Personal Life
Harvey describes herself as "an extremely quiet person, who doesn't go out much, doesn't talk to people" and has also acquired a reputation for eccentricity to match her music; for example, Steve Albini claimed she ate nothing but potatoes while making Rid of Me. She also rejects the notion that her song lyrics are autobiographical. In 1998, she told The Times: "the tortured artist myth is rampant. People paint me as some kind of black witchcraft-practising devil from hell, that I have to be twisted and dark to do what I am doing. It's a load of rubbish" and later told Spin: "some critics have taken my writing so literally to the point that they'll listen to 'Down by the Water' and believe I have actually given birth to a child and drowned her."
From 1996 to 1997, following their musical collaborations, Harvey had a relationship with Nick Cave. Their subsequent break-up influenced Cave's follow-up studio album, The Boatman's Call (1997), with songs such as "Into My Arms," "West Country Girl" and "Black Hair" being written specifically about her. She was also rumoured to be romantically involved with musician and actor Vincent Gallo, though both denied the claims.
Harvey has one older brother, Saul, and four nieces and nephews through him. She has in 1995 said she would like to have children stating: "I wouldn't consider it unless I was married. I would have to meet someone that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. That's the only person who I would want to be the father of my children. Maybe that will never happen. I obviously see it in a very rational way but I'd love to have children."
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