Crowded House drummer dies
2012-05-19 16:53
Sydney - A former drummer with Australian rock group Crowded House has died, the band announced on Saturday, with reports saying he had succumbed to brain cancer.
Crowded House, led by New Zealander frontman Neil Finn, said they were "in mourning today for the death of Peter Jones", who joined the group in 1994 after original drummer Paul Hester quit.
"We remember him as a warm hearted, funny and talented man, who was a valuable member of Crowded House," the band said of Jones in a statement on their website.
"He played with style and spirit. We salute him and send our love and best thoughts to his family and friends."
Local media reports said Liverpool-born Jones, a former schoolteacher, had died from brain cancer.
Formed in 1985, Crowded House achieved critical and commercial acclaim the world over with songs including "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong".
They split up in 1996 but reformed in 2007, when former Beck drummer Matt Sherrod took Jones's place behind the drums.
Hester took his own life, hanging himself from a tree near his Melbourne home in 2005 after a long battle with depression.