Nick Lowe Is Documenting My Life

“Has it been a long and bumpy road…
Has it been a long and bitter road…
In my mind forever young.”
--Nick Lowe from “Long Limbed-Girl” from At My Age, 2007.

Some of my favorite artists, I must admit, have been fun to grow old with. And as Nick Lowe sings, “lately, I’ve let things slide.”

The new Nick Lowe album came out last week, At My Age, which is a part of the smoke-filled hazed CD’s that he began with the revival Impossible Birds.

For an all-too brief history, Nick Lowe was a Pub Rocker from London, playing in Brinsley Schwartz until he met Dave Edmunds and set out on his own. Lowe and Edmunds formed Rockpile (one of my all-time favorite bands) which became a throw-back group. Known as the Jesus of Cool, among other nicknames, he produced Elvis Costello, Edmunds, the Flaming Groovies, and others on Stiff Records. The eventual fallout with Edmunds (two too large egos) perpetuated a solo career. Added a marriage with Johnny Cash’s daughter, the man hit his musical roots in such bands as the Cowboy Outfit, and Little Village among others.

Now the fifty-something Lowe has worked out his angst and create a smooth soul with some country twangs. It worked as the pure pop for now people writer has lived a well-traveled road and offers advice and solitude.

I will not dissect the latest effort, but the first “hit,” the Club is just incredible.

I have followed Lowe’s career when it was not easy to do so (Pinker than Previous hits a negative tone), as he has combined with many artists such as Huey Lewis (The Rose of England).

Still I stood beside him.

Now Nick the Knife is reaching the twilight of his career and intellectually I understand his songs better as I feel that he and Elvis Costello have joined me on the road of experience. Years later with a divorce, fame, down–on-his-luck attitude, peace, love, and understanding, Nick Lowe has delivered a satisfying album, as well as documented a few of the chronicles of my life.