Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds have announced that Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood will be joining the band for their forthcoming tour. It comes following the news that long-serving Bad Seeds bass player Martyn Casey will be unable to tour due to illness.
Greenwood featured on the new Bad Seeds album Wild God (check out MOJO’s ★★★★ review of the album HERE) and played with Cave on his recent solo performances as well as several dates on the Carnage tour alongside Warren Ellis.
Speaking to Dorian Lynskey in the September issue of MOJO Magazine, Greenwood recalled getting the call to play on Wild God, discussed the genius of Cave as a songwriter, the importance of making a good cup of tea and whether he might now be an official Bad Seed…
“Nick and Warren were working on the album in London and they called me to pop in. They were thinking about how to make it more open-ended – less hermetic, perhaps. I sat there with my bass and listened to them and tried not to get in the way. If I heard something I liked, I tried to respond to it. I literally lived down the road. And I make good tea.
I learned that everything has to start with the words. The music coalesces around the imagery and the language. He’s one of those great songwriters who can be universal and specific. He can drill down to feelings we all share, whether it’s love or frustration or loneliness or despair or anger or passion or humour.
He’s very respectful of the fans as well as being true to what he wants to do and not wanting to repeat himself. It’s about how you make things new and fresh to keep something going. It’s similar to Radiohead – you love this band so much that you don’t want to keep making the same thing.
Nick loves an argument. He’s very engaged with the world.
Colin Greenwood
I’ve had the best time. It’s been an enormous privilege. I can’t praise either of them highly enough, and that’s after spending a lot of time with them in dressing rooms and cars. Nick is very generous and embracing. He’s an amazing listener as well. He’ll listen to any opinion. He loves an argument. He’s very engaged with the world. I learned so much from him. And he’s very funny.
I’ve been working with the same people since the age of 14 and now I’m a guest musician on a Bad Seeds album and it’s a whole new thing that is fascinating for me. If anyone else wants me to play on their record, I’d be happy to oblige. Am I a Bad Seed now? No! I love the Bad Seeds as they are. I want the chance to go and see them play it live.”
As told to Dorian Lynskey.
Picture: Associated Press/Alamy
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