Paul Hester From Crowded House Dies

[donna]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, but any Australians or Kiwis reading the forum should know this. It's a sad day.

What a waste of a talented musician. May he rest in peace now.

Rock legend dies

By Nui Te Koa and Kathy McCabe

March 28, 2005

LEGENDARY Crowded House drummer Paul Hester was found dead yesterday in a public park.

Hester, 46, the father of two young girls, failed to return from walking his two dogs, Stan and Rose, on Saturday night.

Police later found his body in Elsternwick park near his Melbourne home. They said there were no suspicious circumstances and friends said they had been unaware of Hester having been depressed.

Last night, former Crowded House members, singer Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour, said they were reeling from the tragedy.

"I am devastated," Finn told The Daily Telegraph from London. "I have lost one of my best mates."

Finn, on tour with his brother Tim, is due to start four dates at the Royal Albert Hall in London, but may postpone the performances to fly to Melbourne today.

As news of Hester's death swept Sydney's Cockatoo Island Festival last night, You Am I singer Tim Rogers dedicated a song to the drummer during his set.

Split Enz and Crowded House members were contacted by Peter Green, from Neil Finn's office, yesterday. "I can't imagine a sadder day than today," Mr Green, Hester's long-time friend, said last night.

"I feel for Paul's little girls. We are still, all of us, asking why?"

Mr Green said Hester, a perennial joker on stage and off, had been in good spirits in recent times. "Paul had some dark moments. Some good days and some bad days, like all of us," Mr Green said.

Hester had returned from Dublin two weeks ago, where he enjoyed an upbeat visit with former Crowdies bassist, Nick Seymour.

"It was all good," Seymour said from Dublin last night. "The last words Paul told me were: 'I love you, mate. See you in town [Melbourne] in a month'."

Hester quit Crowded House in 1994, but had reinvented himself into a drummer-for-hire, cafe owner and charismatic frontman of MusicMax Sessions on Foxtel. Hester also played drums in Split Enz from 1983 to 1984.

He lived in Elwood - a fashionable bayside suburb of Melbourne - with his girlfriend, Mardi Sommerfeld, and their two daughters, aged 10 and 8.

Mr Green dismissed music industry speculation that Hester was battling illness at the time of his death.

"Paul never said anything about that and I never, ever, heard he was suffering from any illness," he said. "Then, after today, I wonder if anybody really knew anything."

Last night, music industry leaders were in mourning for a drummer, who, in Crowded House, cracked the US market with the 1987 hit, Don't Dream It's Over.

"We have lost a mate," Mr Green said. "We have lost the heart and soul of Crowded House.

"I know how much Paul loved his kids, I know how much he loved life. None of this makes sense. Anyone who saw Hessie at his finest knew he grabbed life by the balls.

"People who worked with Paul are in tatters. Neil Finn wants to come home, but we have urged him to stay in London and do the shows for Paul."

Hester performed with the Finns during their national tour late last year.

"When Paul played those shows, it was like it should be," Mr Green said.

Hester was born and raised in Melbourne. His father, Mulga Mike Hester, was a legendary bushman and his mother, Ann, a jazz drummer.

Hester joined Split Enz in 1983, then, with Neil Finn formed Crowded House. In 2003, Hester and Seymour joined forces in the band, Tarmac Adam.

[penzman]

Sad indeed.

One thing that did make it here when I moved to LOS was my Crowded House cd's. I'm still a big Split Enz/Crowded House/Tim and Neil Finn fan. Neil Finn is a musical genius.

I've been at two of their concerts at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa where I worked. On the second gig I had even managed to ask to do a tune with them on bass for their sound check but that was cut short by a unionized stagehands lunch hour

I had brought friends backstage to meet them afterwards and get autographs. Hester was, as always, really funny and even had me sign an autograph for him

Topic Moved

[Pepe']

Sad indeed.

One thing that did make it here when I moved to LOS was my Crowded House cd's. I'm still a big Split Enz/Crowded House/Tim and Neil Finn fan. Neil Finn is a musical genius.

I've been at two of their concerts at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa where I worked. On the second gig I had even managed to ask to do a tune with them on bass for their sound check but that was cut short by a unionized stagehands lunch hour

I had brought friends backstage to meet them afterwards and get autographs. Hester was, as always, really funny and even had me sign an autograph for him 

Topic Moved

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Never heard of them here in Southern Cal. Always looking for new good tunes.

What kind of music do they play?...

[DP25]

Never heard of them here in  Southern Cal.  Always looking for new good tunes.

What kind of music do they play?...

You've probably heard them before. Ever heard the song "Don't Dream it's over"?

[Merlin]

I worked for them one time on the Gold Coast back in '96, I think. A good time was had by all IIRC.

[tuky]

Never heard of them here in  Southern Cal.  Always looking for new good tunes.

What kind of music do they play?...

You've probably heard them before. Ever heard the song "Don't Dream it's over"?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

better be home soon?

[chonabot]

Brilliant Band , some of the best crafted songs from the last 50 years IMO.

[TizMe]

I've been listening to all their old stuff for two days now.

A very sad time.

Four Seasons In One Day.

Something So Strong

[TizMe]

Never heard of them here in  Southern Cal.  Always looking for new good tunes.

What kind of music do they play?...

Pepe, (and anyone else that hasn't heard of C.H)

Amazon has some samples of really the best in Down Under Music

[chuchok]

A sad day indeed. Great band.

[ProfessorFart]

It sounds like he hung himself. What a shame.

''Ambulance officers said he had "attempted suicide" and died from strangulation. He was already dead when they arrived at the scene. ''

From the BBC.

[stumonster]

Never heard of them here in  Southern Cal.  Always looking for new good tunes.

What kind of music do they play?...

You've probably heard them before. Ever heard the song "Don't Dream it's over"?

better be home soon?

always take the wether with you - - bloody kiwis

[donna]

A very sad day indeed.

I read somewhere this week that depression is the 'common cold' of the mental health world. (hope it wasn't in the above article or I'll feel like a dill).

I have a friend with a mental illness and it's such a hard thing. I never knew anything was up when she first became ill. Even now, she will be going along fine and then something just snaps and she goes off.

Very scary. Such a sad waste of a talented gifted man.

I hope he finds peace now.

[penzman]

Brilliant Band , some of the best crafted songs from the last 50 years IMO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Most of them written by Neil Finn. The man never ceases to amaze me with wonderful music and lyrics, great guitar player, he always comes up with some catchy chords and subtle sounds. Check out his solo albums, well worth a listen or a thousand

[chuchok]

Finns back for Hester’s funeral

01.04.05 5.00am

New Zealand musicians Neil and Tim Finn have cancelled some European shows and rescheduled others to return to Melbourne for the funeral of drummer Paul Hester this weekend.

Hester, who played with the Finns in Split Enz and with Neil Finn in Crowded House, committed suicide in Melbourne on Saturday.

The Finns have been playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London this week, but have interrupted their European tour to attend Hester’s funeral, which will be private. A public tribute is planned next week.

[mickmac]

A very sad day indeed:

chonabot Posted 2005-03-29 20:12:13

  Brilliant Band , some of the best crafted songs from the last 50 years IMO.

Agree with every word you say. I count myself as very fortunate to have seen them perform live. One of my fav. tracks: Sister Madly

R.I.P. Paul, ( I can still see you running around the balconoy in the De Montford hall as if it was yesterday)

Edited April 2, 2005 by mickmac