Post-breakup, Legacy and Influence
Several groups rose from the Birthday Party's ashes: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (featuring Cave, Harvey, Adamson, Bargeld and briefly Pew), Crime and the City Solution (featuring Harvey and Howard, later just Harvey) and These Immortal Souls (featuring Howard).
Pew died from injuries caused by an epileptic seizure in 1986.
Due in part to their legendary status and to the continuing success of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Birthday Party's back catalogue has been re-released on CD several times. In recent years Mick Harvey has overseen releases of rare or previously unissued recordings.
The Birthday Party's initial impact was on the Gothic rock genre. According to New Musical Express, "The Party have been indirectly held responsible for the rise of a visceral new hardcore, ranging from The Sex Gang Children, through Danse Macabre to March Violets." Rock acts that have cited The Birthday Party as an influence include LCD Soundsystem, White Zombie, The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Mars Volta, Coil, My Bloody Valentine, Deerhunter, Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello, Cocteau Twins, The Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Melt-Banana, 16 Horsepower, Big Boys, Dinosaur Jr., and Tindersticks. U.S. indie label 31G Records released a tribute album to The Birthday Party, Release the Bats.
In October 2007, Cave alone was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. During his acceptance speech, Cave took it upon himself to 'induct' the Australian members of the Bad Seeds (including Harvey), plus Howard and Pew from The Birthday Party.
Rowland S. Howard died 30 December 2009 of liver cancer. In 2012 Howard's early songs were played live as a tribute in Melbourne: a four-piece band played consisting of Harvey, Calvert, Ron Rude and Rowland Howard's sister Angela.
Read more about this topic: The Birthday Party (band), History
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