By Rick Henderson, ink-stained, pixelated wretch; political writer and editor; alum, UNC-Chapel Hill (A.B. 1979); aficionado, American roots music and eclectic pop culture; cheap wine snob.
Amazing what you'll find on YouTube. Here's an overview of one of my favorite singer-songwriter's careers.
Starting with the Pub Rock legends Brinsley Schwarz, who formed in the late '60s (great 'do, Nick). That's Lowe on guitar, Ian Gomm bass, Billy Rankin drums, Bob Andrews B-3 and Brinsley piano.
Next, from '78, with Rockpile (Billy Bremner and Dave Edmunds guitars, Terry Williams drums). Given all the costume changes, there's clearly lip-synching going on, and yet the music was done live.
About five years later, it's "Half a Boy and Half a Man," with Paul Carrack keys, Marty Belmont (of the Rumour!) guitar, drummer unknown. Back when Lowe was Johnny Cash's son-in-law.
A few years later, he remade one of the Rockpile-era classics, with some help from Huey Lewis and the News:
In 1990, he did a great live set on VH1 (on a show hosted by Nile Rodgers' -- that's right, from Chic) that I saw when it first aired. Elvis Costello did the best-known version of this, but the Brinsleys recorded it in '72 or '73.
And here's a recent performance of a newer number. He's come full-circle, as the Brinsleys fashioned themselves as a country-folk band. Lowe's become a bit of a contemporary country troubadour in his 60s. Marty Robbins could have performed something like this. Hope he's on the road nearby sometime soon ...