Ex-Crowded House drummer's suicide

[gldstwmn]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapc...eut/index.html

Sunday, March 27, 2005 Posted: 9:36 PM EST (0236 GMT)

MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) -- Drummer Paul Hester from the New Zealand bands Split Enz and Crowded House has been found dead in a park in the southern Australian city of Melbourne, apparently after committing suicide, a fan Web site says.

Australian police on Monday confirmed the body of a man in his 40s was found in Elsternwick Park near Hester's Melbourne home. Police said the death was not suspicious, but they would not release the man's name.

"I am devastated. I have lost one of my best mates," former Crowded House singer Neil Finn told Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Hester, 46, failed to return home from walking his two dogs on Saturday night, said the newspaper on Monday.

The Web site, frenz.com, said "...Paul Hester of Split Enz, Crowded House, Largest Living Things, and many other great projects, has taken his own life."

"It is not a hoax or a rumor. At this point, it has been confirmed though we have no other details at this time."

Hester played in several Melbourne bands before joining New Zealand band Split Enz in 1983.

He and Neil Finn formed Crowded House with bassist Nick Seymour in 1985. Hester quit Crowded House in 1994.

Finn, along with brother Tim, is on tour in Britain.

"I was a big fan and liked him enormously," Australian entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins, who worked with Hester during his Crowded House days, said.

"He was really well respected. He was a great drummer and a great singer and a great band member," Wilkins said.

[CrystalVisions]

This is so horribly sad. I loved 'Crowded House' in the 80's and listened to them all the time...'Don't Dream It's Over' was my favourite in High School, and a few months ago I heard 'In The World Where You Live' and started listening to them again, remembering how much I loved Neil's voice and the sound of the band. This is so sad...

[GODDESS6]

very very sad...

R.I.P. PAUL

[tynan88]

It is terrible, there were people calling up the radio stations here in tears this morning, I was driving up to Sydney today and nearly had to stop when 'Don't Dream It's Over' came on because they played an extended live version from the charity WaveAid concert i went to a few months back...terrible, but it always seems to happen to a lot of great people doesn't it...so may minds just too great for the world.

Now I'm not necessarily applying this to Paul as I wasn't a huge fan, but it does seem to be the way in general, a lot of artistic people suffer problems, such as my uncle who was an amazing artist and sculpture yet had some severe mental problems before he eventually killed himself two years ago...very sad.

[golddustwoman77]

That is really sad! I love Crowded House back in the 80s. I haven't thought about them in years. Well, I hope he will be happier on the other side.