Graham Reid | | 1 min read
Crying Inside
Over the decades Elsewhere has interviewed many, many hundreds of musicians: some have been smart and funny (David Bowie, PJ Harvey, Lulu), others fascinating (Bjork, Ornette Coleman, Linton Kwesi Johnson), a few surprising in their candour (Miles Davis), some troubled (Townes Van Zandt), some political (Steve Earle, Chuck D) . . . and occasionally there's someone like Nikki Sixx or Neil Young.
Most are happy to talk about the album or tour because that's usually why they've made themselves available. But no one will talk about the most taboo subject at all.
It isn't sex or drugs.
It's money.
If you ever have the opportunity try to broach that subject and see how far you get. Better to ask about their bedroom antics because that often isn't off limits.
Sometimes you can engage an artist in their creative process and career in some depth: Richard Thompson, Howe Gelb, Elvis Costello, Tony Bennett (who laughed off the notion he'd become hip with the grunge generation), jazz singer Diana Krall . . .
One of the most interesting in that group – who was prepared to talk about how specific songs came about – was Nick Lowe, a man of his pub rock/punk era who underwent a notable career transformation from boozy Brit and self-confessed cheeky chappie to an elegant, white-haired crooner of soulful American country ballads.
He wrote (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding, a signature song for fellow-traveller Elvis Costello and dealt in irreverent humour: after Bowie released Low the self-styled Jesus of Cool (the title of his debut album) released the EP Bowi.
But the wide-boy role was limiting and he could see himself an aging cliché.
He refined his lyrics, fashioned his songs into soulful country with pedal steel and mature emotions: there was a golden period from the Nineties to The Old Magic (2011), the latter containing singular songs of solitude, bitterness and acutely observed cynicism.
But he became restless in that skin too. His favoured band recently has been Nashville's Los Straitjackets, a surf-cum-rock'n'roll guitar band who wear Mexican wrestling masks.
Lowe's sharp lyrics now come with a backbeat and twang (Went to a Party, the rockabilly Tokyo Bay) which, ironically, can recall his first bands Brinsley Schwarz and Rockpile.
The emotionally broken songwriter is still there however (Trombone, the gorgeous Different Kind of Blue). On Crying Inside he sings, “I've been wisecracking like the good old days . . . if you look at my face you'll see my cheeky side [but] I'm crying inside”.
Jet Pac Boomerang ends with a quote from the Beatles' Please Please Me.
He harks back the 1950s for two excellent covers: Garnett Mimms' A Quiet Place and the little-knownRaincoat in the River.
Indoor Safari isn't gold standard Lowe, but if it sends anyone to that run of great albums it'll have served a greater purpose.
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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here
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