Junkyard was inspired by American Southern Gothic imagery, dealing with extreme subjects like an evangelist's murdered daughter.

[5] Anita Lane, then girlfriend of lead singer Nick Cave, co-wrote two songs for the album: "Dead Joe" and "Kiss Me Black".

On 16 February 1982 in Melbourne, Tracy Pew (the band's bass player) was arrested for drunk driving.

For this and several other outstanding offences he served 2.5 months in HM Prison Won Wron in Australia, and so Barry Adamson played bass on one track.

In addition to his usual guitar, Mick Harvey played drums on a few songs, anticipating the upcoming departure of founding member Phill Calvert and the group's subsequent switch from quintet to quartet.

Critic Ned Raggett called the album a "scuzzy masterpiece" that saw "Cave's now-demonic vocals in full roar while the rest of the players revamped rhythm & blues and funk into a blood-soaked exorcism.