The Birthday Party

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY – Australian Psychos Fronted By NICK CAVE Released Their Debut LP Today 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

6 April 2026

Band: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
Who: Insane group of mental cases, fronted
by wild man Nick Cave, nailing 2 longplayers
between 1977 and 1983.

Album: PRAYERS ON FIRE
Their debut released on 6 April 1981,
today 40 years ago.

AllMusic in retrospect: “While there might not be any of the explicit Biblical
imagery on Prayers on Fire that Cave would later ejaculate, the title of the
album is apt, and its aptness is revealed almost immediately.

Cave sounds like he’s being assaulted by the music, emitting horrific gasps
and primitive grunts. Oppressive and unrelenting, Prayers on Fire is highly
recommended for those aspiring to advanced states of dementia.”

TUTV: Scary band, scary Cave, scare record.

SINGLE

ALBUM


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Short Bio – Discography

MOJO The Collectors’ Series: ‘NICK CAVE REVELATIONS 1957-2025’

Posted on by JL

10 Augustus 2025

MOJO presents the finest writing on NICK CAVE in a single deluxe
volume, The Collectors’ Series: NICK CAVE REVELATIONS 1957-2025.

To celebrate NICK CAVE (68 next month) extraordinary career, MOJO magazine
has brought together its finest writing on Cave in a new, deluxe 132-page bookazine. Drawing on over 30 years of exclusive interviews and in-depth features, MOJO unravels
the story of how Cave turned from troubled Melbourne teenager into fearsome goth frontman, and how his complex relationship with hard drugs and religion would feed
into The Bad Seeds’ ever richer, darker and more sexually charged music.

You can buy a copy and let it be sent to your home. Info here

CAVE THEN

CAVE NOW

MOJO Website

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY – Watch And/Or Buy The Legendary Australian Band’s Documentary ‘MUTINY IN HEAVEN’

Posted on by JL

3 August 2024

Directed by Ian White, MUTINY IN HEAVEN (named after the BP’s song of the same name) is the story of THE BIRTHDAY PARTY ’s ascent, apex and inevitable collapse, a thrilling tale of epic struggle, artistic genius and total dysfunctionality. Told in the group’s own words, Mutiny In Heaven brings the band’s story to the screen for the first time.

“It’s a twisted tale of ascent, realisation and implosion whilst dealing with issues of
artistic muse, creativity, addiction, fame, interpersonal conflict and the unique relationship between creative vision and self-destruction – all underpinned by the dark, wry humour of the individual band members.

Utilising exclusive, incredibly candid interviews, a wealth of rare and unseen archives, original artwork, unreleased tracks, studio footage, animation and multimedia content, the film is as visually rich as it is narratively riveting, a revealing look back at its key members’ origins, dreams, hopes and motivations.”

Between 1977-1983 they released 4 albums, one under
the name of The Boys Next Door and 3 as The BP.

Trailer

Click HERE to watch the documentary.

A special collectors edition double-disc DVD of Mutiny In Heaven
featuring 100 minutes of extra interviews with Mick Harvey, Henry
Rollins, Thurston Moore, Phill Calvert, Paul Goldman, Chris Haskett,
David Yow and more is available now. Order HERE (for unknown reasons the DVD is not available to the US/Canada).

Pitchfork says: “The new documentary of Cave’s early band the Birthday Party
is a thunderous post-punk time capsule. ‘Mutiny in Heaven’ chronicles the mayhem
surrounding the misunderstood group, whose music was marked by both seething
fury and wide-eyed earnestness.”

Gone But Not Forgotten – THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Posted on by JL

Back in time

20 August 2023

Band: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Who: One of the most chaotic, disordered, savage post-punk bands
in rock’s turbulent history. Originally known as The Boys Next Door these
desperados left their home country Australia in the mid-70s, moved to
London, and started a hellish adventure.

Voice and face was a young disoriented, out-of-his-mind junkie
called Nick Cave who acted like a self-destructive anarchist.

The music was meat-raw, barbed wire rough and extremely
rowdy. TBP was one of those rare bands with an instant
jawdropping impact on your senses. One you’ll never forget
once you heard/saw those cowboys.

Active: 1976–1983
Albums: 1 as The Boys Next Door
and 3 as The Birthday Party

Original line-up.

Nick Cave – vocals, saxophone
Mick Harvey – guitar, drums, keyboards
Rowland S. Howard – guitar, vocals (R.I.P.)
Tracy Pew – bass, clarinet (R.I.P.)
Phill Calvert – drums

1-2-3 TBP moments.

– NICK THE STRIPPER –

– JUNKYARD –

– FEARS OF GUN –

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY: History

(Band pic on top: cover of ‘John Peel Sessions’ album)

Amazing Artwork – THE BIRTHDAY PARTY 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Great album cover art

Band: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (1978-1983)
Who: Maniacal Australian gang fronted by
a young Nick Cave.

Artwork: Cover of their third and final LP JUNKYARD
released 10 May 1982. 40 years ago.

Drawing by American cartoonists Ed Roth and Dave Christensen.
The image looks like how NME described the BP back then:
“The Birthday Party are awful. Subversively awful. Awesomely great.
Awesomely brilliant.”

Key track: Dead Joe


THE BIRTHDAY PARTY: Story

Picked By TURN UP THE VOLUME – 5 Ace Albums Turning 40 In 2022

Posted on by JL

Back in time

1.’Nebraska’ by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Released: 30 September 1982 – his 5th LP
Charts: #3 in the US and in the UK

Pitchfork: “To put on Nebraska and hear its world of
echo is to enter a dream. As Bruce Springsteen’s songs go,
these are very good ones, but their true meaning came out
in the presentation. It’s an essential record in the history
of home recording“. Score: 5/5.

TUTV: Minimal sound, maximal effect.

Stream here…

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2. ‘A Kiss In The Dreamhouse’ by SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES

Released: 5 November 1982 – their fifth LP
Charts: #11 in the UK

NME said: “A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is a feat of imagination scarcely
ever recorded. It’s breathtaking. Somehow, a bold assurance of intention
has met with a hunger for experimenting with sound to expand an already
formidable group of songs into pure, open-minded ambiguity.” Score: 4/5.

TUTV: Suzy and her Banshees at their very Gothic best with
Slowdive as one of their all-time classic singles (to my ears).

Stream here…

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3. ‘Junkyard’ by THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Released: 10 May 1982
The band’s second and final LP

AllMusic: “Scuzzy masterpiece, its art/psych/blues/punk
fusion taken to at times outrageous heights. Nearly every
tune is a Party classic one way or another.” Score: 3/5.

TUTV: The BP accomplished its mission: self-destruction.
After this schizophrenic blast, they went down with
a clashing crash.

Stream here…

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4. ‘Miami’ by THE GUN CLUB

Released: 20 September 1982 – second LP
Produced by Blondie’s Chris Stein

AllMusic: “Miami was given a rough go when it was issued for
its production. But in the bird’s-eye view of history its songs stack
up, track for track, with Fire of Love and continue to echo well
into this long good night.” Score: 4.5.

TUTV: Punk blues at its fervent best.

Stream here…

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5. ‘Upstairs At Eric’s by YAZOO

Released: 20 August 1982 – debut LP
Charts: #2 in the UK

Melody Maker said: “An album of rich, dark passion, forever
burying the hoary old moan that electronics and synthesizers
will never be any good because they don’t have a button on
the front that says ’emotion'”.

TUTV: Big voice, big tunes, big synth thrills.

Stream here…

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6.’Combat Rock’ by THE CLASH

7. ‘Imperial Bedrrom’ by ELVIS COSTELLO

8. ‘New Gold Dream’ by SIMPLE MINDS

9. Fourth Drawer Down by THE ASSOCIATES

10. ‘Too Rye Ay’ by Dexys Midnight Runners