A Nick Cave New Year

Don't forget to take part in the Nick Cave Holiday Challenge. No entries yet, but by January 10th at the latest, have your answers in. You don't have to answer everything.

It's almost 2010, and to celebrate...here are ten of my favorite lesser-known N.C. pictures from throughout the years. You've probably seen some of 'em, but they're some of my favorites for sure. They were received from all over the place, so if you see scans of yours you want credited, let me know. Click for big-ness, and ENJOY!

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Have a WONDERFUL and safe New Year. Remember...

1. Cherish your memories.


2. Take time to dance.


3. You are beautiful.


4. You need to remember to breathe.


5. You deserve a break.


6. Sometimes you've never seen the whole picture before (seriously, when I saw this, I was like...wtf...it's the whole picture! It's usually just THIS).


7. It's okay to forget where you are sometimes.


8. Sometimes, be the only one in the room who takes time to notice.


9. We all have our good side.


10. Sometimes, it is okay to wear/say/do embarrassing things. LAUGH at these things.


BONUS: Remember THIS picture:

Rowland S. Howard

I just got an email that says that Rowland just passed away after his battle with cancer.

Nick Cave Fixes has a tribute entry up, so be sure to comment. :(

Nick Cave Holiday Challenge

When I have money, I will buy you a Nick Cave-related gift if you win this challenge. In the event that more than one person ties, I will put your names into a hat and draw. I will probably make a super stupid video of me drawing the name.

This contest is only posted here. I don't want to spend money on some random person on LiveJournal who never stops by the blog. I want to give one of YOU something quaint. And I overdraw my bank account constantly and can't afford to eat at McDonald's, so you KNOW I love you all for this. :D

Yeah, but what's the prize? That's cheating! It's going to be worth around $50 and I'm paying for whatever it is out of my own poor pocket. Just because I'm an idiot so loving.

To eliminate possibility of cheating, send all answers to ziggy_star(at symbol)comcast.net

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PART ONE

State where all the Nick Cave references in this collage come from (or as many as you can). I can't stop you from googling, but it'd be super lame and un-holiday-like if you did, so don't. Plus, if you do, you WILL go to hell or be eaten alive by rabid ferrets.

Click for bigness.

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PART TWO

State (in the same email) what the following things have in common. It may help to have all the albums out so you can think easier. In the event that you come up with something I didn't, I'll probably give you partial credit. But if you're like, "they were both written by Nick Cave," I WILL ridicule you publicly and send Santa over to your house, and he WILL fart on you.

Here's an example of what kind of things you should be thinking about. If I said:

The albums Murder Ballads and The Best Of, the answer would be, "both albums have a painting as the cover art". Or, if it was, "What do the songs 'From Her to Eternity' and 'The Good Son' have in common?" it would be, "both are the title tracks to albums." Get it? Pretty simple. These are NOT hard, and you SHOULD have the albums within reach.

1. The albums The First Born is Dead and The Boatman's Call
2. The albums No More Shall We Part and Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus
3. The albums Let Love In and From Her to Eternity
4. The albums Let Love In and Birthday Party's Prayers On Fire
5. The albums Tender Prey and Birthday Party's Mutiny
6. The songs "Stranger Than Kindness" and "From Her to Eternity"
7. The albums Let Love In and The Boatman's Call
8. The albums The Good Son and Dig!!!, Lazarus, Dig!!!
9. What is the connection between Henry's Dream and Tender Prey, in regards to Live Seeds?
10. The album Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus and B-Sides
11. The albums Kicking Against the Pricks and Best Of
12. The albums Grinderman and Kicking Against the Pricks

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PART THREE

Send me, in your email with the above answers, a list of all Nick Cave/BP/Grinderman related merchandise you have. Seriously, I don't want to buy you something you already have. I mean EVERYTHING, cuz who the hell knows what I'll buy you. Give me a HUGE list of all the posters, CDs, books, pictures, clippings, shirts, g-strings, vibrating flower pots, etc. that you own. Related to Nick Cave, I mean. Duh.

Send to ziggy_star(at symbol)comcast.net by, like, January 5th or so.

D.O.M.'s Boots

Just so no one misses them, there are some great bootlegs available at the nick-cave.com forums. Bootlegs include:

BOYS NEXT DOOR – Swinburne College, Melbourne | August 19th, 1977
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – Later With Jools Holland | October 2004
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – Alcatraz, Milan | November 2004
GRINDERMAN – Roskilde, Denmark | July 4th, 2008
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – Palace Theater, Melbourne | January 2009

Here they are:
CLICK HERE.

There is also this:
Nick cave & The Bad Seeds | Live @ Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisboa | 04.21.2008
HERE. (Password is: doyouloveme)

Thanks to d.o.m. at the nick-cave.com forums. :D

Nick's Pretty

That is all. Old meme? I don't care. :D

POTM: Classic Portrait

Finally changed the photo of the moment. I was randomly searching and found this, which I had NEVER seen before, so hopefully none of you have either. It's relatively HQ, which is difficult to find in the Nick Cave world.

He looks like he's either thinking, "please...this is ridiculous," or "if I try to look like a sad puppy, maybe someone will hug me."

Enjoy!

Clickity-click.

Clippings - Nick Talks Dinosaurs and Aboriginal Girls

It's been hectic lately with school. Next week is finals, so over the holiday break, I should be able to resume Cave-tastic posting. I have a stupid/amusing idea for some random thing that I will make soon.

For now, here are some Cave photo goodies that the lovely Caroline sent my way. The interview about Boatman's Call is particularly amusing. Not sure where these articles are from, but anyway. I now share with you all. Thank you, Caroline!

CLICK FOR FULL-SIZE.








Caroline and I think the interview from Melody Maker he mentioned is most likely THIS ONE.

Thank you again, Caroline. <333

Bad Sex Nominee

From HERE, it is reported that Mr. Cave has been nominated for the Bad Sex Award.

Direct quote from The Guardian's article:
On a shortlist of 10, singer Nick Cave was picked for his second novel The Death of Bunny Munro, about a sex-obsessed door-to-door salesman. "Frankly we would have been offended if he wasn't shortlisted," said Anna Frame at his publisher Canongate.

An Attractive Clumsiness

Nouse.co.uk has an article/interview up with Mr. Cave (in which, yet again, someone asks him about his religion or lack of).

Any interview, however, that includes this (below) is worth reading:

"As the phone rings I’m wondering about the ways he might answer it when, suddenly, the ringing stops with a bang; it seems someone has dropped the phone. There’s a succession of loud noises that sound like running and things moving around until Cave eventually speaks: “Ca-can I call you – [aside]: How long will I be? – Can I call you in 15 minutes? Is that alright?” Something about taking or collecting the kids from somewhere. It wasn’t quite the steely greeting I expected. There’s an attractive clumsiness to this notoriously shadowy figure."

LINK: http://www.nouse.co.uk/2009/11/10/nick-cave/

Cave and Hillcoat Team Up Again

I LOVE breaking news to you all! I just submitted this to nick-cave.com, but here it is for you all!



Empire Online reports that director John Hillcoat (The Road, The Proposition) is once again teaming up with Nick Cave. This time, they will be collaborating on a film adaptation of Matt Bondurant's novel, The Wettest Country in the World. Hillcoat stated that the script, penned by Cave, has already been written.

The adaptation, which Hillcoat describes as "Virginia, moonshine, backwoods...", seems as though it will fit right in with Cave's other literary endeavors, such as his novel, And the Ass Saw the Angel, and the screenplay for The Proposition. At this point, a cast has not been determined, nor has a film studio picked up the project, but if all goes well with The Road, chances appear good that The Wettest Country in the World will soon enter the production process.

Hillcoat also spoke of possibly turning Cave's second novel, The Death of Bunny Munro, into a BBC or Channel 4 adaptation for television. No word yet on if this will become a real possibility.

[empireonline.com]

Eulogy for a Stache Fanbook Excerpt

I've been busy with midterms lately. Graaaaawr. Hopefully I'll be able to share more lately. Apologies for leaving you all hanging in the N.C. limbo!

Okay, so I said I would share a few bits from the fanbook. This is so those of you who couldn't participate can see part of what I did. I apologize for the blurry scans - it's hard to scan something that thick.

There were 14 people, myself included, who participated. More than I was expecting! WOOHOO! Thanks again to the participants!

Eulogy for a 'Stache Samples

I included a letter than thanked him, etc. Here's bits of the book (by the way, I totally included the Emo Bunny!)

Cover:


Intro:

I Got a Pink Velvet Box from New Zealand!!!

Thanks to Jess, I got something very special in the mail this past week! I know I look ridiculous; ignore it. I said I would share with you all when it arrived, so here it is!

Part one:


Part two:

stop being absent from blogville!

I have had a big science project...stupid...thing *grumbles*...and two big tests this week, and one big one next week.

That's why I've not been around. This weekend I'll give you all some lovin', okay? Cave-lovin'. :D

Nick and PJ Duet Again

Thank you to my dear friend, Jess for this...I'm just gonna cut and paste, cuz I'm lazy.

Nick Cave, the renaissance man of rock, was reunited with his former lover [NOTE: okay, seriously...*eyeroll*...couldn't they have had a better leading line than that?] PJ Harvey last night during a one-off gig to promote the publication of his second novel, The Death of Bunny Munro.

Cave and Harvey had a famously intense relationship during the mid-1990s, which inspired one of his darkest albums, The Boatman's Call, and which was rumoured to have left the Dorset-based Harvey heartbroken.

The Australian polymath - Cave writes and performs his own songs, acts, has written screenplays and scored the new Cormac McCarthy film The Road - was giving an evening of readings from Bunny Monro interspersed with songs at London's Palace Theatre. He was taking questions from the floor when an audience member asked if he'd perform again with his former muse if she were in the venue.

Harvey, who had previously sat unnoticed in a box next to the stage, made herself known to Cave at this point, and the singer said that while he would love to duet with her, he would only do so if she was up for it too. "If it was the other way round, I'd be mortified," Cave said.

Harvey acquiesced and came up on stage, and the pair sang Henry Lee, a haunting love song from Cave's Murder Ballads album. (This was despite a member of the audience suggesting to Cave that Fleeting Love would be an apt song for the reunion duet, to which Cave growled back: "You're a funny cunt".)

Cave was on fine form throughout the evening, telling the audience that he wouldn't finish the evening with a fourth and final reading from his book because "I read a whole lot of the fucking thing, with projections. Go and see Will Self in the back of Waterstones."

The Quietus website reports that he also confided why he no longer sported his impressive Zapata moutsache: "My wife found my stash of rohypnol, drugged me and shaved it off."

SOURCE: HERE

Nick Cave Enjoys an Early Holiday

If you aren't a regular nick-cave.com forum visitor, this is completely out of context. But like you NEED to know the context* anyway to enjoy this.



Back to my homework [evolution research]. I am going to post some random scans from The Fanbook within the next few days. No pictures of people with 'staches, but just a few to give everyone an idea of what was sent. :D

*Someone was talking about how Ticketmaster jacks ticket prices too highly. They said that maybe they should compromise with Mr. Cave, inviting him up for a skiing holiday in exchange for tickets. I took it from there.

Sum by David Eagleman

Nick reads a story from David Eagleman's book, Sum. Brian Eno and some other people read parts from it also.

"In one afterlife, you relive all your experiences in carefully categorized groups: sleeping 30 years straight, sitting five months on the toilet, spending 200 days in the shower, and so forth. In another, you can be whatever you want, including a horse that forgets its original humanity. There are afterlives where you meet God, in one a God who endlessly reads Frankenstein, lamenting the tragic lot of creators; in another a God, female this time, in whose immense corpus earth is a mere cell. Eagleman’s engaging mixture of dark humor, witty quips, and unsettling observations about the human psyche should engage a readership extending from New Age buffs to amateur philosophers. --Carl Hays"

You can download the extract of Nick reading the story, which Caroline was kind enough to edit so there aren't any ads, here:
CLICK

Caroline also found THIS news item in which Mr. Cave states, "We’ve recorded a new Grinderman record we’re really excited about. It comes out in March. And I’ll make another Bad Seeds record later on in the year." Woohoo! Thank you, Caroline!

There are also chapter extracts to read HERE.

Thank you to i_am_a_wallet on the nick-cave.com forums for the heads-up!

Nick the Effeminate (Teasing) Stripper

The ever-generous Caroline uploaded these videos. She recorded these...lucky girl, seeing this amazingness in person! Thank you so much for sharing these with us!

Here is Mr. Cave being presented with a poster of a, erm, rather effeminate poster of himself. (To see the poster, go HERE.)



Aaaand, for the fan girl (or boy) in all of us...Nick disrobing. What a tease! ;)



Now for my Animal Behavior class. Who sits before class, when they should be preparing for lecture, and updates their NC blog? Me...and I do so proudly. At least I'm at a university (Portland State in Oregon) where some people actually know who he is.

Happy 52nd Birthday, Mr. Cave!

Happy 52nd Birthday, Nick!

WOOHOOO!!!!!! *throws confetti*

I will be scanning and sending the digital copy of the fanbook to you all within the next day or so. WOOT! Thank you again to all who contributed. I GUARANTEE he will get nothing else like it this year. :D Wait'll you all (the contributors, anyway - I will share some random crap from it [not photos of people, though] with the rest of you) see it - it is truly the best book ever, almost.

To celebrate with you all, I'd like to HIGHLY recommend you all check out Caroline's photos from the reading, as well as her videos from the Ottawa reading. WOOHOO! Lucky, lucky lady. :D

Caroline's right; the part in which he talks about the Gladiator II script is fucking AMAZING. He imitates Russell Crowe and, guh...it's just FANTASTIC!



Off I go to finish scanning the book, then I will send it. I am celebrating (yesterday was MY birthday) by drinking with a friend and pondering the greatness that is Mr. Cave. Yep. :D

Help Me Or This WILL Become Nick's New Look!

If any of you could make zip files of ANY NC pics, I would love you.

Besides...Sept. 21st, the day before Nick's birthday, is MY BIRTHDAY. This would be a super present!

I did have a point to asking. My hard drive crashed, but I got a program that restored a shitload of my files. HURRAH! Happy birthday to meeeee!

Seriously, though...zips of NC pics would be a swell bday gift. Even if I have most of 'em, there will more than likely be something I've never seen. :D

I will beg you with this:

Goin' Platinum

If some of you hadn't heard, my external hard drive went kaput and I am trying to recover 1000s of NC pics, as well as personal stuff. LAME.

Anyway, spinner.com has a list up of the best musicians-as-actors, like...thing. Wow, brainfart. Whatever. Musicians in film roles, there, THAT. Nick made the list, and so did Mr. Tom Fuckin' Waits. WOOHOO!

Click image to be taken to the list.

Tuesday's B&N Reading

Death of Bunny Munro photos from vaduzuvunt on Flickr. CHECK 'EM OUT! I have a headache, so forgive the shitty quality of this post. There are like 50+ pics there, though, and the facial expressions Nick makes are AMAZING. :D

I hate money

My bank account is overdrawn, so I can't send the book off, even though it will cost like $10. RIDICULOUS. I just wrote the CEO of Bank of America, yeah, buddy (no, seriously, I did - $135 in overdraft fees is fuckin' ridiculous).

Anyway...Nick WILL get the book after his birthday, but get it he shall. My financial situation just sucks a big one right now. The book is fucking DONE and I can't send it. I am pissed.

Have a great day! I am off to go for a walk and listen to Murder Ballads.

Mack the Knife & His Bad Dancing

I just googled and found that this was over on NCF at one time, but just so I never, NEVER lose this...I am posting it here.

corpse_in_snow over at LiveJournal posted this. WHY had I never seen it? It is AMAZING! I love Mr. Cave's shitty-awesome dancing, ALWAYS.

It's taking me forever with the book cuz I've actually been working (my last week before going back to college), plus I've been kinda sick.

I think it'll be going out Wednesday, a week and a half later than I was expecting. Possibly even Thursday, cuz I'm lame like that. I don't have any money at the moment, but it WILL get sent. Blaaaaaaaaaaargh. :P and hmmph.

Second Grinderman Album Done!

Mr. Cave is pleased to inform you...

As reported by NME [ LINK ]:

Grinderman have completed recording their second album, due for release next year, band member Warren Ellis has confirmed.

The multi-instrumentalist told Thequietus.com that the new album from the band, featuring members of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, was a big departure from their 2007 self-titled debut.

"We finished the Grinderman album three weeks ago," he said. "I mixed it over the summer. We’ve still got to do the track ordering, and a few tweaks on the mastering, but the album's there."

"It’s very different from [Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds' latest album] 'Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!' and it's very different from the first Grinderman album. There's an attitude in there that's similar, but sonically it's got some pretty weird things going on.

"It’s kind of like stoner rock meets Sly Stone via Amon Duul. Nick's got a different thing going on with the lyrics than he would have from the Bad Seeds. Less sex? I wouldn’t say that."

Warren Ellis and Nick Cave are set to release a joint album, 'White Lunar', on September 22, featuring soundtrack music they have composed for various films.

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Will this bring in the second coming of the Magical 'Stache of Doom? The masses pray so, but time shall tell!

OMG This rules

The 'stache book is seriously the greatest thing I have EVER made. It will be sent off later than planned, but oh god. You will all die of hysteria.

Here...to tide you over. GIF of the eternally splashing Nick. Capped from the Ritual Habitual goodies that NCF shared.

Slight Alteration

Slight (slight) change of plans. My husband had a great idea. Send one copy to Mr. Cave now, and keep one for when I see him live next (or whenever Grinderman tour next). I will, of course, be front row and will be able to give it to him personally, ensuring that he has a copy.

But of course, it's his birthday SOON, so I must send a copy now. The worst that could happen during the Grinderman show is he says, "Great, I got another one of these fuckin' things." ;)

I've contacted Mute, Canongate, and ANTI and am waiting to hear back if any of them forward on mail to Mr. Cave.

The book cover is done, anyway. I'm not very crafty, so I hope you all aren't like, "oh. My. God. THAT...is fucking HORRENDOUS" when you see it. :D

Book to Begin Tomorrow! WOOT!

First of all:

Thank you to everyone who contributed for the fan book! I am still waiting on a few people's entries, including my own. So we will have around 14 'staches, which is more than I was expecting. YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!

I will be sending the book off on Tuesday. If you missed the cut-off date of the 3rd, bust your butt and get it to me by Monday night!

In case I didn't tell you, we are making two copies of the book. One will be sent to Canongate (or his American publisher), and one to his record company. I don't want to send one and have it get tossed out without getting to him. This way, there's a greater chance he'll receive a copy. I will, of course, put a note with each one to apologize in case he gets both of them.

I know what I want to do with the cover, and I think you will all understand when you see it. Design-wise, I will try to go with things that make sense. I will try to make you all proud. I'm going to start the book with a letter from all of us, just a general (yet 'stache-a-riffic) letter of birthday wishes and thanks from all the fans.

What random things do you all know that Mr. Cave likes? Or stuff he's referenced or sums him up a bit? Leave me huge, big-ass lists. There's a reason. The reason being, collages to decorate the pages. I don't want every page to be full of black crows and bunnies, but y'know. :D GO NUTS!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

This is basically your final notice. However, if you want to take part, but can't get something to me by the 3rd, email me at ziggy_star(at)comcast(dot)net to let me know when you'll have it to me.

With his book tour and everything, I'm assuming IF (big IF) Mr. Cave gets the book, it'll be months past his birthday anyway. At the very least, we will all be able to laugh at ourselves and each other looking Cave-ified. :D



I will share some Cave goodies within the next few days. :D

Bunny Video // Nick Cave's Computer Habits

A person working online press for Bunny Munro wanted me to share this link with you all (yeah, I was shocked someone like that knew about my blog). If you've been following the videos of Nick reading excerpts online, here is an exclusive video of him reading from Chapter 18!

CLICK HERE

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And, to keep you entertained, here is another annoying video I made involving Mr. Cave using his computer.

Bad News

Bad news. I heard back from Canongate, and the limited edition of Bunny Munro can't be shipped to the US because of distribution rights (or lack thereof).

FUCK. :(

I'm trying to see if I can paypal some money to a NZ friend of mine, but looks like I won't be getting this more than likely. FUCKITY FUCK!

Takin' the First Bootstep

Until Mr. Cave, I didn't get what the big deal about bootlegs was. However, once I started downloading some decent ones, I began to understand. The songs are performed differently each time, sometimes with entirely new lyrics...the energy is raw and palpable...the imperfections make it exciting.

Enough rambling. If, like me, you're relatively new to the bootleg scene, you may have no idea where to start. Where does one go to get bootlegs? Where can you find some good ones, and not crappy quality ones that are fuzzy and inaudible?

My lovelies, your problems are solved! THIS BLOG has a HUGE list of Birthday Party, Boys Next Door, Bad Seeds, even some Grinderman and random EN stuff. SERIOUSLY, this is a GREAT place to start, so check it out!

How Excited Are YOU?!

News about the limited edition of Bunny Munro!

The limited edition of Bunny Munro goes on sale next Tuesday, the 25th, at noon England time. Meaning, four a.m. for the United States:
LINK HERE

Only 500 copies, and each 100 copies, the price goes up by ten pounds. It starts at 80 pounds, which is $132.05. WHOA.

Also, in real small print, it says this about the limited edition Bunny Munro:
"Not for sale in the US, Canada or India". I am hoping this just means it has to ship to us from overseas. Can anyone confirm this is probably what that means?

Anyway, four a.m., I am on that site, pending my mom's willingness to give her soon-to-be 26-year-old daughter an early birthday gift. :D

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In case you mixed it, the wonderfully kind Laura (*hugs*) shared some awesome Nick scans here:
SLICKED HAIR!

And does anyone have the full-size version of the pic of the moment?

A-Roaming 'Round, Being Hilarious

Have I SERIOUSLY never posted this? grindermom at youtube made this and it is BY FAR one of the greatest fuckin' things I have EVER seen on youtube.

Look at his face! He looks so serious/dreamy! BWAHAHAHA. I originally saw this when my friend and I were drunk, and I think I fell out of my chair, SERIOUSLY.

Check out the amazing bit at 0:53.


You love it. AND GRINDERMOM RULES!

Please send stuff for the fanbook or let me know if you are going to send stuff. I think no one is going to and it will be a sad birthday indeed for Mr. Cave. :(

January '09 BL // A Man in Shades

Picture I just found, first of all:



I was going to upload a zip of this, but someone else has the same bootleg available already, and you can download each mp3 individually. This is NC&TBS from January 9th, 2009 in Melbourne.

Tracks:
1. Tupelo
2. Midnight Man
3. Love Letter
4. Moonland
5. We Call Upon the Author
6. Papa Won't Leave You, Henry
7. Into My Arms
8. Get Ready for Love
9. Stagger Lee

DOWNLOAD LINK

REMINDER: Less than one month until September 3rd to send in your stuff for the birthday fan book. LINK IS HERE!

Birthday Party Bookmarks

I tried to make you guys some bookmarks. These were supposed to be EIGHT INCHES tall, but for some reason...they're not (if you know why Paint Shop Pro doesn't print at the size it says photos are, comment). They're, like, six inches tall.

But anyway - PARTY HOY! And thanks to Laura for the scans. It was Laura, right? God, I hope so...late night kinda and I'm frazzled.

Anyway, whip out all the black ink you have, some photo paper, and enjoy. YARDA YARDA!

Click to enlarge.

Best Day Ever: 09/22/08 Portland Show

REMINDER: Less than one month until September 3rd to send in your stuff for the birthday fan book. LINK IS HERE!


My husband is the guy in the hat. I am the person
to his left, taking a picture.


I am the douchebag in the bottom right,
looking like a crying Sanjaya fan (google it).
Sara's arm is the one above all others.

I really should make this post on September 22nd, but as that is also Mr. Cave's birthday, I'm sure I'll post something else that day. Anyway, this is mainly to make sure the lovely, lovely Sara has these. I can't believe I never put these up here. These videos (though sideways at times and not the greatest quality ever) are from the September 22nd, 2008 show in Portland, Oregon I was at. Thanks to the original uploader, breakingsong at youtube. I've also included mp3 versions, in the brackets next to each title.

Oh, and the photos I took from the show/journal entry I made about it: HERE.

Red Right Hand [MP3]


Stagger Lee [MP3]

You Must Be This Famous to Own an Attack Groundhog

New photo of the moment:
Mr. Cave and Mr. Cash.

The below image, which I somehow spent an hour making, will make even less sense more sense after you read this entry.



Just emailed the following to my dear New Zealand-dwelling friend, Jess, who I met at the concert last year. I sent her a rambling email about how famous Nick Cave is. I include it here because it is NC related, and you all might have your own insights.

I know fame is relative, but I just wanted a general idea.

---

How famous *is* NC in Australia/NZ? I realize that's a weird question, I mean, how can you say, "oh - he's such-and-such level of famous." But I mean...do most people know who he is?

Here, in a chain music store, most people have no idea who he is. In independent/goth music stores, they do (not counting Hot Topic), but he's definitely a cult-level fame here. I've heard a few people call him "underground," and I'm like...uh, no...he's not underground; he's on a relatively large label.

Here in the States, people like Britney Spears, U2, and Beyonce are super famous. EVERYONE knows who they are. You could mention "Beyonce" to anyone and most likely get a response. Then there are people less famous, but still relatively well known, such as (first to mind) Lady Gaga or Lily Allen. Less than that you start getting into people with a smaller, dedicated following, such as Tori Amos, Primus (who I can't stand), etc. I guess Nick would be in that category, but he gets more of a "who the fuck is that?!" reaction than even those I just mentioned. More obscure than him would be independent label type artists.

I know there's no definite answer. Where I live, there are people who know who he is, if you know where to FIND those people. Indie music stores, goth clubs, etc.

---

Usually, though, when I tell people about my favorite artist, this is what goes down:

THEM: Nicolas Cage?
ME: No, Nick CAVE.
THEM: Nic CAGE?!
ME: CAVE! Nick CAVE!
THEM: Oh, Cave...what would I know him from?
ME: The Bad Seeds, mostly.
THEM: Never heard of 'em. What'd they sing?
ME: Lots of stuff, but you'd know 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' with Kylie Minogue first.
THEM: WHO?
ME: Kylie Minogue.
THEM: WHO?!
ME: KYLIE MINOGUE!
THEM: Oh, she sang that can't get outta yer head song, right?
ME: Right.
THEM: Yeah, still don't know who Nick Callus is.
ME: CAVE. NICK CAVE. He also sang a song called Red Right Hand you might know from those fuckin' Scream movies.
THEM: Ah, so...he's a one hit wonder then?

I AM NOT KIDDING. Well, I am a bit...but come on. He could walk around and people would be like, "huh...tall guy. Now, where's McDonald's?"

What Has Six Legs and Is the Cutest Thing Ever?

I have a confession. I am guilty of hoarding, what is, in my opinion, the BEST NICK CAVE PHOTO OF ALL-TIME. Yes, all-time.

I am also hereby guilty of sharing said image now because it is on eBay again. I've never seen this photo online anywhere (only eBay), and I've used it as a bargaining chip in the past. You all share amazing things with me, and I do have the actual clipping framed above my computer, so the least I can do is share my favorite Nick pic ever. I have no idea what magazine this was from, other than a Japanese one.

NSFW: Pics of naked chicks in the window behind Nick. It took me months to notice them.



Favorite. Nickpic. EVER. If you have any pics you think are cuter, I call shenanigans. TOTALLY worth the $10 I paid for that single page.






REMINDER: You have until September 3rd to send in your stuff for the birthday fan book. LINK IS HERE!

Reading in Roundhouse - London

How badly do you need to see the lovely photos purplecatster took at Mr. Cave's reading at the Roundhouse in London? The one for Bunny Munro, which took place July 24th? Well...judging by the picture below, pretty farkin' badly. Also, he seems to have a coldsore. As someone currently suffering from one, I can empathize. :-/


Photo by purplecatster @ flickr

Purplecatster's Lovely Photos Here

REMINDER: You have until September 3rd to send in your stuff for the birthday fan book. LINK IS HERE!

Nick Cave & Flexin' His Muscles

Depending upon what you think of this video, the fact that I will be sharing more similar to this could be awesome or annoying.

I choose to think that you will all be downright amused.

Nick Cave talks about his ripped bod, THESE PICS we are all obsessed with, and the joys of being a sexy porn star-lookin' bloke. Oh, and he flexes for you. A LOT.

Made by me, if you couldn't tell. I am so super lame! YES! :D

Bald Beaut

Wow. That wasn't the most flattering picture, so here's another one:


Nick is losing his hair. He has been for awhile. What do you think he should do?

a.) Go bald naturally
b.) Shave his head at a certain point
c.) Hair transplant (have you seen documentaries on these things? SO GROSS! Still...effective.)
d.) Get a hairpiece/toupee
e.) Wear hats

My vote is c, but I can't imagine him being that vain, so I may have to go with e. Some people can pull off bald...not sure about the Caveman.

MY NEXT POST IS GOING TO BE LAMELY EPIC. You will love it! Expect it like...tomorrow.

Also, every few weeks, I will remind you to send in your stuff for the Fan Project. Off I go to listen to PJ.

52nd Birthday Fan Project!

Click to view full-size announcement of utmost importance!



But, I really don't want to take my picture. Or my dog has a better mustache.
Or...


Where can you find a 'stache? Google "moustache" or "mustache,"
use these, or search for Grinderman stuff:


Any other questions can be directed at ziggy(underscore)star(at)comcast(dot)net, or left here as a comment. I really hope some of you are willing to do this! Is it lame? Yes. Is it going to be amusing as hell? Most definitely!

Nick Cave Porn

Oh, come on! Like you didn't know I find the man attractive. Laura just rendered me speechless with another amazing Cave find. I have no words. Well, I do, but they make me sound like a horny stalker. I have no idea what is going on in these photos, but like it matters.

Click for full-size artistic merit amusement artistic nudity. Oh, fuck it - I know you're all as perverted as Laura and me. Don't feign innocence.

Running in the Rain

You guys/gals may know what I'm talking about (sings, "aaaaand I don'tknowwhatI'mtalkin'abouuuut" from 'Babe, I Got You Bad'). Somewhere on youtube is a video someone recorded of Mr. Cave running in the rain. They recorded it from their apartment window and had a Grinderman song playing.

I neeeeed that video. I can't find it!

Mr. Cave the Luddite

I didn't want to not update over the weekend. So yes. I found this while randomly searching and it is FUCKING EPIC.

It is my wallpaper. And it is perfect. And gorgeous. AND YOU LOVE IT!!! We miss you, Magical 'Stache of Doom!!!

Click for full-size greatness.


Have a fantastic weekend! Don't drink and drive (my friend says, "that's why I've never gotten a license!"), but have fun!

White Lunar

From the newly-updated official site comes the following news:

"White Lunar, a two CD set to be released by Mute on 21st September 2009 [NOTE: that's my birthday! - outofsorrow], contains music they composed from [The Assassination of Jesse James... and The Proposition], along with a selection of their cinematic scores, including rare and previously unavailable material...

...Accompanying the soundtracks on the second disc are four pieces drawn from the Cave & Ellis archives, all named after craters: “Magma” is constructed from a chorus of Warrens singing a pitch-shifted riff, “Zanstra” swarms like a storm of hornets besieging a submarine, “Halo” finds pastoral calm in the eager teeth of defeat and “Daedalus” rises sure as the sun, with dewy flute and fluttering piano motes, before a sudden fade. The sequence is conceived as a suite. “Listen to it as you might listen to an instrumental album” recommends Ellis, as “some kind of trip”."

Kakophonia

I'd like to direct you all to Joe's blog, Kakophonia. They have some lovely BND bootlegs up, as well as stuff by Crime and the City Solution (Mick and Rowland's band), E. Neubauten, Birthday Party, P.J., basically GREAT stuff.

Go check it out!

Why We All Must Thank Laura

Laura, Laura, what to say? I can't even tell you how awesome this lady is. She uploaded the Nick bits (including the bits he shot) from Ritual Habitual, the documentary about Big Day Out 1996. Nick Cave Fixes just had a way too adorable clip of Nick splashing in a pool posted, and I freaked the hell out, desiring the rest of the video.

Well, quite frankly, LAURA IS ABSO-GENEROUS-LUTELY AMAZING! Not only was she kind enough to share this with me, but she let me know I can share it with all of you as well! This documentary is quite hard to find, apparently, and when it is found, it's drastically expensive (I have a site bookmarked that makes DVD-R's of it if you want to spend the $15, but I think you can make your own from this).

Laura put all the Nick bits in one 55-minute package. So it's rather large, but you MUST see it (melt at Nick's smile & dorkiness @ 7 mins., 34 s.). YOU. NEED. THIS. VIDEO. I haven't watched it all yet, but I'm too ecstatic not to share right now. Seriously - thank Laura! She deserves all the hugs in the world!

NSFW seven mins. or so in (only lasts a few seconds).
Nick Cave Bits of Ritual Habitual
(If link dies, let me know and I will reupload.)

NOTE: I feel like saying to NCF, I hope you don't think I'm intentionally ripping you off by posting this right after you shared the pool clip. Seriously not my intent, so I felt I should say so. I love you guys/gals and have the utmost love for you and NCF! You are the BEST.

Eulogies for a 'Stache

(Sorry, I don't recall where I found that photo. I love how Warren and that other guy look so happy, and Nick's all, "MUST. BE. SERIOUS. MUST. NOT. SMILE. How can I look as badass as possible? Ah, yes...*gives the finger, then begins to chuckle* Oh. Erm. I mean...*badass face*")

I realized that, after posting THIS entry back in May, I never properly mourned the Death of 'Stache. It is time, folks.

BlackCoffeeDuck (at last.fm) posted a very amusing eulogy to The Magical 'Stache of Doom (as I dubbed it):

"Unfortunately his moustache, which 'My wife shaved it off while I was sleeping' (he amused the audience with the story behind his lost mustache last weekend) has not been sent on to this exhibition. His mustache first appeared on his face in 2005 with the motorbike handle bars style...Grinderman was promoted with "hairy" being one of the words with "dirty and old enough to know better", which was the image of the band with Warren Ellis crazy beard, Jim Sclavunos' goatee and even Martyn P. Casey growing his hair long like a metal head or something. In the film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford he sang the old traditional song Jesse James with his mustache in full glory. He was a judge at the World Beard and Moustache Championships 2007 with it in Brighton. A smaller or neater mustache appeared at the start of 2008 and joined Cave for Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! and the tours of Europe, England, America and Australia early this year. So Nick Cave's mustache has been (for time being) put to rest at the very young age of four years old, Rest In Peace: Nick Cave's Moustache 2005-2009."

Much thanks to blackcoffeeduck for taking the Death of 'Stache so seriously, and for making me laugh despite my tears of mourning.

"The Death of 'Stache" (by me)
its beautiful darkness
like the inky black night
its personality and charm
that beautiful caterpillar perched
so peaceful and refined
it flew the coop
it bit the dust
that 'pillar went kaput
and now the lip is cold and bare
and we mourn its demise

If you have your own 'Stache Eulogies, leave them in a comment.

Arrrr! 2:30 am Goodies, Me Loves!

Don't forget to check out the last post. I was going to let more time elapse until the next post, but during my 2:30 am Internet rounds, I found several things I had to post.

• First of all, give a look to THIS VIDEO of our guys performing a bit of "Tupelo" recently at Rock Werchter. And THIS ONE from musicaholic81 at youtube is "The Ship Song" from the same show. The videomaker had to record the big screen, but still enjoyable!
  
  
• Next, Iceland Review has a little article mentioning Nick and Warren's involvement in the music for the Faust production. It doesn't really have too much new information, but as Nick often says (anyone else noticed this?)...THERE YOU GO!
  
  
• Finally, I direct you all to the wonderful 3-page gallery of NC&tBS photos that Martyn Flash over at flickr posted. Seriously - there are some outstanding shots. Make sure you leave Martyn a comment of thanks!
  
  Click Nick to view Martyn's wonderful gallery of 145 pics.
  

Later Vol. 2

Watching the video this post is about has made me realize that either Mr. Cave had his teeth straightened, or he had a jagged tooth on the top left row of his teeth removed. Look in his mouth during some of the close-ups and you can see it. Then, later on, the jagged tooth is gone. Anyone else notice this? Prob'ly not; I am strange and have a crooked teeth obsession. But seriously, the post after this one (above this one, I mean), his teeth are perfect. Don't ask. I am so fucking tired.


Apologies if you all already have this. I am poor and don't have the means to buy awesome goodies. Hopefully, this is something at least one of you didn't already have. I am quite sure many of you have seen these performances on youtube, etc. However, this lovely, big-assed AVI file has them all in one lovely, 600MB, 45-minute-long file for you to download and enjoy. If you have a really horrible Internet connection, you can find these on youtube. I just like how it's this huge, handy AVI file. :D

This is The Later Performances : Volume 2. I didn't put this together, but thanks goes to whoever did. I have tried in vain to find "Volume 1," and am quite convinced that calling this one "Volume 2" is some kind of a sick joke, as I’ve never found a Volume 1.
Includes (NOTE: some aspect ratio funkiness on some of ‘em):

1. fragment from an interview that I don’t get because I’ve no idea who he’s talking about
   
   
2. gorgeous version of“Rainy Night in Soho” w/ footage of punks
   
   
3. “God Is In the House” w/Nick at the piano, surrounded by the Seeds (Blixa and Mick – AWWW!)
   
   
4. “Nature Boy”
   
   
5. Interview with a very handsome Nick at the piano, in which he talks about Johnny Cash, AB/LoO, John Peel; then Nick says they’re about to sing “There She Goes, My Beautiful World” but the performance shown is “Nature Boy” for some reason
   [NOTE: I analyzed this with #4 to see if it’s the same performance, and it took me FOREVER to determine they are not the same. In #4, Nick faces the audience as he does that arm motion to signal the end of the song type thing, and in #5, he does the same arm motion but with his back to the audience. Also, in #4 the backup singers totally block the piano and in #5 they’re placed behind it. THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION!]
   
   
6. A fucking FANTASTIC performance of Grinderman’s “No Pussy Blues”, in which Mr. Cave kinda looks like his guitar is electrocuting him and it ROCKS!
   
   
7. “More News From Nowhere”
   
   
8. “Dig!!!, Lazarus, Dig!!!” (Nick and a few of the others donning sunglasses)
   
   
9. “Stagger Lee” (Nick’s fingernails are painted pink like P.J.'s and P.J. is dancing offstage.)
   
   
10. “Henry Lee” with P.J. from the same show as Stagger Lee
    
    
11. Grinderman’s “Honey Bee Let’s Fly to Mars” (my favorite song of theirs)

When the link expires, let me know and I will re-upload it.
Nick Cave : Later Volume 2

I have more random goodies, but this thing is big enough for its own post. I'll post some other treats in the next couple of days.