Nicholas Drain Lowe (born March 24th, 1949), better known simply as Nick Lowe, is an English musician from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. He is considered one of the key figures in the new wave movement.
His career began in earnest in the late sixties, when he joined the pub rock outfit Kippington Lodge; the band would later be renamed after its other key member, Lowe’s friend, Brinsley Schwarz. He was with the band for a tumultuous seven years, which saw them struggle to establish credibility outside of the London pub circuit; nevertheless, some of his most enduring songs were written during that time, including ‘(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding’, which would later be a huge hit for Elvis Costello.
In the late seventies, Lowe began to release solo material, often named as humorous ripostes to huge records of the time; ‘Bowi’ was a play on David Bowie’s ‘Low’, and the album ‘Max’ by The Rumour was produced by Lowe, who apparently designated it as an ‘answer’ to ‘Rumours’ by Fleetwood Mac. He’s written a slew of songs known best for their cover versions - including ‘The Beast in Me’, covered by his then-father-in-law, Johnny Cash - as well as songs like ‘Cruel to Be Kind’ that were hits for Lowe - and Schwarz - in their own right. He’s no longer active as a producer, but continues to write, record and tour - he played the main stage at Hyde Park’s British Summer Time event in July 2013.
Don Toliver
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