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Nick Cave

fragileblakefragileblake Posts: 716
edited February 2007 in Other Music
Where should I start with this guy?

I've heard some of his stuff borders on punk and the rest sounds kind of alt countryish. Is this true? I would probably come down on the alt-country side if that were the case. Any reccomendations?
http://blakepnw.blogspot.com/
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  • loveboatcaptain_blakloveboatcaptain_blak Posts: 285
    i don't have any recommendations, but my english teacher has us listen to this guy as part of lesson plans. haha he did the same thing with 2pac too. and it was actually on our tests. hes a huge pj fan too.
    i gather speed...from u fucking with me

    "i am the first man to shit my pants ya whew!"

    its no crime to escape..theres still time to escape...theres still time so escape...

    "yellow ledbetter is like the smoke after a 3 hour fuckfest" - 62strat

    st.louis 04, chicago 06, and counting...
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    ah nick cave. such an australian treasure.
    just pick anything. henry's dream, murder ballads, the boatman's call.if you can get a hold of his b-sides and rarities box do it.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    Nick Cave is a powerful songwriter and well worth checking out. I haven't really got any of his stuff, BUT teh version of his Loverman on Metallica's Garage Inc is one of my favourite songs and well worth a look.

    A brilliant version of a brilliant song !!
    Music is not a competetion.
  • off_the_recordoff_the_record Posts: 843
    one of my faves. whoever told you he was alt-country was way off.

    hard to say where to start. murder ballads is probably my fave.
    Cheat the odds that made you
    Brave to try to gamble at times
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    Murder Ballads is amazing and not a bad place to start at all. His newest record "The Lyre Of Orhpeus/Abbatoir Blues" (double album) is absolutely brilliant.

    If you wanna check him out through individual songs here are some of my favorites...

    Stagger Lee
    The Lyre Of Orpheus
    Abbatoir Blues
    Breathless
    Easy Money
    Henry Lee (features ms PJ Harvey :) )
    Scum
    The Mercy Seat

    Album wise "Murder Ballads" is an excellent choice to begin with.

    Here's a video of an AMAZING live performance of "Stagger Lee" - http://youtube.com/watch?v=q2y-GZPsgE8
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • off_the_recordoff_the_record Posts: 843
    check out "grinderman" too
    Cheat the odds that made you
    Brave to try to gamble at times
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    fragileblake wrote:
    Where should I start with this guy?

    I've heard some of his stuff borders on punk and the rest sounds kind of alt countryish. Is this true? I would probably come down on the alt-country side if that were the case. Any reccomendations?

    I've got eevrything of Nick Cave's. Check out 'Let love in', and his new band/album 'Grinderman'.
    Also, get 'The Good Son', and 'Tender Prey'.
  • redrockredrock Posts: 18,341
    Why not a 'best of' to whet your appetite? "The Best of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds" spans 13 years and 10 albums....
  • sadprofessorsadprofessor Posts: 1,034
    I maintain that his most recent album is absolute brilliance, so check out Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus.

    Just check out everything. Some of it is an acquired taste, you sort of have to work your way into it, but it is all really good.
    The Man has a branch office in each of our brains, his corporate emblem is a white albatross, each local rep has a cover known as the Ego, and their mission in this world is Bad Shit.
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    redrock wrote:
    Why not a 'best of' to whet your appetite? "The Best of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds" spans 13 years and 10 albums....

    No. The best of is crap. The songs aren't in chronological order. Nick Cave's albums need to be listened to i their entirety as they're all different. I'd say start with 'Let Love in' as it's a classic, perfect album, and a great intro to his stuff. Henry's dream is also a great album, and a good intro. Some of the others may be harder to get into at first.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-Love-Nick-Cave/dp/B00000K435/sr=1-11/qid=1171282993/ref=sr_1_11/026-8449191-6268465?ie=UTF8&s=music

    Edit: I just thought of the recently released B-Sides double album. This is superb and may be just what you're looking for as an intro. There's not a bad track on this album. http://www.amazon.co.uk/B-Sides-Rarities-Nick-Cave/dp/B00022VLYK/sr=1-10/qid=1171282970/ref=sr_1_10/026-8449191-6268465?ie=UTF8&s=music
  • LostdogsinthegardenLostdogsinthegarden Posts: 844
    This guy kicks ass!

    Murder Ballads- the best!
    From Her to Eternity- crazy, but great.
    The Good son- incredible.
    Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus- the second best thus far.
    No More Shall We Part- these songs get stuck in my head.
    The Boatmans Call- just got it, so dunno, sounds solid so far.

    Get any album, I'm sure they all rock.
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    sadprofessor wrote:
    I maintain that his most recent album is absolute brilliance, so check out Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus.

    Just check out everything. Some of it is an acquired taste, you sort of have to work your way into it, but it is all really good.
    It really is just fucking brilliant. Maybe the best album made this century so far.

    It's taken me like two years to finally listen to more than a few songs by Cave and I'm absolutely floored. Don't let it's initial weirdness deter you.
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • amitamit Posts: 73
    just in case you havn't yet already,

    you have to check out 'far from me' and 'are you the one that i've been waiting for'.

    just had to add that.

    brilliant songs those
  • Lisa81Lisa81 Posts: 132
    Abbatoir Blues/ Lyre Of Orpheus double album, definately!
    www.flickr.com/photos/ljrw
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:
    This guy kicks ass!

    Murder Ballads- the best!
    From Her to Eternity- crazy, but great.
    The Good son- incredible.
    Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus- the second best thus far.
    No More Shall We Part- these songs get stuck in my head.
    The Boatmans Call- just got it, so dunno, sounds solid so far.

    Get any album, I'm sure they all rock.

    I think Murder Ballads sucks. Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus is o.k, but it's nothing compared with 'Let Love in' or 'The Good Son'. From Her to Eternity is also a good one but maybe a bit hard to get into for someone wanting to get into him for the first time.
  • Lisa81Lisa81 Posts: 132
    What does everybody think of Nocturama? I like it!
    www.flickr.com/photos/ljrw
  • Peasant TentsPeasant Tents UK Posts: 860
    Nocturama is a good album but it's a little restrained for me.

    Let Love in is a pure work of genious for me and my favourite.

    Henry's Dream always gives me visions of some Australian outback town (very cinematic) - I saw him play Reading Festival on this tour before Nirvana came on and he was mind blowing!

    The new album is also amazing together with No More Shall We Part.

    Bollocks , they're all magnificent!!!
  • LostdogsinthegardenLostdogsinthegarden Posts: 844
    I think the next album I buy will be "Let Love In" because it seems to be the general favorite. I know that if I pick any album I will be happy though.
  • sadprofessorsadprofessor Posts: 1,034
    Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:
    I think the next album I buy will be "Let Love In" because it seems to be the general favorite. I know that if I pick any album I will be happy though.
    Thats actually a really good sort of general Nick Cave album, it really touches on a lot of the different sorts of songs that he writes, where as a lot of his albums tend to go in one particular direction or another.
    The Man has a branch office in each of our brains, his corporate emblem is a white albatross, each local rep has a cover known as the Ego, and their mission in this world is Bad Shit.
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    Co-incidentally, I saw red right hand clip on Channel V last night, and heard teh quote from earlier in this thread, it was a bit surreal.
    Music is not a competetion.
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    sadprofessor wrote:
    Thats actually a really good sort of general Nick Cave album, it really touches on a lot of the different sorts of songs that he writes, where as a lot of his albums tend to go in one particular direction or another.
    Very true. Mad-man Cave wailing (Loverman) to beautiful ballads (take your pick from this one).
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • StoneG82StoneG82 Posts: 806
    I just got into him also.

    Muder Ballads and The Boatman's Call are the only records I've heard so far.

    both are brilliant. This guy reminds me alot of Tom Waits.
    "What’s Orphans? I don’t know. Orphans is a dead end kid driving a coffin with big tires across the Ohio River wearing welding goggles and a wife beater with a lit firecracker in his ear." - Tom Waits
  • gossardstradlingossardstradlin Posts: 324
    Definitely "Let Love In', or "Murder Ballads"

    Lay Me Low off of "Let Love In" always gives me chills.
    "She knows there is no success like failure
    And that failure's no success at all."

    "Don't ya think its sometimes wise not to grow up."

    "Cause life ain't nothing but a good groove
    A good mixed tape to put you in the right mood."
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    gossardstradlin wrote:
    Definitely "Let Love In', or "Murder Ballads"

    Lay Me Low off of "Let Love In" always gives me chills.
    Cave has a serious knack to throw in those one liners and chorus refrains that just send chills up your spine every time you hear it...

    You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan, designed and directed by his red-right-hand...

    oo0o0 :)
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • StoneG82StoneG82 Posts: 806
    It was back in '32 when times were hard
    He had a Colt .45 and a deck of cards
    Stagger Lee
    He wore rat-drawn shoes and an old stetson hat
    Had a '28 Ford, had payments on that
    Stagger Lee
    His woman threw him out in the ice and snow
    And told him, "Never ever come back no more"
    Stagger Lee
    So he walked through the rain and he walked through the mud
    Till he came to a place called The Bucket Of Blood
    Stagger Lee
    He said "Mr Motherfucker, you know who I am"
    The barkeeper said, "No, and I don't give a good goddamn"
    To Stagger Lee
    He said, "Well bartender, it's plain to see
    I'm that bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee"
    Mr. Stagger Lee
    Barkeep said, "Yeah, I've heard your name down the way
    And I kick motherfucking asses like you every day"
    Mr Stagger Lee
    Well those were the last words that the barkeep said
    'Cause Stag put four holes in his motherfucking head
    Just then in came a broad called Nellie Brown
    Was known to make more money than any bitch in town
    She struts across the bar, hitching up her skirt
    Over to Stagger Lee, she starts to flirt
    With Stagger Lee
    She saw the barkeep, said, "O God, he can't be dead!"
    Stag said, "Well, just count the holes in the motherfucker's head"
    She said, "You ain't look like you scored in quite a time.
    Why not come to my pad? It won't cost you a dime"
    Mr. Stagger Lee
    "But there's something I have to say before you begin
    You'll have to be gone before my man Billy Dilly comes in,
    Mr. Stagger Lee"
    "I'll stay here till Billy comes in, till time comes to pass
    And furthermore I'll fuck Billy in his motherfucking ass"
    Said Stagger Lee
    "I'm a bad motherfucker, don't you know
    And I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get one fat boy's asshole"
    Said Stagger Lee
    Just then Billy Dilly rolls in and he says, "You must be
    That bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee"
    Stagger Lee
    "Yeah, I'm Stagger Lee and you better get down on your knees
    And suck my dick, because If you don't you're gonna be dead"
    Said Stagger Lee
    Billy dropped down and slobbered on his head
    And Stag filled him full of lead
    Oh yeah.
    "What’s Orphans? I don’t know. Orphans is a dead end kid driving a coffin with big tires across the Ohio River wearing welding goggles and a wife beater with a lit firecracker in his ear." - Tom Waits
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    "You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan, designed and directed by his red-right-hand"

    That's the quote !!




    Stag said, "Well, just count the holes in the motherfucker's head"


    This is an insanely cool line !!

    From memory, was not Nick CAve a victim of sexual abuse at a Catholic school, which informs a lot of his music ?? Anyone know more about this ??
    Music is not a competetion.
  • LostdogsinthegardenLostdogsinthegarden Posts: 844
    Song of Joy is genious. The clues are well laid out in the track due to the masterful story-telling. Creepy song for sure.
  • gossardstradlingossardstradlin Posts: 324
    Pearl Jam and toast wrote:

    You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan, designed and directed by his red-right-hand

    That's a great tune.

    Same with Stagger Lee

    This one from Tender Prey always gets me going as well:

    O My O My
    What a wretched life
    I was born on the day
    that my poor mother died
    I was cut from her belly
    with a stanley knife
    my daddy did a jig
    with the the drunk midwife

    Who's that yonder all in flames
    dragging behind him a sack of chains
    Who's that yonder all in flames
    Up jumped the devil and he staked his claim

    sweet...
    "She knows there is no success like failure
    And that failure's no success at all."

    "Don't ya think its sometimes wise not to grow up."

    "Cause life ain't nothing but a good groove
    A good mixed tape to put you in the right mood."
  • StoneG82StoneG82 Posts: 806
    gossardstradlin wrote:

    O My O My
    What a wretched life
    I was born on the day
    that my poor mother died
    I was cut from her belly
    with a stanley knife
    my daddy did a jig
    with the the drunk midwife

    Who's that yonder all in flames
    dragging behind him a sack of chains
    Who's that yonder all in flames
    Up jumped the devil and he staked his claim

    sweet...

    that nick cave sure is a dark fella.

    I heard he had issues with heroin for the majority of his career....

    that might explain it.
    "What’s Orphans? I don’t know. Orphans is a dead end kid driving a coffin with big tires across the Ohio River wearing welding goggles and a wife beater with a lit firecracker in his ear." - Tom Waits
  • Pearl Jam and toastPearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    StoneG82 wrote:
    that nick cave sure is a dark fella.

    I heard he had issues with heroin for the majority of his career....

    that might explain it.
    He's been doing heroin for some 30 years and I don't know if it's stopped. But he's still standing and as good as ever.

    The sexual abuse I don't know about, but I do know that he went to school in a bording school and he is a christian.
    lucy wrote:
    Stag said, "Well, just count the holes in the motherfucker's head"


    This is an insanely cool line !!
    That's always been my favorite line from Stagger Lee :cool:. I think he has the absolute coolest pronunciation of the word 'mother fucker' that i've ever heard.
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
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