Red Mosquito

Strat wrote:

kreng wrote:got tix for denver.

also:


https://www.theredhandfiles.com/tell-us-a-joke

Tell us a joke.

JOSEPH, DEN HAAG, NETHERLANDS

Dear Joseph,

No, but Juan will.

Love, Nick

Do you often think of the circumstances of your death, Nick? I do. When I die, I wanna die peacefully like my Grandpa did, in his sleep, and not screaming and cursing like all the passengers in his car.

JUAN, ALICANTE, SPAIN

Dear Juan,
This is the 20,000th question to The Red Hand Files. It is also the funniest. I am sending it out to the world as an act of mercy and although I don’t think about the circumstances of my death too much, I hope I’ll go with as much joy and humour in my heart as I had upon reading your question. You are a beautiful human being and thank you for the many letters you have sent.

Love, Nick

oooh RM meetup at the mission ballroom.

I haven't been there yet but i hear its a great place. How about you?

BDB wrote:i've never seen him and I am a casual fan. is he worth seeing?

LetMeSleep wrote:

BDB wrote:i've never seen him and I am a casual fan. is he worth seeing?

Fuck yes.

LoathedVermin72 wrote:Saw Cave in 2008 and it remains the best concert I’ve ever seen.

A stream of videos, concerts, interviews, film, and more from the world of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, playing on random shuffle 24 hours a day. New footage added regularly.

PRE-ORDER ANGELHEADED HIPSTER FEAT. NICK CAVE
29 APRIL 2020

AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T.Rex featuring Nick Cave’s rendition of ‘Cosmic Dancer’ is out 4 September.

Pre-order the double album here and watch the video for Nick Cave’s ‘Cosmic Dancer’ here.

The album created by the late Hal Willner also features Marc Almond, Devendra Banhart, Beth Orton, Father John Misty, U2 feat. Elton John and more.

Tracklist:

Disc 1

Children Of The Revolution – Kesha
Cosmic Dancer – Nick Cave
Jeepster – Joan Jett
Scenescof – Devendra Banhart
Life’s A Gas – Lucinda Williams
Solid Gold, Easy Action – Peaches
Dawn Storm – BØRNS
Hippy Gumbo – Beth Orton
I Love To Boogie – King Khan
Beltane Walk – Gaby Moreno
Bang A Gong (Get It On) – U2 feat. Elton John
Diamond Meadows – John Cameron Mitchell
Ballrooms Of Mars – Emily Haines
Disc 2

Main Man – Father John Misty
Rock On – Perry Farrell
The Street and Babe Shadow – Elysian Fields
The Leopards – Gavin Friday
Metal Guru – Nena
Teenage Dream – Marc Almond
Organ Blues – Helga Davis
Planet Queen – Todd Rundgren
Great Horse – Jessie Harris
Mambo Sun – Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl
Pilgrim’s Tale – Victoria Williams with Julian Lennon
Bang A Gong (Get It On) Reprise – David Johansen
She Was Born To Be My Unicorn / Ride A White Swan – Maria McKee

The piano you played for Idiot Prayer was magnificent. Was it a personal instrument, or is this just the kind of thing people put in front of one when they go places?
ANDREW, BELLINGHAM, USA


Dear Andrew,

The piano I played at Alexandra Palace was a Fazioli. There were limited pianos I could access during lockdown. There was, however, a Fazioli. I had never played one before but Dom Monks, the guy who recorded the Alexandra Palace performance, highly recommended this piano. The moment I sat down at the Fazioli, its warm, soft, nuanced sound spoke to me like no piano had spoken to me before. I was swept away by its extraordinary tonal range. It whispered to me. It roared at me. It was the most beautiful instrument I had ever played.

On a Zoom call to my manager I mentioned how much I loved the Fazioli. I reminded him that I still have the same nasty little Chinese upright I have had for over thirty years. I explained that I was sixty-three years old and suggested that perhaps it was time I got a nice piano. I said to my manager — I just love that Fazioli.

Now, one of the things you may or may not know about being a famous musician is that companies give you shit for free. The more famous you are, the more shit you get — you just have to wear one of their t-shirts or a branded cap or something. Being the principled individual that I am, of course, I have never sponsored a musical instrument (in that respect, I am virtually alone in my field) but I just loved that Fazioli.

So I said to my manager — Time to sell my soul. Time to make a call and get me a Fazioli.

My manager said — Consider it done!

So, the next day my manager rings up Fazioli, who have their headquarters in Sacile, in the Province of Pordenone, near Venice and an Italian woman answers the phone.

My manager says — I represent the great artist Nick Cave and I am wondering if I could get a free Fazioli (or something like that).

The Italian woman says — L’acttore?

My manager says — What?

She says — The actor?

My manager says — No, Cave. Cave.

And she says — Nick what?

My manager says — Nick Cave.

She says — Nick Cave? Who issa Nick Cave?

My manager says — Well, he is arguably the greatest songwriter of his time. He is one of the cornerstones of modern music. He is a national treasure. He is adored by millions. Italians love him.

She says — Who are you? What you want?

My manager says — Um, a free piano.

And she hangs up.

* * * *

A couple of days later I’m on another Zoom call with my manager, and he is looking a bit cagey and I say — How did it go with Fazioli? Did you get me a free Fazioli?

And my manager says — Well, it seems like they have a rather inflexible policy around giving away £200,000 pianos to people they’ve never heard of.

And I say — Dude, are you my fucking manager or what? I just love that Fazioli!

So the next day my manager rings back Fazioli and the same woman answers the phone and my manager says — Look it’s Nick Cave’s manager again, can I speak to Mr Fazioli.

And the woman says — No.

And my manager says — Listen, my fucking job’s on the line here.

And she hangs up.

* * * *

So, Andrew, I agree — the Fazioli is a glorious piano. Magnificent, as you say. As Herbie Hancock said about his Fazioli — that ‘one note announces the celebration of the freedom and creativity of the human spirit’. This is true. The Fazioli is warm and delicate and remarkably subtle, but has a deep, strong heart. It is full of angel tears and il sangue dei santi and encompasses the universe. It is a dream piano.

And yet I wait for the day a giant removal van will pull up outside my house, my manager hanging out the passenger window, wearing a t-shirt with a piano on it, and a big smile on his face, screaming ‘Fazioli!’

Until then my little Chinese upright grins at me from the corner of my room. I walk over and sit down and I begin to play.

Love, Nick

kreng wrote:

The piano you played for Idiot Prayer was magnificent. Was it a personal instrument, or is this just the kind of thing people put in front of one when they go places?
ANDREW, BELLINGHAM, USA


Dear Andrew,

The piano I played at Alexandra Palace was a Fazioli. There were limited pianos I could access during lockdown. There was, however, a Fazioli. I had never played one before but Dom Monks, the guy who recorded the Alexandra Palace performance, highly recommended this piano. The moment I sat down at the Fazioli, its warm, soft, nuanced sound spoke to me like no piano had spoken to me before. I was swept away by its extraordinary tonal range. It whispered to me. It roared at me. It was the most beautiful instrument I had ever played.

On a Zoom call to my manager I mentioned how much I loved the Fazioli. I reminded him that I still have the same nasty little Chinese upright I have had for over thirty years. I explained that I was sixty-three years old and suggested that perhaps it was time I got a nice piano. I said to my manager — I just love that Fazioli.

Now, one of the things you may or may not know about being a famous musician is that companies give you shit for free. The more famous you are, the more shit you get — you just have to wear one of their t-shirts or a branded cap or something. Being the principled individual that I am, of course, I have never sponsored a musical instrument (in that respect, I am virtually alone in my field) but I just loved that Fazioli.

So I said to my manager — Time to sell my soul. Time to make a call and get me a Fazioli.

My manager said — Consider it done!

So, the next day my manager rings up Fazioli, who have their headquarters in Sacile, in the Province of Pordenone, near Venice and an Italian woman answers the phone.

My manager says — I represent the great artist Nick Cave and I am wondering if I could get a free Fazioli (or something like that).

The Italian woman says — L’acttore?

My manager says — What?

She says — The actor?

My manager says — No, Cave. Cave.

And she says — Nick what?

My manager says — Nick Cave.

She says — Nick Cave? Who issa Nick Cave?

My manager says — Well, he is arguably the greatest songwriter of his time. He is one of the cornerstones of modern music. He is a national treasure. He is adored by millions. Italians love him.

She says — Who are you? What you want?

My manager says — Um, a free piano.

And she hangs up.

* * * *

A couple of days later I’m on another Zoom call with my manager, and he is looking a bit cagey and I say — How did it go with Fazioli? Did you get me a free Fazioli?

And my manager says — Well, it seems like they have a rather inflexible policy around giving away £200,000 pianos to people they’ve never heard of.

And I say — Dude, are you my fucking manager or what? I just love that Fazioli!

So the next day my manager rings back Fazioli and the same woman answers the phone and my manager says — Look it’s Nick Cave’s manager again, can I speak to Mr Fazioli.

And the woman says — No.

And my manager says — Listen, my fucking job’s on the line here.

And she hangs up.

* * * *

So, Andrew, I agree — the Fazioli is a glorious piano. Magnificent, as you say. As Herbie Hancock said about his Fazioli — that ‘one note announces the celebration of the freedom and creativity of the human spirit’. This is true. The Fazioli is warm and delicate and remarkably subtle, but has a deep, strong heart. It is full of angel tears and il sangue dei santi and encompasses the universe. It is a dream piano.

And yet I wait for the day a giant removal van will pull up outside my house, my manager hanging out the passenger window, wearing a t-shirt with a piano on it, and a big smile on his face, screaming ‘Fazioli!’

Until then my little Chinese upright grins at me from the corner of my room. I walk over and sit down and I begin to play.

Love, Nick

Dear All,

It seems that some of my fans have reacted a little enthusiastically to my last Red Hand File and have contacted Fazioli ‘encouraging’ them to gift me a piano. While I appreciate the gesture, my post was a light-hearted piece and not to be taken seriously. The phone dialogue between my manager and the ‘woman from Fazioli’ was more than a little embellished for comic effect.

The tsunami of mail has left our friends at Fazioli a little shaken, so while I love you all - no more mails to Fazioli please! They are wonderful people.

Love, Nick

VinylGuy wrote:haha jesus, fans are the worst.

Dear All,

It seems that there are a number of crowdfunding campaigns being set up by some fans to buy me a Fazioli. While this is incredibly thoughtful and I really appreciate the lengths people are going to to secure me this lovely instrument, it is entirely unnecessary. As Mike from Birmingham says, “Why don’t you just buy your own fucking piano, you cheap c**t.” Mike is right, God bless him, I really should just buy my own piano.

Love, Nick