The Birthday Party - Pleasure Heads Must Burn DVD
(Cherry Red)
In the beginning there were the Stooges. The Stooges begat the Birthday Party and the Birthday Party begat the Jesus Lizard. Rock and roll kids have heard the myths about the Stooges, and the legends about the Birthday Party, and may have even been fortunate enough to have seen the Jesus Lizard with their very heathen eyes. But now, thanks to the fine folks at seminal UK punk label Cherry Red Records, we can see for ourselves that which we could previously only have dreamed of: a half naked Nick Cave slinking through a crowd of debauchery growling the tale of "Nick the Stripper, hideous to the eye."
Before considering the considerable number of positive aspects of this new DVD release, the one negative aspect should be addressed. Actually, it's not so much a negative aspect as an inevitable issue of quality. Despite the fact that DVDs offer a much higher level of video and audio quality over VHS, the fact of the matter is that the live footage herein was taped at the Hacienda in 1982 and 1983. Meaning that it looks like crappy videotape from twenty years ago. Just remind yourself that it's got to be miles ahead from the VHS dubs that have been popping up on eBay, and it will last much longer.
Now, the good stuff. The original release, by Factory Records video arm Ikon, was comprised of selections from two live sets at the Hacienda, with a promo clip for "Nick the Stripper" stuck in between them. The DVD has the Hacienda footage together in one program (though, of course, each song is its own chapter and can be accessed directly from the menu), with a separate program that includes the "Nick the Stripper" promo, three additional songs from two separate, unidentified performances ("Fears of Gun," "Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)," and "Deep in the Woods"), and a TV variety show performance of "Junkyard."
In terms of performance, some of these, inevitably, come across better than others. The "Nick the Stripper" promo, for instance, is so-so. The '82 Hacienda performance is a bit spotty. Overall, however, it is an astonishing document of one of the most intense and visceral bands ever. Seeing them on a TV variety show set is just plain bizarre, and their choice of "Junkyard" is perfect, with Cave's repeated bellowing of "I am the king." The innocuous setting only highlights the lurid danger that was inherent in all of their music. Performances of songs such as "Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow)," "Big Jesus Trashcan" and "Dead Joe" demand such a commitment to complete abandon by the band that one cannot help but be overwhelmed by their pure, raw passion, particularly on the part of Cave who is consistently sweaty, shrieking and flinging himself about according to the demands of the music.
The best thing about this DVD, however, is the insight that watching the band live gives into the their collective dynamic. Since Nick Cave has gone on to much greater fame and acclaim, as has guitarist/drummer Mick Harvey as Cave's closest and most consistent collaborator in the Bad Seeds, one might be led to overstate their importance in the Birthday Party, setting them above the other key members, bassist Tracey Pew and founding member Rowland S. Howard. The live performances, however, quickly rectify any confusion. The Birthday Party was a four-legged beast that equally required each member to fully function (though they were, for the most part a five piece band-Phil Calvert originally played drums and Harvey was one the second guitar, late in their career Calvert was sacked and Harvey moved to drums, leaving only Howard on guitar). Pew's rugged, snaky basslines are the backbone of any Birthday Party song, and, on many, it is the only consistent, reliable foundation, as the drums frequently pound irregularly, negating traditional notions of a rhythm section. Additionally, Pew, in his weird sexy Cowboy hooker getup (mesh shirt, Stetson shadowing his face, which is adorned with gay porn star mustache) locks the groove down with a truly nasty hip sway that lends a sense of pure evil to the songs, particularly the ones about killing.
Conversely, Howard's guitar parts, rather than riffs or licks, are wild and unpredictable bursts of noise. They are not, however, purely random, they are expertly executed for maximum impact, like Bill the Butcher who knows when to wound, when to bleed, and when to kill. His guitar tone is menacing and razor sharp. Without Howard, the Birthday Party would have been great. But with Howard, they were a monster. Together with Pew, the two operated at opposite poles that form a perfect balance between trash-fueled rock and careening totally out of control.
The finest moment is perhaps that of poorest video quality and comes in one of the additional tracks. The band is shown performing "Deep in the Woods," perhaps their most harrowing song, a tale of love turned to murder, in an unnamed dark, dank club. The record version is intense, but in live performance, Cave looses what little bit of composure he may have had to create a horrifying sense of danger. And Tracey Pew grinds his pelvis all the way through it. It is monstrous, and it is priceless.
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