Nick Lowe
b. 25 March 1949, Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. Lowe has for many years been held in high esteem by a loyal band of admirers aware of his dexterity as producer, musician, vocalist and songwriter. His early apprenticeship as bass player/vocalist with Kippington Lodge, which evolved into Brinsley Schwarz, made him a seasoned professional by the mid-'70s. He then started a career as record producer, making his debut with the Kursaal Flyers' CHOCS AWAY followed by Dr. Feelgood's MALPRACTICE. He also owns up to being responsible for an appalling novelty record, We Love You, a parody of the Bay City Rollers recorded under the name, the Tartan Horde. He formed Stiff Records with Jake Riviera and Dave Robinson in 1976 and was an early pioneer of punk music. His own singles were unsuccessful, but he was critically applauded for the catchy So It Goes, backed with the prototype punk song, Heart Of The City. He was an important catalyst in the career of Elvis Costello, producing his first five albums and composing a modern classic with What's So Funny 'Bout (Peace Love And Understanding). Lowe became a significant figure in the UK, producing albums for the Damned, Clover and Dave Edmunds. In 1977, Lowe co-founded Rockpile and also managed to join the legendary Live Stiffs tour. His own debut JESUS OF COOL (US title: PURE POP FOR NOW PEOPLE) was a critics’ favourite and is a strong collection of unpretentious rock ‘n’ roll and pop. The hit single I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass is still a disc-jockey favourite, although the equally impressive Little Hitler failed miserably. In 1979, he produced another important single Stop Your Sobbing by the Pretenders and released another excellent collection LABOUR OF LUST, which contained the sparkling Cruel To Be Kind and Cracking Up. Lowe was indeed cracking up, from a surfeit of alcohol, as his brother-in-arms Dave Edmunds intimated in the UK television documentary Born Fighters. Towards the end of a hectic year he married Carlene Carter. In the early '80s, as well as continuing his work with Costello he additionally produced albums with John Hiatt, Paul Carrack, Carlene Carter and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. His own recordings suffered and were rushed efforts. In 1986, he re-united with Costello for BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE, although his own albums were virtually ignored by the public. He returned in 1988 with PINKER AND PROUDER THAN PREVIOUS, with contributions from Edmunds and once again it was totally dismissed. Lowe remains a respected producer, and his importance during the late-'70s was considerable. His days as a solo performer may have passed as his catalogue of flop albums is embarrassingly large, a fact that Lowe observes with his customary humour. In 1992, Lowe had formed a loose band with Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner and John Hiatt, known as Little Village whose debut album received only a mild response.