Nick Cave has endured the loss of two of his sons in separate, deeply tragic circumstances.

What happened to his sons?

  • In July 2015, his 15‑year‑old son Arthur Cave died after falling from a cliff near the family home in Brighton, England.
  • An inquest heard that Arthur had taken LSD for the first time with a friend, and his death was recorded as “multiple traumatic injuries due to a fall from a height.”
  • In May 2022, his eldest son Jethro Lazenby (often referred to simply as Jethro) died in Melbourne at the age of 31.
  • Public reports noted that Jethro had been diagnosed with schizophrenia; no single publicly confirmed cause of death has been detailed beyond the family’s brief statement asking for privacy.

How Nick Cave has spoken about it

  • Nick Cave has said that the deaths of Arthur and Jethro “fundamentally changed” the way he sees the world and left him with ongoing feelings of culpability as a father.
  • He has talked in interviews and in his book Faith, Hope and Carnage about using songwriting, performance, and connection with fans as a way to live with grief rather than escape it.

Sensitive note

These events involve accidental death, drug use, and severe mental health struggles, which can be distressing to read about.

If this topic resonates personally or feels overwhelming, it may help to step away from reading more and reach out to a trusted person or a professional support line in your area. Information gathered from public sources and news coverage of Nick Cave and his family.