Crowded House: The Book
Though when it came time to talk to Finn, there was definitely incidence of stormy weather brewing on the Crowded House front. "By the time I got round to him he'd made the big decision to break the band up. Also, I think he was still working it out in his own mind as it was hard to steer it towards stories - stories are where the facts are rather than opinion."
Towards the time of Finn's break-up announcement, Bourke had started interviews for his book and all outward signs pointing towards the band's continuance. However, with the prior departure of Paul Hester factored in also, there were those that suspected differently. "When I started doing the interviews, people on the periphery would say 'so you think there's going to be a fifth record?' and I'd say 'he's booked the time and that's what they're telling me.' But it had been so long since they'd made Together Alone, with the band scattered round the world and Paul having made his decision so a few people close to the action were sceptical of whether it was going to continue - but all the indications were otherwise."
But even so, the manner of Finn's announcement was a still a shock, with news filtering through to for Bourke from his mother in New Zealand, while he was in London for a Crowded House promo gig. As it turned out, word had got round at the packed after gig function, but Bourke had left early."Neil had said a real key phrase there - that there'd been too much going on about the past lately. I thought he meant ENZSO and the fact that Kerry Doole's book had just come out and I was right in the middle of mine. My immediate reaction to my mother was that was what they were going on about in the news but she was right, unbeknownst to me Neil had been handling phone calls all night."
Though there is plenty of drama surrounding the end of the band, the book of course documents the entire life of the band with all its colourful detail and history. In 1987, the band struck it big in the US with the hits Don't Dream Its Over and Something So Strong from their debut album going Top 10. Unfortunately this success was not repeated in the US with the band's follow-up album Temple of Low Men
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