Nick Cave Talks Grief, Hope and Deep Connection with Johnny Cash on 'Colbert': Watch

Nick Cave, the enigmatic frontman of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, opened up about his music, personal tragedies and his upcoming album during a revealing appearance at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on August 13.

Cave's new album, wild Godwhich will be released on August 30, marks a change in his musical journey.

“It's basically a happy, uplifting kind of record,” the Australian singer explained, adding, “This record is a few years after events that happened in my life that required my music to be different in some way.” Cave was referring to the devastating losses he has suffered – the death of his son Arthur in 2015, followed by the death of his son Jethro in 2022.

Reflecting on the power of music, the acclaimed songwriter described it as “one of the last legitimate opportunities we have for a transcendent experience.”

However, the music legend shared deep concerns about AI's impact on creativity: “I think there are forces out there that are specifically designed to take the creative act away from us, especially with the AI ​​that's coming out right now, to purely industrialize it, to make music as just a product and take away the real creative experience.” The Bad Seeds frontman emphasized: “This worries me a lot.”

The award-winning artist has revealed a profound experience recording with Johnny Cash, his musical hero.

“When I got to the studio really early and when he did, he wasn't good at all,” Cave recalls. “He was a frightful sight of man.”

The influential musician vividly described the moment: “He sat down with me and said, 'Look, you know, I've had the flu, I've had laryngitis, I have no voice. I never asked Jesus for anything, but I had to play with you today. Last night I got down on my knees and said, “Jesus, I have to sing with Nick. Give me back my voice.”

Despite Cash's fragile health, Cave saw an amazing transformation: “He went from this kind of suffering person to something really extraordinary, literally before my eyes.”

On grief and healing, she thought, “We have to be able to turn the other way and look at the world and understand that we are part of the world.”

Cave added: “I saw the world not as a harsh place, but as an extremely systemic beautiful place to live in.” The Australian music legend offered a perspective on finding joy after deep loss: “There is joy and happiness in a way you never thought possible on the other side of grief. It's a hard, it's a terrible truth about grief that you finally feel like you can feel joy in a way you never thought you could.”

The discussion also touched on the importance of small acts of kindness. The influential musician recounted one memorable interaction: “I went into a vegetarian restaurant… I gave her the money and she gave me back the change and she just shook my hand as she gave me the money back. I'll never forget that because it was so beautifully, quietly put.”

As for wild Godthe multi-award-winning artist described it as “a warm hug,” suggesting that fans can expect a more invigorating experience when the album drops on August 30.

Watch Nick Cave on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert below.