The Birthday Party / Boys Next Door

Wed, 24 Aug 2005 14:16:38 GMT

"The Boys Next Door", the original version of the band "The Birthday Party", featured as members, Nick Cave, Mick Harvey and Phil Calvert from their high school days. After this time the band added their schoolfriend Tracey Pew on bass and Roland S. Howard on guitar. This line up was the mainstay of both bands for most of their career.

The Boys Next Door had a minor hit in Australia with the song "Shivers", which also featured on the Dogs In Space soundtrack (the film starring Michael Hutchence documenting the Melbourne "little band" post-punk scene of the late 1970s).

The first album, was released in Australia on Channel 7 records (who licenced it from Missing Link Records). In Australia at least, the album, featuring the songs Mr Clarinet and The Hair Shirt among others, was titled "The Birthday Party" (a Harold Pinter play), and the artist was "The Boys Next Door", as I can verify from my personal copy of the LP and verified by the offical website;

Originally credited to Boys Next Door. 1982 rerelease has a different cover, and doesn't mention Boys Next Door anymore.

Mr. Clarinet

Hats On Wrong

The Hair Shirt

Guilt Parade

Riddle House

The Friend Catcher

Waving My Arms

The Red Clock

Cat Man

Happy Birthday

Phil Calvert (drums) remained a member of the band until 1982 just before the "Bad Seed EP" when he was unceremoniously dumped from the band.

Tracey Pew (bass) sadly died in 1986 from complications due to epilepsy.

Xray Dubs - birthdayparty tag

The Birthday Party / Boys Next Door