Nick Cave
Country of origin:
Australia
Type of music generally:
A wide range of styles, circling around alternative pop/rock
Status:
Most recent release, Ghosteen (2019)
See also:
Nick Cave's site
Comparisons:
He's one of those artists the usually others are compared to, rather than the other way around
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
Nick Cave is a musician, a writer, and an actor. For the best idea of the range of his talents, see his Wikipedia entry. This will also tell you information about his bands and various projects. Many ectophiles list him among their favourite male vocalists. (The Editors)Nick Cave holds a special place in my heart, between Diamanda Galas and Miranda Sex Garden: depressing music that I can listen to only if I am very high or down in the dumps. (Yves.Denneulin@imag.fr)
If gravediggers sang, it would sound like this. (adamk@zoom.co.uk)
Comments about live performance:
I was curious to see how he could translate his sadness and blackness in a festival where peoples are usually here to have fun. The answer was: he had fun too! The show started by the saddest songs, most of them from Murder ballads and the last album and it finished with more upnote and "nervous" songs. He had the only encore of the day, where he played "Where the wild roses grow" with one of his musicians, a somber guitarist, taking Kylie Minogue's place to the audience's delight. A good joke to end a perfect set. (7/98, Yves.Denneulin@imag.fr)
Recommended first album:
If you haven't heard him before, it might be best to start with a compilation
Recordings include:
See one of the websites above for a complete list
- Door, Door (by The Boys Next Door, 1979)
- The Birthday Party (by The Boys Next Door,1980)
- Prayers on Fire (by The Birthday Party, 1981)
- Junkyard (by The Birthday Party, 1982)
- From Her to Eternity (1984)
- The Firstborn Is Dead (1985)
- Kicking Against the Pricks (1986)
- Your Funeral... My Trial (1986)
- Tender Prey (1988)
- The Good Son (1990)
- Henry's Dream (1992)
- Let Love In (1994)
- Murder Ballads (1996)
- The Boatman's Call (1997)
- Best of Nick Cave (compilation, 1998)
- No More Shall We Part (2001)
- Nocturama (2003)
- Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus (2004)
- Grinderman (by Grinderman, 2007)
- Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (2008)
- Grinderman 2 (by Grinderman, 2010)
- Push the Sky Away (2013)
- Skeleton Tree (2016)
- Ghosteen (2019)
Let Love In
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Release info:
1994—Mute Records
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Nick Cave—bells, organ, piano, vocals
Blixa Bargeld—guitar, backing vocals
Mick Harvey—guitar, organ, backing vocals
Warren Ellis—violin
Martyn Casey
Conway Savage—piano
Thomas Wydler—drums, percussion
Guest artists:
Rowland S. Howard—backing vocals
Spencer P. Jones—backing vocals
David McComb—backing vocals
Tex Perkins—backing vocals
Produced by:
Bad Seeds, Nick Cave, Tony Cohen
Comments:
Melbourne's favorite thin person is back with more of that late-night swagger he's famous for, and this is his best album yet. Love that piano work on the opening track. Not for all tastes, but if you've ever liked Nick, you'll love this. (ahoran@ozemail.com.au)
No More Shall We Part
Release info:
2001—Warner
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Nick Cave—piano, vocals, backing vocals
Blixa Bargeld—guitar, backing vocals
Mick Harvey—drums, guitar, string arrangements, backing vocals
Warren Ellis—string arrangements, violin, backing vocals
Martyn Casey—bass, Pbacking vocals
Conway Savage—organ, backing vocals
James Sclavunos—drums
Thomas Wydler—drums, backing vocals
Guest artists:
Leon Enrique Bosch—bass
Gustav Clarkston—viola
Simon Fischer—violin
Lionel Handy—cello
Rebecca Hirsch—violin
Anna McGarrigle (The McGarrigles)—backing vocals
Kate McGarrigle (The McGarrigles)—backing vocals
Paul Morgan—bass
Frank Schaefer—cello
Jackie Shave—violin
Bruce White—viola
Gavyn Wright—violin
Naomi Wright—cello
Produced by:
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Tony Cohe
Comments:
On my list for the best of 2001. Nick Cave continues to spin tales of love gone wrong, God and death. Here he is less cyncial than usual but not without bite. The McGarrigle sisters provide heavenly harmony vocals and the Bad Seeds are in fine form. "On As I sat sadly by her side" he sounds bizarrely like Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music). (Compliment!) Another stand-out is the title track. This album won't make people who never liked him understand but old fans will love it. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)The new Nick Cave album (or My Wife Thinks I'm a Loser...Shall I Write a Song About It?) After long last, I now possess the new recording from the King of Pain. Oh, so brilliant. Gorgeous. A masterpiece. But didn't I hear some of these songs already at CryBabyDotCom? Geeze...how long is a mid-life crisis supposed to last? (runly@hvi.net) One of my top 10 of 2001. ( mcurry@io.com)
Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Release info:
2004—Anti Epitaph
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Nick Cave—piano, vocals
Warren Ellis—bouzouki, flute, mandolin, violin
Martyn P. Casey—bass
Mick Harvey—guitar
Conway Savage—piano
Thomas Wydler—drums, percussion
James Sclavunos—drums, percussion
Guest artists:
Ase Bergstrom—vocals
James Johnston—organ
Donovan Lawrence—vocals
London Commuity Gospel Choir—vocals
Stephanie Meade—vocals
Geo Onayomake—vocals
Lena Palmer—vocals
Wendy Rose—vocals
Produced by:
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Nick Launay
Comments:
Great big, filthy, stomping, literate stuff. One of my favourites of the year. (adamk@zoom.co.uk)
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