Nick Cave, the Australian born singer-songwriter and author, discusses the influences of his parents on his love for literature. He reflects on the impact of Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen on his music and lyrics. Cave also explores the inspirational Australians who pushed against societal norms. He talks about the transformative power of music, the challenges of addiction and grief, and his exploration of religious imagery in his songs.
Nick Cave's father introduced him to radical literature and art, instilling in him a belief that art can be thrilling and challenging.
Watching the Johnny Cash Show as a child changed Cave's perception of music and sparked his interest in country music.
Deep dives
Influence of Nick Cave's Father and Mother
Nick Cave's father, an English teacher, introduced him to radical literature and art, reading him the first chapter of Lolita at the age of 13. This sparked a close bond and instilled in Cave a belief that art could be thrilling and challenging. His mother, a school librarian, influenced him with her fairness, unconditional love, and encouragement of his creativity.
The Impact of Watching the Johnny Cash Show
As a 10-year-old boy, Cave watched the Johnny Cash Show and was drawn to the dark and dangerous nature of Cash's music and his outlaw persona. This experience changed Cave's perception of music, showing him that it could be exciting and different. It also sparked his interest in country music, which would later influence his own songwriting.
Encounter with Barry Humphreys and Australian Cultural Troublemakers
Cave's formative influences included watching Barry Humphreys perform as Dame Edna Average, along with other Australian troublemakers like Jermaine Greer, Clive James, and David Williamson. These individuals challenged societal norms and inspired Cave with their irreverence and willingness to push against established culture.
Influence of Leonard Cohen and the Power of Music
Leonard Cohen's songs of love and hate had a profound impact on Cave when he first heard them as a teenager. Cohen's voice and darkness resonated with Cave's own melancholic nature. Cohen's willingness to go to dark places in his lyrics and music influenced Cave's own songwriting and his belief in the power of music to change lives and provide solace.
Nick Cave, the Australian born singer-songwriter and author, reveals the formative influences and experiences that have inspired his own creativity. With his band The Bad Seeds, Cave is renowned for the darkness and drama of his narrative based work. His lyrics are often populated by flawed people doing bad things, but seeking redemption in love or God, or both. His musical output is diverse, ranging from rock’n’roll, to piano-based love songs. The tragic death of his 15 year old son Arthur in 2015 has informed recent work, with songs about devastating loss, grief and love explored throughout the albums Ghosteen and Carnage. Nick Cave has also written novels, poetry, a screenplay, and has recently published Faith, Hope and Carnage - a book exploring his ideas about creativity and belief.
Nick Cave talks to John Wilson about the influences of his father, an English teacher, and his mother, a school librarian, in encouraging his love of literature from a young age. He recalls seeing The Johnny Cash Show on television at the age of 10 and being spellbound by the country music star, with whom he later worked. He also remembers the life-changing effect of hearing Leonard Cohen’s Songs Of Life and Death album for the first time, and the profound influence the Canadian poet and songwriter had own his own lyrics. He reveals that fellow Australian Barry Humphries was another artist who inspired his own work, having seen a Dame Edna Everage show in Melbourne in the early 1970s. Nick Cave also discusses the impact that the death of his son had on his life, work and marriage.
Producer: Edwina Pitman
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