Back in 1977 the first Melbourne punk band I ever saw was The Boys Next Door playing some church hall in Ashburton in the Eastern Suburbs. I was forming The Fiction with Rob Wellington and he knew them and took me along. It was riveting. Nick Cave had something special as soon as he walked on stage. And everyone there knew it. And gradually the whole of Melbourne seemed to fall under his spell. And a sizeable proportion of the alternative rock world later. The Fiction would play gigs with the Boys Next Door as would Little Murders a bit later. I rated The Boys Next Door the best band in Melbourne and I would go and see them any chance I got when my band wasn't playing.
But I didn't get into the records. Birthday Party or early Nick Cave (though I did think Release The Bats was fantastic) I guess I was out there being a mod, playing power pop or DJing in sixties discos. It was later when I started DJing alternative clubs that tracks like Deanna packed the dance floors. Or I would go round friends' places and they would be singing along with the Mercy Seat in a mildly demented way. Then I started listening to the albums.
And he made some great records. But it was this one that knocked my socks off. (though thinking back now the best-of album was brilliant too) This was like a best-of album made up of totally new songs. And it refused to leave the turntable (or CD deck) for ages. One of the few great double albums. Brilliant!
(on a footnote to double albums.. it seems a lot of those CD albums we bought on the 90s are coming out on vinyl because of their length but I don't see those as intentional doubles)
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