The discography of The Birthday Party, an Australian post-punk band, consists of four studio albums, two live albums, six compilation albums, six extended plays and nine singles. The group began under various names in Melbourne in 1973; formed by vocalist Nick Cave, guitarist Mick Harvey, drummer Phill Calvert, guitarist John Cocivera, bassist Brett Purcell, and saxophonist Chris Coyne —all of whom were students at Caulfield Grammar School. By 1978, following several membership changes, the band consisted of Cave, Harvey and Calvert with bassist Tracy Pew and guitarist Rowland S Howard. Under the name The Boys Next Door, the band released several singles and two studio albums, Door, Door in 1979 on Mushroom Records and The Birthday Party in 1980 on Missing Link Records.
Despite moderate success in Australia, The Boys Next Door relocated to London, England in 1980 and changed their name to The Birthday Party. In London, the band experienced underground critical success with a series of singles and two further studio albums, Prayers on Fire (1981) and Junkyard (1982); Junkyard was also a minor commercial success, peaking at number 72 on the UK Albums Chart upon its release. In 1982, the band relocated to West Berlin, Germany and Calvert departed. The band, now featuring Harvey on dual guitar and drumming duties, released as two EPs, The Bad Seed and Mutiny!, in 1983 on 4AD and Mute Records. Featuring Einstürzende Neubauten member Blixa Bargeld as a guest musician, they were the band's final recordings prior to their disbandment in late 1983.
Cave, Harvey, Barry Adamson and Bargeld formed Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in December 1983 and Howard joined Crime and the City Solution, as well as forming These Immortal Souls in the wake of The Birthday Party's break-up. The band's back catalogue has been reissued several times, usually in the form of compilation albums such as Mutiny/The Bad Seed (1989) and Hits (1992), and several unreleased recordings and video albums have been released since their disbandment. Though the band did not experience commercial success during their career, they have been recognised as having a major impact on the gothic rock genre and influencing several subsequent bands, including My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello and LCD Soundsystem.
Albums Studio albums + List of studio albums, with chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions Door, DoorReleased: 1979 Labels: Mushroom Formats: LP, CD 93 — — The Birthday PartyReleased: November 1980 Labels: Missing Link Formats: LP — — — Prayers on FireReleased: 6 April 1981 Labels: Missing Link , 4AD Formats: LP, CD 96 — 4 JunkyardReleased: 10July1982 Labels: Missing Link , 4AD Formats: LP, CD — 72 1 "—" denotes a release that did not chart
Live albums + List of live albums, with chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions It's Still LivingReleased: May 1985 Labels: Missing Link , Virgin Formats: LP, CD 19 Live 1981–82Released: 10 August 1999 Labels: 4AD Formats: 2×LP, CD — "—" denotes a release that did not chart
Compilation albums + List of compilation albums Title Album details A Collection…Released: 1985 Labels: Missing Link , Suite Beat Formats: LP, CD Hee-HawReleased: 1988 Labels: 4AD , Virgin Formats: LP, CD Mutiny/The Bad SeedReleased: 1989 Labels: 4AD HitsReleased: 12 October 1992 Labels: 4AD , Warner Bros Formats: 2×LP, CD, CS The John Peel SessionsReleased: 28 May 2001 Labels: Strange Fruit Formats: 2×LP, CD
Box sets + List of box sets Title Album details Definitive Missing Link Recordings 1979–1982Released: 1994 Labels: Missing Link Formats: 5×CD box set
Extended plays + List of extended plays, with chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions Hee-HawReleased: December 1979 Labels: Missing Link Formats: 12" — Drunk on the Pope's Blood/The Agony Is the EcstacyReleased: 18 February 1982 Labels: 4AD , Missing Link Formats: 12", CS 2 The Bad SeedReleased: March 1983 Labels: 4AD Formats: 12" 3 Mutiny!Released: November 1983 Labels: Mute Formats: 12" 3 The Peel SessionsReleased: January 1987 Labels: Strange Fruit Formats: 12", CD 7 The Peel Sessions IIReleased: November 1988 Labels: Strange Fruit Formats: 12", CD 11 "—" denotes a release that did not chart
Singles Retail singles +List of retail singles, with chart positions Single Year Peak chart positions Album Notes "These Boots Are Made for Walking" 1978 — Non-LP single Released under The Boys Next Door, backed with non-LP track "Boy Hero" "Shivers" 1979 — Door, DoorReleased under The Boys Next Door "Happy Birthday" 1980 — The Birthday Party "The Friend Catcher" 21 N/A "Mr. Clarinet" 18 "Nick the Stripper" 1981 — Prayers on Fire12" backed with non-LP tracks "Blundertown" and "Kathy's Kisses" "Release the Bats" 3 Non-LP singleBacked with non-LP "Blast Off" "Dead Joe" 1982 — JunkyardN/A "—" denotes a release that did not chart
Split singles +List of split singles, with other artist Single Year Other artist Notes "Scatterbrain"/"Early Morning Brain" 1979 Models Released under The Boys Next Door, non-LP track
Demos + List of appearances on various artist compilation albums Song Year Album Notes Ref "Figure of Fun" 1980 Fast Forward No 2 Released exclusively and issued free with Fast Forward magazine "Sex Crimes" 2005 Inner City Sound Exclusively released on this compilation, unreleased song
Music videos + List of music videos, with directors Title Year Director Ref "Nick the Stripper" 1981 Paul Goldman "Deep in the Woods" 1983 Glenn Auchinachie
Video releases +List of video albums Title Album details Pleasure Heads Must BurnReleased: 1984 Labels: Ikon , Cherry Red Formats: VHS, DVD
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