Mick Harvey, Nick Cave’s longest serving musical collaborator, has quit the Bad Seeds, citing "a variety of personal and professional reasons".
Multi-instrumentalist Harvey has worked with Cave since the pair met as teenagers at Melbourne’s Caulfield Grammar School. They then played together in the Birthday Party, before forming the Bad Seeds in 1983.
According to a statement issued today, January 22nd, Harvey says the split was an amicable one, and that he wanted to leave the band on a high. The full statement reads:
"For a variety of personal and professional reasons I have chosen to discontinue my ongoing involvement with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. After 25 years I feel I am leaving the band as it experiences one of its many peaks; in very healthy condition, and with fantastic prospects for the future.
"I’m confident Nick will continue to be a creative force and that this is the right time to pass on my artistic and managerial role to what has become a tremendous group of people who can support him in his endeavours both musically and organizationally.
"It was a fantastic experience to finish my touring days in the band with the recent shows in Australia and the unique events that took place in conjunction with All Tomorrow’s Parties, especially Mt. Buller, which was one of the many highlights of my involvement with the band throughout the years.
"I shall continue working on the Bad Seeds back catalogue re-issues project over the coming year and look forward to the new opportunities I shall be able to accommodate as a result of my changed circumstances."
