Junkyard (album)

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Junkyard
Junkyard cover
Studio album by The Birthday Party
Released July 1982
Recorded Matrix Studios, London 1981 & 1982
Length 47:08
Label 4AD
Producer(s) Richard Mazda
The Birthday Party chronology
Prayers on Fire
(1981)
Junkyard
(1982)
Mutiny/The Bad Seed
(1983)


Junkyard is a 1982 album by The Birthday Party. The bulk of the album was recorded in London's Matrix Studios with of punk producer Richard Mazda in May 1982 Mazda's previous work with ATV and The Fall had brought him to their attention. Later CD re-issues added the "Release the Bats/Blast Off!" single recorded in London with Nick Launay in April 1981.

The album was a somewhat transitional record for a variety of reasons. Tracey Pew the band's original bass player was temporarily in jail in Australia. Barry Adamson was drafted in on bass duties and Matrix Studios in London was the venue. Despite the fact that many of the band members were definitely 'under the influence' through the recording, the sessions resulted in a ground breaking album, full of "sound and fury". Richard Mazda has claimed that his dedication and perseverance played a major role in the album's sound, and its completion.

The cover art is by Ed Roth and features his most famous character Rat Fink riding on a hot rod and peppering an unfortunate cat with buckshot.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Blast Off!"
  2. "She's Hit"
  3. "Dead Joe"
  4. "The Dim Locator"
  5. "Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow)"
  6. "Several Sins"
  7. "Big Jesus Trash Can"
  8. "Kiss Me Black"
  9. "6" Gold Blade"
  10. "Kewpie Doll"
  11. "Junkyard"
  12. "Dead Joe"
  13. "Release the Bats"