Well, seems the new DVD got some things going! Actually, I had heard this might happen but I didn't know a new album which started as a Neil Finn solo record was coming. Cool. These guys are very much loved around the world. Sounds like Coachella will be amazing this year.
The story from Billboard.com...

Crowded House will reform after a 10-year-plus hiatus for a tour this year, including a stop at California's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in late April. The reunion, which was first reported by several Australian newspapers and confirmed by the webmaster of the Neil Finn site Frenz.com, will coincide with a new studio album.

Finn had previously maintained he would never revive Crowded House following the 2005 suicide of drummer Paul Hester. "It's an instant knee-jerk reaction, 'no Paul no Crowded House' for some, and you, know that's actually okay," webmaster Peter Green wrote on the Frenz.com message board. "Simply don't see them or play the new record. But there is a good chance you might be missing out on something special. Sometimes it's worth taking a leap of faith and giving something a chance."

"Neil has had a hankering to play in a band again and what better band to do this in but the one he had the most joy with," he continued.

The solo album Finn previously told Billboard.com would feature Crowded House bassist Nick Seymour has morphed into a Crowded House release, although it is unknown when it will hit stores. Also unclear is who will replace Hester; auditions are said to be underway to fill the slot. Multi-instrumentalist Mark Hart, who joined Crowded House full time in 1992, will be back in the fold for the live dates.

"It's a pretty emotional record, I think," Finn said of the new disc, which was produced by Ethan Johns. "It's hard for me to evaluate, 'cause I'm so close to it now. But I think it's fairly simple, which I'm really happy about. There's a lot of heart in the record, which I'm happy about, too."


Crowded House formed in 1985 and is best known for hits like "Don't Dream It's Over," "Something So Strong," "World Where You Live" and "Fall At Your Feet." The group's final show, held Nov. 24, 1996, in Melbourne, was released last week as the CD/DVD set "Farewell to the World" by EMI.

Last year, Finn and his brother Tim, who also contributed to Crowded House for a time, reunited with their seminal New Wave act Split Enz for a a short tour nearly 22 years after the band's split.

This is great news for all Crowded House fans!

I ordinarily stay away from huge festivals now like Coachella, ...but I may have to reconsider driving down there this year just for Crowded House.
I'm wondering if there will be any additional Crowded House shows scheduled for Southern California...

Peter Green, longtime manager of the Frenz/Crowded House/Split Enz office and fan club, has confirmed that Crowded House is indeed a band again, and are currently auditioning drummers.
The band & tour lineup will be Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mark Hart, and a new drummer TBA.
The next CD released WILL be a new Crowded House CD (not under the Neil Finn solo name as previously thought).

There will be a new mini-Crowdies website to appear on Frenz.com over the next few weeks:

http://www.frenz.com/crowdedhouse/board.php


For those of you who are either not aware of Crowded House, or haven't picked up the new live CD or DVD set... it's well worth it and highly recommended!


from frenz.com--

Almost 10 years to the day since the house lights went up for the last time, the Crowded House Farewell to the World Concert has finally been released on double CD and DVD. It not only captures the momentous occasion perfectly, but reminds fans old and new alike what a spectacular live force the Crowdies truly were. The double CD set contains the full set, newly mixed from the original tapes by Tchad Blake, while the DVD is completely newly edited, with both the original and new stereo mixes, as well as a 5.1 mix and a commentary track by the band. Extras include both the original documentary on the show and a brand new documentary, while the original demos of Crowdie classics "Italian Plastic" and "Instinct" are included as audio tracks.




Some song samples available at:
http://www.farewelltotheworld.com

News already breaking in Australia...


from The Herald Sun--

Crowded House back on the road

Nui Te Koha

January 21, 2007 12:00am


Don't dream it's over: Neil Finn of Crowded House.


CROWDED House, one of Australia's biggest musical exports, is re-forming for a world tour.

Former frontman Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour have held auditions in Auckland and Los Angeles and will continue their search for a replacement for founding drummer Paul Hester in Melbourne this week.
Hester committed suicide two years ago.

Finn has regularly dismissed notions of re-forming Crowded House. But Hester's tragic death shook that resolve.

Sources say Finn will commit 12 months to a world tour by Crowded House.

Finn's British-based management group will make an announcement this week.

The reunion comes 10 years after the band's emotional farewell performance on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

Last year, Finn toured with his former band Split Enz. In March, he will release a solo album and, later, tour with Crowded House.

Seymour played bass on Finn's forthcoming solo album.

"In the shadow of Paul's passing, we had more than enough reason to seek each other out and take a bit of comfort from each other," Finn said last month.

"But we've reconnected musically, too. I've really enjoyed him playing bass. There's something instinctive that we've got together and it's pretty undeniable."

Finn is expected in Melbourne today. But road-testing a new drummer will be a difficult task.

Two years ago, Finn said Hester's talent as a beatkeeper was almost irreplaceable and that he truly appreciated Hester's musical talent after the drummer left Crowded House in 1994.

"I never knew how great Paul was for me, how much he gave me, how incredibly important the chemistry was, until much later, when I was trying to show drummer after drummer how to play the brushes properly on Four Seasons in One Day," Finn said.

"Not one bugger got it. I realised how professional Paul's groove was, how genetically in synch we were.

"It was an accident, but a beautiful one. A fate that drew us all together."

Melbourne-born and bred, the Crowdies conquered the US with the 1987 hit, Don't Dream It's Over. Subsequent hits included Better Be Home Soon, Weather With You and Fall At Your Feet.

Crowded House split in June, 1996, and played the Opera House show five months later.

Finn said the band had achieved success in Britain and the US and he was sick of living on the road.

He has had a successful solo career, occasionally performing with brother Tim as the Finn Brothers.

Seymour runs a recording studio in Dublin and plays bass in a local band, Tarmac Adam.




http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 02,00.html

Very exciting news! I'm especially pleased to see that Mark Hart will be back in the fold.

And I'm in the same boat as Steve - for this, I might make the trip to Coachella...

from nme.com--


Crowded House Name New Album

Crowded House, who confirmed that they had re-formed earlier this week, have spoke about their plans for the future including the release a new album called Time On Earth.
In an official statement to EMI records, lead singer and band founder Neil Finn says:
"We are now announcing our intention to reform Crowded House with a new record entitled Time On Earth.
It feels right to us that the band should re-emerge at this time and, together with Mark Hart, we look forward to reconnecting with the audience that we established and for whom we still hold a deep respect.
We aim to make the upcoming shows and the new music every bit as vital and spirited as what has come before”
The bands last studio album was 1993’s Together Alone which peaked at number four in the UK charts.

I must say-with Sabbath, The Police, Genesis and now Crowded House (not to mention Rage Against The Machine and Jesus & Mary Chain bothe of whom I think are OK but wouldn't see) this is a stunning year for reunion show$$$s!
With other people I love like Rush returning to the road I'm going to be hurting this year-but that's OK!

Any votes on who you'd like to see on drums?

I vote Noel Crombie.

Or maybe Ricky Fataar. He played on at least one of Tim's solo albums.

I'll bet that if you die and go to hell, the song "Weather With You" is probably piped in over the Hell PA system 24/7.