RETRACTION: Crowded House Are Not "Boomer Wiggles" As Reported By The Betoota Advocate In 2024

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

The Board and Editorial Executive of The Betoota Advocate formally retract statements published in a 2024 article in which Crowded House were described as "Boomer Wiggles."

Upon review, the publication accepts that the language used was intemperate, reductive and materially misleading. The article relied upon the anecdotal commentary of a 27-year-old source whose cultural analysis was neither verified nor subjected to basic editorial scrutiny. Assertions that the band's catalogue resembles "insurance advertising soundtracks" and that their audience classification sits exclusively within the Baby Boomer demographic were presented as fact. They were not.

Crowded House, formed in 1985 and led by Neil Finn, have made a significant contribution to Australasian and international music. Their body of work occupies a recognised position within late 20th century rock and popular songwriting. The characterisation published by this masthead failed to reflect that reality.

The Board further acknowledges that its internal position evolved following what can only be described as an unscheduled recalibration of perspective earlier this year. During a private canoe expedition in the Fiordland region of New Zealand, a member of the Editorial Board consumed five grams psilocybin mushrooms in a non-professional capacity. While navigating remote waterways and listening to Crowded House recordings in full, that member experienced a reassessment of the band's compositional depth, melodic architecture and emotional register.

The Board and Editorial Executive apologise unequivocally for the language used in the original article and for the false and unsubstantiated framing on which it was based. The generational caricatures, cultural dismissals and factual inaccuracies published under this masthead did not meet the standards expected of this organisation.

We regret the reputational harm and cultural diminishment implied by the phrase in question. Crowded House are not children's entertainment for retirees. They are a critically regarded band whose work has endured across multiple generations.

The retraction stands in full.