 december 2008 crowded house played homebake festival in sydney, warm gigs @ small venues in hobart, melbourne , sydney. these shows band augmented multi-instrumentalist don mcglashan , neil s younger son, elroy finn, on guitar. on 14 march 2009 band joined neil s older son, liam finn, on stage 3 songs @ sound relief concert in melbourne.

intriguer , current status (2009–present)


nick seymour, barcelona, october 2007.

crowded house began recording follow-up time on earth in april 2009, @ finn s own roundhead studios. album, intriguer, produced jim scott had worked on sun came out neil s 7 worlds collide project. in august 2009, finn travelled los angeles record overdubs @ jim scott s los angeles studio before began mixing tracks. album released in june 2010, in time band s appearance @ west coast blues & roots festival near perth. finn stated album contains some, unexpected twists , turns , songs that, sound nothing ve done before. intriguer topped australian album chart, reached number 3 in new zealand , number 12 in uk.

crowded house undertook extensive world tour in 2010 in support of intriguer. first album band regularly interacted fans via internet on own re-launched website, twitter , facebook. band sold recordings of shows on intriguer tour on usb flash drives , made individual live tracks available free download. band s final concert @ day on green festival in auckland on 27 february 2011.

a new compilation album, very best of crowded house, released in october 2010 celebrate band s 25th anniversary. includes 19 of band s greatest hits , available in box set 25 track dvd of music videos. deluxe digital version, available download only, has 32 tracks including rare 1987 live recording of band s version of hunters & collectors song throw arms around me . no mention of album has been made on band s official website or twitter page, suggests not involved release.

following success of album have way in 2005, second album of cover versions of finn brothers songs (including numerous crowded house songs) released on 12 november 2010. entitled have way, tracks on album performed australasian male artists. in november 2011, there australian tour various artists involved have way , have way projects, including paul dempsey, clare bowditch, seeker lover keeper (sarah blasko, sally seltmann , holly throsby), alexander gow (oh mercy) , lior.

former crowded house drummer peter jones died brain cancer on 18 may 2012 aged 49. statement issued band described him as, warm-hearted, funny , talented man, valuable member of crowded house.

in september 2015, song coming afterglow album, released download , limited edition 7 single raise money charity save children. b-side, anthem , unreleased track recorded in 1995, final vocal added in 2015. money used provide shelter, water, sanitation , hygiene refugees in syria, lebanon , iraq. neil finn said of coming ... song refugees, if @ time thinking immigrants setting off on ships europe america, looking better life families. there such huge scale , urgency current refugee crises barely day goes without crushing image or news account confront us. can t silent more.

in 2016, neil finn mentioned in interview dutch newspaper volkskrant crowded house on hiatus. later year, , seymour announced series of concerts @ sydney opera house mark 20th anniversary of farewell world show (24 nov 1996). band performed 4 shows, 24–27 november 2016. around same time, each of band s 7 studio albums (including rarities collection afterglow) reissued in deluxe 2-cd format bonus tracks including demos, live recordings, alternate mixes, b-sides , outtakes.