Who Likes Nick Cave?

Submitted by MC-Onslow t3_1256xrg in Music

I was sitting listening to Idiot Prayer, and got to thinking who the demographics are of Nick Cave fans. I know who I am, but rarely run into others who listen and love all the decades of Nick Cave’s music. So, I thought I’d reach out to Reddit, to see who out there has been a life long fan of his music. I’ll start by saying I’m an early 40’s Engineer from Canada.

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Killawife t1_je2zidc wrote

I only know this: "From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one, she stared in my eyes and she smiled. For her lips were the colours of the roses, that grew by the river all bloody and wild"

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MasterAinley t1_je3arsy wrote

When he knocked on my door and entered the room, my trembling subsided in his sure embrace. He would be my first man, and with a careful hand, he wiped at the tears that ran down my face.

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aphellyon t1_je3j0id wrote

They call me The Wild Rose, but my name was Elisa Day. Why they call me that I do not know, for my name was Elisa Day.

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Alan_Smithee_ t1_je3cgj1 wrote

That’s is quite the ride, that song, and one Kylie’s better performances.

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Practical_Price9500 t1_je374x3 wrote

Same age. I’ve dabbled in his discography a bit. Mercy Seat is a fuckin great song. I’m a massive Tom Waits fan, and his stuff has some parallels.

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Blundell1992 t1_je2vfle wrote

31 year old construction knuckle dragger from Canada, big fan.

Listen to everything from death metal to disco, but mostly metal and bluegrass.

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BootsyRootsy t1_je6e9pe wrote

I wanna ride in your Ford F150 and listen to your iPod; sounds like it'd be killer on shuffle! I'll buy the Timmies.

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knothereforit t1_je3ebo3 wrote

California, 50 years old. Woman. Nick Cave is in my top 10. I’ve always loved lyric driven, navel gazing, dark side songs with a hint of shred. It was almost a straight line from Leonard Cohen to Nick Cave, with a pitstop at Tom Waits.

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futurecatlady99 t1_je5i40v wrote

Yes! Exactly the same for me, except I am a little older and from Canada.

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jeremeyes t1_je2rjlg wrote

40s IT analyst from the USA. I love Nick Cave but mostly listen to hardcore, ska and punk music.

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mcarterphoto t1_je2uoag wrote

If you like Nick, check out The Red Hand files and sign up. He sends about one email a week.

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McHenry t1_je3k407 wrote

It's always so thoughtful. I really appreciate how often he ends up helping a person through their gut reaction. He's had a couple people write essentially complaining of "wokeness" and has had thoughtful responses to call them into the wider community of acceptance.

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mcarterphoto t1_je4rspy wrote

Sometimes it's just freaking beautiful. The man is a humanist with a really poetic way of expressing his opinion on what makes us human.

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jbartlettcoys t1_je2ztym wrote

My 63yo Dad is a huge Nick Cave fan. I (30m) also think he's awesome but don't listen all that much.

Once spent a night doing coke with one of his kids though so take that Dad.

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itamarka t1_je362rp wrote

I need to hear this story and spare no detail

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jbartlettcoys t1_je39vug wrote

Tbh that night doesn't have much of a story, or if it does I don't remember it. That period in my life though was pretty wild, I was like 15/16 and in a relationship with an awesome girl a year older than me, which at the time felt like an age.

My gf's friend group contained a number of celebrities' offspring (one of Mick Jagger's seemingly countless daughters among them) and another girl, "Emma Fakename" (without famous parents) who has gone on to star in Hollywood movies and been in relationships with A listers. Sidebar - the girls were super jealous of "Emma", because she was already modelling and stuff and because they all thought she was the hottest, which I never did. Time has arguably proven them right to be jealous though lol

I digress. "Emma" was in a relationship with one of Nick Cave's sons. I can also reveal, since you wanted no detail spared, that I remember her once bragging about his massive and "perfect" cock, so there's that. Another of the girls was also fucking him on the side and I've sometimes wondered in jest if it was Emma's bragging about his dick that drew the other girl in.

Anyway, I only properly met him once and I don't really remember much, I remember he was cool and that he looked a lot like his dad. I managed to get the coke delivered so I was the hero of the night. Nothing special about the night I'm afraid, I was definitely starstruck-once-removed though. Partly because I was a fan of his dad but also these kids were all older, richer and cooler than me and I was in over my head (as, it occurs to me now, they all were as well). We just spent the night, as usual, listening to music and doing lines.

A month or so later my gf dumped me and my foray into this weird world of rich girls was over. Never heard from any of them ever again. No regrets as far as I'm concerned, hopefully they're all healthy and happy.

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MC-Onslow OP t1_je4kovc wrote

Ahh, the story you wish you could tell around the dinner table.

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Theefreeballer t1_je4ufra wrote

I hope it wasn’t his son that died while he was on an acid trip. He fell off a cliff or something

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Mike_Love_Not_War t1_je6qg5r wrote

That son was only 15 so probably not. He had another son who died last year so maybe him.

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Theefreeballer t1_je6zijl wrote

Jesus really? Another son? How did he die? Edit: I looked it up, a cause of death was never announced , sounds like it was either drugs or suicide

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Mike_Love_Not_War t1_je79t4d wrote

Yeah it’s pretty shit. He has two sons born a week apart from two different mothers in the early 90’s. One of them died last year. And he has twin boys with his current wife, one of whom died in 2015 from the fall off the cliff.

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KeepCalmAndBaseball t1_je2s83t wrote

I listened to The Birthday Party in Junior and high school and then he came out with The Mercy Seat with the Bad Seeds and I was hooked. I have a ton of his stuff but not even close to acquiring everything of his catalog. I’ve turned a lot of people that didn’t know of him into fans as well. The guy is amazing and he collaborates with other really great artists all the time as well. The guy was just made to be an artist.

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karma_dumpster t1_je2vm1j wrote

Music tastes all over the place.

Nick Cave is amazing, but you got to be careful with some albums you don't go into a dark depressed place if you listen to them too much.

Beautiful music and lyrics, but sometimes they get dark.

Skelton Tree / Ghosteen are gorgeous, but given the place Cave was in when writing/ recording it, you can understand why it's filled with grief. I generally need something lighter after a listening session on those.

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UpTownKong t1_je2w41l wrote

56, New England, Illustrator, big fan since the 90's.

Have a bunch of his stuff on vinyl.

It's just the right mix of sad, weird, and intellectual.

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etermellis t1_je3gy6v wrote

I was listening "As I sat Sadly by Her Side" to bits just yesterday. His music is phenomenal and meaningful in their own way

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BPasley747 t1_je32u7m wrote

I read this a nick cage 😂

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Desenova t1_je3rviw wrote

Nick is a wizard with words. Sometimes confusing, sometimes euphoric, sometimes terrifyingly sublime, but always intriguing. Discovered the Bad Seeds via Metallica of all bands, and went down the rabbit hole. Gave me a new perspective on writing and poetry. Love his novels. Love his soundtracks and scores.

Also, The Proposition is a fantastic film! Check it out if you haven't yet!

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tibicentibicen t1_je2tcyr wrote

37yo from Sydney. Mostly into metal, hard rock and alternative

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beebs44 t1_je2x4ap wrote

40s. Ship song is my fave. Skeleton Treeeee... nothing is for free.

Wouldn't say lifelong fan. But I'm a fan of music, and you'd certainly discover him along the way.

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mwillette0 t1_je33x5c wrote

24, Canadian, Nick Cave has been one of my musical heroes since high school and I can't believe I'm getting the chance to see him in Toronto this fall

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ArtVice t1_je35pkl wrote

Old man, like everything from Fela Kuti to Eno to Chat Pile. My interest in Nick peaked with The Birthday Party. I still have my copy of his early band The Boys Next Door. I reckon its fairly rare by now.

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RZAxlash t1_je3ag32 wrote

39 year old male nurse. I’m a big fan but the era I really love seems to be somewhat looked down upon. Henry’s dream and Let Love In is my favorite run.

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neologismist_ t1_je2xh9z wrote

54 from Florida, former newspaper reporter and editor now a woodturner/carver. Music taste is wide but mostly alternative/indie/weird.

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peppercorns666 t1_je2ycp9 wrote

just turned 50. Started listening to Birthday Party and Crime and the City Solution

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s-multicellular t1_je316aa wrote

I'm a fan. Demographically, 40s singer, bass player, and a multi-instrumentalist if you look at prior album notes. Lived in or around Washington, D.C. most of my life at this point. I've played music from classical, to jazz, to metal, horror folk, electronica, indie rock. My drummer is also a big fan. Guitar player is a more casual fan of Cave. Also similar ages. Mostly long lived near D.C. Also have played a wide array of music.

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MrLazyLion t1_je4jl8o wrote

I think he's okay. Great musician, but I get bored listening to his stuff. My best friend, who loved and worshipped him, committed suicide just before he turned 40. I'm not saying Nick Cave killed him. I'm saying my friend was very depressed and loved listening to his music.

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KingRabbit_ t1_je4xnxt wrote

I love Warren Ellis and the soundtracks they do, but I'm firmly of the opinion that the Bad Seeds lineup with Mick, Blixa and Conway is infinitely better than what's been touring under that name for the last 10 years.

Grinderman forever, though.

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suprunown t1_je5vswg wrote

51,Canuck, love Nick Cave, but the Nick Zinner remix of Grinderman’s BELLRINGER BLUES is apex level

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MC-Onslow OP t1_je5yrgt wrote

Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll give it a look.

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Albert-E-Trapezoid t1_je2y2g7 wrote

Well, let's just say I've been listening since his Birthday Party records were new releases lol. Coincidentally, I scored great tickets yesterday for his upcoming US tour - September can't get here fast enough!

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Euphoric-Carry1725 t1_je302pq wrote

Early 30s woman from Florida. I got into nick cave in the early 2000s. I don't remember exactly how I got into him but I was always into alternative/ post punk/ punk music. I had a bunch of bad seeds tapes in my old 1980s volvo because I didn't have a cd player. Maybe I knew of him because of dumb and dumber, I don't know. Still into postpunk and punk music now but I'm mostly a normie with tattoos.

*ok I remember now! It was MTV. Insomniac Theatre.

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Key_Text_169 t1_je30mcf wrote

Mid 50s here, I love all kinds of music from 50s through today. Loved the 90s the most. I always mixed him up with Nick Lowe. I have to be honest I always wanted to check him and the seeds out but never did. I’m sure I heard some maybe lots of his music since I listen to public radio mostly. I heard him when he collaborated with PJ Harvey. I also remember the chick from Bongwater referencing him in one of their songs. Tell me where to start I will give it a listen.

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Mylozen t1_je32dmu wrote

I am a big fan. 41 product manager for a major tech company. And unpaid screenwriter. Love to listen to him both while I write and do my day job.

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GMarius- t1_je32ri0 wrote

Nick Cave has a wide demographic. I went and saw him about five yrs ago and there were three teens in leather jackets in front me and my friends. And behind us where two couples that looked like they were in their late 60’s-early 70’s. And most of the lines were equally diverse.

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mando42 t1_je32z7t wrote

40's. Canada. Residential Painter. Other Favorite artists that start with N:. Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails. I first heard Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds when they played Lollapalooza 1994.

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_Neon_Andrus t1_je33jtf wrote

20M from midwest U.S. -> Nick Cave is an artist's paragon for all time

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KronoCloud t1_je38rjw wrote

  1. Have been listening since my late 20s. My wife discovered him because of me and she’s no doubt a much bigger fan than I am at this point.

We’ve seen him live a few times. The best time being when he performed in Cambridge with just a piano. Me and wife got invited to sit on stage right next to him while he performed all night.

Definitely one of the best moments of my life.

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Dark_sign82 t1_je38vdd wrote

41 yo Massachusetts man. His score for the film "The Proposition" is one of my all time favorites.

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Substantial_Snow5020 t1_je39upa wrote

32M software developer from VA. First heard “Up Jumped the Devil” when I played through Alan Wake around 2010, then heard “Red Right Hand” while watching through The X Files a couple of years later. Then dove into his newer stuff.

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DS_John t1_je3b5l3 wrote

Loved the soundtrack to Scream 3, I didn't love that version of Red Right Hand but it was enough to get me down the path. 40's tech guy too, US.

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take5b t1_je3bky7 wrote

I would say I’m a casual Cave fan- I like a few of his albums and a bunch of songs, generally the consensus favorites. I’m 45 yr old IT guy listen to jazz, prog/metal, classic blues and R&B.

My wife isn’t really into rock music (more latin and jazz and r&b) but i took her to see him live a few years ago and she was smitten. Was really into the theatricality and intensity. And of course the theme song to Peaky Blinders.

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DjMeMissDay t1_je3ej80 wrote

🎶 Take a little walk to the edge of town and go across the tracks…🎶🥰

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mercutio1 t1_je3g915 wrote

32 year old nursing home administrator / social worker in Chicago. Love Nick Cave and just got tickets to his show at the Auditorium Theatre in September.

My wife nearly walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of Into My Arms, but that was nixed shortly beforehand when the church’s main musician wasn’t available.

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aotus_trivirgatus t1_je3gfv3 wrote

My brother, early 50's American, is a big Nick Cave fan.

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logans_run7 t1_je3h09j wrote

49F, originally from UK but in the US for 30 years. Fan since ~1990.

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tmotytmoty t1_je3ha2r wrote

Dig Lazarus, Dig!! - I really liked that whole album. He's a weird dude, but I like his music.

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iHateCatherineTate t1_je3hus9 wrote

I'm surprised nobody has said that they learned of him from the slow dance scene in one of the last Harry Potter movies where "O Children" was playing. That was my introduction to his music.

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SongRevolutionary992 t1_je3icfd wrote

Been a fan since To Her From Eternity. Saw him live too One of my favorites

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SnooOwls1850 t1_je3ju53 wrote

German 59, following Albert when he goes West since his first birthday party

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BrewtusMaximus1 t1_je3mmte wrote

40’s. Got into Nick Cave due to my love of industrial music

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maryslovechild t1_je3nfn6 wrote

I love Nick Cave for so many reasons, but this is pretty high up there:

"I’m forever near a stereo saying, ‘What the fuck is this garbage?’ And the answer is always the Red Hot Chili Peppers."

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lazybirt t1_je3nm2w wrote

I like the first Grinderman album and i know some of the bad seed singles but not a lot

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Timbers_15 t1_je3obuq wrote

Saw Nick Lollapalooza 1994 🙌

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[deleted] t1_je3s381 wrote

My brother. He's 55 and extremely hard to converse with. Certainly not friendly.

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lagavulin16years t1_je3s4qg wrote

Love Nick Cave! Late forties and in Maryland here. I literally listen to everything, mostly classical (I’m a classical pianist), classic rock, and singer-songwriter music like Nick Cave is probably what I listen to most. I discovered him while watching the movie Zero Effect and they played Into My Arms almost in its entirety. It blew me away and I immediately bought like four Nick Cave CD’s from BMG (remember those CD club days?). His voice is just so clear and that low tone is so awesome. The piano playing is very minimalistic when compared to a Bruce Hornsby or Billy Joel. He definitely stands alone in his originality.

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jmtremble t1_je3su0v wrote

I'm 19M college student from Texas and a huge Nick Cave fan, although that's mostly because he's my dad's(50M) favorite artist so I grew up listening to him. Saw him live in Austin a few years back and have tickets to see him again this fall... can't wait!

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westoz t1_je3t4iy wrote

He’s a national treasure.

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Levitatingsnakes t1_je3t8xb wrote

I used to love Nick Cave but I don’t think I would listen again. I used to be more of a wanker. Now I know my place

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BareBearGooch t1_je3tlu6 wrote

I'm a 37/m HVAC contractor. Love nick cave

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Krokodrillo t1_je3udk1 wrote

51/m/German casual fan, I like him!

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Otherwise-Extreme-68 t1_je3wxk4 wrote

Mrs (40's) loves him and has seen him live many times. I was fairly indifferent until I saw him live, was genuinely bored all the way through. Not for me

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PointlessDiscourse t1_je3z3ms wrote

Hey I just have to say thank you for posting this. This post caused me to go to Nick's website, where I noticed that the presale is currently underway for his fall North American tour! Just bought my tickets.

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garypen t1_je415tx wrote

I often wonder about this. I first saw Nick play as The Birthday Party back in the early 80s. I've been a fan ever since. Over the years, I'm in my late 50s now, I've become increasingly aware of the huge and diverse fanbase and have opined, to my wife, that of all the bands/artists I saw in the early 80s, I would not have bet a single penny on Nick Cave being in the position he is in now! He's pretty much a natural treasure in the UK.

It's well deserved, but still a bit of a puzzle...

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armchairwarrior69 t1_je42cpf wrote

I like him enough, but what really makes me love him is the quotation "I'm perpetually next to a radio asking "what is this shit?" And the answer is always the red hot chili peppers"

They're my favorite band but that's fuxking hilarious.

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THEBIGREDAPE t1_je461d5 wrote

They tend to be middle-aged people who have travelled a different path than most.

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Ash_Truman t1_je4ewzk wrote

32, audio/video engineer from Amsterdam. Got super heavy into the birthday party and the murder ballads album in my 20's. Had sort of a late goth phase with them and stuff like cocteau twins and mbv. Now I'm not so much into it anymore. Saw them last year, and it had a very Las Vegas vibe to it. But I still respect him a lot. A true showman

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JonasRabb t1_je4feft wrote

I do like Nick Cave and his bad seeds, although I am a 64 year old electronic music fan, but his voice is one of a kind!

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Dimpfelmoser66 t1_je4gsl4 wrote

I'm a cameraman form Berlin in my mid fifties. My Nick Cave period was in the late 80s. From Kicking against the Pricks till The Good Son. From then on I found the records and the live shows a bit repetitive and slowly lost interest. I also thought the 1990 documentary 'The Road to God Knows were' was self indulgent and dull. That might have speeded up the process of alienation.

Today, if I'm tempted to put on a Nick Cave record, most of the time I go for a hard bop artist, that I think I should know more about.

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Chevalier_de_Pas t1_je4hlld wrote

I'm a Nick Cave fan. He has been my favorite artist for many years now. Glad I could watch him live on Meo Kalorama in Portugal last year.

I'm 28, btw

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A_Nony_Miss t1_je4j9kq wrote

I'm a 55 yr old female from the Midwest and a closet Nick Cave fan. My intro was his murder ballads from 96. Of course the first song I listened to was Where the Wild Roses Go and I was hooked.

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GoodMerlinpeen t1_je4m7by wrote

Nick Cave's albums are great, but his live shows are another level, full of electricity. You can hear it in the crowd as well in his live recordings -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARYwxDEKYOE

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Josh100_3 t1_je4pb54 wrote

I’m a huge fan and I count the time I saw him live on the Push the Sky away tour as one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

I just can’t connect to his music post skeleton tree. Of course I understand why it’s the way it is but it’s just far too grim and depressing for me to want to listen to. Maybe I need to give it more of a chance but he owes us nothing, his career up until that point is just incredible.

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majortomandjerry t1_je4raet wrote

Early 50s, SF Bay area, cabinet maker. I have been a Nick Cave fan since discovering him via the Wim Wenders film Wings of Desire in the eighties. The Mercy Seat is my favorite song of his.

Even though I'm a fan, he's not in my top ten. He's down the list a bit below Jason Molina (Songs:Ohia, Magnolia Electric Company), Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), David Berman (Silver Jews, Purple Mountains), and Leonard Cohen.

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jonviper123 t1_je4w64v wrote

hes always just creeped me out and i cant say ive heard anything from him i liked. the song with kylie was decent but ocerall hes just not for me. same with pj harvey. ive always felt both these artists are very highly praised yet i really struggled to see the appeal with either.

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cr0wj4ne t1_je4wumh wrote

33-y.o. woman in the US and I've loved Nick Cave since I was a young teenager. He was the first artist I found who spoke to how I was feeling at that time in my life, and I feel like his music has somehow always met me where I'm at. I vacillate between liking The Bad Seeds and The Birthday Party more. I enjoy Grinderman but not nearly as much as Cave's other projects.

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listenpost t1_je54kry wrote

46, Portugal

I have been listening to Nick Cave for more than 30 years. One of the best writers, musician and performers I know. I've seen him live both as solo (no Bad Seeds) and full band in big stage.

It has been especially interesting watching/listening to his journey through life and music.

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mailboxfacehugs t1_je58hao wrote

I really like that album with The Mercy Seat. And I like Grinderman. Im 39, my dad got me into Nick Cave like 20 years ago when he took me to visit a college and we listened to it on cassette. Good memory thanks for taking me back there.

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3lph t1_je5cfar wrote

Early 40s! I love his soundtrack work with Warren Ellis. Also there is a special place in my heart for the weeping song with Blixa Bargeld.

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MC-Onslow OP t1_je5ctp3 wrote

I agree. The songs from that older line up, like Weeping Song have been in my rotation for 20+ years.

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whoadwoadie t1_je5deud wrote

Introduced by Shrek 2, affectionate toward his stuff in high school and college. Mid-20s American

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Blazefoley23 t1_je5e2s8 wrote

He’s a twat who defends performing in apartheid Israel. He crossed a picket line of musicians and is currently touring solo because all of the professional musicians are tired of his shit. That washed up POS needs to retire to a settlement in an occupied territory so he can fulfill his prophecy of being an eternal douche.

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PLykPLyk t1_je5jqy2 wrote

Nick Cave is one of my favorite artists.The first album i heard was " Henry's Dream" when the album ended i was hooked.I'm 55 years old and living i Cph. Denmark

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drivenlikesnow t1_je5nuj9 wrote

Mid 40's retired goth, professional ceramic artist. Been a life long fan.

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majorjoe23 t1_je5t7xi wrote

Nick Cave along with The Mountain Goats make up about 75% of the music I listen to.

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MC-Onslow OP t1_je5ywtc wrote

I’ve never heard of them, but I’ll give them a look.

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kittyhaokah t1_je68wiq wrote

I don't believe in an interventionist goooood...but I know baby that you doooo.. ♥️ I love Nick Cave

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FinishTheFish t1_je6aqjr wrote

49M, nothern europe. I like some of his stuff up to The Good Son. He lost me with Henry's Dream and I haven't really checked out his later stuff, although I've heard some good songs here and there. I respect his artistry, though, and I'd love to catch a show, my wife's been many times and says it's always great.

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Fianmusic t1_je6nhqq wrote

Was intrigued after seeing Wings of Desire but didn’t pursue until I got started with Boatman’s call after seeing “About Time” about 10 years ago. Love everything he’s ever done pretty much. I think I love the two Bad Seeds albums the most though. Hard to say though, Murder Ballads is amazing and Let Love In is an obvious classic. Oddly enough I’m a bit of a prog head but he’s my favorite artist of all time by a pretty significant margin.

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AbbreviationsSea757 t1_je855ko wrote

34 years old, TLC engineer from Albania. Love his unique style, a little bit dark but with full real emotions! I'm mostly on hard rock music, but listen to everything from heavy metal to alternative, punk, psychedelic, reggae, house, country, jazz, classicals, etc.

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AngrySteelyDanFan t1_je34kf1 wrote

I had never heard of nick cave prior to Reddit. Thanks to Reddit, I went and listened to the majority of his catalogue, as I’m always trying to find new music that might appeal to me. So I must admit, I absolutely hate Nick Caves music. He’s not alone, there are plenty of artists I loathe. And he’s right there with all of them.

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fsjja1 t1_je417x3 wrote

Don't think I can respect the musical opinion of anyone with that user name.

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