Nick Cave, the Australian musician, writer and actor, frontman for the rock band the Bad Seeds, has a new album out and has been talking of the transformative effect that grief and the death of two of his sons brought about. One son died in 2015 in a cliff accident after taking LSD for the first time and the other who was schizophrenic died two years ago.
Cave’s music is ‘characterised by emotional intensity, a wide variety of influences and lyrical obsessions with death, religion, love, and violence’. He says the losses he has suffered pulled him out of his selfish egotism and made him more religious.
Born 22 September 1957 12.20pm (?) Warracknabeat, Victoria, Australia, he has a packed 10th house with a hard-working exact Virgo Sun and Mars conjunction plus a lucky Jupiter in Libra and Neptune Venus in Scorpio. He has a far-travelled and philosophical Moon Mercury in Virgo in his 9th with Pluto on the cusp in a tough-minded square to Saturn. His South Node in Taurus falls in his 5th house of children. His wayward 8th house Uranus opposition Chiron is square his Venus and trine his Saturn.
His chart is all upper hemisphere focusing his energy towards work and the outside world, though he has had four children from three marriages.
Neptune in his 10th suits a musical career and three Virgo planets in his 9th house will give him an interest in belief systems, religious and otherwise.
When his son died in 2015 in an accident tr Pluto was sitting on Nick Cave’s Ascendant opposition Mars on his Descendant. Pluto moving through the 1st house does bring self-knowledge and forced self-awareness over a longish period. At that point his Solar Arc Neptune was square his Sun Mars and Midheaven giving him a tremendous shock.
When his second son died in 2022 tr Pluto in Capricorn was trine his Sun Mars in Virgo; and tr Neptune was approaching the opposition to his Sun Mars – so an equally undermining event for him.
He has been very public about the dramatic difference these two losses made to him at a deeply personal level – so it is interesting to see tr Pluto moving through his 1st – I remember it as one of the most useful transits I ever had.
I can’t listen to his music…I’m suddenly overwhelmed with melancholy and depression…I think it might be the frequency of his voice. The one with Kylie is probably the only exception
My MC would be on his north node and my Saturn on his asc
He was peripheral to my circle in Australia but I can assure you he had more children than that.
Lapsed catholism is a very big dynamic in Australia particularly in the 80s and the rebellion at the time was to use heroin and sink into grunge music.
As a lapsed catholic with mercury moon conjunct pluto in the 9th he preached the religion of wastedness and grunge as cool and had a huge impact on substance abuse in the band / art and film scenes.
Most famously Michal Hutchenson but also at least two friends of mine who succumbed.
He finally got his emotional comeuppance from PJ Harvey October 9, 1969,although he has just replicated the Morticia Adams stereotype with his current wife, I see that loud n clear in the Venus nth node Neptune in Scorpio
The Vampires Wife was the name of the business, and it was known for exploiting internees along with eyewatering prices.
Im related to one of the owners as well
Cant escape the man
I’m a fan of his blog, The Red Hand Files. For anyone who has missed this wonderful part of the Internet, he answers questions submitted by fans. Subjects range from grief, loneliness, the creative process, art, music, love, life etc. His responses are sometimes funny and belligerent, but more often deep, sensitive and wise.
I have stelliums in Virgo, Libra and Scorio.
I’d never heard of Nick Cave but now I too am a fan of his captivating Red Hand Files. I think the ever thoughtful and kind Cave really shines when answering the questions about suffering, loss, longing or despair. His approach is direct, honest, and caring, always with humility and respect.
He seems to have a special gift for offering love and encouragement to those in need. Which is probably why I’m intrigued with the Wounded Healer symbolism in Cave’s chart (his natal Node squares his Chiron-Uranus opposition).
https://www.theredhandfiles.com/
Having never heard of him, how can you be sure of his thoughtfullness or kindess?
With moon pluto in the 9th of publications, and Neptune Venus conjunct in the 10th in Scorpio how do you know its not a manipulated public image?
Marina, I guess I’m willing to take Cave at his word, or I should say my impression of his words at the Red Hand Files.
I didn’t get a sense of calculated spin to boost – manipulate – public opinion, or that his consideration and compassion are feigned.
And, for me, the range of potential in the astrology you cite allows for sensitive, intimate sharing between Cave and his fans; an outlet for creativity and inspiration.
I am not much of a fan of his music.being a bit of a disco bunny but I watched the recent interview on ABC Australia with a lot of interest. I very much admired the respect he has for his wife and the way she’s also coped during this terrible time. He now looks very plutonic but it’s a very polished Pluto. In no way do I mean that disparagingly, more that Pluto has burnished him. sorry , been a long day and I’m a bit tired.
I’ve had a lot of Pluto transits, currently it’s squaring my moon. Pluto digs and digs and digs but my experience is it’s looking for integrity – wholeness.
So this is why I love his music – his Neptune conjuncts my Moon and his Venus conjuncts my Neptune in Scorpio coinciding with my Scorpio stellium, his Mercury on my Pluto and Ascendant. It packs a punch with its dark, visceral and violent lyrics, for instance the Bad Seeds’ version of Stagger Lee is both obscene, darkly humorous, violent and gory. But since the death of his sons, his work has taken a far more introspective and mournful turn, lyrically and musically. Cave is undoubtedly Plutonic which reflects both in his astrology and his creativity, he’s channeling the Planet’s intense energy in his performances too. So tragic to lose two children.
Thanks Marjorie. wow – Pluto conjunct Moon, square to Saturn – that’s painful.