ZDF interview with Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld1997

English subtitled

[@bow5326]

I have a funny anecdote about meeting Blixa that I'm reminded of , reading some comments just now. I was backstage at the venue where my boyfriend's band was playing in support of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds In The Netherlands, Tivoli, Utrecht 1988. As the singer of his band was getting extremely nervous and agitated I fled to the hallway to sit on a step away from the chaos. Seemingly out of nowhere came Blixa and walked up to me, and asked if I could hold his mirror (this was a side mirror off a car so I held it by its arm). He proceeded to put shaving cream on his face and started shaving, having barely introduced himself we were having a pleasant conversation and I told him how I had once had an argument with Nick Cave, 5 (6?) years previous at a (band The Birthday Party)concert in Australia. Nick had broken a health and safety rule by hanging from a high scaffold on an already above average high stage and I was responsible for upholding it and possible consequences. Wouldn't you know it, Nick walked up to Blixa and I and Blixa said to Nick "I think you owe this young lady an apology Nick" who stared at me while I was convinced he wouldn't have remembered me (other side of the world etc) and it took him some time but eventually , he smiled and to my huge surprise just gave me a hug saying "yes, I was very reckless that night, I'm sorry". I was just flabbergasted grinning like an idiot and enthralled, watching Blixa shave his gorgeous face lol... 😻

[@natalka687]

Wow, what a story! 🖤😅

[@bfhbdfhshsbwjnq6515]

that’s amazing

[@brasikurtz]

I was there also in 1988 (tivoli,utrecht) i thougt he used many😬 drugs that day. I see him calling in a telephonecel a few hours before the concert that day 100 meters from Vredenburg .

[@bow5326]

@@brasikurtz oh really? Well I can't say I'm surprised but when I met him before the concert he seemed pretty sober to me. However I didn't see him after the show and bands (international ones) are renowned for smoking the very strong martijuana that was legally available while touring in Holland. They'd often underestimate the potency and affects of it. Of course, any other drug they may have desired was pretty readily available also. Even in my job as a (live) audio engineer I have been approached by musicians, asking whether I knew any reliable sources to score certain drugs from.

[@alimay2221]

This is one of the best Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds stories I've ever heard. Thanks for taking the time to write it.

[@rubymouse6904]

Whenever I need a Blixa/Nixa moment I come here. It is so funny! Then I watch them sing The Weeping Song together.

[@mistressf]

i don't think i've ever seen nick or blixa be so giggly. And blixa complaining about the translations is pure gold

[@rubymouse6904]

I asked google what the german word that was used for bullshit meant and google said nonsense!!

[@hom0s4cer]

@@rubymouse6904 Bullenscheiße.

[@dimitridehouck9506]

They were so high 😂

[@kapple654]

he only complains because cave starts ranting about the church and christ and Moses in a lysergic sermon

[@user-sj4iw7rl4i]

​@@rubymouse6904Yes, you could translate the word "Blödsinn" as nonsense, but in German it is literally made up of the two words "stupid" and "sense". I think that has a different sound quality😂

[@elizabethhann4028]

Really, they were always so adorable together. "You're my alter ego," "[No} YOU'RE MY alter ego..." Aww!

[@jochenrettig6391]

It's not only Blixa or Nick. It's also the great, great Roger Willemsen!

[@lucylovic]

Dutch surname

[@Legoland0]

Oh yes! We miss him so much! 😢

[@tahsinsabah833]

“Maybe my translator is having a fit”

[@elizabethhann4028]

Two thoughts on this little scene, one short and one rather long. First [short] thought : Nick and Blixa's friendship/artistic-partnership was clearly THE GREATEST BROMANCE OF THE ENTIRE 1990's, and ought to be remembered as such. Second [long] thought: they're clearly in a world of their own, here. I mean, Blixa and Nick both seem to be vibrating on a completely different wavelength from their [rather bumbling] interviewer, and holding him in not-so-well-hidden contempt, too. I think it's funny and adorable. They make it seem like nobody in the world could HOPE to understand them like they could understand each other, and they seem to want to make it clear that nobody can understand their music the way they can [because they're the ones who created it]; especially not the German daytime-t.v audience. Ha! Ha!

[@benapfel8792]

No, I think at least Blixa had a great respect for and maybe feared the interviewer, Roger Willemsen. Willemsen was well known for his deep and fluid intellectual sharpness. At the beginning Blixa was long thinking about the right words, because Willemsen would easily see through all mascarades and half baked thoughts. Watch e.g. his interview with Madonna for another one in english, maybe the best with Madonna ever. ("Do you have a message for the impotent people, too?") He died in 2016 and is deeply missed in times of dullness here in Germany. He was a great commentator of politics and current events, too.

[@mininovaband]

@@benapfel8792 Thank you for these insights. I love to read their body language in this video. Too bad for the translation stuff being a weird added element. But there are some interesting moments between these two. I love how they really seem to support each other. When one fails with words the other comes in. So touching. And Blixa's compliment to Nick and the way Nick responds in such a visceral way. Sigh.

[@aybukeyldz2243]

Aw, they are so cute!

[@robertalenrichter]

It wasn't a "daytime audience". It was prime time.

[@lucylovic]

@@benapfel8792 Willemsen is a Dutch name. He had Dutch ancestors on his father's side.

[@dirklorenz7976]

Sowas gibt es heute tatsächlich nicht mehr. Danke an den unvergessenen Roger Willemsen.

[@user-sj4iw7rl4i]

Das stimmt. Er hat immer eine Form von Höflichkeit und Interesse vermittelt, die man so in journalistischer Weise Künstlern selten heutzutage entgegenbringt. Nicht unbedingt die Fragen, die ich gewählt hätte, aber da haben Cave und Blixa weitaus anderes erlebt. Schade, dass es nicht mehr viele intellektuelle ins deutsche Fernsehen schaffen..... und da spreche ich von allen drei Herren 😂

[@Legoland0]

Seine gewitzte Konversation hat nie den tiefen Ernst seiner Fragen vermissen lassen. Ein Geschenk dieser Mann- und neben Christoph Schlingensief der von mir meist vermisste Charakter im deutschen Kulturfernsehen.

[@Finngrinder]

This is so hilarious and sweet :D

[@ndesdsadfd]

Aah, back in the days when Blixa was in the band. Love Nick, but since Blixa left the Bad Seeds never been the same. He was that umpredictabile factor in the band. He was to The Bad Seeds what Rowland S. Howard been to the Birthday Party previously.

[@Bavodekat]

Just like en was never the same after blixa joined nick..before 84. En was the most incredible live band .after. they just became shopping mall music

[@cibibi]

a Capricorn and a Virgo, how lovely

[@chrisburzig7360]

And Roger Willemsen, oh what an interview.....

[@kbsmith2795]

Thanks for uploading this!

[@aceroyplatadeluna]

this is one of the greatest interviews I have ever seen. wait scratch that -- this is one of the greatest THINGS I have ever seen

[@exomoonextremophile]

This is so great.

[@MartineRossiFrance]

+TeamClaudius great..? omg.. that was crazy n confused.. they didn't answer correctly to the questions..!

[@juliabender3801]

Blixa und Nick - ihr fehlt mir sooo sehr 💚❤️💚‼️

[@FrankyHaemmer]

Beide leben noch.

[@ToysintheStatic]

This is awesome, I wish blixa was still with him. The two of them with warren Ellis would be awesome!

[@simonh.9718]

Respekt an den Übersetzer!!

[@Kraeuterli]

Die beiden sind genial

[@jurgens.8019]

Hammer, dass die im deutschen Fernsehen waren...

[@SB-hc1nt]

This interviewer never had a chance against these two.

[@sonkejulius9517]

Roger Willemsen. Toll. Was für ein toller Mensch.

[@saudade369]

This is so embarrassing for them both.. Imagine being a famous talented artist in his own tight and asked to talk about the genius of Nick Cave . The interviewer is totally focussed on Nick Cave and Blixa is almost treated as an interpreter alone. Its like having Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton and asking Newton , " How much of a genius is Albert, do you agree he is the greatest scientist who ever lived " ? !. Many people would have been just a little bit pissed off.

[@rubymouse6904]

But they are promoting a Bad Seeds album. I think Blixa was always good at keeping his role as a guitarist for Nick and as the frontman for EN separate. I think they were just talking about that album and they are really sweet together.

[@truerosie]

I agree 100% too. Clearly Nick Cave was aware and embarrassed for the interviewer; he turned it around and said, 'and what I think about Blixa Bargeld....' and spoke so eloquently about Blixa's value to him personally as well as professionally that Blixa said, well you've beaten me. While it's easy to see Cave saying 'he's immutable, god-like ...' as funny, I reckon that given their long collaboration and friendship, there's an element of sincerity in what Cave said. I love that they naturally put their own agenda as equal in importance as the interviewer's agenda. Being pitted into a competitive position with each other just wasn't allowed to happen; and then they did what they were there for, discussed the song and the CD. It was v poor form on the interviewer's part to put Blixa in a one-down position to Nick, + I think they handled it very elegantly.

[@MothraBlues]

The dipstick interviewer unwittingly confirms Blixa's utterly accurate description of journalists here - Lmao!

[@paularobledo8508]

Ship

[@elizabethhann4028]

Oh, absolutely.

[@lydacastruita2923]

Yeahhh!!

[@mininovaband]

I just noticed the moment at 4:10. Who is Blixa Shushing? Nick? how cute.

[@kapple654]

blixa would definitely be the dominant one in this bromance

[@nyansybones4983]

@@kapple654 romance*

[@danirudo9669]

Blixa Bargeld ist so eine wertvolle Figur für Nick Cave and the bad Seeds - Blixa Bargeld ist ein typischer *Faust* aus Goethe.....

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

The interviewer proceeds to confirm Blixa's opinion of journalists "ein Irrturm der Evolution" (a mistake of evolution)

[@curespiral6143]

Blixa Is Vanity

[@martinborgas8159]

blixa b. & nick c. waren (von was auch immer) total breit & roger w. war so den beiden überhaupt nicht gewachsen ! blixa & nick finde ich dort echt super ... hut ab ! - direkt vor den beiden war bernd michael l. (tatort) im interview bei roger w. & auch er war total breit ! - ich hab mich den abend super amüsiert ... das war schon fast kino !

[@marinrealestatephotography]

I guess I am just in shock that a woman would actually leave Nick Cave.

[@mikeweckenmann7499]

To Shake hands with Roger Willemsen ..is a great Honour ☝🏻

[@tomkat69pc]

da waren sie beide gut drauf ..

[@danielrasten5736]

Kristin hersch circles

[@lucylovic]

Nick Cave 40 here. Losing his pretty boy looks. Blixa auch. Bei ihm..❤❤❤❤

[@pognillat2833]

6:49

[@nyansybones4983]

Real

[@katgilbert8507]

I feel uncomfortable just watching this...

[@mamenperez-medrano-mj3vv]

Blixaaa....!!!!&@

[@agstinacueva1673]

Does Cave only know and not speak German? I mean it would be only fair since he lived in berlin

[@tonybigalow3236]

German is not easy to learn

[@tomross9593]

Ich bin´s

[@duprie37]

Why do they have that stupid disembodied voice translating which they obviously didn't warn Blixa and Nick of? Why couldn't they just get an ordinary translator like everyone else?

[@kapple654]

he could never make it in Australia, he could never make it in London, so he made it in Berlin! what a strange beginning for an Australian goth!

[@HalloikbenJim]

Does Nick Cave understand German?

[@bow5326]

I believe Nick had a little earpiece in to hear interpreter. You can see him push his left ear ( adjusting?) every now and then. His facial expressions also reveal when he hears translation Edit: When Blixa complains about the translation of "bullshit", Nick says "My translator is having a fit"

[@mamenperez-medrano-mj3vv]

Igh been out byte....!!!!&@

[@tonycostanzo4276]

Blixa can turn the Bull shit into good shit ,if you try to psychoanalyze his brain you are in danger of ending up in his rainy garden

[@edwardwhite9266]

einstuzrde neubuten you too and I hope it so much I love you and you too and I love you and miss you too and I hope it so much I can do it for you too 💟 I Mick kub you too and I love you so e and you can always get it to you and miss you too

[@JohnnyConscious]

They got nice drugs before

[@aybukeyldz2243]

I am cringing over the interviewer. I don't think he knows what he is doing. He must be clueless about music [not only about their work of art. General lack of knowledge in music] to ask such questions. He asked Nick Cave how to sing... Oh my...

[@hom0s4cer]

then you obviously dont know him - roger willemsen was a highly perceived, versatile, publicist and german tv show host, how's done another interview with Blixa where they both had a great conversation. I think he kind of chose these shallow questions for the need of the shallow audience that were sitting behind their tellys at this particular show.

[@martinmartin7530]

Though I find Blixa interessting, I never saw an interview with him that really impressed me. He always behaves somewhat pretentious.

[@SlowDIIV]

Yes, it's Blixa's obligation to impress you, and he has failed miserably

[@mtr801]

Blixa is not pretentious; *you* are pretentious.

[@berndschreiber1167]

Blixa Bargeld war immer dieser Nichtmal-Kunst-Leistungskursler, der glaubte, großes zu leisten, während alle andern sich dachten, hör mal 'n bißchen Velvet Underground und geh in 'n Museum

[@gandolin66]

Keine Macht den Drogen, sonst kommt das dabei heraus.

[@FrankyHaemmer]

Konfus

[@barbarag868]

Load of crap

[@jezebelproudfoot4976]

This is one of the worst interviews i’ve ever seen.

[@lolamann110]

Peinlich.

[@tomstills5146]

Dreadful interviewer.