NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS – THE MERCY SEAT 12″ – EXC+ A1 UK 1988 INDIE ROCK

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – The Mercy Seat
(Mute Records  1988  12Mute52)
Matrix No’s: A1/B1 – UK Pressing

Vinyl in Excellent+ condition
(there are some surface marks visible on the vinyl which do give light pops/crackles but sound quality is excellent overall)

Sleeve in Very Good+ conditioon
– back cover has some water discolouration across top half and some marks

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian rock band formed in 1983 by vocalist Nick Cave, multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey and guitarist-vocalist Blixa Bargeld. The band has featured international personnel throughout its career and presently consists of Cave, violinist and multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, bassist Martyn P. Casey (all from Australia), guitarist George Vjestica (United Kingdom), keyboardist/percussionist Larry Mullins, also known as Toby Dammit (United States), and drummers Thomas Wydler (Switzerland) and Jim Sclavunos (United States). Described as “one of the most original and celebrated bands of the post-punk and alternative rock eras in the ’80s and onward”, they have released seventeen studio albums and completed numerous international tours.

The band was founded following the demise of Cave and Harvey’s former group the Birthday Party, the members of which met at a boarding school in Melbourne.Throughout the 1980s, beginning with their debut LP From Her to Eternity (1984), the band drew largely on post-punk, blues and gothic rock, and formed an evolving, multinational lineup, bringing in musicians such as Blixa Bargeld, Barry Adamson and Kid Congo Powers. The band later softened their sound and incorporated other influences on albums such as The Good Son (1990) and The Boatman’s Call (1997). Following Harvey’s departure in 2009, the band broadened their sound further to include electronic and ambient styles, which feature prominently on the trilogy of albums Push the Sky Away (2013), Skeleton Tree (2016) and Ghosteen (2019).

“The Mercy Seat” is a song written by Nick Cave (lyrics and music) and Mick Harvey(music), originally performed by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on the 1988 album Tender Prey. The song has been covered by others, including Johnny Cash, Camille O’Sullivan and Unter Null. Rolling Stone editor Toby Creswell lists it as one of the 1001 greatest songs.

• 12″

1. “The Mercy Seat” (full-length album version)
2. “New Day” [actually “New Morning” mistitled]
3. “The Mercy Seat” (video mix)

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

• Nick Cave – vocals, Hammond organ
• Mick Harvey – bass, backing vocals, guitar, bass loops, piano
• Blixa Bargeld – slide guitar
• Roland Wolf – guitar
• Kid Congo Powers – guitar
• Thomas Wydler – drums