Junkyard (album)

Junkyard (album)

Junkyard is a 1982 album by Australian post-punk group The Birthday Party. The album was recorded with Tony Cohen at Armstrong's Audio Visual (A.A.V.) Studios in Melbourne in December 1981 and January 1982. Additional tracks were recorded in London's Matrix Studios with 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 at London's Townhouse Studio with Nick Launay in April 1981. A 2nd version of Dead Joe also appears on the re-issue. Nick Cave's then-girlfriend Anita Lane co-wrote with him on two songs, "Dead Joe" and "Kiss me Black."

The album was a somewhat transitional record for a variety of reasons. On 16 February 1982 in Melbourne, Tracy Pew (the band's bass player) was arrested for drunk driving. For this and several other outstanding offences he served 2.5 months in Pentridge Prison in Australia, and so Barry Adamson was drafted in on bass duties for several tracks.

The cover art is by Ed Roth and Dave Christensen and features Roth's Junk Yard Kid character driving a hot rod hybrid featuring equal parts Caddy and garbage can, literally. Roth Studios' best known character, Rat Fink, makes a prominent cameo atop quad headlights next to the Edsel grille.

In October 2010, Junkyard was listed at No. 17 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums.