Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds — History, Music and the People Behind the Band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1983 following the breakup of The Birthday Party. Led by singer and songwriter Nick Cave, the band has brought together Australian, German, British, American and Swiss musicians throughout its history, becoming one of the most important acts in post-punk and alternative rock. Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave was born on September 22, 1957, in Warracknabeal, Victoria, Australia. A singer, songwriter, musician, writer, screenwriter and actor, Cave is best known as the frontman of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Recognized for his baritone voice, intense performances and highly literary lyrics, his work frequently explores themes such as death, religion, love, violence, spirituality and redemption. Before the Bad Seeds, he was one of the leading figures in The Boys Next Door and The Birthday Party. Mick Harvey Michael John Harvey was born on August 29, 1958, in Rochester, Victoria, Australia. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, Harvey met Nick Cave as a teenager and became his principal musical collaborator during the early years of his career. He was a member of The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party and the original lineup of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, playing various instruments and contributing to arrangements and recordings. He also developed a successful solo career and worked as a producer and musician with numerous artists. He left the Bad Seeds in 2009. Blixa Bargeld Christian Emmerich, known professionally as Blixa Bargeld, was born on January 12, 1959, in West Berlin, Germany. A musician, singer and guitarist, he became known as the founder and vocalist of the experimental band Einstürzende Neubauten, formed in Berlin in 1980. Bargeld participated in the earliest recordings of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and remained with the band until 2003, becoming one of the defining figures of its classic lineup. The End of The Birthday Party The project that would eventually become Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds emerged following the breakup of The Birthday Party in 1983. Cave and Harvey had previously been members of The Boys Next Door, a group formed in Melbourne in the late 1970s that later adopted the name The Birthday Party. The band also featured guitarist Rowland S. Howard and bassist Tracy Pew. The differences between Cave's and Howard's songwriting became increasingly pronounced, while Harvey also began working more closely with Cave. The Birthday Party made its final recordings in 1983 and disbanded that same year. Rowland S. Howard Rowland Stuart Howard was born on October 24, 1959, in Melbourne, Australia. A guitarist, songwriter and producer, he became best known for his work with The Birthday Party, where his guitar playing and compositions helped define the band's aggressive and experimental sound. After The Birthday Party broke up, Howard joined Crime & the City Solution and later developed a solo career. He also worked with Nick Cave at different points, but the musical differences between the two were among the factors associated with the breakup of The Birthday Party. Howard died on December 30, 2009, at the age of 50. Tracy Pew Tracy Pew was born on December 19, 1957, in Melbourne, Australia. A bassist, he was a member of The Boys Next Door and The Birthday Party, taking part in one of the most important formations of Australian post-punk. Pew also briefly participated in the first live lineup of the project that would become the Bad Seeds, during Cave's return to Australia in late 1983. He died on November 7, 1986, at the age of 28. The Formation of the Bad Seeds An embryonic version of what would become Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was formed in London in September 1983. Alongside Cave and Harvey, the early sessions involved Blixa Bargeld, Barry Adamson and J. G. Thirlwell. The project initially served as the backing band for Cave's solo project, Man or Myth?. Barry Adamson Barry Adamson was born on June 11, 1958, in Manchester, England. A bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, he initially became known as a member of Magazine, an important British post-punk band. Adamson was part of the early formations of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, playing bass, guitar and other instruments. He remained with the band from 1983 to 1986 and later developed a solo career that combined jazz, soul, funk, electronic music and soundtrack work. J. G. Thirlwell James George Thirlwell was born on January 29, 1960, in Melbourne, Australia. A musician, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist, he became best known for his Foetus project, developed under various names throughout his career. Thirlwell participated in the early sessions connected with Cave's project in 1983 and played on recordings that contributed to the band's first album. However, he never became an official member of the Bad Seeds. He also participated in Immaculate Consumptive, a project that brought together Cave, Lydia Lunch and Marc Almond. Hugo Race Hugo Race was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia. A singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, he was part of the first consistent lineup of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and played on From Her to Eternity. Before joining the Bad Seeds, he was involved in Melbourne's alternative music scene. He later developed an extensive solo career and collaborated with numerous international musicians. Race left the Bad Seeds during the band's early years. Anita Lane Anita Louise Lane was born on March 18, 1960, in Melbourne, Australia. A singer, songwriter and keyboardist, she was closely connected to the musical circle surrounding Nick Cave and Mick Harvey from the earliest years of Australian post-punk. Lane collaborated with Cave and Harvey and contributed to projects connected with the Bad Seeds. She received songwriting credits on several songs, including the title track of From Her to Eternity. She later developed a solo career and released the albums Dirty Pearl and Sex O'Clock. She died on April 27, 2021, at the age of 61. Edward Clayton-Jones Edward Clayton-Jones was a guitarist associated with the early live performances of the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds project. He performed as a touring musician during the band's early period. Later, together with Hugo Race, he was associated with the formation of The Wreckery in Melbourne. The First Album After a brief tour of Australia, Cave and his companions returned to London. The lineup consisted of Cave, Harvey, Bargeld, Hugo Race and Barry Adamson. The band initially used the name Nick Cave and the Cavemen before officially adopting the name Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in 1984. Recording of the first album began in March 1984 at Trident Studios in London. The material from the new sessions, combined with some of the recordings made in 1983, became From Her to Eternity, released by Mute Records in 1984. Thomas Wydler Thomas Wydler was born on October 9, 1959, in Zurich, Switzerland. A drummer and percussionist, he initially became known for his work in Berlin's music scene and joined Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in 1985. Wydler became one of the band's longest-serving members, taking part in much of its history. His drumming style contributed significantly to the Bad Seeds' sound during the following decades. Martyn P. Casey Martyn Paul Casey was born on July 10, 1960, in Sydney, Australia. A bassist, he initially became known for his work with the Australian band The Triffids. Casey joined Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in the early 1990s and became one of the band's longest-serving members. His bass playing became a fundamental part of the band's sound during one of its most important periods. Jim Sclavunos James Sclavunos was born on May 3, 1962, in the United States. A musician, composer and producer, he is primarily known as a drummer and percussionist, although he plays several other instruments. Before joining the Bad Seeds, he worked with artists and groups from the American alternative scene, including Lydia Lunch and Sonic Youth. He joined Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in the 1990s and also contributed percussion, keyboards, xylophone and backing vocals. Warren Ellis Warren Ellis was born on February 14, 1965, in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. A violinist, composer and multi-instrumentalist, he initially became known for his work with The Dirty Three. Ellis joined the Bad Seeds' musical circle in the 1990s and became one of Nick Cave's most important musical collaborators. In addition to violin, he plays viola, guitar, synthesizers, mandolin, bouzouki, piano and percussion, while also using electronic instruments and effects. He has also worked extensively with Cave on film soundtracks. George Vjestica George Vjestica is a British guitarist and composer best known for his work with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. He contributed to several of the band's albums, including Push the Sky Away, Skeleton Tree, Ghosteen and Wild God. Outside the Bad Seeds, Vjestica has worked with artists such as John Squire, Barry Adamson, Groove Armada and KT Tunstall, as well as contributing to film and television projects. Larry Mullins Larry Mullins, also known as Toby Dammit, is an American musician who works primarily as a drummer, percussionist and keyboardist. Since the 2010s, he has performed with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as a touring musician. His work with the band includes drums, percussion, keyboards, piano, organ, vibraphone and backing vocals. Unlike the official members, Mullins is generally identified as a touring musician. Alex