After suffering the loss of two sons, Nick Cave learned to rely on the love and understanding of his devoted audience. The Australian artist, 64, said that performing has helped him cope with the loss of his two sons, Arthur, 15, in 2015, and Jethro, 31, this past May.
He was “forced into the lowest place imaginable,” where it was “nearly hard to be able to see outside of misery,” Cave claimed when Arthur died.
The Bad Seeds vocalist and his wife Susie found comfort in the letters they received from fans who had also experienced the loss of a child and were prepared to share the small things that had helped them cope with their grief.
He said, “The compassion from the audience saved me at the concerts that I did after that, too.” I owe everything I’m doing creatively to my fans, and every time I perform, it seems like I’m returning a debt.
Over the years, that sense of relief has persisted, especially in light of Cave’s ongoing struggle to discuss the death of Jethro. He continued the concerts and this mutual support kept me alive. The question isn’t “how can you go on tour?” but rather, “how could I not?”
For the first time in his decades-long career, Cave remarked, he is “truly moved” by his audiences. For him, “it’s like the scales have fallen off my own eyes” regarding his understanding of who they are as a group and as individuals. To have an audience impacted by what you’re doing is a tremendous honor. “I don’t know whether I’m making any sense.”
Cave revealed in an interview in 2008 that he and his son Jethro had “a terrific relationship,” even though Jethro did not find out Cave was his father until he was around 8 years old.
Meanwhile, Arthur fell from a cliff in Brighton, England, in 2015, resulting in his death. He has a twin brother named Earl and a half-brother named Luke with his ex-wife Viviane Carneiro.
Albums like 2016’s Skeleton Tree and 2019’s Ghosteen, as well as the documentary One More Time with Feeling, delve into the impact of Arthur’s death on the musician and his family. Faith, Hope, and Carnage, a collection of interviews between Cave and journalist Seán O’Hagan, will be released on September 20.
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