Nick Cave

“I guess the way I see the world is that it is broken, fundamentally broken,” says a candid Nick Cave. “And shockingly, it continues to be systemically beautiful at the same time.” The Australian singer is back with a new record, a new outlook and a new morning ritual – cold-water swimming. He chats with us about choosing joy, chasing frogs, and finding beauty in the struggle. “Joy is dependent upon our suffering,” he says. “Otherwise, we’re not jumping from anything.”

More highlights in this edition:

• Artist and musician Reg Mombassa reflects on silly nicknames, being proud of his kids, and his time in “ambitionless” band Mental As Anything in Letter to My Younger Self.
• Brisbane Big Issue vendor Hermione writes about her new life beyond selling the magazine, as she moves onto her dream job and finds true happiness.
• In The Big Picture, photographer Christopher Payne captures the surprising grace of New Jersey’s oldest pencil factory: a messy but magical workshop.
• A funny book about having an eating disorder? Comedian and podcaster Lucinda Price breaks down the price of pretty in her new memoir All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot.
• We get a sneak peek of the next biggest things in gaming ahead of the PAX Indie Showcase, where video game developers demo their wares and dream of pixelated success.
• In Tastes Like Home, Scott Gooding takes inspiration from a childhood growing up in and around London pubs to create his version of an oozy, saucy Moussaka.
• Then Ozzities swoops in from above, detailing the terror of Magpie Swooping Season – and tips on how to avoid it!