Nick Lowe can craft a song. Through his long career of ups and downs, he has released some of the best songs of his generation. Learning banjo chords his mother taught him at an early age, he became infatuated with early rock ‘n’ roll and then skiffle. At a time when The Beatles were taking hold of the world, Lowe found himself wanting to join a beat group. He felt the only thing setting any particular group apart from the rest of the field was original songs.
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Lowe started out in Kippington Lodge, who quickly changed their name to Brinsley Schwarz and provided most of the songs for the band as they released several albums with little success. One of those songs, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding,” garnered a single release. It failed to make the charts. The band broke up, and Lowe assumed the song would be destined for oblivion.
At this point, Lowe teamed up with Dave Edmunds and played bass in their band Rockpile. As Lowe was under contractual obligation to Stiff Records and Edmunds had a deal with RCA Records, Rockpile recorded and released albums alternately between the two frontmen. Meanwhile, Lowe continued to write songs. Let’s look at five fascinating facts about the career of Nick Lowe.
Lowe Released the First Stiff Record
Stiff Records was an independent record label in England started by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. “So It Goes” by Nick Lowe was the very first release by the label. The promotional video for the song clearly features Rockpile backing him up. Lowe would go on to be the “house producer” for Stiff Records as well. David Bowie released an album called Low. Stiff’s response was to release an EP by Lowe called Bowi. A similar move was used when the Lowe-produced album by The Rumour was named Max in response to Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. Lowe produced The Damned, Wreckless Eric, and Elvis Costello.
Lowe Tried to Sabotage His Songwriting Deal
While recording for Stiff Records, Lowe was still indebted as a songwriter to United Artists from his time with Brinsley Schwarz. Lowe initiated a plan to submit songs so terrible he would be released from the deal. “Bay City Rollers, We Love You” was turned in. It was accepted enthusiastically and recorded and released under the name Tartan Horde. The catchy ode to the Scottish quintet was a big success in Japan, and a follow-up was requested of Lowe. “Roller Show” was the result, although it failed to reach the charts. Lowe was freed of his obligation to United Artists. Another similar situation was the origin of Lowe’s biggest hit, “Cruel to Be Kind.” The songwriter had been rebelling against pop music and trying to go down different musical paths when he finally decided to embrace it and try to come up with an incredibly poppy song. He was still in Brinsley Schwarz at the time and co-wrote the song with guitarist Ian Gomm. The song peaked at No. 12 in the U.S. and the UK.
Lowe Produced The Pretenders’ Debut Single
The Pretenders burst onto the London scene in 1978 when American Chrissie Hynde teamed up with three Brits to record her material. The first release was a cover of “Stop Your Sobbing” by The Kinks. Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott was a big Rockpile fan and wanted the same kind of jangly guitar sound he heard in them. Lowe was skeptical of Hynde’s original material and declined to work with them further. He did go on to produce Dr. Feelgood, Mickey Jupp, and Johnny Cash. “Basher” was a nickname Lowe picked up during his production.
He often encouraged people by saying, “Bash it out, we’ll tart it up later.”
From Oblivion to a Large Paycheck
Remember that song from the Brinsley Schwarz days that Lowe thought would disappear? In 1978, Elvis Costello recorded “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” and included it on his Armed Forces album. The song became more associated with Costello than Lowe. In 1992, a version by Curtis Stigers appeared on the soundtrack of the Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner movie The Bodyguard. Lowe received a nice paycheck from that one.
The songwriter later equated it with fishing. “If you put enough hooks in the water, something is bound to bite, sooner or later.”
Lowe also wrote “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll),” which was a hit for Rockpile bandmate Dave Edmunds. Rockpile released one album under their own name, Seconds of Pleasure, in 1980.
Johnny Cash Recorded Several of Lowe’s Songs
In 1979, Lowe married Carlene Carter, daughter of June Carter Cash. Rockpile acted as her band on the album Musical Shapes. Footage of their marriage was used in the promotional video for “Cruel to Be Kind.” In 1980, Lowe produced “Without Love,” a single from Rockabilly Blues by Johnny Cash. Lowe started writing a follow-up song for the Man in Black. “The Beast In Me” was an idea that Lowe really liked. He had a good first verse, but the rest of the song just didn’t live up to the original spark. He sang it for Cash. They both agreed it was a good idea, but it needed work. As the two singers crossed paths over the years, Cash would enquire about the song. Over a decade went by before Lowe finished the song. He recorded it himself on The Impossible Bird. Cash included it on his 1994 Rick Rubin-produced American Recordings album.
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