Nick Cave
Australian singer, songwriter and writer who fronts Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, creates film scores with Warren Ellis and answers fans through The Red Hand Files.
At 100 nudges, fangea sends Nick’s team an official invite.
🔒 Star boosts open once Nick claims this page.
Latest
Nick’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- From
- Warracknabeal, Victoria, Australia
- Born
- 1957
- Work
- Singer, songwriter, author and screenwriter
- Early bands
- The Boys Next Door, then The Birthday Party
- Wider breakthrough
- Murder Ballads and the Kylie Minogue duet Where the Wild Roses Grow
- Fan letters
- The Red Hand Files, begun September 2018
Mini bio
How it started.
Nick grew up in Victoria and formed The Boys Next Door while at Caulfield Grammar School. In 1980 the band became The Birthday Party and moved to London. Members later helped form The Bad Seeds, whose debut album arrived in 1984.
Songs fans carry with them.
The Bad Seeds became the centre of his musical life. Murder Ballads brought a wider audience in 1996, helped by Where the Wild Roses Grow with Kylie Minogue. The album also features PJ Harvey and Shane MacGowan. The following year’s The Boatman’s Call opens with Into My Arms; Red Right Hand appears on 1994’s Let Love In.
Beyond the band.
Nick also writes books and screenplays. He wrote The Proposition and composed its music with Warren Ellis. Their later collaborations include the score for Back to Black. Faith, Hope and Carnage grew out of more than 40 hours of conversations with journalist Seán O’Hagan about art, faith, grief and love.
A conversation with fans.
In September 2018, Nick started The Red Hand Files to answer fans’ questions. He says he reads every letter, has no moderator and does not monetise the project. That exchange also carries into his Conversations shows, where songs at the piano sit alongside questions from the room.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2024Wild GodSinger and co-producer with Warren Ellis
- 2019GhosteenNick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- 1994Let Love InNick Cave & The Bad Seeds; includes Red Right Hand
Film & TV
- 2026Jo Nesbø’s Detective HoleCo-composer with Warren Ellis
- 2024Back to BlackCo-composer with Warren Ellis; writer of Song for Amy
- 2005The PropositionScreenwriter; co-composer and performer with Warren Ellis
Books
- 2022Faith, Hope and CarnageCo-author with Seán O’Hagan
Awards
Quotes
I read them all and try my best to answer a question each week.Nick Cave, The Red Hand Files, About
Explaining how he approaches the letters fans send him.
Trivia
- He began writing Wild God on New Year’s Day 2023.
- Faith, Hope and Carnage is built from more than 40 hours of recorded conversations.
- His 2026 Brighton cinema choices included Disney’s Pinocchio.
- The Red Hand Files has no moderator and is not monetised.
Find Nick
Follow his music, tour news and letters to fans.
Are you Nick Cave?
Fans built this page. Claim it to connect with them and unlock Star boosts, or request a takedown if you’d rather it not exist.