Crowded House are a pop rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1985 by lead-vocalist and primary songwriter, New Zealand-born Neil Finn. The other founding members were Australians Paul Hester and Nick Seymour. Later band members included Neil's brother Tim Finn and Americans Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod. Crowded House are referred to as The Crowdies by Australian fans.
Originally active from 1985 to 1996, the band have had consistent commercial and critical success in Australia and New Zealand and international chart success in two phases, beginning with their self-titled debut album, Crowded House, which reached number twelve on the US Album Chart in 1987 and provided the Top Ten hits, "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong". Further international success came in the UK and Europe with their third and fourth albums, Woodface and Together Alone and the compilation album Recurring Dream, which included the hits "Fall at Your Feet", "Weather with You", "Distant Sun", "Locked Out", "Instinct" and "Not the Girl You Think You Are". Queen Elizabeth II bestowed an OBE on both Neil and Tim Finn, in June 1993, for their contribution to the music of New Zealand.
Founding drummer Hester left in May 1994, citing family reasons, but briefly returned for their Farewell to the World concerts in Melbourne and Sydney in 1996. Neil Finn had decided to end the band to concentrate on his solo career and the Finn Brothers project with Tim. On 26 March 2005 Hester committed suicide, aged 46. In 2006, the group re-formed with new drummer Matt Sherrod and have since released two further albums, which have both reached number one on Australia's Album Chart.
Read more about Crowded House: History, Members, Discography, Awards
Famous quotes containing the words crowded and/or house:
“If a walker is indeed an individualist there is nowhere he can’t go at dawn and not many places he can’t go at noon. But just as it demeans life to live alongside a great river you can no longer swim in or drink from, to be crowded into safer areas and hours takes much of the gloss off walking—one sport you shouldn’t have to reserve a time and a court for.”
—Edward Hoagland (b. 1932)
“In relation to God, we are like a thief who has burgled the house of a kindly householder and been allowed to keep some of the gold. From the point of view of the lawful owner this gold is a gift; From the point of view of the burglar it is a theft. He must go and give it back. It is the same with our existence. We have stolen a little of God’s being to make it ours. God has made us a gift of it. But we have stolen it. We must return it.”
—Simone Weil (1909–1943)