Nick Lowe - enduring musician, master songwriter, band-leader-come-solo-artist and producer - critically praised and followed by a devoted audience, will embark on an Australian and New Zealand tour this March – April 2012.
62-year-old Lowe, who captivated Australian audiences in 2009 whilst on tour with Ry Cooder, will be joined on stage by: drummer Robert Trehern, keyboardist Geraint Watkins, guitarist Johnny Scott and Matt Radford on upright bass.
Last month Lowe released his first studio album in four years, ‘The Old Magic’ (Proper Records, distributed by The Planet Company). The album offers eight Lowe originals, plus three covers, and features special guests Ron Sexsmith, Paul Carrack and Jimmie Vaughan, as well as band regulars Watkins, Treherne and Steve Donnelly.
Lowe’s career hit off in ’69 as bass player for seminal pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz, the UK pub rock scene setting the stage for punk rock and new wave.
But it was Lowe’s work as Stiff Records’ (co-founder and) in-house producer which was to be highly influential on the development of punk rock. An extensive list of early producing credits notably include: ‘Damned Damned Damned’, The Damned’s debut album, credited as the UK’s first punk album; Elvis Costello’s first five albums between ’77 and ’81; and The Pretenders debut single ‘Stop Your Sobbing’.
Lowe released the first ever single and EP on Stiff Records, but his most successful hits read as: ‘I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass’ from his debut album ‘Jesus of Cool’ (or ‘Pure Pop for Now People’ as it’s known in the USA); ‘Cruel To Be Kind’ lifted from his 2nd album ‘Labour of Lust’; and a re-worked Brinsley Schwarz tune ‘(What’s so Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding’, successfully covered by Elvis Costello and later Curtis Stigers for The Bodyguard soundtrack.
Over the past forty-plus years, Nick Lowe’s evolving musical styles have forged a path through pub rock, roots, rhythm & blues and rock & roll, with works often echoing strong influences of American vintage country and roots music. There have been many musical incarnations over the decades including Rockpile, a collaboration with guitarist Dave Edmunds, and short-lived super group Little Village with John Hiatt, Ry Cooder & Jim Keltner.
In celebration of his long career, in August of this year during a packed-out, showcase performance at the Grammy Museum in LA, Nick Lowe revealed to a spellbound audience: “As you get older, it’s more fun to sing the blues. It cheers you up.”
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