Cruel to Be Kind: The Life and Music of Nick Lowe

Musician and music writer Birch debuts with an admiring set of fan’s notes, drawing on interviews with his friend, singer-songwriter Nick Lowe, as well as on interviews with Lowe’s acquaintances and bandmates. Weaving Lowe’s music with the threads of his life, Birch traces Lowe’s story from his childhood in 1950s Surrey, England, where he listened to country, jazz, Elvis, and Lonnie Donegan. From there he takes readers to Lowe’s gig with the band Brinsley Schwarz and their opening for Van Morrison at the Fillmore East in N.Y.C. in 1970; his marriage to country singer Carlene Carter in 1979, and his musical partnerships with Elvis Costello, Dave Edmunds, and Graham Parker. Lowe’s biggest hit—“Cruel to Be Kind”—came in 1979, and he continued to develop into a songwriter’s songwriter, whose songs have been recorded by Costello, Solomon Burke, Tom Petty, Diana Ross, and Rod Stewart. In leisurely, insightful prose, Birch ponders why Lowe is not better-known, and concludes that Lowe is simply not interested in any activity that involves self-promotion or “prostituting himself on chat shows and social media.” With a no-frills writing style, Birch offers a solid biography for Lowe’s devoted fans. [em](Aug.) [/em]