Nick Cave's son Earl has revealed how his life changed after the death of his twin brother Arthur in a clifftop accident over a decade ago. In a candid interview, Earl, now 26, spoke about finding solace in religion and how the trauma partly led him to identify as a Christian.
The Tragic Loss of Arthur Cave
Eleven years ago, Arthur Cave died after falling from a cliff in Brighton following his first use of LSD. The tragedy devastated the Cave family, including Nick Cave and his wife Susie. Earl, who was also 15 at the time, described the profound impact on his life.
Earl did not attend church as a child but said he became drawn to religion as he grew older. He now attends services every Sunday and finds comfort in the message. "I like the idea that this isn't it. I wonder whether that's something intrinsically connected to my trauma. The idea is definitely something that I need to have. It's comforting," he told The Sunday Times.
How Faith Keeps Him Going
Earl explained that religion provides structure and hope. "Life doesn't feel like an endless vacuum of nothing. Faith keeps me and my morals in check. I manifest and pray for people. It makes me happy," he said. His faith has become a central pillar in his life, helping him navigate grief.
Nick Cave and his wife Susie have each found their own ways to cope. Nick channeled his grief into music, notably with the 2016 album Skeleton Tree, which explores raw grief. Susie focused on her fashion line, The Vampire's Wife, which she has since closed.
Further Tragedy: The Death of Jethro Cave
The family faced another loss in 2022 when Nick's son Jethro, 31, died in Melbourne. Jethro had schizophrenia and struggled with drug addiction. He died two days after being released from jail, where he had been held for assaulting his mother. Nick spoke about the unbearable nature of losing two children.
"I think it's something that people who lose children feel regardless of the situation, simply because the one thing you're supposed to do is not let your children die. Forget that. The one thing you're supposed to do is protect your children," he told The Guardian. When asked if he felt culpable because drugs were involved in Arthur's death, he added: "There could be some element of that, yep. Look, these things are in our DNA, they're inherited."
Public Grief and Moving Forward
Due to the public nature of Arthur's death, Nick felt compelled to grieve publicly. "That was helpful, weirdly enough. It stopped me completely shutting the windows and bolting the doors and just living in this dark world," he shared. The family continues to navigate their losses while honoring the memories of Arthur and Jethro.
