Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds originated in Melbourne, Australia. Initially called 'Nick Cave and the Cavemen' for six months, the name was changed following the breakup of their prior band, The Birthday Party (first known as 'The Boys Next Door'), whose last EP was named The Bad Seed. The founding lineup included Nick Cave on vocals, multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey (departed in 2009), and guitarist Blixa Bargeld (left in 2003). Over time, the group expanded to include virtuoso Warren Ellis, bassist Martyn P. Casey, keyboardist Barry Adamson, guitarist George Vjestica, and drummers Thomas Wydler and Jim Sclavunos.

From 1983 to 1985, record producer Flood worked on From Her To Eternity and The Firstborn Is Dead. The band resided in Germany while creating the latter, which was somewhat ironic given the album's strong Southern Americana and blues influences.

Between 1986 and 1988, they released two of their darkest albums, Your Funeral My Trial and Tender Prey, gaining initial fame from the 'condemned man' theme in Tender Prey's "The Mercy Seat," described by Cave as “one long cry for help.”

After moving to Brazil and successfully completing rehab, Cave started experimenting with piano-driven ballads, which alienated some fans of his earlier Gothic style. Critics, however, praised the shift. With Neil Young producer David Briggs, they created Henry’s Dream, which leaned towards hard rock.

Returning to London in 1993, they released Let Love In with the hit "Red Right Hand," later featured in the Scream movies. It laid the groundwork for their 1996 best-seller Murder Ballads, featuring guest artists PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue. The 1997 album The Boatman’s Call marked a departure from cynicism towards themes of hope and rebirth.

Following a brief break, Cave released three albums from 2001 to 2005—No More Shall We Part, Nocturama, and Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus—showcasing an evolution towards a stripped-down punk/garage-rock sound.

In 2008, Dig, Lazarus, Dig! received critical acclaim around the time "O' Children" from the previous album appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

After disbanding side project Grinderman, they released Push The Sky Away in 2013, the first of a trilogy emphasizing synthesizers and drum machines more than prior works. During the recording of their sixteenth album Skeleton Tree, Cave's 15-year-old son died, infusing themes of loss and death into the album, which garnered critical success following its 2016 release. In September 2018, longtime keyboardist Conway Savage, who joined for The Good Son and stayed until 2015, passed away from cancer. The 2019 double album Ghosteen concluded the trilogy.