Nick Lowe (original) (raw)

Nick Lowe, (born March 24, 1949) is a rock and roll singer-songwriter and producer. Born in Walton-On-Thames, England, he began his recording career in 1966 as a member of Kippington Lodge, founded with his friend Brinsley Schwarz, which released a few singles on Parlophone. Three years later Kippington Lodge had changed its name to Brinsley Schwarz and its musical focus to country- and blues-rock. Lowe's best-known song from the Brinsley Schwarz era is probably "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding", which was a major hit for Elvis Costello in the early 1980s.

In 1976, he released "So It Goes" b/w "Heart of the City", the first single on the Stiff Records label where he was in-house producer. On this and other labels, Lowe would go on to produce The Damned's Damned Damned Damned and many albums by Elvis Costello, including My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, and Armed Forces.

Lowe's best-known song from this era is probably "I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock'N'Roll", (a reworking of Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell" a.k.a. "Teenage Wedding"). On the 1977 "Live Stiffs" compilation, with a pickup band called Last Chicken In The Soup, he virtually sneers out his contempt for all concerned; in 1985, fronting Nick Lowe and his Cowboy Outfit on the album The Rose of England, he hasn't changed the words, but the tone is entirely different, even affectionate.

As a member of Rockpile with Dave Edmunds, Lowe released Seconds of Pleasure in 1980, featuring "When I Write The Book" and "Teacher Teacher".

In 1979, Lowe married country singer Carlene Carter, daughter of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The marriage lasted only until 1985, but they remained friends, and Lowe remained close to the Carter/Cash family; he and Johnny Cash played and recorded together, and Cash recorded several of his songs.

Nick Lowe's solo albums over the years have included Jesus of Cool (1978, released in the US as Pure Pop for Now People), Labour of Lust (1979), Nick the Knife (1982), The Abominable Showman (1983), Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit (1984), The Rose of England (1985), Pinker and Prouder than Previous (1988), Party of One (1990), The Impossible Bird (1994), Dig My Mood (1998), and The Convincer (1991). Other well-known songs by Lowe include: "Cruel to Be Kind", "I Love The Sound of Breaking Glass" and "All Men Are Liars".