The Birthday Party Members, Gear & Sound

Genre

Alternative rock Experimental rock Punk blues Post-punk Noise rock Gothic rock Deathrock Experimental Industrial australian post-punk darkwave

Members

Select a The Birthday Party band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.

Rowland S. Howard

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Groups:

Einstürzende Neubauten Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds The Go-Betweens These Immortal Souls Teenager The Holy Soul Lydia Lunch & Rowland S. Howard A.C. Marias Crime and the City Solution Spurs for Jesus Pink Stainless Tail Tuff Monks The Shangri-Las

See Gear
Blixa Bargeld

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Groups:

Einstürzende Neubauten Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

See Gear
Mick Harvey

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Drummer Keyboardist

Groups:

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Crime and the City Solution The Wallbangers

See Gear
Nick Cave

Roles:

Singer Keyboardist

Groups:

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Grinderman

See Gear
Tracy Pew

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

See Gear
Barry Adamson

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Buzzcocks Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Magazine

See Gear
Harry Howard

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

These Immortal Souls Crime and the City Solution

Needs more gear

See Gear
Jeffrey Wegener

Roles:

Drummer

No gear added

See Gear
Des Heffner
No gear added

See Gear
Chris Walsh

Roles:

Composer

No gear added

See Gear

About

The Birthday Party was an Australian post-punk band known for their dark, abrasive sound and confrontational performances. Formed in Melbourne in 1977, the group initially went by the name The Boys Next Door before relocating to London and adopting their more notorious moniker. The lineup featured Nick Cave (vocals), Rowland S. Howard (guitar), Mick Harvey (guitar, drums, organ, piano), Tracy Pew (bass), and Phill Calvert (drums). Their music blended elements of alternative rock, punk blues, noise rock, and gothic rock, making them one of the most influential and challenging bands to emerge from the post-punk era.

How to Sound Like The Birthday Party

The Birthday Party's sound is characterized by its raw, chaotic energy and aggressive sonic textures. The band's music often veered between blues-inflected dirges and intense noise assaults, underscored by Cave's haunting vocal delivery. Achieving this volatile sound involved the use of feedback-laden guitar tones, often amplified through powerful gear like the Fender '65 Twin Reverb used by Rowland S. Howard. Distortion and fuzz pedals, such as the MXR M103 Blue Box, contributed to their unrelenting sonic assault. The rhythm section's driving, relentless pulse was anchored by Pew's rumbling bass lines, played on instruments like the Fender American Standard Jazz Bass. Together, these elements forged a sound that was both chaotic and hypnotic, capturing the band's dark, experimental ethos.

Discography

Hee Haw

1979

Prayers on Fire

1981

Junkyard

1982

Hits

1993

Live 81-82

1999

Get the The Birthday Party Sound

Want to sound like The Birthday Party? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.