Emlyn Crowther

Paul Emlyn Crowther (born 2 October 1949 in Dunedin, New Zealand) was the drummer of Split Enz^[1] from July 1974 to November 1976.

Before joining the Enz, Crowther played trumpet in an air training corp band but swapped to drums later on. Moved to Auckland in 1969 and played drums in a couple of covers bands and Alastair Riddell's band, Orb. Riddell was at one stage a possible replacement for Phil Judd when he left Split Enz in 1977.

As well as drumming on the first two Enz albums, Crowther (by this stage known as Emlyn), was an electronics and live sound expert who also built the synthesizers used on Mental Notes.

Crowther invented the HotCake guitar distortion pedal in 1976, which has openly been used by Neil Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House, Noel Gallagher of Oasis, Hugh Harris of The Kooks, Buzz Osborne of The Melvins, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Stephen Malkmus of Pavement and The Jicks, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., Nels Cline of Wilco, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead and Adrian Utley of Portishead. In 1996 he created the 'Prunes and Custard', originally designed as a bass guitar distortion pedal. The Datsuns' song "Harmonic Generator" is named after this pedal.

Apparently the HotCake was re-designed from the switch to the dial after Nigel Regan from Head Like a Hole kept on breaking them while playing and was constantly taking them to get fixed.

After Split Enz, Crowther drummed in a few local bands, did live mixing work for New Zealand band The Mutton Birds and was involved with a sound company between 1980-90. He currently resides in Auckland with his wife and son, and runs a company named Crowther Audio, manufacturing effects pedals and other equipment.

Crowther currently plays drums for the 1960s cover band 'The Con-Rays' which includes former Split Enz keyboard player Eddie Rayner.

Bibliography

Chunn, Mike, Stranger Than Fiction: The Life and Times of Split Enz, GP Publications, 1992. ISBN 1-86956-050-7
Chunn, Mike, Stranger Than Fiction: The Life and Times of Split Enz, (revised, ebook edition), Hurricane Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9922556-3-3

References

↑ Woodstra, Chris. "Split Enz". Allmusic. Retrieved 18 August 2011.

Split Enz

Tim Finn Phil Judd Neil Finn Eddie Rayner Nigel Griggs Noel Crombie Mike Chunn Miles Golding Mike Howard Wally Wilkinson Robert Gillies Geoff Chunn Emlyn Crowther Malcolm Green Paul Hester

Lineup chronology	List of Split Enz band members

Studio albums	Mental Notes Second Thoughts Dizrythmia Frenzy True Colours Waiata / Corroboree Time and Tide Conflicting Emotions See Ya 'Round

Compilations	The Beginning of the Enz Enz of an Era The Split Enz Collection 1973 – 1984 History Never Repeats – The Best of Split Enz Oddz and Enz Rear Enz The Best of Split Enz The Gold Collection Spellbound The Collection: The Best of the Early Years Rootin Tootin Luton Tapes

Live albums	The Living Enz Anniversary Extravagenza

DVDs	Split Enz One Out of the Bag

Singles	"For You" "Sweet Talkin' Spoon Song" "No Bother to Me" "Maybe" "Late Last Night" "Matinee Idyll" "Another Great Divide" "My Mistake" "Bold as Brass" "I See Red" "Give It a Whirl" "Things" "I Got You" "I Hope I Never" "Nobody Takes Me Seriously" "What's The Matter With You" "Poor Boy" "One Step Ahead" "History Never Repeats" "I Don't Wanna Dance" "Hard Act To Follow" "Iris" "Dirty Creature" "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" "Never Ceases to Amaze Me" "Hello Sandy Allen" "Next Exit" "Strait Old Line" "Message to My Girl" "I Wake Up Every Night" "I Walk Away" "One Mouth Is Fed"

Related articles	ENZSO Crowded House The Finn Brothers Schnell Fenster She Will Have Her Way

WikiProject

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