Crime & the City Solution
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 in Sydney, Australia |
| Founder | Simon Bonney |
| Headquarters | Berlin (current) , Germany |
Area served | International |
Key people | Simon Bonney (lead vocals) |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, live albums |
| Website | www |
Crime & the City Solution is a rock ensemble originating from Australia, established in late 1977 by vocalist and songwriter Simon Bonney. The group initially dissolved in 1979, leaving behind only unofficial recordings and demo tracks. After relocating to London in 1983, Bonney reassembled the band in 1985, incorporating members from the recently disbanded The Birthday Party. They eventually settled in West Berlin, where they produced four albums: Room of Lights (1986), Shine (1988), The Bride Ship (1989), and Paradise Discotheque (1990), before disbanding once more in 1991. The band was revived by Bonney in 2012 in Detroit, combining veterans from their Berlin period with new musicians.
Music critic David Sheridan characterized their sound as featuring deliberate tempos, somber atmospheres, and Bonney’s unique vocal delivery, which ranged from "challenging" to "eerily beautiful."
History
Originating in Sydney in 1977, Crime & the City Solution’s founding members included Simon Bonney (vocals), Phil Kitchener (bass), Dave MacKinnon (saxophone), Don McLennan (drums), and Harry Zantey (guitar). The band experienced five distinct phases centered around Bonney: Sydney (1977–78), Melbourne (1979), two Berlin periods (1985–1990), and Detroit beginning in 2012. Early collaborations saw Bonney working with McLennan’s group, The Particles, which held a cult status within Sydney’s inner-city music scene. The band carved out a niche with a fusion of distorted monotone guitar and saxophone riffs reminiscent of Wire’s Pink Flag era.
In late 1978, Bonney and McLennan relocated to Melbourne to form a new lineup featuring Chris Astley (keyboards), Kim Beissel (saxophone), Lindsay O'Meara (bass), and Dan Wallace-Crabbe (guitar). During this time, Bonney developed a friendship with the local post-punk act The Boys Next Door (later known as The Birthday Party). This lineup dissolved in 1979 after performing live shows and producing an unreleased demo; members subsequently pursued other projects such as Laughing Clowns and Pel Mel.
After moving to London in 1983, Bonney reconnected with members of The Birthday Party. In 1985, he reformed Crime & the City Solution with Mick Harvey (drums/keyboards/bass) and Rowland S. Howard (guitar/vocals). Harry Howard, Rowland’s brother, joined shortly thereafter on bass. Their debut EP The Dangling Man was released through Mute Records in June 1985, followed by the UK-exclusive EP Just South of Heaven. With Epic Soundtracks joining on drums, Harvey shifted focus to keyboards and guitar. In 1986, Bronwyn Adams added violin and backing vocals to the ensemble. That same year saw the release of their third EP, Kentucky Click.
The band's first full-length album, Room of Lights, was recorded in Berlin with producers Flood and Tony Cohen and released by Mute Records in October 1986. Acclaimed for its raw post-punk vigor and gothic ambiance, this album solidified their standing. Later that year, the Howard brothers and Soundtracks departed to form These Immortal Souls.
In 1987, Adams, Bonney, and Harvey expanded the lineup by recruiting Chrislo Haas (synthesizer), Alexander Hacke (guitar), and Thomas Stern (bass). Rampant Records issued an Australian compilation titled Room of Lights in 1988 that compiled tracks from earlier UK releases. Their sophomore album Shine, released in April 1988, was noted for its grittier sound and Bonney’s signature vocal style. Alternative rock artist Mark Lanegan identified it as a favorite due to its cinematic feel and melancholic tone.
April 1989 brought the release of their third album The Bride Ship via BMG/Arista Records Australia, which continued their distinctive musical evolution while incorporating stronger country influences. Their fourth studio effort, Paradise Discotheque, produced by Chrislo Haas, came out in September 1990. The band ultimately disbanded late in 1991; a live album titled The Adversary – Live was released posthumously in 1993. Following this period, Bonney moved to Los Angeles where he issued solo albums Forever (1992) and Everyman (1994).
In late 2011, Bonney reformed Crime & the City Solution once again in Detroit to produce a new album under Mute Records. This iteration included Adams, Hacke, David Eugene Edwards (16 Horsepower/Woven Hand), Troy Gregory, Matthew Smith, Jim White (Dirty Three), and Danielle de Picciotto. Their album American Twilight was recorded in Detroit and released in 2013.
In October 2023, the band independently released an album titled the killer via Bandcamp. Returning to Berlin for this project, Bonney and Adams were joined by Frederic Lyenn (keyboards/bass), Donald Baldie (guitar), Georgio Valentino and Joshua Murphy (guitars/keyboards), along with Chris Hughes on drums. Produced by Martin J. Fiedler—who also contributed keyboards—this release represents their latest strategic move into self-directed digital distribution platforms.
Members
Sydney 1977–1978
- Simon Bonney – lead vocals
- Don McLennan – percussion
- Harry Zantey – guitarist
- Phil Kitchener – bassist (deceased)
- Dave MacKinnon – soprano and tenor saxophones
Melbourne 1979
- Simon Bonney – lead vocals
- Don McLennan – percussion
- Dan Wallace-Crabbe – guitarist
- Lindsay O'Meara – bass guitar
- Chris Astley – keyboardist (deceased)
- Kim Beissel – alto saxophonist
Berlin/London 1985–1986
- Simon Bonney – lead vocals
- Mick Harvey – guitar and keyboards
- Rowland S. Howard – guitarist (deceased)
- Harry Howard – bass guitar
- Epic Soundtracks – drummer (deceased)
Berlin 1987–1991
- Simon Bonney – lead vocals
- Mick Harvey – drums
- Bronwyn Adams – violinist
- Alexander Hacke – guitarist
- Chrislo Haas – synthesizer player (deceased)
- Thomas Stern – bassist
Detroit 2012–2013
- Simon Bonney – lead vocals
- Bronwyn Adams – violinist
- Alexander Hacke – guitarist
- David Eugene Edwards – guitarist
- Troy Gregory – bass guitarist
- Danielle de Picciotto – visual artist
- Matthew Smith – keyboards and synthesizers
- Jim White – drummer
Berlin 2022–present
- Simon Bonney – lead vocals
- Bronwyn Adams – violin, backing vocals
- Chris Hughes – drums and percussion
- Frederic Lyenn Jacques – bass, synthesizer, piano, guitar
- Georgio Valentino – synthesizer and guitar
- Joshua Murphy - guitar, synthesizer, piano
- Donald Baldie - guitar and piano
Timeline
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id:voc value:red legend:Vocals id:g value:green legend:Guitars id:key value:purple legend:Keyboards id:b value:blue legend:Bass id:dr value:orange legend:Drums id:v value:drabgreen legend:Violin id:sx value:gray(0.5) legend:Saxophone id:vs value:yellow legend:Visuals id:alb value:black legend:Studio_release id:bars value:gray(0.95)
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</timeline>
Discography
- Studio Albums
- Room of Lights (1986)
- Shine (1988)
- The Bride Ship (1989)
- Paradise Discotheque (1990)
- American Twilight (2013)
- The Killer (2023)
- EPs
- The Dangling Man (1985)
- Just South of Heaven (1985)
- The Kentucky Click / Adventure (1986)
- On Every Train (Grain Will Bear Grain) (1988)
- The Shadow Of No Man (1989)
- I Have The Gun (1990)
- The Dolphins And The Sharks (1991)
- Live Releases
- The Adversary – Live (1993)
- Compilation Albums
- A History of Crime (2012)
Miscellaneous
- The band’s performance of "Six Bells Chime" was featured by filmmaker Wim Wenders, an admirer of their work, in his film Wings of Desire. Additionally, "The Adversary" was included on the soundtrack for his movie Until the End of the World.
- Bronwyn Adams, a member of the group, is married to lead singer Simon Bonney. Her late brother, Bruno Adams, served as vocalist for "Once Upon A Time," a project produced by Mick Harvey, and subsequently became part of "Fatal Shore" based in Prague and Berlin.
External links
- www.fromthearchives.org – comprehensive discography
- [ Allmusic Guide entry]
- Artist information and discography at němý.cz – Mute Records digital archive