Nick Lowe

Biography

Lowe attended Woodbridge School in Suffolk. He began his musical career in 1967 with the band Kippington Lodge, which included school friend Brinsley Schwarz. After releasing singles on Parlophone as Kippington Lodge, the group renamed itself Brinsley Schwarz in late 1969 and shifted to country and blues-rock. Their management company Famepushers Ltd flew British journalists to New York for the band's Fillmore East debut, but the stunt backfired, and the band gained credibility only later on the London pub rock circuit.

While in Brinsley Schwarz, Lowe wrote "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" and co-wrote "Cruel to Be Kind" with Ian Gomm. After leaving the band in 1975, he joined Rockpile as bassist and co-lead vocalist alongside Dave Edmunds. In August 1976, Lowe released "So It Goes" b/w "Heart of the City," the first single on Stiff Records, where he worked as an in-house producer. The single and label were initially funded by a £400 loan from Dr. Feelgood's Lee Brilleaux.

The label's first EP was Lowe's 1977 release Bowi, named in response to David Bowie's LP Low. Lowe also produced the Rumour's album Max as an answer to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. In 1977, he produced Dr. Feelgood's Be Seeing You, which included his song "That's It, I Quit." The next year's Private Practice featured "Milk and Alcohol," co-written with Gypie Mayo; that song and "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" are Lowe's only top-10 UK singles.

Career history

Lowe's own hits include "So It Goes," the first song on Stiff Records; "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass," his biggest UK hit; and "Cruel to Be Kind," his biggest US hit. He wrote songs famous through cover versions: "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" covered by Elvis Costello; "I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock 'n' Roll)" a hit for Rockpile bandmate Dave Edmunds; and "The Beast in Me" covered by stepfather-in-law Johnny Cash.

For albums he produced, Lowe wrote or co-wrote "Milk and Alcohol" and "That's It, I Quit" for Dr. Feelgood, and "(I Live on a) Battlefield" and "I Need You" for Paul Carrack. He also wrote novelty songs including "Bay City Rollers We Love You" (recorded as Terry Modern of the Tartan Horde), "I Love My Label," "Time Wounds All Heels" (co-written with Carlene Carter and Simon Climie), "All Men Are Liars," and "Half a Boy and Half a Man" (covered by George Thorogood & The Destroyers).

Lowe's production work is as notable as his performing. His early rough-and-ready style earned him the nickname "Basher," from his supposed instruction to bands to "bash it out—we'll tart it up later." As an in-house producer at Stiff Records from 1976, he produced the Damned's first single "New Rose" (considered the first English punk single) and their debut album Damned Damned Damned. He produced Elvis Costello's first five albums from 1977 to 1981, including My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, and Armed Forces, as well as Costello's 1986 album Blood & Chocolate.

Other Stiff acts he produced included Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias, Wreckless Eric, and Mickey Jupp. Other clients included the Pretenders (their 1978 debut single "Stop Your Sobbing"), Graham Parker, Dr. Feelgood, Johnny Cash (his 1980 single "Without Love"), and his then-wife Carlene Carter.

Influence

In 2011, The New York Times noted that Lowe's songs are better known than he is. Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner described Lowe as one of his favourite lyricists and said he was "blown away" and sent "back to square one" by Lowe's songwriting. Wilco covered "I Love My Label" as a B-side and toured with Lowe, who made guest appearances on "Cruel to Be Kind" and appeared onstage with Mavis Staples for a cover of the Band's "The Weight."