Crime & The City Solution - A History of Crime, Berlin 1987-1991: An Introduction to Crime & the City Solution (2012)

Possibly an unfamiliar name to younger generations, there will be many who remember the dynamically evocative C&TCS with much affection. Singer Simon Bonney formed the group in 1977 in Australia, where it continued until Mick Harvey enticed Bonney to England in 1984.

Though Harvey was making the transition from Birthday Party to Bad Seeds, he joined the new outfit, along with guitarist Rowland S Howard, his bassist brother Harry and Swell Maps drummer Epic Soundtracks. In 1987, Bonney and Harvey moved to Berlin, bringing in the former’s violin-playing co-writer Bronwyn Adams, plus Einstürzende Neubauten’s Alexander Hacke (guitar), Thomas Stern (bass) and ex-DAF Chrislo Haas (synth), with Harvey playing drums.

On this collection, intensely dramatic tracks such as All Must Be Love and The Last Dictator are drawn from the albums Shine, The Bride Ship and Paradise Discotheque, while The Adversary comes from fan Wim Wenders’ Until The End Of The World soundtrack. Kickstarting the first C&TCS activity in over 20 years, with a tour and new album to come, this gripping passage into their shadow world is well timed.