Grief can be seen as a state where a person is closest to the fundamental essence of things, which can either exalt some or crush others. While some turn outward to look at the world and people in it, others look inward and gaze into the absence of the person. This inward gaze can lead to feelings of betrayal about moving on in life and remaining faithful to the lost loved one. However, it's possible to both move on and remain true to the one that was lost, without it being a zero-sum game. The idea of closure and acceptance may not be ideal, as it doesn't involve returning to the way things were before. Instead, growing in magnitude predicated on those we lose is a remarkable phenomenon. This growth may lead to an enormous and new capacity to love, amidst the caution and the wish for things to be as they were.
Here are some experiences to which Nick Cave gives voice and song: the "universal condition" of yearning, and of loss; a "spirituality of rigor"; and the transcendent and moral dimensions of what music is about. This Australian musician, writer, and actor first made a name in the wild world of ’80s post-punk and later with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. He also underwent public struggles with addiction and rehab.
Since the accidental death of his 15-year-old son Arthur in 2015, and a few years later, the death of his eldest child Jethro, he has entered yet another transfigured era, co-created an exquisite book called Faith, Hope and Carnage, and become a frank and eloquent interlocutor on grief. As a human and a songwriter, Nick Cave is an embodiment of a life examined and evolved. He sat with Krista in the On Being studio in Minneapolis, and the gorgeous conversation that followed is woven in this episode with his gorgeous music.
Nick Cave is the songwriter and lead singer of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Their albums include Ghosteen, Skeleton Tree, and Push the Sky Away. Nick's recent albums with frequent collaborator Warren Ellis include Seven Psalms and Carnage. His book, which takes the form of an electric conversation with journalist Seán O’Hagan, is Faith, Hope and Carnage. He frequently writes, and answers questions from his fans, on the website The Red Hand Files.
Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.
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