Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he’s sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son’s spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God

Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he's sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son's spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God

As a fervent admirer of music and a compassionate soul, I find myself deeply moved by the life experiences and artistic journey of Nick Cave. His latest album, a testament to love and resilience, seems to echo the profound emotions that have shaped his existence.


In simpler terms, Nick Cave has shared fresh perspectives about how faith has provided him solace during the toughest times in his life, as his acclaimed album titled Wild God came out last Friday.

With his band The Wild Seeds, the well-known musician, aged 66, has turned the sorrow he experienced after the loss of two of his sons into a fresh set of tunes. He started penning these songs on New Year’s Day in 2023.

As a fervent admirer, I can’t help but sing praises for the masterpiece that is Wild God. Critics have rightfully celebrated its deeply human narrative, describing it as a “gospel rock revolution” and a “fierce anthem of love.”

2015 will forever be etched into my memory as the year I lost my beloved idol, Nick, to an unspeakable tragedy. His son Arthur, just 15 years old, ventured into the unknown world of LSD for the first time, a decision that ultimately led him to fall from a cliff almost 20 meters high near their home in Brighton, England. The heartbreak is immeasurable, knowing that this iconic figure I admired so deeply has been struck by such a devastating blow.

In the year 2022, seven years following the event, Nick’s adult son Jethro, aged 31, who struggled with schizophrenia and drug addiction, passed away in Melbourne just two days after his release from prison, about two months after a violent altercation involving his own mother.

Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he's sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son's spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God

Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he's sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son's spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God

The songs on this album provide a glimpse into the sorrow that Nick has experienced due to his recent tragedies, as he sings in Song of the Lake, “Even if all the king’s horses and all the king’s men tried, they couldn’t mend what was broken between us.”

Additionally, he hints at encounters with the spirit of his deceased son, expressing joy in a cage through song: ‘A specter in oversized footwear, chuckling, with stars orbiting his head … a lad ablaze.’

In the song that bears the album’s name, he expresses his beliefs through music by singing these words: “Oh Lord, I understand if you’re feeling forlorn and down, unsure of what to do. Come to me, let your spirit rest here.”

In the song Long Dark Night, Nick expresses his feelings of grief by saying, ‘Initially, I was trapped in a dream-like state from which I couldn’t escape.’

Regarding the album, Nick mentioned: “I wish it impacts listeners as profoundly as it does for me. It seems to explode from the speakers, and I can’t help but be carried away by it.”

‘It’s a complicated record, but it’s also deeply and joyously infectious.’

The first album from The Bad Seeds since 2019 has garnered acclaim, receiving numerous favorable critic reviews.

In an enthusiastic five-star appraisal, The Guardian labeled the album as “a masterwork,” further explaining that it’s filled with exceptional tracks and carries a powerful, infectious vibe of what could be termed unyielding optimism.

Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he's sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son's spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God
Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he's sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son's spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God
Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he's sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son's spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God

Leaving something behind with an enhanced sense of well-being compared to before: a progressively positive encounter, using the term in its most favorable context.

According to The Independent, this album makes one believe in the transformative capabilities of love, and The Sunday Times refers to it as a wildly energetic gospel rock performance by The Bad Seeds, their most rowdy in the past two decades.

The album earned four stars from NME, with their comment being: “The former dark prince exudes a zest for living, allowing sunlight into his world.”

Previously, Nick discussed the album during an interview with The Sunday Times. In this conversation, he shared that thoughts about the possibility of an afterlife were predominant in his mind as he composed the music, particularly following the tragic loss of his sons.

I’m not entirely sure about the events following one’s demise, yet it troubled me to think about how the spirit of Arthur might feel, witnessing the distress his parents have experienced due to his departure. Yesterday marked the anniversary of his passing…

‘We can assure him everything is currently stable, though with a degree of reservation. There’s no final resolution yet. Life hasn’t returned entirely to how it was prior to the passing of Arthur or Jethro. Yet, we find ourselves content.’

After Arthur’s passing, the lead singer of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, recognized for songs like Into My Arms and One More Time With Feeling, relocated to Los Angeles with his wife Susie and Arthur’s twin Earl. They felt deeply affected living so close to where the tragic event occurred, finding it too emotionally triggering.

The tragedy received extensive media coverage, leading Nick to express earlier that he was compelled to mourn in public.

An inquest into Arthur’s death heard that the teenager, who also had cannabis in his system, was ‘completely disorientated’ as he stumbled off a cliff into the sheer Ovingdean Gap near Brighton. 

The police reported that the teenager was in such a state of confusion from his trip, he couldn’t tell the difference between reality and illusion anymore. In a last message to a friend, he asked: “What is my location? What is my location?”

Just prior to the teenager’s demise, witnesses observed him unsteadily making his way across the grass near the cliff edge in a meandering fashion, resembling a zig-zag pattern. Subsequently, he scaled over the safety barrier and fell off, as reported.

In May 2022, Jethro Lazenby, another son of a popular singer, passed away in Australia not long after his release from prison.

32-year-old individual spent time in jail due to kicking his mother in the face during an argument about cigarettes, causing her to be injured with bruises and blood.

In the courtroom just a few days before his passing, Jethro’s attorney disclosed that he had been officially diagnosed with schizophrenia, which likely influenced his decision-making abilities.

A man grappling with difficulties, who had cycled through periods of incarceration for much of his life due to the chaos brought on by drug addiction, encountered additional legal troubles before his passing in a budget motel in Melbourne.

Nick Cave reflects on the comfort he's sought from religion and alludes to being visited by his late son's spirit in lyrics from his new album Wild God

On his blog, The Red Hand Files, Nick addressed a question from a mourning mother who had lost her child, in the month of June.

He wrote: ‘A parent should never have to bury their child, it makes no sense, it sits outside the natural order of things.

Indeed, here I stand, side by side with you, finding ourselves in empty spaces once filled by our dearly departed. It’s a haunting solitude that only the hearts of fellow admirers can understand.

“I appreciate your sincerity in openly acknowledging the immense frustration we can experience when the world continues spinning, seemingly uncaring about our hardships.”

‘How dare the world be so beautiful, we think. These are the divergent feelings of grief.’

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2024-08-30 18:07

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