The band was founded in 1983 following the demise of Cave and Harvey's former group the Birthday Party, the members of which met at a boarding school in Victoria. By the release of their fifth studio album "Tender Prey" in 1988, they shifted from post-punk towards an experimental alternative rock sound, later incorporating various influences throughout their career. 2008's "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!" and the side-project Grinderman were influenced by garage rock. Synthesizers and minimal guitar work feature prominently on "Push the Sky Away" (2013), recorded after Harvey's departure from the band in 2009.