Heelena I was introduced to (seduced by) Nick Cave's music by a fellow student (Thank you Lars!) while I was studying at the university in my early twenties. I didn't love all his music - and still don't - but was intrigued by the passion, anger, sadness and violence. And sometimes it's beautiful and soothing. I think he is a great storyteller (yes I mean that) and I think he works magic with his words. Some of the songs are a bit too soft and boring musically for me (e.g. "Lay me low") and some are a bit too much "noise and hammering" (e.g. Deanna) but there are enough great songs to oversee this. I can think of no better cure for hangovers or depression than listening to "The mercy seat".  When I need inspiration I usually listen to "Let love in", particularly "Do you love me I + II" or "Loverman" - songs filled with passion. As far as the storytelling is concerned there is always at least one song on every album that perhaps isn't great musically speaking (well sometimes that too) but wins through content; e.g. "Song of Joy" and "The curse of Millhaven" both from "Murder ballads" (many stories in there!) or  "The carny" from "Your funeral... my trial". In April I will have the fortunate experience to attend a concert with Mr Cave and listen to him live in Stockholm. This is something that I haven't had the opportunity to do before and I'm really looking forward to it.
	Helenas I´m one of those totally uncool people who did not discover Nick Cave until the album "Murder ballads"... But then I realised just have much I have missed in my young and miserable life. So naturally I bought all his records, books by and about him and listened only to his music for a long period of time. You could say that I became obsessed. Well, my obsession has mellowed into something more normal, but I´m still a big fan. Though, like Heelena, I do not like everything, I still think he has written some of the best songs. So why do I love Nick Cave and the bad seeds?  I think that Nick Cave writes songs that has depth; they are not stupid pop songs written to make money, they are real. And the music is beautiful and ugly and depressing and joyful all at the same time. And I kind of like that. I´m also very fond of music that somehow incorporates God (not in the way godfearing christians would do) and Cave often mentions God directly or indirectly in his songs. Furthermore, I like the fact that he is not what one would call a traditionally good singer instead his voice has personality (if a voice could have that). I have never been a fan of good voices - they all sound the same to me  and that is just boring. Some of my favorites are (in no particular order): "Let love in"," Red right hand"," Do you love me I and II"," The mercy seat", "The carny", "Tupelo"," The good son","Your funeral my trial"," Stranger than kindness"," Loverman". And I do hope that he will play some of the oldies at the concert in april!