Nov 22, 2023
Nick Cave — Loss, Yearning, Transcendence
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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