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Crowded House
Afterglow
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1. I Am In Love (Neil Finn)

Produced by Youth and Crowded House.

Recorded at Kare Kare by Greg Hunter as part of the Together Alone sessions in 1992.

2. Sacred Cow (Neil Finn)

Produced by Mitchell Froom.

Recorded and mixed at A&M Studios in early 1990 by Tchad Blake

3. You Can Touch (Neil Finn)

Produced by Youth and Crowded House.

Recorded at Kare Kare by Greg Hunter as part of the Together Alone sessions in 1992.

4. Help Is Coming (Neil Finn/Nick Seymour/P. Jones)

Produced by Crowded House.

Recorded at York Street by Nick Abbott and Andrew Buckton 1994.

Mixed by Sam Gibson.

5. I Love You Dawn (Neil Finn)

Produced by Crowded House.

Recorded at Platinum Studios in Melbourne circa 1989.

Engineered by Chris Corr.

Mixed by Sam Gibson

6. Dr. Livingston (Neil Finn)

Produced by Crowded House.

Recorded at Platinum Studios in Melbourne circa 1989.

Engineered by Chris Corr.

Mixed by Sam Gibson

7. My Telly’s Gone Bung (Paul Hester)

Produced by Crowded House.

Recorded at Platinum Studios in Melbourne circa 1989.

Engineered by Chris Corr.

Mixed by Sam Gibson

8. Private Universe (Neil Finn)

Produced by Youth and Crowded House.

Recorded at Kare Kare by Greg Hunter as part of the Together Alone sessions in 1992.

Mixed by Bob Clearmountain.

9. Lester (Neil Finn)

Home demo recorded in 1988.

Produced by Crowded House.

Mixed by Sam Gibson

10. Anyone Can Tell (Neil Finn)

Recorded at A&M Studios by Tchad Blake 1989.

Mixed by Bob Clearmountain.

Produced by Mitchell Froom and Crowded House

11. Recurring Dream (Neil Finn/Paul Hester/Nick Seymour/C. Hooper)

Produced by Crowded House.

Recorded at Platinum Studios 1985.

Mixed by Michael Frondelli

12. Left Hand (Neil Finn)

Produced by Crowded House.

Recorded at Periscope Studios in Melbourne 1990.

Engineered by Paul Kosky.

Mixed by Sam Gibson.

13. Time Immemorial (Neil Finn)

Produced by Crowded House.

Recorded at Periscope Studios in Melbourne 1990 circa 1989.

Engineered by Chris Corr.

Mixed by Sam Gibson.

Thanks to Grant, Amanda, Peter and all Crowded House Crew.

Project assistance by Janey Dunn and Mark Goulding.

Art by Nick Seymour.

Design by Vent London.

For more information on Crowded House P.O. Box 333, Prahran VIC 3181, Australia. Include a stamp or IRC. Email - peter@frenz.com

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There are acts who record everything they write and release everything they record. After their break-up there’s nothing much in the cupboard. Crowded House was not that way. Most live shows were spiced by the inclusion of some orphan or other, something that hadn’t made the cut on this or that album or had shown up on a soundtrack and clearly still meant a lot to the character bellowing the request fom the dress circle. When they made their last farewell on the steps of the Sydney Opera house in front of an incalculable number of people on that balmy night in 1996 there was simply no question of their being permitted to depart without playing “Throw Your Arms Around Me”, a Hunters and Collectors song they had somehow ended up fostering. Crowded House loved to play and they loved to play for people, neither of which is as common as you think.

Hence this collection of orphans and strays, put together with the blessing of all the former members of the group in order, as Neil Finn puts it, to fill in the gaps and complete the picture for the fans. There are examples of their early form – in the case of “Recurring Dream” from back when they were actually a four piece called The Mullanes featuring Craig Hooper, formerly of The Reels. “Craig used to play so loud,” Neil recalls, “that one night Paul, Nick and I were knocking vainly at the door of the rehearsal room while he played this song over and over. In the end we flagged down a passing taxi and used his radio to send a message straight to Craig’s amp.” “Left hand” was a live favourite from the run up to the second album "Temple Of Low Men" which didn’t fit the mould at the time but seems to have a good energy upon reflection.

“Dr. Livingstone” was written after spending two weeks in Mozambique visiting refugee camps in 1989 – 90. I always liked the rhythm track of this one but in the end was unsure of whether I should be tackling an issue like this in a song.

This song was committed to tape in the three years between “Temple Of Low Men” and “Woodface” along with “I Love You Dawn”, “Time Immemorial” and Paul Hester’s characteristically heartfelt “My Telly’s Gone Bung.” Because “Woodface” was the result of a Finn Brothers recording morphing into a Crowded House album there were a number of songs that didn’t make it onto the final running order, most notably “I Love You Dawn”, which was written for Neil’s wife Sharon Dawn Finn whose presence has clearly been a major inspiration for him throughout his career.

“Time Immemorial” fell foul of the strict regime of American producer Mitchell Froom, who felt it sounded too folkie. “I think I also felt the lyric was a bit too obscure although in recent years I’ve got over that hang up.” Less lyrically obscure but no less heartfelt is “My Telly’s Gone Bung”, “a classic Paul Hester song about his favourite topic which contains an interesting historical reference point to Kylie and Jason.” “Sacred Cow’ was the result of two songs being pasted together during the "Woodface" sessions at the suggestion of Froom. “I think I found it hard to figure out how to resolve the lyrical combination of the two songs. “Sacred Cow” religious figures, jealous rage – what does it all mean?” “Anyone Can Tell” was a similarly produce-inspired compound.

“You Can Touch” was recorded during the 1993 sessions at Kare Kare beach for the Youth produced "Together Alone." “It was one night when Paul spat the dummy and went home to bed so I ended up doing most of the drumming. It wouldn’t have made the album but Bob Clearmountain (world’s most foremost mixdown expert) said “Neil, I really like your songs, I love your voice and your guitar playing but I am afraid I have a problem with your drumming.” “I Am In Love” and the relatively uncluttered version of “Private Universe” emanate from the same sessions.

“Help Is Coming” was recored at York Street in Auckland from the last demo session before the group broke up: “We recorded five songs with Peter Jones on drums but this is the only one with complete lyrics and a well rounded recording. It’s a refugee song.”

“Lester was a home demo recorded in 1988 after Lester – our fine spotted Dalmation – was bowled by a passing car and narrowly avoided an early grave. There’s something about home demos that reek of atmosphere and feeling. There are many more of these but that’s another album…”

It’s never easy for groups to flick through their back pages. They feel the same flushed mixture of pride and embarrassment that steals over us civilians when looking through an old photo album. I don’t look bad there but what was I thinking of when I wore that shirt? "Afterglow" is a big step towards the former members of Crowded House being as relaxed in looking back as they are in looking forward. In the words of “Time Immemorial” the last song on this collection, “it was good while it lasted but now it has gone so face up to what you have done.”

Crowded House has left the building.

David Hepworth

October 1999.

Afterglow