This biography of a living person includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(February 2022) |
Noel Crombie | |
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Background information | |
Born | Wellington, New Zealand | 17 April 1953
Origin | Auckland, New Zealand |
Genres | Art-rock |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Member of | Forenzics |
Formerly of |
Geoffrey Noel Crombie (born 17 April 1953) is a New Zealand percussionist and former member of the band Split Enz. He fulfilled multiple roles including costume and hair designer, singer, album cover designer, and music video director. Prior to Split Enz, Crombie worked as a postal assistant and was also an artist. He attended Mana College and then moved to Auckland to study art at Elam School of Fine Arts. [1]
For the album Time and Tide , Crombie took over the role of drummer, though a year later returned to percussion, with Paul Hester becoming Split Enz's drummer. He is particularly remembered for playing spoon solos during Split Enz live shows.
After Split Enz disbanded, Noel formed the band Schnell Fenster with Phil Judd, Eddie Rayner and Nigel Griggs (all Split Enz alumni), and Michael den Elzen. Rayner left before the first album was released.
In 1988 the members of Schnell Fenster collaborated with Wendy Matthews, Michael Harris, Louis McManus, Vika Bull and Lisa Edwards under the name 'Noel's Cowards' for the movie Rikky and Pete .
Crombie has released one solo single, "My Voice Keeps Changing on Me", in 1983 while Split Enz took a break. Tim Finn was the only other band member to have a solo release during this break. According to Crombie he had to either release the single or pay for the studio time.
In 1996, Crombie assisted Crowded House by designing the stage set design for their final concert, Farewell to the World at the Sydney Opera House.
Crombie lives with his wife Sally whom he works with as a freelance designer. They designed the set for ABC-TV's musical quiz program Spicks and Specks . [2]
Paul Newell Hester was an Australian musician and television personality. He was the drummer for the band Split Enz for a short time in 1984, and co-founding member and drummer of the rock group Crowded House.
Split Enz were a New Zealand rock band formed in Auckland in 1972 by Tim Finn and Phil Judd. The band underwent many lineup changes, with sixteen members across their twelve year history. Originally started as a folk-oriented group with quirky art rock stylings, the band built a strong regional following, noted for their outlandish costumes, makeup and theatrical performances. After three singles, the band released their first album, Mental Notes, in 1975, which displayed strong progressive rock elements. The group's third album, 1977's Dizrythmia, was the first without Judd, with Tim Finn's brother Neil replacing him on guitar and eventually as co-lead vocalist and songwriter, after which the band came to embrace a more streamlined and pop-oriented approach and became pioneers of new wave. The band achieved worldwide indie stardom in the 1980s, with particular success in New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
Brian Timothy Finn is a New Zealand singer and musician. His musical career includes forming 1970s and 1980s New Zealand rock group Split Enz, a number of solo albums, temporary membership in his brother Neil's band Crowded House and joint efforts with Neil Finn as the Finn Brothers.
Nigel Griggs is a musician who played bass guitar in Split Enz. He is the brother of Paul Griggs from the 1970s vocal group Guys 'n' Dolls. A professional musician since 1963, Nigel Griggs played in a number of bands, notably The Cortinas and Octopus, 1963–1971, with his brother Paul, Carmen and Steve Hillage's Khan.
Jonathan Michael Chunn is a former member of the New Zealand bands Split Enz and Citizen Band. He performed alongside his brother Geoff Chunn in both bands. His musical performing career was cut short due to agoraphobia.
Schnell Fenster were a New Zealand rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1986 by Noel Crombie on drums and percussion, Nigel Griggs on bass guitar and backing vocals, Phil Judd on lead vocals and guitar, and Eddie Rayner on keyboards and piano – who were all former members of New Zealand-formed rock group, Split Enz. Fellow founder, Michael den Elzen on lead guitar had worked with Tim Finn Band, another band formed by a Split Enz alumnus. Judd's band were briefly named The Wanx: but Rayner soon left and they changed their name to faux-German for "quick window", because it "appealed to [their] perversity". The group formed the core members of Noel's Cowards, a short-term ensemble, whose sole output was six tracks for the soundtrack of a feature film, Rikky and Pete, in 1988. Schnell Fenster released two studio albums, The Sound of Trees (1988) and Ok Alright a Huh Oh Yeah (1990), before disbanding in 1992. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 they were nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Album for The Sound of Trees, Breakthrough Artist – Single for "Whisper" and Best Cover Art for Judd's graphic art.
Anthony Edward Charles Rayner is a New Zealand musician who spent twelve years as a keyboardist in the band Split Enz. He has also played in the groups Orb, Space Waltz, Crowded House, The Makers, The Angels in 1986-1987 and 801.
Dizrythmia (1977) is the third studio album released by New Zealand new wave band Split Enz. It was the first Split Enz album without co-founding members Phil Judd and Mike Chunn. Neil Finn and Nigel Griggs, the first being the younger brother of band leader Tim Finn, replaced them respectively. Meanwhile, Nigel's old friend and former bandmate Malcolm Green took the place of Emlyn Crowther, who also left around this time. The album was released domestically by Mushroom Records, and overseas by Chrysalis Records.
The Makers were an Australian band formed by ex-Split Enz keyboardist, Eddie Rayner, and musician and singer, Brian Baker. The duo formed in 1988 after recording the tracks for a feature film, Rikky and Pete. The self-titled debut album The Makers released in 1990, provided three singles. The second album, Hokey Pokey, was released in 1992 with two further singles. They toured Australia in 1991 supporting the B-52's.
Mental Notes is the debut studio album by New Zealand band Split Enz. The album cover was painted by band member Phil Judd. Original vinyl copies featured Judd saying "Make a mental note" in the runout groove of the record's second side, causing the phrase to be looped ad infinitum on manual turntables until the stylus is removed.
Second Thoughts is the second studio album by New Zealand art rock band Split Enz. It was recorded in London with Roxy Music's guitarist Phil Manzanera producing the album.
Conflicting Emotions is the ninth album by New Zealand band Split Enz.
Philip Raymond Judd is a New Zealand singer-songwriter known for being one of the founders of the bands Split Enz and The Swingers.
Malcolm Green is an English-born drummer best known as a member of New Zealand band Split Enz from 1976 to 1981.
Paul Emlyn Crowther is the former drummer of Split Enz who performed with the band from July 1974 to November 1976.
"I See Red" is a 1978 song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in December 1978 as the lead single from their studio album Frenzy.
Enz of an Era was a compilation by New Zealand rock band Split Enz. Released to mark the band's 10th anniversary, and composed of tracks selected by members of the band, the album was released in New Zealand and Australia only. The album was followed up by two "Enz Of An Era" 10th anniversary concerts in early 1983.
Geoff Chunn is a New Zealand musician, best known as an early member of Split Enz.
Beginning of the Enz is a compilation album by New Zealand rock group Split Enz. Released in the UK by Chrysalis Records, it compiles tracks from the albums Second Thoughts (1976) and Dizrythmia (1977), as well as the non-album single "Another Great Divide" (1977). Despite its almost identical title, the album bares a completely different track listing to the 1979 Split Enz album The Beginning of the Enz, which comprised non-album singles and demos from 1973 to 1974.