Australian rock legends Crowded House have been ensnared by a perplexing AI-generated video scam, prompting the band to issue a succinct rebuttal dismissing the spurious allegations.
On Saturday, August 9, Crowded House shared the dubious clip on Facebook. It featured AI-rendered versions of TVNZ journalist Simon Dallow and frontman Neil Finn, falsely asserting that Finn had fathered a child at 67.
“I never thought I’d have the chance to be a father again,” the AI-distorted Finn confesses, his accent noticeably inconsistent. “I believed that chapter was closed—not by choice, but by circumstance.”
As the video unfolds, its true intent surfaces: an advertisement for an erectile dysfunction remedy. “For years, I endured a condition most men are too ashamed to discuss,” the AI avatar continues. “No desire, no confidence, no control—I couldn’t even bring myself to speak with my wife.”
By its three-minute mark, the fabricated Finn even claims he’s received threats for daring to speak out. “I refuse to stay silent as men reclaim their lives,” he adds.
In response, Crowded House simply urged fans not to be deceived: “We don’t know the source of this, but please don’t fall for it. Neil’s never had any impotence issues.”
This isn’t Simon Dallow’s first encounter with AI deepfakes. In 2023, a bogus video featuring the journalist hawking gambling apps sparked TVNZ to denounce such content as unauthorized fabrications with no genuine endorsements.
Notably, the band announced pop-up shows across Australia for October and November, following their sold-out 2024 tour behind their eighth studio album, Gravity Stairs. Since their 1986 debut, Crowded House have sold over 15 million records, amassed 13 ARIA Awards, a Brit Award, an MTV VMA, and billions of streams.
Fronted by Neil Finn and co-founder Nick Seymour, the current lineup formed in 2020 and released Dreamers Are Waiting in 2021. Finn’s tenure with Fleetwood Mac in 2018 introduced him to a broader audience before returning to Crowded House’s storied legacy.
