Don’t Fear the Reaper, Boys! – An Xperience Column

Don’t Fear the Reaper, Boys! – An Xperience Column – by Rob Skane.

Nick Lowe. You familiar? If not, then we can’t be friends – it’s that simple. Some might argue that Saint Nick of Lowe is the songwriter’s songwriter: I would be one of those people. And, we all agree, there’s a metric s**t ton of great songwriters out and about. But there’s only one Nick Lowe.

We have all heard the magnum opus, “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,” and we’re probably most familiar with the Elvis Costello version, which is without a doubt the quintessential version of that song. Well, Nick Lowe wrote that one – and he did it when he was 19 years old. He was playing with legendary pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz at the time and was probably doing 250 gigs a year back then. I don’t know about you, but when I was 19, I was attending community college, working at the local Burger Hut, and trying to get some “satisfaction” (to quote from the book of Jagger/Richards), thank you very much.  I mean, couldn’t get laid in a women’s prison with a handful of pardons. But I digress. I know it’s not about me – shut up already.

So, Nick Lowe was spanking the four-string plank with them Brinsleys and then later on with the mighty, mighty Rockpile. Sometimes, he even played the eight-string Hamer bull fiddle with Rockpile, too. Why? I don’t know. I mean they were incredible as it was, but maybe he lost a bet and had to play the eight-string on occasion? If you find out, let me know.

Mr. Nick produced a ton of bands way back when, too. He started as the Stiff records in-house producer and then began getting more and more production work. He earned the nickname “Basher,” because the production style at the time was “bash it out and tart is up later.” It really fit with the spirit of the new wave, which was raw but not really punk. The songs were sorta poppy, had an attitude, and the bands could play well. Nick had them hit the tape hard with spirited performance and then would sprinkle in some sonic loveliness during the mixing process.

But, back to the songs … man. They almost all move me, and you might feel the same. The song “Cruel to be Kind” put him on the map as a solo artist; it was an FM radio staple back when people listened to FM radio. His lyrics would often twist a phrase or reinterpret the mundane in very cool ways. The “Labor of Lust” LP is probably the best place to start if you’re looking to get into his work – followed closely by “Jesus of Cool / Pure Pop for Now People.” And, here’s a pro tip – find as many Rockpile shows online as you can. They are incendiary. Who said Youtube?!

In his later years, Nick reinvented himself as a crooner, somewhat. The songs were still amazing: ‘What’s Shakin’ on the Hill’, “12 Step Program (to Quit You Babe),” and “Lately I’ve Let Things Slide” all come to mind. So many songs … too many to make note of, really. Dig his mood and dig into his catalog, that’s my suggestion.

His quick wit, intellect, and sense of humor all come through in his lyrics. He sings about real life, kids – and that’s important. Speaking of Nick’s wit, I have personal experience with it. One night, a buddy of mine and I went to see Nick play, and we had the good fortune to chat with him after his set. As our chat was wrapping up, we mentioned that we were heading over to a different venue to catch the end of a Blue Oyster Cult show. Nick smiled, his eyes were beaming. He made the heavy metal horns with both hands and said to us, “Don’t fear the reaper, boys!”

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