He's gone for a walk...

[Greylock]

Damn, this makes me very sad....

Paul Hester, dead at age 46

Paul was the drummer for Crowded House, one of the last of the Great Pop Bands, and one of my favorite all-time rock groups. Suicide.

The last video I watched before my little operation was Crowded House - Live, The Final Concert. Damn thing is still in my VCR. This is a very sad morning for me. I remember seeing the band play live at the Antenna in Memphis around '86. Tiny club but it was roaring. Neil Finn was so shiningly charismatic he naturally dominated the show, Nick Seymour gave the band a solid base, but Hester was that night, and always, the bands human side, the jester, their Ringo.

I'll miss him.

 

[Lhorgrim]

I'm sorry to hear that. I told my wife just now, and she told me that Paul sometimes appeared on the "Wiggles" televison show that my two year old loves. He apparently played a chef in some of the skits and sing-a-longs.

 

[hong]

The MAX music channel here on Foxtel in Austria is playing a continuous Crowded House/Split Enz loop (Paul was a presenter on this channel up to his death). I'm reminded again what great music they made.

Damn.

 

[diaglo]

wow. sad news.

 

[hong]

I suppose it's too late to bitch now that I never made it to that final concert next to the Opera House.

 

[Greylock]

It's been almost 20 years, but I still count that '86 show, in what amounted to a juke-joint, one of the most transcendant rock shows I've ever been to. It was truly special. Crowded House had not yet broken US airwaves yet, although we'd been very keen on them for a year at the record store I worked at. We shoved them down everyone's throats and it was great when they finally caught on. This was back when a lowly record dude still had some sway.

The final concert video is great, but exceedingly poignant, and hard to watch at times. The music is still awesome, though, but I imagine there were many tears in the grass that night.

Hey, Mark. Guess what you're listening to today if you come by?

 

[MonsterMash]

Really sad news, Crowded House were always a real favourite of mine.

 

[hong]

The MAX music channel here on Foxtel in Austria is playing a continuous Crowded House/Split Enz loop (Paul was a presenter on this channel up to his death). I'm reminded again what great music they made.

Damn.

... I think we're coming up to 48 straight hours of Crowded House on MAX.

 

[Greylock]

Yah, and I'm still listening this morning. Mixing in some Badfinger, but still listening to CH as well.

 

[jokamachi]

Standing in the afternoon rain that often falls on Golden Gate park in April, watching a free acoustic concert with about a hundred other fans in 1991. That's the last time I saw Crowded House. Hester was awesome, whether he had a snare or the whole set-up. He was a great singer songwriter, too, though just about anyone would be overshadowed by a Finn brother.

What a shame.