Nick Cave : Classic or Dud ?

regards,

REB

The BDay Party were fucking wicked and badass and awesome.
Solo Nick Cave is hit and miss with some really awesome moments and some really low, bad moments.

But if it isn't totally awesome, then its atleast usually pretty funny.

I've also been listening to B-Sides & Rarities on my ipod, and that 3rd disc just keeps blowing my mind. Some of that stuff is jaw-droppingly good.

Just felt like gushing... that's all.. :)

I would love to see the Lyre Of Orpheus/Abbattoir Blues tour, that gospel choir he's got going would kill live. Imagine 'There She Goes, My Beautiful World' live. I'm also interested in their dynamic now that Blixa has gone. I wonder who'll do Kylie's part now on the live performances of "Where The Wild Roses Grow". Blixa had such a lovely falsetto. Maybe Mick will pitch in...

Is it just me or does Cave have a lot better sense of humor than he's usually given credit for?

Apparently his publicist announced that he's doing no tours for 2004/2005, and in 2003 he said he wasn't touring a country that had declared war on Afghanistan, so god only knows what 2006 holds.

the dud part is the way i can't afford the seventy odd dollars it costs to see him next tuesday.

I don't think he's even come close to the level of The Boatman's Call since then, but there's enough there up to then to justify a resounding classic.

Seeing 16 Horsepower live made me decide Nick may as well retire as he wasn't really required any more - sadly he's managed to outlast them.

Blixa didn't leave then, he just refused to do Lollapalooza. He left proper after Nocturama, having barely played on the last three records (Cave said that his presence and opinions in the studio were still personally valuable even if there wasn't anything for half the band to play tho). His replacement is actually Lolla fill-in James Johnston! Playing organ not guitar for the most part though.

Funnily enough, 16 H opened for Nick on the 1998 tour. I always liked them, but not loved. Appreciated the obvious Ian Mc. from Echo jones in the dude's voice, though.

But the person way upthread who mentions Cave's "stifling seriousness" is really missing something. One of the great things about the early stuff (Boys Next Door through Birthday Party through, well, even "God Is In The House") is his mordant humour.

My coincidental thoughts in way more detail than you want, from just the other day:
http://www.livejournal.com/~frogworth/3437.html

Then again, each to their own. Praps just not your cup o tea.

30th January Birmingham Symphony Hall
31st January Cambridge Corn Exchange
1st February Nottingham Royal Centre
2nd February London Apollo Victoria - supported by Richard Hawley
4th February Edinburgh Playhouse
5th February Glasgow Concert Hall
6th February Manchester Bridgewater Hall

50 years old today! HB NC!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Cave

tbh, everything he's done post-Birthday Party belongs in the arena of the worthy-but-dull.

The lp covers looks splendid when laid on designer furniture, however.

tbh, everything most of what he's done post-Birthday Party the first four solo albums belongs in the arena of the worthy-but-dull.

fixed

:-)

I am glad to share a birthday with this man. I will listen to the Birthday Party all day.

Happy birthday!

Yes, that's right he's a Virgo/Libra cusp isn't he? I always kindof forget what sign Nick is for some reason. Happy Birthday Ivan!

Not really feeling his new album at all. Anyone?

me either, can't get past the first two songs. same reaction i had to grinderman...I love nick cave but, maybe like the fall, I've just kind of had enough

Yes, exactly.

I've had Straight to You on repeat all evening - it's an amazingly beautiful song. Not two things I normally associate with one another, beauty and Nick Cave

Classic but Dig Lazarus Dig hasn't appealed to me either.

Most of Lyre of Orpheus is beautiful imo

Dud. Birthday Party great, but after that I sometimes wonder whether he is responsible for Bad Things in music. PJ Harvey turned rubbish after she hung out with Cave, then he infected Will Oldham, and he also gave Kylie cancer.

All rather stagey for me and a friend who saw Grinderman recently came back spitting venom.

He is in some way responsible for the song Mr Cave's A Window Cleaner Now by Half Man Half Biscuit though, so I suppose we must put our bright swords up and let the good Lord calculate the final reckoning.

Your post really made me scared that the Nick Cave show I'm seeing on Monday night might not live up to my expectations but then I saw that you liked at least part of Will Oldham's career.

PJ Harvey turned rubbish after she hung out with Cave

Motherfucker you crazy. PJ has always been great, always will be. Put out her best album a year ago, in fact... in case you didn't notice.

reatards unite, don't fret, it will be great. i've seen nick a few times (though the last time was maybe 3 years ago) and he has never once been disappointing. MUCH better than when i saw will oldham, no doubt.

also lol @ the pinefox hating on the caveman.

Motherfucker you crazy. PJ has always been great, always will be. Put out her best album a year ago, in fact... in case you didn't notice.

I didn't like it, sadly, but I'm pretty sure that's my loss. My music tastes have got so narrow as to be the aural equivalent of an old man with dyspepsia picking at his food.

Nick Cave is one of those people who, because he gets close to the sort of thing I like, but doesn't quite hit the mark for me, gets my hackles up more than people I like less. Does that make sense? I'm not sure it does...

Will Oldham was dreadful the last time I saw him, I almost wept with boredom.

Christ - me, I, me, I, me, I. Shut up, man, who wants to know?

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds US Tour Dates

After seeing their most recent show, still classic. His relevance has outlasted all of his younger acolytes, including Gallon Drunk, The Flaming Stars (James Johnston has been a Bad Seed for the past 4 years), 16 Horsepower, Black Heart Procession...

Classic.

Nick Cave is the coolest man on the planet, next to Leonard Cohen.

I'm seeing Nick Cave tomorrow night here in NYC and I am psyched. I've missed him several times...but no more. I'm sure he's going to leave me stunned by greatness.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds US Tour Dates

Dear Nick,

Please come back to Austin, Texas. I miss you being here. If you come I will buy a ticket to your show, get drunk and sing along to "Stagger Lee" with you... and really, what could be better?

Cheers,
ilxor

i walked past warren ellis near madison square gardens a couple of hours ago, and it made me wish i'd be spending tonight watching him legkick and flail. report back, nyc-ers.

nick cave is the motherfuckin man, c'mon now

Best places to start? Live Seeds is incredible and can stand in for the entirety of his solo output to that point. The only album of Mr. Cave's I currently own or feel the need to own is the b-sides comp, which only has one stone dud on it and which - kind of - can stand in for the rest of his solo records.