Interview: Nick Cave by Che - 1993

Nick Cave and his Band The Bad Seeds (founded in 1983) were touring Hamburg with Nick introducing his Book „Ink King“ (originally published in 1988) to the German speaking audience.
Nick had at that a time a reputation of often being under the influence and most difficult to interview. I prepared for the one-on-one with the help of Max Dax, a dear colleague and friend of mine, who later wrote a book on Cave.
It didn’t really help, though. As well as we connected before the recorded interview, it didn’t work out so well when the camera was rolling. Still don’t know what happened in the mean time.
It turned out to be a very awkward and sometimes eerie interview, to say the least, which later turned into a real nasty, mostly verbal fight - I left that part out not wanting to expose things that should stay out of public.
The interview situation ended abruptly when Nick was asked to do the sound check for the night’s show.
Until it lasted we talked about God and Jesus, lyrics, Europe and the world in general according to Mr Nicholas Edward Cave.
Nick Cave has been and still is one of my all time personal heroes in music. The quality of the video which I only recently discovered going through my stuffs is very poor - do excuse! I tried my best to recover it, but there are still many flaws, which I abhor - being a professional.
Never the less I hope you’ll be able to enjoy.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds:
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Ca...
King Ink by Nick Cave:
www.amazon.de/King-Ink-Nick-C...
Other books by Nick Cave:
www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
And of course: Music by Nick Cave:
www.amazon.de/Nick-Cave/e/B00...
The book Max Dax wrote on Nick Cave - excellent read!
www.amazon.de/Life-Music-Nick...

[@blixaland]

I'm a newer fan of Nick and I must say that this is one of the better interviews I've seen him in. Props to you for maintaining composure. And really, props to Nick as well. He does appear to be a bit hyperactive, overly-aware of things. Of course I don't know what he did back then, but his actions, you know, the vibes he's giving, lead me to think he may be under the influence of something. I have heard he had struggles with drugs, but then a lot of people did and do to this day... but I'm still learning about him. Regardless of drugs or alcohol, I love him more and more every day and realise how precious of a human being he is. As I see and read interviews, and as you said, see what makes him "tick," I feel more connected to him. Thank you so much for uploading this! Also, I apologise for sort of, rambling on. I'm writing this after a short nap after a long, rainy school day. Kristin

[@chemento0712]

Thank you, Kristin. If I remember correctly, NC was badly in need of certain substances at that time. Which might explain certain things. Have a good day! che

[@nikita70]

Poor guy, he looks and acts as if he got grounded at the therapy/rehab center, forced to talk, harassed with annoying questions etc. as all he's thinking about is the next shot. I feel bad for him.

[@uhlget2me]

nikita70 funny I am kicking now and I find a nick cave bit I never seen and at 3 in the morning I watched....dark end of the street and so ive noticed your comments possibly yrs apart within last few hours.l7fes a mad series of events, wasnt cave perfect in this, like u sait, yea dyinng for a hit, oh ur bit about sky pagers I had a bookful in chicago, fuck

[@jasminehammond9015]

The Aussie sarcasm in this is beautiful

[@ange2370]

Another great trait of our wonderful Nick... SARCASM! lol.

[@richardwillford2418]

Throughout rock/pop history, the worlds of art and entertainment got mixed up. The entertainment industry thought that people like Nick Cave (...Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, David Bowie...) were entertainers using art to entertain. And the artists found themselves at the mercy of the entertainment industry to get heard. In this interview the two worlds meet. And clash.

[@keysersoze3977]

I love this interview.

[@TheThetechnician]

Great interview, probing questions that unearthed deep and intense responses, offering an extraordinary insight into noth interviewer and interviewee

[@styxcreek]

You did ok, he was notoriously difficult with journalists back then. I think he's mellowed in the last few years. You got a few interesting things out of him. Thanks for sharing.

[@jeremysanders9336]

Mentally torturing? How melodramatic can you possibly be? He did a poor job interviewing him, sure, but Nick was also being a bit of an asshole.

[@mrbillchard2336]

found this hard to watch... the way the words crawled out of the cave... he seems a more affable chap these days... but the songs with Wazza?

[@ryconle]

Heroin is in full effect here

[@ssourick]

All of the derogatory comments about drug use miss the point entirely. Nick Cave outwitted the interviewer every step of the way. This was an outright act of defiance, and an absolute joy to watch.

[@fulanderson]

9:45 my man completely ignored all the other questions but when it came to his novel his brain clicked lmfao

[@DerMensch1]

Che, I think what happened is fairly obvious. Your questions started off sounding immediately confrontational and I think he was put off by that right away. "Are you well?" (What an odd question. Especially asked in such a terse manner. Perhaps "Do you feel tired after performing so much? would have been a kinder way to ask) Then, almost sounding like you were offended by the title, you ask: "What did you mean by Dumb Europe?" That sounds like you're an offended European ready to fight about it. Then you tell him you can't understand his book. You eventually said that was your problem, but not after you stated it in a very cold manner once again that sounded like you were saying his writing wasn't clear. How would you feel if you wrote some things down and someone said: "What you've written is not clear." Then you interrupted him. To me, it seems fairly obvious why he was acting the way he was. I'm not defending his immature behavior, and I know that Nick was difficult to interview by certain people, but perhaps his interviewers were also fairly insecure themselves and therefore acted in ways that came off as rude, and he hated dealing with that. I don't think that's too hard to see.

[@lboo1266]

100% agree

[@escaton74]

I think it's more a language barrier, are you well is a caring question if you don't know how to put it really

[@chemento0712]

Today I think I should have skiped the interview. Nick was on "turkey" and I was very worried he'd freak, honestly concerned about his well being. Blixa convinced me it would be okay to do the interview. So... Just before, off camera, it seemed okay, but then...

[@helliemiller1161]

God love him.

[@luciasetti1688]

Malibu Barbie interviewing Morticia…lol

[@thegoblinspeaks]

drunk nick cave is a vibe

[@chemento0712]

He was not drunk at the time. Other drugs have even more terrible side effects...

[@MogadonFog]

This looks earlier than 1993 to me, the fact that Nick mentions that he's still working on his novel (And The Ass Saw The Angel) suggests it's perhaps 1987 or 1988 ?

[@Suspish828]

MogadonFog is nick okay here? He seemed sad or something..

[@ryos.7757]

MogadonFog nick had longer hair in 93, this is definitely 88 or so.

[@ryos.7757]

Beautyloversx probably on heroin

[@Suspish828]

Ryo S. aww :(

[@nikita70]

Diogenes26 Totally agreed. He's like 'what the fuck I'm doing in this place (And why this asshole by my side has no face?')'. If you get me, Uncle Bill...

[@umirra]

Now all I want to see is that nastiest part that was left out!

[@cheeckert2348]

You'd have to visit me for that...

[@umirra]

I consider this an invitation. Hamburg?

[@Man_Ray78]

its so funny his sarcastic response to some of the questions.

[@_epic_dyslexic_]

"Well, you let me finish my sentence first before you start yours, ok?" The sass is too real Nick 🤣 Also his first novel " The Ass saw the Angel" came out in '89 this definitely wasn't in '93 it was before '89 sometime.

[@chemento0712]

The German version which I had acquired before the interview was published in 1993...

[@crescendo2441]

"Siamese twins of the soul". This makes me think that Nick and Blixa were more than just friends . Alas, it wasn't meant to last 😥

[@slipperypessimist]

To hold together the present...

[@brent.johnson]

Heroin's a helluva drug.

[@chemento0712]

True. This is a "turkey" in full effect. He got really aggressive after we finished - I cut that part because it was really ugly. So glad he's clean nowadays.

[@dochendrix]

10:52 the moment he has enough and just starts trolling

[@chemento0712]

More likely the cold turkey set in...

[@cibibi]

10:45 Nick about Blixa

[@HenryHearse]

Please upload the other missing half 😆

[@chemento0712]

Better not; it gets kind of violent. My interview partner was in dire need...

[@pedrinhosangrento]

@@chemento0712 id kill for the whole tape footage. i am willing to pay for it l!!!

[@hexbeat9832]

Dopesick.

[@PooBah]

jesus what a trainwreck interview

[@brunokubin]

Came here after your interview with Rowland S Howard, Che. So I guess this is where „Nick says a lot of things“ comes from oder?

[@chemento0712]

Yap, Nailed it!

[@isabella-nitebloom]

i don't think this is 1993

[@Suspish828]

Izzy Rae nick seemed super uncomfortable here :(

[@darylcumming7119]

An time capsule? Mid or late eighties?

[@davidneilson2355]

coming DOWN

[@blackwingvalleylover]

🤣🤣🤣🖤

[@33brave33]

it's definitely 1987 or 1988

[@JoyOfSuicide]

yep, his talking about a novel who he's writing about a mute guy: and the ass saw the angel. Definitely '87/'88

[@chemento0712]

You are right about the novel - thing is this chat took place in Germany were it was published a couple of years later... And I only had moved to Hamburg in 1990...

[@jeromealexandre4162]

I think Nick is contradicting himself a little , for starters to say his relationships with his music and bandmates are full of hate , then to compare himself to christ who he claims " bore no grudges" makes no sense at all.I sense his confusion maybe his choice of whatever was ingested or leaving his system that evening .

[@josemiguelcastiblancogomez7723]

He was on heroin

[@blackwingvalleylover]

@@josemiguelcastiblancogomez7723 True and not in good shape. Fuzzy and irritable.

[@herbieshine1312]

I think the interviewer came over as antagonistic and judgemental which then pushed Nick Cave into a worse mood than he was already in. Yes his mood was possibly altered by drugs and it isn't really fair to be difficult with an interviewer but it's understandable he would be. Yes he was contradicting himself and I would suggest saying he and the band don't get on and his comment about being like Christ was to try to joke and be antagonist back. Not the best behaviour but considering the whole interview maybe understandable

[@brunosm.l2267]

The thing of "we hate each other" it's obviously in joke

[@escaton74]

what a rude guy, he's lucky he met Kylie

[@chemento0712]

He was only "on it" very much...

[@witchflowers6942]

He can be rude. That’s part of what makes him, him though… and he’s definitely off his head to some extent here. While still a “challenging” subject, he’s typically more life-like in other interviews.