The enigma that is Nick Cave – post-punk, gothic rock, profane and religious – is having a moment with a documentary about him – Veiled Worlds – coinciding with the tv version of his novel The Death of Bunny Munro. Known musically for his obsessions with death, religion, love, and violence, he has had an eclectic career with constantly changing themes from the 1970s though he has always been preoccupied with Old Testament notions of good versus evil. The death of one of his sons aged 15, ten years ago who fell off a cliff when high on LSD understandably had a profound effect on him. Another son died in 2022, aged 31, following a long history of mental illness.
Nick Cave born 22 September 1957 at 12.20pm (unverified) Warracknabeal, Australia, has a Sun conjunct Mars in late Virgo opposition Scheat – on this birth time on his Midheaven. He has a musical Venus Neptune in Scorpio with Venus square Uranus; and a tough-minded, bleak Saturn square Pluto Moon. Not an easy emotional life but not quite as ‘dark’ a chart as his work and obsessions might suggest. Though different birth time and houses would change a good deal.
But on this chart he has the storm-tossed Scheat and Eris, planet of discord in his 4th house of family and the unfortunate Nessus in his 5th house of children.
When his son Arthur died in 2015 his Solar Arc Pluto was conjunct his Venus and about to square his Uranus for an intense and tumultuous experience with tr Pluto was crossing his Ascendant forcing him to re-evaluate who he was.
His 2009 novel The Death of Bunny Munro focuses on a middle-aged lothario, whose constant womanising and alcohol abuse comes to a head after his wife’s suicide. A travelling door-to-door beauty-product salesman, he and his son go on an increasingly out-of-control road trip around Brighton, over which looms the shadow of a serial killer making his way towards Brighton, as well as Bunny’s own mortality.
A tortured soul. Though he is keen, as one reviewer said, to show that the devil does not have all the best tunes even if his musical fans would prefer him to keep his religious beliefs out of sight.
For a ‘having a moment’ timing emphasis, his SA Moon is conjunct his NN and square his Chiron. Perhaps reflecting the increased public focus and outlets for sharing his personal story, creativity, and emotional understanding with others.
I admire the respect he has for his wife.
Just had a Nick Cave moment last night: his song Train Dreams was rolled out as the final music for the movie Train Dreams. ( Will he be playing it March 15 at the Oscars? Noms come January 22.)
Surprised to see Mars on his Sun (though what more could a rock star ask for?!) but Pluto in the 8th fits (in Scorpio, no less).
He has several tour dates for 2026, and apparently he was touring when he squeezed in creating the song for Train Dreams’ final cut. Mars vitality.