📑 Nick Cave – The Red Hand Files – Issue #48 – On Morrissey and Who Owns Music

Bookmarked Nick Cave – The Red Hand Files – Issue #48 – I was lucky enough to be at your recent London show and you played Cosmic Dancer by T Rex. It reminded me how Morrissey also covered and released this. In turn it reminded me of my current struggle reconciling his recent unsavoury far right support to how I used to put him on a pedestal. Generally, is it possible to separate the latter-day artist from his earlier art? More specifically, what are your views on Morrissey, both early days and his newer more ugly persona? (The Red Hand Files)

Personally, when I write a song and release it to the public, I feel it stops being my song. It has been offered up to my audience and they, if they care to, take possession of that song and become its custodian. The integrity of the song now rests not with the artist, but with the listener.

Nick Cave responds to questions surrounding Morrissey and he political views. Similar criticism has been raised against artists, such as Ryan Adams. For Cave, once recorded, music takes on a life of its own. This makes me think about covers and their association with original tracks.

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