Being a great musician isnât always about putting out good music. Itâs about knowing your field, being consistent with it, and truly loving what you do. Few artists are able to bring this skill set to the table for extended periods of time. This ability to endure and cover four decades of dedication to musical production puts Nick Lowe among our artists of legend.
Nick Lowe began his induction into the music scene in 1967 at age 18 with the band Kippington Lodge, which later changed its name to Brinsley Schwarz, after Loweâs friend and band mate. Lowe, bassist and one of the prominent song-writers for Schwarz, wrote some of his future hits during these years such as âCruel to be Kindâ and â(Whatâs so Funny âBout) Peace, Love, and Understandingâ (if youâre thinking itâs an Elvis Costello song, youâre half right).
After leaving Brinsley Schwarz, Lowe formed Rockpile in 1975 with Dave Edmunds. It was during his tenure touring British pubs with Rockpile that he discovered a talent by the name of Declan McManus, known more commonly as Elvis Costello. Lowe produced his first five albums on the Stiff label and allowed Costello to cover âPeace, Love, and Understandingâ in his third album, Armed Forces. The two have been friends since their meeting and often play shows together.
Nick Lowe, in 1978
took his own name for his band and began his solo career and married Johnny Cashâs step-daughter, Carlene Carter whose 1980 album Musical Shapes was produced by Lowe and featured both Lowe and Edmunds on guitar and bass. Lowe even wrote the song âthe Beast in Meâ for Cash himself (which Lowe later recorded on his album the Impossible Bird). Lowes debut album Jesus of Cool (re-titled Pure Pop for Now People in the U.S.) featured the power pop sound perfected over his years in the pub circuit, but it wasnât long until his music took a turn.
Not wanting to turn into an aged musician trying to act young, Lowe turned his sights out of long-haired rocking and began playing around with roots rock and singer/songwriter simplicity. The sound may have changed, but the lyrics retained their original wit, humor, and honesty (listen to the songs âHas she got a Friendâ and âTrained her to Love Meâ and youâll understand what Iâm talking about). The difference between his first albums and his latter ones show a maturity and sense of wisdom that some aging artists seem to forget.
Over the years Lowe has worked with many musicians. Whether as a writer, producer, or band member, his influence has stretched generations. With names like the Damned, Daryl Hall (of Hall and Oates), the Rumour, John Hiatt, the Pretenders, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Ry Cooder, Huey Lewis, Robyn Hitchcock, Diana Ross, and many more (not to mention the above references) that have been associated with Lowe, how could one deny the impact this man has had on the music industry? To use a clichĂ© simile, Lowe is like a fine wine. He gets better with age. And though itâs a corny comparison, itâs true. The more the man writes, the more you want to listen to his more recent albums over and over again. With twelve albums under the name of Nick Lowe alone, this legend has much to offer with his timeless songs that any and all can relate to. Whether youâre looking for that fist-pumping sound, or the mood music for your next date, Nick Lowe has that special song for everyone.
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