Few artists can boast a career like Nick Cave, which has gone from strength to strength since the debut album from his band The Bad Seeds in 1984. Most musicians in their 60s are relegated to the periphery as the quality of their output becomes tired and predictable but Nick Cave is an exception. His 2019 album Ghosteen may arguably be his best, still sounding as potent as those Old Testament, drug-fuelled 80s albums or the mid-90s streak of classics for which the band are most renowned. Cave’s eclectic career has been fruitful, not only as a musician but as a literary mastermind whose lyrics have been analysed and theorised about on countless occasions, as he consistently and compellingly mulls over themes of religion, love, redemption, loss and death.
This book delves into the music and lyrics of every track in The Bad Seeds’ catalogue, starting with the post-punk beginnings of From Her To Eternity through to the ambient, synth-driven soundscapes of Ghosteen. Hidden gems from the band’s two B-side compilations as well as their thrilling live albums are also included in this appraisal of a band that are still very much alive and kicking today.
Dominic Sanderson is a musician and a writer, having written for Reader’s Digest and various online blogs about anything and everything music-related. He released an EP in September 2020 and when he is not composing and recording ideas for his future musical endeavours you can find him working on his MA in English literature at the University of Liverpool. He completed his BA in Popular Music and English Literature with first-class honours and his final dissertation focussed on the alternative religious framework that Nick Cave has constructed for himself through his writing. His hometown is Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK.
