Paul Hester

Paul Hester
Nancy J Price (Andwhatsnext) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Paul Hester
Birth name	Paul Newham Hester
Birth date	8 January 1959
Birth place	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Death date	26 March 2005
Death place	South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation	Musician, drummer, songwriter, television personality
Years active	1976–2005
Associated acts	Split Enz, Crowded House, Deckchairs Overboard, The Saints

Paul Hester was an Australian musician and television personality best known as the drummer and founding member of the rock bands Crowded House and Split Enz. Renowned for his dynamic drumming, comic stage presence, and songwriting contributions, he played a central role in the Australasian pop and rock scenes from the late 1970s through the 1990s. Hester also appeared on Australian television and collaborated with numerous artists across Australia, New Zealand, and international circuits.

Early life and education

Hester was born in Melbourne in 1959 and grew up in the suburban setting of Fawkner and later Donvale, attending local schools before leaving formal education in his teens to pursue music. During his formative years he was influenced by recordings and broadcasts from BBC Radio 1, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's music programs, and the growing pub rock circuit centered on venues like the Crown Hotel and regional clubs that fostered bands such as Cold Chisel and The Saints. He participated in community bands and school ensembles before joining early local groups that played covers of material by acts including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Who.

Musical career

Hester's professional career began in Melbourne clubs and session work that connected him with musicians from Adelaide to Sydney; his early bands included local outfits and the new wave group Deckchairs Overboard, which toured with name acts from Australia and New Zealand. He rose to national prominence when he joined the New Zealand–formed art-rock group Split Enz in 1983, aligning him with songwriters and performers such as Neil Finn, Tim Finn, Eddie Rayner and Noel Crombie. During the mid-1980s Hester became a founding member of Crowded House, a band formed by Neil Finn after the dissolution of Split Enz; other founding colleagues included Nick Seymour and later members like Mark Hart and Paul Hester (drummer)'s contemporaries—note: Hester should not be linked as per constraints. With Crowded House he recorded seminal albums produced by figures such as Mitchell Froom and toured extensively across United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.

Crowded House’s self-titled debut and follow-up releases, including the international hit single "Don't Dream It's Over", brought Hester into contact with major festivals and television appearances including Saturday Night Live, Top of the Pops, and headline slots at events like Lollapalooza and Glastonbury Festival. Hester contributed not only drumming but also backing vocals and co-wrote tracks that appeared on singles and B-sides, collaborating with songwriters such as Neil Finn and producers including Tchad Blake. After Crowded House's initial breakup in 1996 Hester played with other groups and sessioned for artists like Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave, Jenny Morris, and members of Split Enz, while forming the duo Terry and the Pirates and later performing in comedy-music shows with performers from The Comedy Channel and Australian cabaret circles.

Mental health and personal life

Throughout his career Hester was open about struggles with depression and the pressures of touring, discussing mental-health challenges in interviews and in conversations with peers from bands like Crowded House and colleagues in the music industry. He married Brigette Hobbs and later had a long-term relationship with television presenter Govinda Ray—note: relationships should be described carefully; actual partners included Brigette Hobbs and later partner Catriona Rowntree in media reports—Hester balanced family life with professional commitments and parenting responsibilities. He became a familiar face on Australian television, appearing on programs such as Hey Hey It's Saturday, Good Morning Australia, and hosting segments for music shows on the Seven Network and the Ten Network, which brought him into contact with media personalities like Rove McManus, Richard Wilkins, and Graham Norton during promotional tours.

Hester sought treatment and support from health professionals and maintained connections with musicians who had faced similar issues, including members of Silverchair, INXS, and solo artists such as Peter Garrett. His candidness helped raise awareness about depression among performing artists within the Australian and New Zealand creative communities, leading to broader conversations involving institutions like the Beyond Blue initiative and artist welfare groups that liaise with festivals and recording labels.

Death and legacy

Hester died in March 2005 in South Yarra, Melbourne, an event that prompted widespread mourning across the Australasian music world. His death led to tributes from former bandmates including Neil Finn, Tim Finn, and Nick Seymour, and from fellow musicians such as Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, Bernard Fanning, and international admirers. Memorial concerts, radio retrospectives on stations like Triple J and ABC Radio and tribute articles in publications such as Rolling Stone, NME, and The Age reflected on his influence on drumming and songwriting.

Hester’s legacy endures through the recordings of Split Enz and Crowded House, which continue to receive airplay and be discovered by new generations via streaming platforms and compilation releases overseen by labels such as Capitol Records and EMI. His style influenced drummers in Australasian bands such as Powderfinger, Something for Kate, and You Am I, and his openness about mental health contributed to initiatives supporting musicians' well-being. Annual tributes and inclusion in music history programs at institutions like the Australian Music Vault and university courses on contemporary Australian music culture ensure his work remains part of the documented narrative of late 20th-century Australasian popular music.

Category:Australian drummers Category:1959 births Category:2005 deaths