Crime & the City Solution

The Profile

Crime & the City Solution is an Australian post‑punk band formed by vocalist Simon Bonney in Melbourne in the late 1970s. Various lineups—featuring members linked to The Birthday Party (including Mick Harvey and Rowland S. Howard) and Epic Soundtracks—moved through London and Berlin, releasing on Mute Records. They appeared performing “Six Bells Chime” in Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire, later contributing “The Adversary” to Until the End of the World. After a long hiatus, the group reformed in 2012 and released American Twilight.

Formed in Melbourne by Simon Bonney; associated with Mute Records; Berlin-era lineup included Mick Harvey and Rowland S. Howard; performed “Six Bells Chime” in Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire; contributed “The Adversary” to Until the End of the World; albums include Just South of Heaven, Room of Lights, Shine, The Bride Ship, Paradise Discotheque, and American Twilight.

Two DeBaser reviews chart Crime & the City Solution’s brooding, blues-soaked post‑punk. One dives into the stark drama of Just South of Heaven and its Birthday Party DNA; the other celebrates Paradise Discotheque’s rich, cinematic rock and “The Adversary” from Wenders’ film world. References to Berlin, Mute Records, and lineup shifts (Harvey, Howard) frame the group’s evolving shadowy elegance.