Julia
01-21-2007, 12:12 PM
Well, it was in the Brisbane Courier Mail, and some Sydney paper. Here's the article:
CROWDED House, one of Australia's biggest musical exports, is re-forming for a world tour.
Former frontman Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour have held auditions in Auckland and Los Angeles and will continue their search for a replacement for founding drummer Paul Hester in Melbourne this week.
Hester committed suicide two years ago.
Finn has regularly dismissed notions of re-forming Crowded House. But Hester's tragic death shook that resolve.
Sources say Finn will commit 12 months to a world tour by Crowded House.
Finn's British-based management group will make an announcement this week.
The reunion comes 10 years after the band's emotional farewell performance on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.
Last year, Finn toured with his former band Split Enz. In March, he will release a solo album and, later, tour with Crowded House.
Seymour played bass on Finn's forthcoming solo album.
"In the shadow of Paul's passing, we had more than enough reason to seek each other out and take a bit of comfort from each other," Finn said last month.
"But we've reconnected musically, too. I've really enjoyed him playing bass. There's something instinctive that we've got together and it's pretty undeniable."
Finn is expected in Melbourne today. But road-testing a new drummer will be a difficult task.
Two years ago, Finn said Hester's talent as a beatkeeper was almost irreplaceable and that he truly appreciated Hester's musical talent after the drummer left Crowded House in 1994.
"I never knew how great Paul was for me, how much he gave me, how incredibly important the chemistry was, until much later, when I was trying to show drummer after drummer how to play the brushes properly on Four Seasons in One Day," Finn said.
"Not one bugger got it. I realised how professional Paul's groove was, how genetically in synch we were.
"It was an accident, but a beautiful one. A fate that drew us all together."
Melbourne-born and bred, the Crowdies conquered the US with the 1987 hit, Don't Dream It's Over. Subsequent hits included Better Be Home Soon, Weather With You and Fall At Your Feet.
Crowded House split in June, 1996, and played the Opera House show five months later.
Finn said the band had achieved success in Britain and the US and he was sick of living on the road.
He has had a successful solo career, occasionally performing with brother Tim as the Finn Brothers.
Seymour runs a recording studio in Dublin and plays bass in a local band, Tarmac Adam.
And here's a statement from Peter Green, the band's fan club director:
Hi all,
first off a big thank you to Suuz for patiently waiting for the Herald Sun website to come up, I waited till about 2.30 in the morning....so thanks (I know being in Holland it was a bit easier time wise).
OK a quick Post am in the middle of a mass of emails & you can imagine how the phones are running hot (wasn't Sunday meant to be a day of rest?). Imagine if you own the copyright on the words 'No Comment'?!!!
Yes we were aware of this 'leaking' out. Nui called a few days ago, so we were all aware of this appearing in the paper. Management and Neil knew this could happen.
One thing, yes Mark Hart IS part of the band.
Yes the album that was recently recorded IS the Crowded House album not a Neil solo release.
Over the next few weeks expect to hear a lot more. The club will have a newsletter out late Feb. Contains the 'first' Crowded House 07 Interview with Neil (during the auditions), photos of the guys in the studio and details of the new drummer (that's assuming the auditions are a success), album track listing etc.
As a friend of mine asked 'Who will replace Paul'. My reply is that 'no one will ever REPLACE Paul, but you can bet that Neil, Nick will pick someone that is an exceptional drummer and hopefully carve out his/her own niche'.
It's an instant knee jerk reaction, "no Paul no Crowded House" for some, and you know that's actually ok, simply don't see them or play the new record...but there is a good chance you might be missing out on something special, sometimes it's worth taking a leaf of faith and giving soemthing a chance....
For the moment I'm not saying much, obviously we would of all loved for this to be done with a media release, the new group photo etc, and usually in music that never happens *GRIN*.
Neil has had a hankering to play in a band again
and what better band to do this in but the one he had the most joy with. Sounds fine to me.
If nothing else it will allow for some exciting discussions over the next few months.
Take care
Gryph
This has to be one of the most exciting things ever for me, Crowded House are my all time favourite band, and now I'm going to get to see them live! Plus the new album.
Julia.
CROWDED House, one of Australia's biggest musical exports, is re-forming for a world tour.
Former frontman Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour have held auditions in Auckland and Los Angeles and will continue their search for a replacement for founding drummer Paul Hester in Melbourne this week.
Hester committed suicide two years ago.
Finn has regularly dismissed notions of re-forming Crowded House. But Hester's tragic death shook that resolve.
Sources say Finn will commit 12 months to a world tour by Crowded House.
Finn's British-based management group will make an announcement this week.
The reunion comes 10 years after the band's emotional farewell performance on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.
Last year, Finn toured with his former band Split Enz. In March, he will release a solo album and, later, tour with Crowded House.
Seymour played bass on Finn's forthcoming solo album.
"In the shadow of Paul's passing, we had more than enough reason to seek each other out and take a bit of comfort from each other," Finn said last month.
"But we've reconnected musically, too. I've really enjoyed him playing bass. There's something instinctive that we've got together and it's pretty undeniable."
Finn is expected in Melbourne today. But road-testing a new drummer will be a difficult task.
Two years ago, Finn said Hester's talent as a beatkeeper was almost irreplaceable and that he truly appreciated Hester's musical talent after the drummer left Crowded House in 1994.
"I never knew how great Paul was for me, how much he gave me, how incredibly important the chemistry was, until much later, when I was trying to show drummer after drummer how to play the brushes properly on Four Seasons in One Day," Finn said.
"Not one bugger got it. I realised how professional Paul's groove was, how genetically in synch we were.
"It was an accident, but a beautiful one. A fate that drew us all together."
Melbourne-born and bred, the Crowdies conquered the US with the 1987 hit, Don't Dream It's Over. Subsequent hits included Better Be Home Soon, Weather With You and Fall At Your Feet.
Crowded House split in June, 1996, and played the Opera House show five months later.
Finn said the band had achieved success in Britain and the US and he was sick of living on the road.
He has had a successful solo career, occasionally performing with brother Tim as the Finn Brothers.
Seymour runs a recording studio in Dublin and plays bass in a local band, Tarmac Adam.
And here's a statement from Peter Green, the band's fan club director:
Hi all,
first off a big thank you to Suuz for patiently waiting for the Herald Sun website to come up, I waited till about 2.30 in the morning....so thanks (I know being in Holland it was a bit easier time wise).
OK a quick Post am in the middle of a mass of emails & you can imagine how the phones are running hot (wasn't Sunday meant to be a day of rest?). Imagine if you own the copyright on the words 'No Comment'?!!!
Yes we were aware of this 'leaking' out. Nui called a few days ago, so we were all aware of this appearing in the paper. Management and Neil knew this could happen.
One thing, yes Mark Hart IS part of the band.
Yes the album that was recently recorded IS the Crowded House album not a Neil solo release.
Over the next few weeks expect to hear a lot more. The club will have a newsletter out late Feb. Contains the 'first' Crowded House 07 Interview with Neil (during the auditions), photos of the guys in the studio and details of the new drummer (that's assuming the auditions are a success), album track listing etc.
As a friend of mine asked 'Who will replace Paul'. My reply is that 'no one will ever REPLACE Paul, but you can bet that Neil, Nick will pick someone that is an exceptional drummer and hopefully carve out his/her own niche'.
It's an instant knee jerk reaction, "no Paul no Crowded House" for some, and you know that's actually ok, simply don't see them or play the new record...but there is a good chance you might be missing out on something special, sometimes it's worth taking a leaf of faith and giving soemthing a chance....
For the moment I'm not saying much, obviously we would of all loved for this to be done with a media release, the new group photo etc, and usually in music that never happens *GRIN*.
Neil has had a hankering to play in a band again
and what better band to do this in but the one he had the most joy with. Sounds fine to me.
If nothing else it will allow for some exciting discussions over the next few months.
Take care
Gryph
This has to be one of the most exciting things ever for me, Crowded House are my all time favourite band, and now I'm going to get to see them live! Plus the new album.
Julia.