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Crowded House arose from the ashes of Split Enz, a NZ band but adopted by Australia, where they were huge. After Split Enz, Neil Finn went to LA, where he put together a band he planned to call "The Mullanes". However, Capitol, their US label, wanted a “better” name. They were all living together in one house rehearsing, so, voila!, “Crowded House”.
They became huge in America - good looking guys, with no tattoos, long hair or drug convictions, who were pleasant, fun and funny, the same qualities as The Beatles over 30 years before.
Mick first heard Crowded House in Bali, where someone had a cassette of “Don’t Dream it’s Over” that got flogged for 7 days straight. On a road trip away with his wife, they played a cassette (remember them?) of Woodface non-stop for 4 days. The boys saw Crowded House when they were one of the first bands ever to play the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.
The boys talk about a show called “Ashes to Ashes”, set in 1981, with lots of music from that era - The Clash, Duran Duran, Bowie (title track), Ultravox, The Stranglers, late-period Roxy Music and Gary Numan. The boys talk about Gary Numan - an agoraphobic recluse who lived in a caravan in his parents’ backyard so that “Cars” is not just a song, (“Here in my car / I feel safest of all / I can lock all my doors”). It was a lifestyle for him.
References: Crowded House, Split Enz, Countdown, Gary Numan, Stranglers, The Clash, Duran Duran, Bowie, Ashes to Ashes, Ultravox, Roxy Music.
Ashes to Ashes Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/55HqiQ9VlIfKVJX4oEhHYn?si=9b4310d5d0a24d04
Kevin Bloody Wilson
https://open.spotify.com/album/5orAfKmNqVCKLWdBVomveP?si=e99383a2d86d48da
