The Boys Next Door were the first punk band I ever saw. I had been introduced to Rob Wellington and we had started getting the Fiction together going and one night he dragged me to see this band at a church hall in the suburbs. The Boys Next Door were just fantastic. They looked great and sounded great. Nick Cave was a star as soon as soon he walked on stage. Afterwards we went to a party where they all were and I felt slightly out of it because my hair was a bit long and I think I was even wearing platform boots. The next day I cut my hair and changed my clothes completely.
From then on I went to see the Boys Next Door regualrly. They had such a brilliant sound. And they did a great cover of Andy Warhol by Bowie which was like the cherry on top. When the Fiction got going we started supporting them at various venues like Bernhardts and the Paradise lounge at the Crystal Ballroom. Even when the Fiction died Little Murders would continue to support them. One gig at Hearts in Fitzroy I looked at them in their suits and looked at my band who were dressed in jeans and decided we needed to get our image together. This eventually led to the Murders smartening up and then on to our Mod look. Later we would support the Birthday Party too.
I don't think the sound of the Boys Next Door was ever really captured well on record. Shivers however was majestic and far away from their early pop punk sound. And it's such a great song. We would sing along to it like it was an alternative anthem. When Rowland Howard joined the band my friends and I thought they were messing with something that was already good enough. But he brought in this song. And he changed the sound of the band. Something was happening..it was like fireworks on stage. And you knew something magic was going on. This band was going to be legendary.
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