Australian Simon Bonney has resurrected his art-rock group Crime and the City Solution — which, during the ’80s, included members of The Birthday Party, Swell Maps and Einstürzende Neubauten — for the band’s first tour in more than 20 years, a brand-new compilation and its first new studio album since 1990’s Paradise Discotheque.
According to Mute Records, Bonney is reuniting with Berlin-era members Bronwyn Adams (violin) and Alexander Hacke (guitar) and enlisting visual artist Danielle de Picciotto, drummer Jim White of The Dirty Three, guitarist David Eugene Edwards of 16 Horsepower and Woven Hand, former Dirtbombs bassist Troy Gregory and keyboardist Matthew Smith.
The group will release a new full-length album, recorded recently in Detroit, called American Twilight sometime in early 2013, according to Mute.
First, though, comes a new compilation, A History of Crime: Berlin 1987-1991, which features band-selected tracks from Crime and the City Solution’s three albums recorded in Berlin — 1988’s Shine, 1989’s The Bride Ship and Paradise Discotheque — plus what had been the group’s last recording, “The Adversary,” from the soundtrack to Wim Wenders’ “Until the End of the World.” The disc is out Sept. 24 in the U.K. (see full tracklist below).
In October, the band will play 11 dates in the U.S. and Europe, focusing on new music from American Twilight and reinterpretations of songs from its Berlin and London periods, the latter of which is when Mick Harvey and the late Rowland S. Howard of The Birthday Party joined the band. The tour also will include, for the first time, visuals by new member de Picciotto.
Crime and the City Solution tour dates:
Oct. 18: The Oriental Theatre, Denver, CO, USA
Oct. 19: Majestic Theater, Detroit, MI, USA
Oct. 21: Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL, USA
Oct. 22: Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Oct. 23: The Fonda, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Oct. 24: Slim’s, San Francisco, CA, USA
Oct. 26: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK
Oct. 28: Les Docks, Lausanne, Switzerland
Oct. 29: Concertzaal Vooruit, Gent, Belgium
Oct. 30: Patronat, Haarlem, Holland
Oct. 31: C-Club, Berlin, Germany
Tracklist: Crime and the City Solution, A History of Crime: Berlin 1987-1991
1. “All Must Be Love”
2. “Hunter”
3. “On Every Train (Grain Will Bear Grain)”
4. “Home Is Far From Here”
5. “Keepsake”
6. “The Bride Ship”
7. “Free World”
8. “New World”
9. “I Have The Gun”
10. “The Dolphins & The Sharks”
11. “The Sun Before The Darkness”
12. “The Last Dictator Part 1”
13. “The Last Dictator Part 2”
14. “The Last Dictator Part 3”
15. “The Last Dictator Part 4”
16. “The Adversary”
Saw these guys (and gal) back in ’91; some dive in Boston. We were on the road with Lollapolooza and some of the roadies invited us to go and check out this cool band. Having nothing else better to do, we went…it was as if some force lifted me off my feet and gently pulled me into the club. I will NEVER forget that night!
Hope you come see us this time round Bonnie- we have TWO gals now. What band were you touring with?
Austin, Texas should really be added to this list of cities. It is a hotbed of art rock and post punk and music in general. It seems foolish that Austin’s being overlooked.