Nick Cave mourns the deaths of Shane MacGowan and Sinéad O’Connor this year: “Shane and Sinéad both in the same year. This is a great loss.” In addition to emotional words, the Australian also shared an anecdote from MacGowan’s 60th birthday in his blog that involves O’Connor.
“I didn’t realize how precious this moment would be”
For MacGowan’s 60th birthday, a concert was held at which various artists performed his songs. Cave performed with MacGowan for the occasion. “I felt kind of excited and nervous about the performance,” he says, describing the feelings he had as he waited next to the stage.
O’Connor was also present: “I didn’t really know Sinéad, I had met her a few times here and there and maybe chatted with her briefly, but I had always liked her uniqueness, her angry spirit, her stubbornness, her beauty and Of course, her heavenly voice.”
Cave further recalls: “Sinéad looked up, saw me looking, smiled, walked up to me and hugged me. I don’t know why, but her gesture really touched me. She was so warm and generous and kind in that moment. I didn’t realize how precious this moment would be. Before I could say anything to her, I was led on stage to sing ‘Summer in Siam’ with Shane.”
“Pure, unbridled genius”
Cave also has warm words for MacGowan: “I know I should be talking about the pure, unbridled genius of Shane MacGowan and how he was the greatest songwriter of his generation, with the most fearsome voice of all – which is all true, but What struck me at that moment was the extraordinary expression of love for this man, so strong and deep, that poured out from the audience.”
He continues: “Shane was not only revered for his diverse talents, but also loved for himself. A beautiful and wounded man who embodied a kind of purity and innocence, generosity and spiritual intelligence like no other.” Cave ends his blog post by saying, “We can say with certainty of him that he was loved on earth, and Sinéad too – both are truly loved and greatly missed.”