Birthday Party - Classic or Dud

Birthday Party=utter classic in my house...they were arty, weird, but also physical and raw, grotesque, bizarre and wonderful. Also rarely has a band been so well-served by a great hits collection, I love all the albums, but "Hits" is still great, I still listen to it

I don't think I had really been living until I heard the Birthday Party's cover of The Stooges' "Loose". Where has that been hiding all my life?

good morning

Haha! Top o' the morning to ya!

Anybody seen "Mutiny - the Last Birthday Party," an apparent document of the overdubbing sessions for the final EP? (!) Info's here: http://www.fromthearchives.com/bp/videography.html

couldn't find a working torrent, I kinda gotta see this.

that rowland s. howard's album - "teenage snuff film" -
one of the best of the post - Birthday Party members projects (including the Cave ones).

it is a good record. apparently he has a new album ready to go, but not the resources to make it just yet

I have been wanting to hear that for so long, which reminds me to look for a torrent, which I will do right now.

Because I believe firmly in awesomeness, here:

The drum and bass in this, man.

That hottie girl might be a grandmother now!

Completely freakin' classic. I was so psyched when they reissued the first Birthday Party album on CD back in '90. I played it to death on my college radio show (Fester's Bucket O' Nasties!) alongside Beefheart and Pere Ubu. I love the other albums too, but I felt its relative restraint and tension made it even more sinister and creepy, while Junkyard is almost cartoonish.

I bought all the remasters a few years ago. It helped that Virgin sold 'em for only $7.99 each.

No love for the song "Happy Birthday"? I lurve it to bits. So awkward. Also, barking like a dog is always welcome in my playlists.

Yeah, this thread just got wicked.

"Happy Birthday" is awesome, I giggle every time I hear WHAT A SURPRISE, IT'S A SAMURAI SWORD, what a metal surprise...!

just think in five years and he'll be shaving

wow!
i've never seen that "swampland" vocal thing before (the first of Edward's youtuve links here).
awesome stuff, and of BP's best songs.

time for a legendary reunion.
(though it will prob never happen)

I think any hope of a bp reunion died with tracy pew

I'll retain my fond memories of seeing the Birthday Party at the old 930 Club (followed by the Fall the next night)

4AD needs to reissue Junk Yard on vinyl, that shit is gettin bootlegged.

The Mr. Clarinet/Happy Birthday single might be their finest moment.

My three year old is into cars and monsters, and so I showed him the Junkyard LP sleeve this weekend, and after a long, silent stare, he asked if he could keep it. Does the CD sound really crappy or something?

Great story! Dunno about the CD, but you should be able to find him an Ed Roth monster T-shirt on eBay.

"Anybody seen "Mutiny - the Last Birthday Party," an apparent document of the overdubbing sessions for the final EP? (!) Info's here: http://www.fromthearchives.com/bp/videography.html

couldn't find a working torrent, I kinda gotta see this."

i've seen it, and it's available in megaupload.
pretty boring, 25 minutes, mainly of the recording of "jennifer's veil" (one of the weakest BP songs imo), but the last 5 minutes, about the recording of "swampland" is amazing:
Cave's give his best vocal performance, and when it's over, and Cave, all sweating from the effort, lits a cigarette to relax, you feel the empathy

I've got a really vivid memory of getting and listening to Mutiny EP shortly after it came out, poring over and discussing every detail of the cover and the scrawled liners with friends. Those late EPs were fascinating, scary objects.

the swastika image was kinda scanalous

Hard to remember now that St. Nick has been canonised, but they were pretty scandalous at the time. Didn't fit in with UK indieland at all.

From one of those seetickets email updates:

BIRTHDAY PARTY

A favourite of the late, great John Peel the Australian pop-punk band will be in the UK for two special dates in February. Book now!

Feb 12, 02 Academy Islington, Feb 21 Ruby Lounge Manchester

What? What is this? Cave/Howard/Harvey? Does anyone have any more info?

http://www.mickharvey.com -> is in The Triffids now

Pop punk 4 evah!

Current working theory is that seetickets have misunderstood a banner gig title for some smallish bands. And Harvey seems to be gigging in Australia with The Triffid people on at least one of those dates.

Absolutely classic. I'll bet if I put on Mutiny, and Nick came on with "Hand's up, who wants to die!" I would drop 20 years and be stagediving off my desk, much to the concern of everyone in my office.

The gig I saw in '83 right after that one dropped is one of my all-time faves.

I vote right now for Mick Harvey as best not-really-the-drummer-but-beating-the-skins-right-now-anyway in a significant band, so much so that I can never remember what's-his-name's name usually. Of course he could be a prick, but in my experience all good drummers are that way sometimes (present company included).

Birthday Party reunion? STRENUOUSLY unlikely, but y'know ..... I said that about Bauhaus.

I don't see Cave doing it -- seems like something he'd find abhorent. And, really..... at the end of the day, without Tracey Pew, it won't be the Birthday Party.

i don't see Harvey doing it, esp. after he just left The Bad Seeds.

Very good point.

Alex OTM Re: Pew. But it's also a crying shame that nobody's playing these songs live anymore...

"The Friend Catcher" is an undeniable song

Tracks that needed to be added to "Hits": Guilt Parade / The Hair Shirt / Blundertown / Several Sins / Kiss Me Black / Six Strings That Drew Blood.

Fixed.

Absolute classic. all of it.

with so many brilliant tracks, 90% of their catalogue should be added to "hits"
xpost

classic

yes!