RIP Paul...

Thank you for the great music and memories Paul! Our prayers are with his family.......
With love, Mike & Lu

Poor Paul. I had no idea he wrestled with stuff like that.

He is the one memory I have from skipping school when I was 15 to go to a soundcheck on the 'Enz with a Bang' tour. The only thing I remember about that day is Paul, wearing pointy black suede boots, black jeans and a bright pink shirt, which he lifted to flash his stomach and chest at me. I took a photo at that exact moment. It turned out great. I wish I knew where it was.

OMG.....what?? What happened??

Apparently Paul took his own life last night.

Peter Green posted this to the lists (Frenz, TiTM), but no details or anything, and asked that people not email them for a few days while they wrap their collective brains around it. He said they might have more information at some point, but for now that's all we know.

Me... my body is on autopilot, completely disconnected from my brain at the moment. I've spent the better part of the last hour or so just clicking on my usual links (ESPN, FARK, etc.) and not actually reading anything. It's like my body is going through the motions of trying to distract myself, but my brain is saying "no way".

How utterly sad.

oh my god..

i cant believe this. i dont know what to say

may he rest in piece - thank you peter for letting us know - I'm sure you, the family, and by now, the Finns are as confused, and sad, as the rest of us..

our condolences to all..

Freaky. That's all I can say. Just plain freaky.

RIP, Paul. My condolances to his family and friends *Hugs*.

I've been surfing for awhile without knowing, and came back to frenzforum for one last check before doing something else.

Feels like I lost a part of my family. I know the last few years of CH were hard on him, but I figured everything since was going alright.

This will be a LONG night of no sleep.

RIP Paul, we'll always have you by our side.

I was just thinking about 2 mins after typing this up ... the words we all know too well ...

"Love this life
Don't wait till the next one comes ...

And maybe the day will come
When you'll never have to feel no pain
After all my complaining
Gonna love this life
Gonna love this life ..."

I think this lyric will get us all through this, I hope.

Yeah, what everyone else said. It's just... sad for everyone. I guess the way people see him (acting very cheerful on stage with the Finns in November, & as host of his music show) isn't the way he feels inside. This is massive.

Something else to add-already sent condolances to his family and friends, but I'd also like to send them to all the fans of Split Enz/Crowded House, too, as it sucks to lose someone from a band you love so much-like stated, they feel like family after a while and everything, so things like this are hard to take. So yeah, condolances to all of you guys as well.

Right there with you Winterpumpkin. This is so sad.

Paul always seemed so open and accessible, maybe too much so. It's terrible if the world around you seems to swallow you up and you have to get off. Peace Paul.

*totally and completely* screwed up, here...anyone on aol messenger who is also? can't sleep....

i'm whistlingthis...

RIP dear friend. You will be missed much more than you know.

RIP... I can't say anything else without breaking down...

As it has been said you will be missed a lot more than you think.

I'm just not sure what to say. RIP, Paul.

So very sad.

I meet paul in Nov.


I will remember that for the rest of my life.


Thank you paul for you and your music

Such sad news, it was obvious that he was always a guy on the edge so to speak but to go to this extreme. My heart goes out to all family and friends and to all Frenz as well.

I hate to say this...but i'm having immense difficulty believing it, but I think it's more of a case that I don't want to believe it. I can't believe it, it doesn't seem feasible.

Crowded House are the reason that I have a CD collection, they opened my mind to music and influenced a lot of my poetry and creative writing. They also influenced me to get an involvement in acting (although not music, it's a form of artistic expression) as a hobby.

The vivacious personality of Paul Hester was so uplifting which made the music of Crowded House so unique, not to mention his humour in interviews. Juxtaposed with that, he was also a regular guest on the radio show Martin/Molloy (Tony Martin being my favourite comedian) and also had a pivotal role on the Mick Molloy show.

I believe everything happens for a reason and I don't see the reason behind this. It has me puzzled. I feel sorrow, i feel anger, i feel emptiness and loneliness as I read the above and especially as writing this. I don't want to believe it. The madness is over.

I have searched on the "News" sites for Australia and haven't found a mention - is it really true, I so hope its a hoaxe.

Yes, i have also searched. Nothing on the age.com or heraldsun.com , put it is from Peter Green. But whether it's authentic is what's troubling me.

"Mottainai" (Japanese word translates something like "(he was) too priceless") was the first word that came to mind. What a loss RIP Paul... Loved ya.

If Peter Green has confirmed it then the news has to be authentic. None of us want to believe it.

I'm completely shocked and completely speechless. I saw Paul, close-up and full of life after the Finn concerts in Melbourne in November last year.

I was watching Crowded House video's and being entertained by his antics just today.

I'm utterly speechless.

I had no idea that he struggled with a darker side.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, and to Neil, Tim and Mark as well as all his friends etc.

If only he had reached out to someone...

R.I.P. Paul - and thank you.

I think Joel put it best in his first post - Crowded House was the reason I got into all things finn, and Paul was and always be a huge part of that legacy. RIP

I am in shock. What a terrible waste of life.

RIP Paul.

Don't really know what to say, having woken up to this awful news. I can't bear to think what must have led him to this. I hope that in time his family and friends can find some comfort in the fact that he brought so much happiness to so many people. We'll miss you Paul.

I have no idea what to say.

No you probably won't see anything on any News sites for a day or so. I've asked a few of my media people to hold off for a day, as I really want Mardi , the family & Paul's 2 young girls some time.

The next few days are going to add so much more sadness to what is the saddest day, and just so everyone can have a break will make it more bearable. Myself included. Telling everyone this is exhausting, and people whom you've never seen cry in years, breaking down ...just rips my heart out.

I wish it was a hoax but believe me it's not.
Even now I still ask the same questions you guys do- why did this happen.

I spoke to Paul just over a week ago, our friend Kevin spoke to him yesterday, and there was no major depression that we were aware of. He seemed like the same old Paul, working on projects, the MAX sessions, loving playing with the Finns and hanging out with his kids....we are fairly certain that it was not a pre planned thing.

It feels totally surreal, and I keep hoping it's just some horrible dream that I'll wake up from. Sadly it's not.

We have had a lot of emails asking abouts ending flowers, as soon as I have some details I'll give you the address.

Hang in there,

Peter

RIP. Paul! Thanks for all the music and laughs!

Hugs across the ocean to you Peter x

thanks for the update Peter, my thoughts go out to you and Paul's family and friends

Shocked and in disbelief...I can't quite believe it yet.

Very sad to hear this news....my thoughts are firstly with his family, and secondly about all the great music he helped to make in his career.

As mentioned, I don't want to believe it, but at least the ambiguity of it being a hoax or not is cleared up. Thank-you for at least clarifying that. This isn't easy to accept, but thank-you.

Peter

If you happen to be reading this...

Thank you so much for the courtesy of taking the time to let Paul's Frenz know what was happening.

That is an extremely big thing to have done, considering how close you are to the whole thing.

Take care of yourself and know that we are thinking of you too at what must be an almost impossible time. Your diary entries and the personal contact that we have with you make it quite obvious that you feel your friends' pain as if it were your own.

I'd like to think that this is all a horrible mistake, notwithstanding that it is obviously also a horrible reality, but know that we are all thinking of you.

Do take care.

Cak

Thanks Peter,

My heart goes out to you.


Please pass on all our well wishes to his family.

RIP - shock and stunned is all I feel at the moment - and greatly saddened.

Thanks Peter for taking the time to let us know and giving priority to his family is a must, condolences to his family and friends and all the fans.

sylcar

Like everyone, I just wanted to add how sad I am to hear this news and send my love out to all concerned.