The Birthday Party
Driven by abrasive, antagonistic new wave attitude, The Birthday Party were the
outsiders of 1980s rock, championed by Radio 1 DJ John Peel, yet left to become
cult heroes scowling in the shadows. Inspired by the punk explosion, the gang of
Melbourne school friends started playing together in 1973 under the guise of The
Boys Next Door, before taking their feedback fuelled, distorted art rock to
London in 1980 and renaming themselves after a Harold Pinter play. Led by Nick
Cave's dark, gothic songs and Rowland S. Howard's screeching guitars, the band
signed with 4AD for debut albu...
