Nick Cave says writing songs is a “fucking nightmare”

12 July, 2024

Nick Cave

Nick Cave has opened up about songwriting in a new interview, describing it as “a fucking nightmare”.

In a new interview with MOJO magazine, Cave admitted that he found songwriting a challenge and that he often delays writing songs if he can.

He explained: “I don’t like writing songs. To write a song is this deeply mysterious, abstract, anxiety-ridden process that’s just not fun. Playing around with the kid is fine but to get the kid out is a fucking nightmare. So I put it off until I can’t put it off any further.”

He also opened up about his critically acclaimed album ‘Ghosteen’, which was thought to be inspired by his late son Arthur, who passed away in 2015. NME gave the album five stars and described it as a “a beautiful account of harrowing grief” upon its release in 2019.

Speaking about the making of the album, Cave told MOJO: “I’m happy that it exists but it was a painful thing to make. I fucking hate hearing bands talk about the pain of making a record, because I don’t believe them. But ‘Ghosteen’ had its attendant agonies for sure, and not something I’d want to repeat.”

The interview comes ahead of the release of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ 18th studio album, ‘Wild God’, which arrives on August 30.

‘Wild God’ will be comprised of 10 songs and see the band move between themes of convention and experimentation – introducing left-turns that heighten the rich imagery and emotive narratives created by the frontman.

Cave and co. have already shared two singles from the forthcoming project: ‘Frogs’ and the title track. You can pre-order the LP here.

“I hope the album has the effect on listeners that it’s had on me. It bursts out of the speaker, and I get swept up with it. It’s a complicated record, but it’s also deeply and joyously infectious,” Cave said of the upcoming release.

“There is never a masterplan when we make a record. The records rather reflect back the emotional state of the writers and musicians who played them. Listening to this, I don’t know, it seems we’re happy,” he added. “There’s no fucking around with this record. When it hits, it hits. It lifts you. It moves you. I love that about it.”

Opening up about this to Mojo too, Cave added: “I don’t think the songs have begun to reveal themselves to me until we start playing them live. I was worried about this interview because I was like, ‘Fuck, what is this record even about?’ If I try to explain to you now, I’m going to do a poor job of it because I don’t really know. The songs seem to me to be about a series of conversions – one thing changing into another thing.”

In preparation for the album’s release, the band have shared part one of ‘The Making Of Wild God’ featuring Radiohead‘s Colin Greenwood.

Directed by Megan Cullen and recorded at Miraval Studios in France, the new exclusive footage provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds created their LP.

The band are also set to take part in a Q&A event in London on the eve of the new album being released. 

Rough Trade will host an “exclusive Q&A event” with Cave at Kings Place in London on Thursday August 29. The audience will have the opportunity to listen to the album in full for the first time before its official release, and put their questions to the frontman directly.

Fans can enter a draw for the chance to attend the session by pre-ordering ‘Wild God’ via Rough Trade before 5pm BST on Thursday August 15.

All existing pre-orders through Rough Trade since March 6 are valid, and these customers should register via this form to be included in the draw (no purchase necessary). Winners will receive a pair of tickets to the Q&A.

Cave also recently announced a 2024 UK and Europe tour set to kick off in Germany this September, continuing through October before a UK leg in November. You can buy tickets here (UK and Ireland) and here (Europe).

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