The Bad Seed, “music maker” and solo artist surveys some of his best work
Harvey in 2013, around the release of Four
I“do ok, I fool a lot of people,” says Mick Harvey, discussing his reputation as a multi instrumentalist. “But I’m not as much of one as people imagine. double bass? Nah! I can’t play it like someone who’s good at it…” Since his breakthrough work in The Birthday Party in the early ’80s, though, Harvey has made a career out of his flexibility; from a continuing role as one of PJ Harvey’s most trusted collaborators, to his decades as musical director, drummer, guitarist and songwriter for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, right up to his solo career and lauded, English-language versions of Serge Gainsbourg songs, the third volume of which is imminent. “I’ve produced an LP for a band that’s sold about 500 copies,” Harvey marvels, while he waits for a rehearsal for PJ Harvey’s live shows to begin. “Then I’ve headlined festivals with Nick, and I’ve played solo shows in clubs. But I’ve enjoyed all those different levels because they’re all challenging in different ways.”
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
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