Cruel To Be Kind

'Birch also knows a good Spinal-Tappish anecdote when he hears one and, drawing on Lowe's formidable skill as a raconteur, this book is stuffed with them' Spectator

Nick Lowe, often described as 'Britain's greatest living songwriter,' is a multifaceted musician who pioneered pub rock, power pop and new wave. He helped form independent Stiff Records, toured the world with Rockpile, and produced ground-breaking records for Elvis Costello, the Pretenders, Graham Parker and the Damned. His own timeless hits include 'Cruel to Be Kind' and '(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding'. In the 1990s Lowe commenced the second act of his career, as a tender yet sharp-tongued acoustic balladeer.

Music writer Will Birch has known Lowe for over forty years, and in Cruel to Be Kind he paints a vivid portrait of this notoriously charming cult figure, melding Lowe's gift as a witty raconteur with his own authoritative analysis of Lowe's background and the cultural scenes he exemplifies. From Lowe's childhood in the Middle East to his more recent ventures as a songwriter in Nashville, via the wild US tours of the 1970s and an encounter with Rolling Stone Keith Richards, this book is a vicarious romp through iconic moments in modern music history and an all-access pass to the living legend who made it all happen.

Peppered with first-hand quotes from the likes of Elvis Costello, Chrissie Hynde, Huey Lewis, Ry Cooder and Johnny Marr, Cruel to Be Kind is the definitive account of one of the world's most talented and admired musicians.