Nick Cave one of the most compelling, uncompromising and influential singer-songwriters of the last 30 years has never concealed his influences. This edition in the occasional Heard Them Here First series offers a view of his career, as seen through the original versions of songs he chose to cover. The collection opens with the Stooges proto-punk anthem Fun House, which Cave’s band the Birthday Party recorded in 1982, and concludes with Burnin Hell by John Lee Hooker, as recorded by Cave for the soundtrack of the film Lawless in 2012, and covers all points between, including the originals of six of the songs he and the Bad Seeds recorded on their 1986 covers album Kicking Against The Pricks . As Cave’s followers might expect, the CD features music of all genres and eras, from the first-ever recording of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s Moritat (better known as Mack The Knife ) from 1928, via country numbers by Lefty Frizzell and Cave hero Johnny Cash to gospel by the Pilgrim Travelers and pop from Pulp and Miss Toni Fisher. Other featured artists include Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Nina Simone and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, all of whom were very influential on Cave’s work. Compiled by Mick Patrick and Cave biographer Ian Johnston, who also wrote the notes.
