Not many 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 and they fail to match the success of their earlier offerings - Nick Cave is an exception to this. 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 that the band are most renowned for. Cave's eclectic career has been fruitful, not only as a musician but as a literary mastermind whose lyrics have been analysed and theorised 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' current back-catalogue, starting with their post-punk beginnings on From Her To Eternity right the way through to the ambient synth-driven soundscapes of Ghosteen. Hidden gems from the band's two B-sides compilations, as well as their thrilling live albums, are also be included in this appraisal of a band that are still very much alive and kicking.
