Autumnal Covers #9

Singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, librettist, novelist, screenplay writer, poet, actor. Is there nothing Nick Cave can't turn his hand to? Seemingly not. I'm a massive fan and I know many of my loyal readers are too. So this week's covers feature the man himself.

Cave wrote the screenplay for the brilliant 2012 gangster flick Lawless. He also co-composed the soundtrack (along with his longtime mucka and Bad Seeds sidekick Warren Ellis) and formed a band to perform it. The Bootleggers consisted of Cave, Ellis and the vocal talents of Mark Lanegan, Emmylou Harris and octogenarian bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley. One of Emmylou's contributions is on So You'll Aim Toward The Sky, a curious choice of song. Written by Jason Lytle, the original closed Grandaddy's classic album 'The Sophtware Slump' from 2000.

Nick does love a good cover version as much as he loves a good collaboration. When Pulp invited fellow artistes to contribute a cover version of one of their songs for the b-sides of Bad Cover Version, Cave roped in Richard Hawley and his twangy guitar to do a waltz version of Disco 2000. Tis a bit of fun, but oddly credible.


Soundtrack:

• So You'll Aim Toward The Sky - The Bootleggers ft. Emmylou Harris (from 'Lawless OST')
• Disco 2000 - Nick Cave & Richard Hawley (b-side of Pulp single Bad Cover Version)