I Am the Real Nick Cave

July 5, 2014 3:44 PM

An NYT profile on Nick Cave's career and the new film about his life, 20,000 Days on Earth.
posted by porn in the woods (22 comments total)

There's a Nick Cave gig available to stream on the Guardian's website at the moment, although probably in the UK only.
posted by dng at 3:49 PM on July 5, 2014

Well, there's at least one other "Real Nick Cave."
posted by koeselitz at 4:39 PM on July 5, 2014

Ah, the memorable moments I've spent in Nick Cave's world. He fascinates me. I wish I could get into his head and understand his paradoxical shifts from spectacularly romantic to grimy and violently antisocial. His music has played a significant role in my life. I really look forward to seeing that film.

Also, I would just die to see a pure gold sculpture of Nick Cave on horseback. I wish the sculptor had taken him up on that request.
posted by quiet earth at 4:43 PM on July 5, 2014 [3 favorites]

Oooh. I'm going to see him in concert on Monday. Perfect timing.
posted by gingerbeer at 4:53 PM on July 5, 2014

I saw him in concert right after "Push the Sky Away" came out, and it was one of the most mesmerizing performances I've ever seen. I'd never witnessed someone controlling the attention of everyone in the room while just standing there doing nothing, but Nick Cave did. One of the songs off the new album is called "We Real Cool", and i have crystal clear memories of their performance. He sings:

"...
Sirius is 8.6 light years away
Arcturus is 37
The past is the past and it's here to stay
Wikipedia's heaven-
When you don't want to remember
..."

I was floored. I'm not sure what it means, or even if "meaning" is a useful concept with the mood-heavy things that Cave makes, but dang, I love his stuff.
posted by DGStieber at 5:54 PM on July 5, 2014 [3 favorites]

Just a couple days ago I learned that he wrote 'Lawless' (which is fresh flowing on Netflix) and damn, now I'm tempted. Shia LaBeouf on one side and Cave/Hillcoat on the other... if only he'd snuck Stagger Lee in there it'd be a lock.
posted by mr. digits at 6:01 PM on July 5, 2014

That is an excellent article. By way of contrast, here's one from 1988 that the Guardian just re-published, featuring junkie-mode Cave being interviewed by NME journalist Jack Barron.

Gingerbeer, have you seen him before? He's in fantastic form at the moment (I've seen him a couple of times on this tour, including Glastonbury last year -sadly among a crowd waiting for Mumford and Sons who were mostly uninterested. But it did produce this).
posted by Pink Frost at 6:10 PM on July 5, 2014

A few months ago, Neil Gaiman posted a tweet that hinted at a "Murder Ballads 2." I'd be just about the happiest man alive if it came true.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:14 PM on July 5, 2014

Nick Cave has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Finally saw him live in Vancouver this week. The concert version of Jubilee Street (YouTube link) filled every part of me with music. And then he waded into the crowd to spread the gospel and lay his hands on the sinners (also YT link). I'd heartily recommend seeing him live if you can, before he transforms into his next incarnation.
posted by peterdarbyshire at 6:15 PM on July 5, 2014

Yes, I've seen him maybe 5 or 6 times before? But missed his last tour due to scheduling problems -- I even had tickets, but had to give them to a friend -- so am really looking forward to this one.
posted by gingerbeer at 6:36 PM on July 5, 2014

This was a great article! Thanks for posting it!
posted by danabanana at 7:05 PM on July 5, 2014

I just saw three shows in a row - Louisville, Kansas City, and Milwaukee. Right up front for the Milwaukee show. The energy was incredible, I felt like a kid at a rock n roll show again (and I'm no kid). The slow build on a song like 'Jubilee Street' is hard to describe - it absolutely must be felt live. If you're on the fence about seeing him - do it, this band is incredible. And if you're going to see him - be sure to run up front as soon as he comes out. The venues have been cool about this and Nick himself really seems to feed off of the people being up close.
posted by SafetyPirate at 8:08 PM on July 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

Yes indeed, good article, thank you. I saw Nick Cave's first band, The Boys Next Door, at a pub in Carlton, Melbourne. (Mick Harvey did in fact live next door to my boyfriend-at-the-time.) To my everlasting shame I said naah, this band'll never catch on. No wonder no one ever hired me as a talent scout.

Years later, now an enthusiastic fan of The Birthday Party, I persuaded an acquaintance with different taste in music, i.e. strictly classical, to accompany me to a gig at a St.Kilda ballroom. We looked over a balcony at the seething demi-monde below and he said "Valetta, this is Babylon!" He lasted two songs before he said his goodbyes and politely asked wtf was the attraction. "Oh, it's the passion!" I exclaimed to his departing figure, and moved closer to the front.
posted by valetta at 8:24 PM on July 5, 2014 [3 favorites]

Cave's always struck me as a prickly, pretentious, unpleasant fellow, but goddamn if I don't love his music.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:38 PM on July 5, 2014

Looking forward to the film. Birthday Party was one of the most insane, awesome, mind-bending, fucking great gigs I ever witnessed. Fewer than ten years later, I saw Cave (mostly solo?) after The Good Son came out, during which gig Cave, IIRC, mostly sang seated at a piano. A very different experience, still great (and at which a possibly inebriated Tom Waits stepped on my foot as he reeled through the crowd). Am kicking myself for not having seen Cave since.
posted by goofyfoot at 1:43 AM on July 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

A few months ago, Neil Gaiman posted a tweet that hinted at a "Murder Ballads 2."

If this is true, I hope Gaiman's wife isn't on it.
posted by pxe2000 at 5:39 AM on July 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

God don't even suggest her involvement. I just shuddered.
posted by Windigo at 11:21 AM on July 6, 2014 [2 favorites]

He's a good musician, but his riverside flower tour is awful.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 4:35 AM on July 7, 2014

I'm a musician, I love music. I never really got into Nick Cave but my friend had an extra ticket and I went along for the ride. And what a ride it was. I was completely blown away. Absolutely incredible live show. Nick Cave gets his name on the bill but the incredible Warren Ellis deserves a lot of credit as well. Wow.
posted by j03 at 8:14 AM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

Aaaaah. Just home from the show. Possibly the best Nick Cave show I've seen. Did almost everything I wanted to hear. Warren Ellis was in fine form. Contemplating going again tomorrow.....
posted by gingerbeer at 11:30 PM on July 7, 2014

I just saw him in L.A. this weekend, and it was... transcendent. Easily among the five greatest shows I've ever seen in my entire life. I am counting the days -- thank god there are not 20,000 of them -- till the movie is released.
posted by scody at 3:26 PM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

The newly released trailer
posted by scody at 5:09 PM on July 14, 2014