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I’m not in the business of telling people what to do. I’m much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them.

Nick Cave

The artistic process seems to be mythologized quite a lot into something far greater than it actually is. It is just hard labor.
NICK CAVE

Artistic Labor Process
The singing tells everybody what to do musically.
NICK CAVE

Everybody Musically Singing
Writing is a necessary thing for me, just to keep myself level. It has beneficial effects on my life.
NICK CAVE

Beneficial Levels Writing
If I’m hanging around too much, my wife and kids say, ‘Hey, why don’t you go downstairs and start a new novel?’
NICK CAVE

Hey Kids Wife
Everyone wants to feel that they matter.
NICK CAVE

Feels Matter Want
And I kissed away a thousand tears My lady of the Various Sorrows Some begged, some borrowed, some stolen Some kept safe for tomorrow.
NICK CAVE

Safe Sorrow Tears
The band is a living, breathing thing. It grows in the same way we do as human beings and if it doesn’t, it dies. It’s important to feed the organism, and one way of doing that is to set musical challenges that keep it alive.
NICK CAVE

Breathing Challenges Musical
It’s always a risky business inviting somebody on stage. You never know what they’re going to do. I try to avoid letting people join me onstage because it can be very distracting, and overly theatrical.
NICK CAVE

Business People Risky Trying
I see it as my duty in some way is to be out in the world as an Australian putting forward what I consider to be authentic Australian music.
NICK CAVE

Country Duty People Way World
We as visual artists need to continue to be renegades and say, “Yes I am here to do a project, but what is the social service?”
NICK CAVE

Artist Needs Social
Stars have their moments then they die.
NICK CAVE

Dies Moments Stars
A gentleman never talks about his tailor.
NICK CAVE

Gentleman Southern Gentleman Tailors
You write a scene, and it works or it doesn’t. It’s immediate.
NICK CAVE

Immediate Scene Writing
Sorrow’s child grieves not what has passed, but all the past still yet to come.
NICK CAVE

Children Grieving Past
We are still struggling with people who don’t feel comfortable going into museums. As a visual artist I ask how artists can be part of enacting a change.
NICK CAVE

Artists Museum Struggle
The body becomes the carrier for the work. It’s not really about the physical body; it really becomes the apparatus that carries and moves the work. I don’t really consider the body as much; I look at it as a tool.
NICK CAVE

Apparatus Looks Moving Tools

I’m not in the business of telling people what to do. I’m much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

I’m not in the business of telling people what to do. I’m much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Nick Cave Quotes