Crowded House

In June 2017, a woman picnicking in the Wicklow Mountains stumbled upon something in a ditch that would set in motion a chain of events that horrified the nation. It was the first of fifteen dismembered body parts belonging to retired hospital worker Patricia O'Connor. Kieran Greene, the father of three of Patricia's grandchildren, later handed himself in, confessing to beating her to death in the home they shared in what he said was an act of self-defence. He also confessed to dismembering her and disposing of her remains but later changed his story, implicating several members of Patricia's household, including her husband and daughter. In this nuanced and meticulous account of a deeply disturbing crime, award-winning journalist and Courts Correspondent for Newstalk and Today FM Frank Greaney uncovers the story behind the gruesome murder of Patricia O'Connor, and looks at who Patricia really was through exclusive follow-up interviews with other members of her family.

'It's pretty stupid comparing us to the Beatles. There were four of them. There's only three of us.' — Paul Hester Crowded House promised to become the most successful band ever to have come out of Australasia. When 'Don't Dream It's Over' and 'Something So Strong' exploded in the US charts, worldwide success looked inevitable. Critics compared them musically to the Beatles and fans adored them for their warmth and humour on stage. Four brilliant albums later, their rollercoaster ride of achievements and disappointments came to an end on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, in front of one of the largest audiences in Australian history. The dream was over, the band had finally broken up, their enormous promise was only partially fulfilled. In this definitive account, New Zealand journalist Chris Bourke has written the true story of the first phase of Crowded House. With unparalleled access to all the band members, their families, friends, musical collaborators, managers, and record company personnel, he has captured their essence. It is a unique tale of musical chemistry, family bonds and the personal costs of pursuing an artistic vision. From the manic energy of the recording studio to the machinations of the record industry, this riveting account is a book for every Crowded House fan. This latest edition of Crowded House: Something So Strong includes new material from the author.

The history of Crowded House is traced up until its split in 1996, and the internal politics that led to the split are explored. Three chapters have been added to this updated edition which deal with their final concerts, and the lives of the band members are followed from birth in New Zealand.

"This album rescue series book evolved from long debates with friends, family, and colleagues as to the merits of various unloved and mistreated albums. These discussions lead to committing our thoughts to paper and resucing various albums that the press and general public considered to be far from exemplary of a particular artist. This book rights those wrongs. The album rescue series book is a contributive piece of work by music and media scholars, each of whom take a unique approach to rescuing an album they love." -- Taken from back cover.

The ultimate music fan's bible packed with insight into the world of rock 'n' roll. Off the Record brings together the best interviews and articles from Australia's music street press, about bands on the cusp of greatness to megastars at the height of their powers--all imbued with a cool street-press indie sensibility. Many pieces come from Time Off, a magazine established in 1979 and the first free music/entertainment weekly in Australia. Far from regurgitating industry marketing copy, music street press has a fiercely independent and wry voice. Off the Record reflects this, offering a unique insight into recent music history: Powderfinger return from their first-ever Sydney shows, Nick Cave name-checks his literary heroes, and Neil Finn worries that Crowded House's new album might be a little too dark, while elsewhere Kurt Cobain dives into Dave Grohl's drum kit (and sprains his wrist in the process). Australian bands, from the Saints to the Grates and the Hilltop Hoods, are featured, but the international focus is strong too, from the Rolling Stones and Sonic Youth to Oasis and the White Stripes. This is the must-have indie book about all things music.

"In these lyric poems technique, emotional pitch, and intellect combine in sublime balance. Exhilarating in its range, the work of Adam Sol is gentle and mournful, attuned to physical surroundings, and full of erotic joy, erotic threat, history, elegy, comic absurdity, and acts of disturbing ventriloquism—all stitched together with a tightly scored thematic coherence. These poems are about music, but they are also about the silence it breaks and the inevitable recurrence of that silence."

Books that blend explorations of pop music with a coming-of-age memoir have become bestsellers for authors like Nick Hornby and Chuck Klosterman. I take the concept one step further in my proposed book, "Reel to Real by Reel," which features uncut interviews--collected during my days as a music journalist. As the interviews are arranged in chronological order, the book offers two unique reading experiences at once: a look at the uncensored thoughts of touring musicians; and the life story of the author who conducted the interviews: a music fan since birth, a performing musician in his own right, a Christian who often struggles with questions about faith, and an OCD sufferer who finds some relief in music. • Robyn Hitchcock • Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) • Mike Peters (the Alarm) • Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows) • Buddy Cage (Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Stir Fried) • Bruce Cockburn • Sean Kelly (the Samples) • Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love) • Tim Finn • Dug Pinnick (King's X) • Alex Lifeson (Rush) • Matt Slocum (Sixpence None the Richer) • Neil Finn (Crowded House) • Michael Sweet (Stryper) • Steve Taylor • Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) • Ray Davies (the Kinks) • Jon Auer (the Posies)