The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Nick Cave

April 2024 ยท 2 minute read

Nick Cave's origin story is a classic "I come from a town you've probably never heard of" one, but with a touch of darkness that's oddly appropriate for his later rock star escapades. As the Guardian and Sydney Morning Herald record, Cave hails from Warracknabeal, a rural area of Victoria, Australia. The family later moved to the small town of Wangaratta, where he enjoyed the landscape but "hated" the small-town attitude. As such, the son of a teacher and librarian soon started rebelling against his uncool hometown and "getting into trouble." In response, the 12-year-old Cave's parents sent him to a boarding school in Melbourne, where his artsy nature and disinterest in sports led to an outcast status. Fortunately, he wasn't completely alone, as he met a few kindred spirits who would eventually form Cave's significant band, the Birthday Party. 

Cave and his friends were considered, as he inelegantly puts it, "the school poofters," and rumors about their homosexuality ran rampant. According to one story, they once retaliated by walking the school hallways carrying handbags filled with bricks, and used their makeshift weapons to bludgeon anyone who insulted them. While there is some doubt to the veracity of this particular anecdote, Cave himself couldn't care less. When a journalist directly asked him whether the story about the "handbag boys" is true, Cave countered dryly: "Oh, you're only interested in the truth rather than a good, entertaining article."

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