Crowded House, back on the road. Hallelujah.

July 21, 2010 8:52 AM

A band of the 80's and 90's, that you've very probably listened to, is touring again. If you listened to the radio in 1986, you heard this. In 1991, you probably heard this. If you are a superfan, you've probably got a copy of their live farewell show in Sydney, 1996. If you're a zealot, you probably watched them live on the Jimmy Fallon Show last night. In my humble opinion, one of the most underrated composers and underrated bands around, still.
posted by legweak (100 comments total)

one of the most underrated composers and underrated bands around, still

Amen. Neil Finn is one of the greatest songwriters of the past 30 years, period.
posted by scody at 8:57 AM on July 21 [5 favorites]

Wife and I are driving four hours to see them on Monday in D.C. I've driven 8 hours, one way, to see them before. Best trip I ever made.
posted by legweak at 8:59 AM on July 21

One of my first concerts as a teenager in the 80s - they were amazing. Thanks for posting this, bringing back good memories.
posted by killy willy at 9:00 AM on July 21

You forgot to mention this.

Everywhere in 1986-1987, utterly inescapable, and a certain nostalgia (the song was suffused with nostalgia in the first place) has made it inescapable again, this time on supermarket and restaurant PA systems (and with the Sixpence None the Richer remake as well, even more so).
posted by blucevalo at 9:02 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

I won tickets to see them in 2008 at the Vic in Chicago. I'd really only known them prior to that for their "big hits" and was pleasantly surprised that I liked some of their new/lesser known stuff.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:04 AM on July 21

It would have been nice to put the band name in the post itself.
posted by OmieWise at 9:08 AM on July 21 [14 favorites]

All the links to YouTube are coming up with the "not available in your country" things - I guess there's no global video sharing ability is there?
posted by infini at 9:09 AM on July 21

I thought the drummer killed himself or something.
posted by I am the Walrus at 9:13 AM on July 21

My strongest memory of Crowded House is feeling a powerful wave of nostalgia when Molly Ringwald's character put the 45 of Don't Dream It's Over on her record player in The Stand. I love hearing a song that I didn't even realize was a part of me again after a long time.
posted by Mooski at 9:14 AM on July 21 [3 favorites]

Try going to the Crowded House website to check out their videos, if You tube is being a bitch.

www.crowdedhouse.com.
posted by legweak at 9:15 AM on July 21

Seconding OmieWise. Why do I have to mouse over links and look in the status bar to find out what you are talking about?
posted by Aquaman at 9:17 AM on July 21

The original drummer, Paul Hester, did kill himself. Matt Sherrod is a new dude. Saw them four years ago in Philly, and two years ago at the 9:30 club in D.C. He was there with them, both times. He's a great kitmaster.
posted by legweak at 9:17 AM on July 21

suffused with nostalgia

Well-said.

The Finn Brothers CD "Finn" is also excellent.
posted by bovious at 9:17 AM on July 21

I saw Neil Finn live when he was out promoting his second solo album. I remember at one point in the show he borrowed an audience member's cell phone to call New Zealand and talk to his brother.

Now that I think about it, I think Rhett Miller opened for him. That was a great show.
posted by Jugwine at 9:18 AM on July 21

Neil had his (probably 13 year old) son, Liam, playing guitar for him during the recording of the Sessions on West 54th Street DVD. That DVD is a terrific exposure to Neil Finn's songwriting ability, above and beyond Crowded House. He uses a childs record player at some point in the performance.
posted by legweak at 9:23 AM on July 21

I thought the drummer killed himself or something.

as legweak says, yes, Paul Hester killed himself about four years ago. Don't know if all the links will still work, but there was some nice discussion about him here. Ironically, it was Hester's suicide that ultimately led Neil Finn to reunite Crowded House -- he had been touring with his brother Tim at the time (who is on a brief tour himself, currently), then went back to NZ to start working on new material; I believe he's said that the new material was so steeped in thoughts of Hester that it inspired him to contact the other members of CH to see if they'd be interested in playing together.
posted by scody at 9:26 AM on July 21 [2 favorites]

My favourite Finn story happens when Neil has to call Tom York about an industry event a few years ago. The record company gives Neil Tom's mobile number. Neil calls Tom hesistantly, OK Computer had just broken and Radiohead were world famous. Tom answers the call and Neil introduces himself; then Tom can be heard in the background saying "holy fuck, it's Neil Finn".
posted by Samuel Farrow at 9:31 AM on July 21 [13 favorites]

Wow. I tend to think I'll be familiar with the subject of a mystery music post, but yeah, love these guys.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:32 AM on July 21

I haven't been able to enjoy "Don't Dream" as much since noticing that the lyrics in the verses make no fucking sense.

When I do want to hear the melody, I listen to the Sixpence None The Richer cover.
posted by Joe Beese at 9:42 AM on July 21

Don't Dream It's Over Lyrics

Make sense to me :)
posted by legweak at 9:44 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

This isn't really news, is it? I was seeing footage of them performing live, what? 2 years ago? And they've been on the road pretty much consistently with a few breaks for at least that long. I mean, I'm glad people are finding out about it now if they're fans and want to see them, but I knew about the CH reunion and tours quite a long time before this, and I wasn't even looking.
posted by hippybear at 9:45 AM on July 21 [2 favorites]

hippybear, do you really go to metafilter for news?
posted by legweak at 9:51 AM on July 21

I haven't been able to enjoy "Don't Dream" as much since noticing that the lyrics in the verses make no fucking sense.

I don't think they supposed to make sense (in any linear way). That's why they're pretty great.

It'd be even better if more pop songs were this way.
posted by blucevalo at 9:53 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Neil's mustache is very silly indeed.
posted by Parannoyed at 9:53 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

hippybear, do you really go to metafilter for news?

Yeah, I don't think the point of this post was to impart news as much as it was "YAY Crowded House."
posted by blucevalo at 9:54 AM on July 21

What can I say, I'm a fan.

The fact that they were on Fallon last night is kind of a big deal, as they're NOT appreciated my mainstream listeners, as far as I can tell. They have a devoted following, though, and some fans, like me, on MeFi. Their new CD is great, and IMHO is worth the money - more than I can say for most of the tripe out there these days. Their live shows, as per the Fallon performance, are very well done. I'd encourage anyone who is looking for "good music" to try them out. That's all I'm saying.

So, YAY, Crowded House!
posted by legweak at 10:02 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Neil had his (probably 13 year old) son, Liam, playing guitar for him during the recording of the Sessions on West 54th Street DVD.

Neil's son Liam makes music of his own now, and it's pretty damn awesome. One of his recordings can be heard here on the Sixty-One.
posted by saulgoodman at 10:02 AM on July 21

Oh, and yay Crowded House!
posted by saulgoodman at 10:03 AM on July 21

Oh man, thanks so much for this. I was a HUGE fan of their second album "Temple of Low Men" (particularly this song). FWIW, for all you fans of Don't Dream It's Over, the PS 22 cover kills me every time I hear it. Apparently Neill Finn thought so too, because he invited the kids to join him onstage.
posted by KingEdRa at 10:03 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Yeah, the lyrics make sense to me, too. What doesn't make sense, Joe Beese?
posted by davejay at 10:05 AM on July 21

Okay, fair enough. I misread the title of the post as somehow this being new information.

Yes, yay Crowded House.

Here's the page for their Austin City Limits appearance in 2007. It has one song and an interview video featured if you scroll down the page. It was a great show. (ACL is one of the best music shows on TV.)
posted by hippybear at 10:05 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

I saw Liam open for Crowded House in Philly a few years ago. He was a one man powerhouse or percussion and strings. The kiwi influence was strong in that one, grasshopper.
posted by legweak at 10:06 AM on July 21

Crowded House are one of those bands I'd listen to a lot more if every second commercial advertiser, radio station, store, elevator, call center didn't do the job for me.
posted by MuffinMan at 10:11 AM on July 21

I found several great musicians on Austin City Limits, hippybear -- KennedyRose, Eric Johnson.

Best Austin-based band, IMHO -- ARC Angels. Charlie Sexton (guitar prodigy, Pictures for Pleaseure) and Doyle Bramhall III and the rhythm section for SRV made/make for a tremendous sound. Saw them live in Nashville about 100 years ago and was totally blown away. CD never leaves my car.
posted by legweak at 10:11 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Crowded House with Jules Shear - Throw Your Arms Around Me

My favourite version.
posted by elmono at 10:20 AM on July 21

I love Neil Finn! he had the audience in his hand at a folk festival a while back, just him on his own. I think Morrissey curated it, it was brilliant. Thanks for the post.
posted by shinybaum at 10:21 AM on July 21

It would have been nice to put the band name in the post itself.

Although the new tour is news to me, I knew this post was about Crowded House right away.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:21 AM on July 21

And I am not going to put the name of the band in the post to be clever!
posted by LarryC at 10:24 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

FWIW, for all you fans of Don't Dream It's Over, the PS 22 cover kills me every time I hear it.

Yeah, okay, instant waterworks here. Good arrangement, too. And great post - thanks, legweak.

Come on, people. This is the internet. Sometimes you have to click links to find out what something is. Also, it's not that hard to skim the comments to find out what the post is about.
posted by rtha at 10:29 AM on July 21

I thought that was how we do Mystery Music Posts, making us MeFi readers guess what the post is about. I must be abnormal, me and my "blindly following links" type behavior.

God forbid, I follow a link to something I care nothing about. I can't afford the energy to perform such a costly act . . .
posted by legweak at 10:35 AM on July 21

A band of the 80's and 90's, that you've very probably listened to, is touring again. If you listened to the radio in 1986, you heard this.


Coin flip:

Crowded House or Devo?
posted by edgeways at 10:39 AM on July 21

And I am not going to put the name of the band in the post to be clever!

Jesus, people. It's right in the title. It's like MetaFilter is getting hit by the pink slime from Ghostbusters II or something.
posted by chinston at 10:43 AM on July 21

"Don't Dream it's Over" is one of the only songs I've heard on the radio in the last thirty years that instantly hooked me. The other one I remember is Boy George's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me."
posted by kozad at 10:46 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Chinston - Nice reference to an appropriate 80's film, and pink slime, to boot. Brilliant.

Haters gonna hate. . .

Devo as a guess is a good one, too. They're out there now, too.

Another potential guess could have been The B52s. I saw them two weeks ago at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. They were spot on, too -- Fred Schneider was wearing highly reflective silver boots and a snarky attitude, and Kate Pierson had very "big hair". I was having flashbacks. My kids didn't get it. . .
posted by legweak at 10:49 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Together Alone is one of the best records you've probably never heard.

And it sounds absolutely perfect in the summertime.

Go get it. Now.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:51 AM on July 21 [4 favorites]

Another potential guess could have been The B52s. I saw them two weeks ago at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Their most recent album Funplex (from a couple of years ago) is really excellent, too. If you're a fan, I recommend you pick it up.
posted by hippybear at 10:56 AM on July 21

A band of the 80's and 90's, that you've very probably listened to, is touring again. If you listened to the radio in 1986, you heard this.

"Kyrie" by Mr. Mister? "The Next Time I Fall" by Peter Cetera & Amy Grant? Dear god... "Sara" by Starship?

Can I come out from under my desk now?
posted by hal9k at 10:57 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Fred Schneider was wearing highly reflective silver boots and a snarky attitude, and Kate Pierson had very "big hair".

I turned on the radio a few months ago and Love Shack was just ending. The dj came on and said "A big happy birthday to Kate Pierson, who turns 62 today!" and I nearly crashed the car. Rock on, Kate!
posted by rtha at 11:02 AM on July 21 [2 favorites]

I refuse to let Crowded House get lumped as either a nostalgia or one-hit wonder act, although that is a particularly American point of view.

Finn has been consistently putting out masterfully crafted pop gems for 3 straight decades.
It's not like the dude disappeared.

And as for the "one hit wonder" status, this is one of the only major countries in the world where those dudes werent HUGE.

Tangential rant: Further, I want to throttle every idiotic Rage Against the Machine fan that ruined CH's 1997 Coachella performance while waiting for their boring, dated, rap rock bullshit act to come out (it's not like they could have just showed up at the main stage hours later, ya know, when Rage was actually scheduled to perform) thus turning the crowd at the main stage into a mini-Bakersfield for an afternoon. Stupid cunts.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:07 AM on July 21 [5 favorites]

I can't discuss the greatness of Crowded House without at least one mention of the Finn brother's first band, Split Enz.
posted by jeffen at 11:09 AM on July 21 [9 favorites]

I once lived in an apartment that had a big empty extra room with a high ceiling, a marble floor, and an old pump organ (the foot pump kind). On rainy days and at night I would spend hours playing it, learning how to pump, play, and sing at the same time. The only song I was any good at playing and singing on that old thing was Don't Dream It's Over. The organ break in that song is really fun to play.

It was the upstairs apartment directly above a mortuary. While my playing wasn't quite bad enough to wake the dead, I'm pretty sure the dirty looks from the guys who worked there were a direct result of my forcing them to listen to that song over and over again for months.
posted by The World Famous at 11:19 AM on July 21 [3 favorites]

Oh man, when I was 13 or so, Temple Of Low Men was a huge part of my life. I had it on cassette, and so consequently, haven't heard it it about 15 years.
posted by statolith at 11:31 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Total surrender
Your touch is so tender
Your skin is like water on a burning beach
And it brings me relief
posted by any major dude at 11:36 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Not being snarky and I am clearly in a minority here, but I find Crowded House very dull. In my head, they're lumped together with The Corrs. Which is not doing them justice I know, but there you go. Sorry.
posted by jontyjago at 11:38 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Seeing them in Victoria in August. I saw them a few years ago during their Time On Earth tour and it was the best show I've ever seen, bar none. My favourite band. It's unbelievably good that I can see them in auditoriums rather than stadiums. If they're anywhere near, go see them. Just do it, even if you're not a fan. They're unbelievable live.
posted by jimmythefish at 11:43 AM on July 21

They played Live 8 and that was the first time I heard their new material. "Silent House" just floored me - the touching lyrics seemed to be written for someone slipping into dementia or Alzheimers, and the buildup of guitars and distortion at the end of their Live 8 version was the perfect accompaniment to the deterioration described in they lyrics. Only later did I find out that it wasn't about that so much as a tribute to their drummer. Good lyrics have that ability to fit with so many possible interpretations.

Still have no effing clue what half of the lyrics to "Pineapple Head" mean.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 11:45 AM on July 21

they = their
posted by Hardcore Poser at 11:46 AM on July 21

Thanks for the post; I was able to get tickets to their upcoming concert in San Francisco.

I love Crowded House, but the new album's kinda meh.

When I was in New Zealand I went to Te Awamutu because they mention it in "Mean to Me" (it's where the Finn brothers are from).

"She Will Have Her Way is a compilation album featuring female Australian and New Zealand musicians performing songs written by Neil Finn and Tim Finn." It's got some pretty good covers.

I can't discuss the greatness of Crowded House without at least one mention of the Finn brother's first band, Split Enz.

Split Enz' last album See Ya 'Round is kind of a proto-Crowded House album, with Paul Hester on drums. It's not great, but it has some good songs. They recorded it after Tim left the band and it was only released in Australia and New Zealand. "I Walk Away" first appeared on See Ya 'Round; they rerecorded it for Crowded House.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:50 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

And as for the "one hit wonder" status, this is one of the only major countries in the world where those dudes werent HUGE.

Yeah, America is a tough nut for musical acts to crack. Cross-reference Pink and Kylie Minogue.
posted by hippybear at 11:50 AM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Yay! Total super fan here -- Neil (and to a lesser extent, Tim, and now, also, Liam) provides the soundtrack of my life. True Colors was my first record album! My Great Grandma gave it to me when I was 12! Can't wait to see them here in the Twin Cities soon soon soon!

O.K., deep calming breath.

Re: the B 52's, last time they were in town, the paper ran an article that mentioned Kate's age. Several people wrote the paper in outraged disbelief. She looks (and sounds) great! I can't believe Funplex wasn't more successful. It is very cool.
posted by Malla at 11:53 AM on July 21

Still have no effing clue what half of the lyrics to "Pineapple Head" mean.
posted by Hardcore Poser

it was a song written from gibberish uttered by his youngest son in the midst of a very high fever. The story goes that Neil heard these songs and ran downstairs to the piano and Pineapple Head is what came out.
posted by any major dude at 11:54 AM on July 21

The other one I remember is Boy George's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me."

It was "Time (Clock of the Heart)" for me .....
posted by blucevalo at 11:54 AM on July 21

heard these words
posted by any major dude at 11:55 AM on July 21

I was all ready to charge in here and destroy the hyperbole in the post with extreme prejudice and jaunty music nerd airs and a fucking popped monocle and everything.

But then I noticed it was about Crowded House and I sat down and shut the fuck up.
posted by loquacious at 12:02 PM on July 21 [13 favorites]

When I was in New Zealand I went to Te Awamutu because they mention it in "Mean to Me" (it's where the Finn brothers are from).

Ha! When I visited my friends in New Zealand (who I originally bonded with 15+ years ago in large part because of our shared Finn love) I made the same pilgrimage. The ladies at the Finn Brothers exhibition at the local library were quite amused when I fell to my knees and started crying for joy upon seeing Neil's primary school essay on how his most admired person was Paul McCartney.

Neil also holds the distinction of being my longest-standing crush (yes, he beat Paul Weller by about a year or two) -- I remember the first time I saw the video for "I Got You" and, after initially being stunned into open-mouthed silence, I started jumping up and down while doing this kind of Beatles-on-Ed-Sullivan squealing, because I didn't know how else to process the SHEER! ADORABLE! AWESOMENESS!

ALSO: Can Neil Finn save the day? Of course he can!
posted by scody at 12:21 PM on July 21 [1 favorite]

You jerks stop ruining "Pineapple Head" for me!!
posted by Senor Cardgage at 12:25 PM on July 21

Tune of the summer!
posted by First Post at 12:29 PM on July 21

thanks. Can't get enough pop.
posted by nicolin at 12:39 PM on July 21

Distant sun is a great song.

lets also mention the chills here as well a great nz band i think being covered by the house of love here.
posted by sgt.serenity at 12:47 PM on July 21 [2 favorites]

Although the new tour is news to me, I knew this post was about Crowded House right away.

I'm a big Split Enz/Crowded House fan, and I had no idea.

So, an old-news post poorly formatted.... whee. Did you know that Quasi was playing with Pavement on Sept 5 in Seattle? Or that Guided by Voices is getting back together? Yeah. Not necessarily to me, but GBV seems like a way more influential band.

When I was in New Zealand I went to Te Awamutu because they mention it in "Mean to Me" (it's where the Finn brothers are from).

"Ten pounds of boy
Haul away, haul away, haul away"

lets also mention the chills here as well a great nz band i think being covered by the house of love here.

well, shit. I didn't even know House of Love got back together. Now THERE's news (from 2005)!
posted by mrgrimm at 1:02 PM on July 21 [1 favorite]

any major dude: "it was a song written from gibberish uttered by his youngest son in the midst of a very high fever. The story goes that Neil heard these songs and ran downstairs to the piano and Pineapple Head is what came out."

That explains it - it also goes a long way to explaining why Sean Cullen picked it when he hosted his absurdist summer radio show. Its whimsical beginnings make up for the dashing of the romantic storyline I'd been building in my own head trying to figure the words out (I empathize, Senor Cardgage.)
posted by Hardcore Poser at 1:24 PM on July 21

Maybe I prefer this explanation.
The lyrics were pretty abstract anyway.

"Walking on the Spot" is like that too. And also a totally class track.

Speaking of Together Alone, I believe it was recorded in Fiji(?) and I really think the setting is brewed into the sound throughout.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 1:59 PM on July 21

This video contains content from EMI. It is no longer available in your country.

The music industry is ruining the Internet.
posted by chillmost at 2:11 PM on July 21

Just to throw another song in, and it's Split Enz, not Crowded House, but ....
I think Six Months In a Leaky Boat is one of the greatest compositions ever. Try to listen to it even without the video, and NOT think of sailing and early NZ settlers. I dare you.

Aotearoa, rugged individual
Glisten like a pearl
At the bottom of the world
The tyranny of distance
Didn't stop the cavalier
So why should it stop me
I'll conquer and stay free
posted by Diag at 2:14 PM on July 21 [1 favorite]

Another piece of chocolate cake for everyone!
posted by arcticseal at 2:23 PM on July 21

You made me listen to Crowded House for a few seconds. I suppose I should be grateful it wasn't Little River Band.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 3:31 PM on July 21 [1 favorite]

(Kate Pierson also owns Lazy Meadow Motel around the Catskill Park in New York. You can get a T-shirt or hat.)

Fuck yeah, Neil Finn and Crowded House! I could listen to Private Universe all day. Or Into the Sunset off Finn's second solo album. Or Recurring Dream. Hell, I need to go root around my CDs now.
posted by zix at 3:36 PM on July 21

I used to live not far from 57 Mt. Pleasant Street. We went and knocked on the door one night but there was nobody home. Then we realised we were on Mt. Pleasant Road. Turns out he was referring to a street in London, 19000 kilometres away.

Someone should also mention 7 Worlds Collide.
posted by doublehappy at 3:50 PM on July 21

Many a time I've been saved from homesickness by going to karaoke here in Japan and being able to sing Don't Dream It's Over.

Saw them so many times in the 80's live I can't even remember. Just awesome.
posted by gomichild at 3:56 PM on July 21 [1 favorite]

That should be late 80's/early 90's technically speaking.
posted by gomichild at 3:58 PM on July 21

scody: as legweak says, yes, Paul Hester killed himself about four years ago.

If I stand near my clothesline and look up through the trees, I can just about make out Paul Hester's gravestone in the cemetery on the hill. His family have a connection to the little town in which I live and Paul wanted to be buried next to his mother. So they contacted the cemetary committee and arranged for a local guy with a backhoe to come in and dig the grave. He was sworn to secrecy. So within a day, most of the town knew. On the day a bunch of Melbourne muso types, the Finn brothers and family and friends came up and froze their arses off at the graveside.

If I ever doubted just what a devastating mental illness depression can be I need only walk up the hill. There was clearly a massive gulf between Hester's public persona and his inner demons and it remains an absolute tragedy that his life degenerated to the point where suicide was the only option he could thing of.

Sorry for the downer, but for me - and many others - it's hard to think of Crowded House without thinking what happened to Hester.

ps: the drum brushes that someone left on his headstone at the funeral are still there!
posted by tim_in_oz at 4:59 PM on July 21 [6 favorites]

I love Crowded House. And that PS22 version of "Don't Dream It's Over"—I think the hair on my arms stood up for that entire video. That's one of my favorite songs.

Or that Guided by Voices is getting back together?

Yep! Anyone else manage to score tickets to this little weekend getaway? Meetup?
posted by limeonaire at 5:37 PM on July 21

God, this post makes me happy. My sister saw them in NYC, and for the first time in 15 years, I wasn't with her. We've seen CH, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, The Finn Bros, and Liam Finn. The first album we bought, together since we had to pool our resources, was Split Enz' Time and Tide in elementary school.

I've also driven down to sleepy Te Awamutu. I'm sure they think the American pilgrimages are bizarre. In fact, they put New Zealand on the map for me. It was difficult to understand as a 10-year-old that such a country existed. Way out there, at the bottom of the world.

Unfortunately, I now live in Albuquerque, and no bands come here.

Btw, Toni Collette does a lovely cover of Don't Dream It's Over. I can't find it online but you can hear it in the Aussie film Cosi.
posted by nikitabot at 6:20 PM on July 21 [2 favorites]

Bob Lefsetz's latest post is a paean to Split Enz' "Message to My Girl."

Sorry legweak, didn't realize that the song they performed on Fallon was "Don't Dream" till just now. Whoops.
posted by blucevalo at 7:16 PM on July 21

My favorite album from the Crowded House universe is Neil Finn's Try Whistling This.
posted by neuron at 9:23 PM on July 21

Favorite Crowded House concert moment: 1992 -- Woodface Tour -- Tipatina's in New Orleans

Crowded House open the show with a brief acoustic set, with Neil on six string and Paulo playing a three-piece kit with brushes.

Nick (who's a pretty tall cat) walks up behind a seated Neil, leans over him and starts plucking a simple bass line on the guitar's low E string. Paul then gets up from behind the kit, kneels in front of Neil and start tapping the guitar's strings with his brushes. Finally, Neil starts fretting chords with his left hand.

All three members playing a complete song on one guitar. I've never seen anything like it before or since.
posted by bpm140 at 10:02 PM on July 21 [3 favorites]

Neil also holds the distinction of being my longest-standing crush (yes, he beat Paul Weller by about a year or two) -- I remember the first time I saw the video for "I Got You" and, after initially being stunned into open-mouthed silence, I started jumping up and down while doing this kind of Beatles-on-Ed-Sullivan squealing, because I didn't know how else to process the SHEER! ADORABLE! AWESOMENESS!

Quoted for YES!
posted by desuetude at 10:54 PM on July 21

I saw Neil and Tim Finn play on a ferry boat in Glasgow, the highest concentration of talent to volume that Irecall experiencing. They stopped mid song and one of them said 'Hey this guy in the front is singing a perfect third above us.' So the pulled the guy on stage and finished the song with the lucky fellow trembling like a leaf, grinning like a maniac and singing facing the other way.

When Crowded House were on live childrens Saturday morning show in the UK there was a regular bit where a question was asked about the band and the kids could write/phone in and win some goodies. Crowded House asked the question- 'Which one of us is not circumcised'? The presenters' faces were a picture.
posted by Gratishades at 3:03 AM on July 22 [3 favorites]

"Quoted for YES!"

Quoted for ME FREAKING TOO. I think I was 14 when I first heard "I Got You," and I went on and on about it to everyone I knew. It was a little hard to share it with my friends, though, since we didn't even have MTV yet, and I had to wait to randomly see the video on PopClips or between movies on Showtime.
posted by litlnemo at 4:53 AM on July 22 [1 favorite]

"Don't Dream It's Over" is my favorite song of all times. There, I said it.
posted by tommasz at 5:59 AM on July 22

You know, when I started this thread, I did it out of an intense - INTENSE - desire to share this band with everyone I know, and those I don't, as well. I've never done this on MetaFilter before - it was very nice to know that so may of you feel the same way I do.

There is no lack of popular music.

There is a significant lack of good popular music.

Hope these guys stay popular, to all of you, personally.
posted by legweak at 8:47 AM on July 22

Making a post about any band from 10-20 years ago is like shooting fish in a barrel. There's always someone who likes them.
posted by smackfu at 8:53 AM on July 22 [1 favorite]

There's always someone who likes them.

Well... sure. But I think that kind of misses the point of what legweak is saying and what many of the comments in this thread indicate.
posted by scody at 9:22 AM on July 22 [1 favorite]

There's always someone who likes them.

Tellingly, about every other year I'll find a friend enjoying a Crowded House song with no idea who they are -- in more than once case wracked with a desire to find out -- and end up making them a CD of what rapidly becomes one of their favourite bands.

They are that good.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:42 AM on July 22

There's always someone who likes them.

I'm on my second set of CDs from these guys. Worn out from too much playin'.

Don't be a player hater.

Oh, SNAP!
posted by legweak at 11:00 AM on July 22

Your favorite band is awesome!
posted by smackfu at 11:20 AM on July 22 [2 favorites]

"A band of the 80's and 90's, that you've very probably listened to, is touring again. "

Which led to the obvious question... "who is that guy drumming?"

Sort of a sad way to find out about Paul Hester.
posted by markkraft at 11:13 PM on July 22

"Crowded House with Jules Shear - Throw Your Arms Around Me"

Song written by Hunters & Collectors... whose lead singer, Mark Seymour, is the brother of Nick Seymour, who plays bass in Crowded House.

It's also pretty much Australia's favorite song written by one of their own, according to their polls.
posted by markkraft at 12:23 AM on July 23 [1 favorite]

Song written by Hunters & Collectors

Fantastic cover, isn't it?
posted by elmono at 7:53 AM on July 23

Great now, great now, its stuckinmyheadnonstopgodarmmit
posted by infini at 8:47 AM on July 23