Overview

Full Product Details

9780306921957

Table of Contents

Reviews

Affectionate and informed. --Minnesota Public Radio's Rock and Roll Book Club A book that's as warm, funny, and affecting as Lowe's best songs. --Pitchfork In leisurely, insightful prose...Will Birch offers a solid biography for Lowe's devoted fans. --Publishers Weekly Even the Jesus of Cool needs a St. Paul to spread his gospel and Will Birch is more than up to the task in Cruel to Be Kind. In this intimate, engrossing, and eye-opening biography of Nick Lowe, Birch reveals deep insights into the man and his work. It's a book as elegant as one of Lowe's songs: filled with just the right combination of pathos, humor, and wit, told with an economy of style, and nary a wasted word or sentence. Absolutely brilliant. --Bob Mehr, author of the New York Times bestseller, TroubleBoys: The True Story of the Replacements [Will Birch] has written a sunny book about the genial and underappreciated Lowe, following his career through its many incarnations... [A]n enjoyable portrait. --Booklist [A] terrific biography. --Austin American-Statesman [A] remarkable book for both its scope and detail and also its engaging readability...all in all, everything any Nick Lowe fan could want. --Under the Radar [An] entertaining biography... [Birch] is casually expert in the way of those rare music writers who can both play music and write. --The Wall Street Journal [Cruel to Be Kind] winningly makes the case for Nick Lowe's under-recognized songwriting skills and production prowess. --The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [Cruel to Be Kind] makes clear that Lowe's contributions to pop music have been many and mighty--and certainly worthy of celebration with a biography...sure to please old-time admirers of an essential rocker. --Kirkus Reviews Pitchfork, Best Music Books of 2019 ---

[Cruel to Be Kind] winningly makes the case for Nick Lowe's under-recognized songwriting skills and production prowess. --The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [An] entertaining biography... [Birch] is casually expert in the way of those rare music writers who can both play music and write. --The Wall Street Journal Affectionate and informed. --Minnesota Public Radio's Rock and Roll Book Club [A] terrific biography. --Austin American-Statesman Even the Jesus of Cool needs a St. Paul to spread his gospel and Will Birch is more than up to the task in Cruel to Be Kind. In this intimate, engrossing, and eye-opening biography of Nick Lowe, Birch reveals deep insights into the man and his work. It's a book as elegant as one of Lowe's songs: filled with just the right combination of pathos, humor, and wit, told with an economy of style, and nary a wasted word or sentence. Absolutely brilliant. --Bob Mehr, author of the New York Times bestseller, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements [Will Birch] has written a sunny book about the genial and underappreciated Lowe, following his career through its many incarnations... [A]n enjoyable portrait. --Booklist In leisurely, insightful prose...Will Birch offers a solid biography for Lowe's devoted fans. --Publishers Weekly [Cruel to Be Kind] makes clear that Lowe's contributions to pop music have been many and mighty--and certainly worthy of celebration with a biography...sure to please old-time admirers of an essential rocker. --Kirkus Reviews

Even the Jesus of Cool needs a St. Paul to spread his gospel and Will Birch is more than up to the task in Cruel to Be Kind. In this intimate, engrossing, and eye-opening biography of Nick Lowe, Birch reveals deep insights into the man and his work. It's a book as elegant as one of Lowe's songs: filled with just the right combination of pathos, humor, and wit, told with an economy of style, and nary a wasted word or sentence. Absolutely brilliant. --Bob Mehr, author of the New York Times bestseller, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements [Cruel to Be Kind] makes clear that Lowe's contributions to pop music have been many and mighty--and certainly worthy of celebration with a biography...sure to please old-time admirers of an essential rocker. --Kirkus Reviews

[A] remarkable book for both its scope and detail and also its engaging readability...all in all, everything any Nick Lowe fan could want. --Under the Radar [Cruel to Be Kind] winningly makes the case for Nick Lowe's under-recognized songwriting skills and production prowess. --The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [An] entertaining biography... [Birch] is casually expert in the way of those rare music writers who can both play music and write. --The Wall Street Journal Affectionate and informed. --Minnesota Public Radio's Rock and Roll Book Club [A] terrific biography. --Austin American-Statesman [Will Birch] has written a sunny book about the genial and underappreciated Lowe, following his career through its many incarnations... [A]n enjoyable portrait. --Booklist Even the Jesus of Cool needs a St. Paul to spread his gospel and Will Birch is more than up to the task in Cruel to Be Kind. In this intimate, engrossing, and eye-opening biography of Nick Lowe, Birch reveals deep insights into the man and his work. It's a book as elegant as one of Lowe's songs: filled with just the right combination of pathos, humor, and wit, told with an economy of style, and nary a wasted word or sentence. Absolutely brilliant. --Bob Mehr, author of the New York Times bestseller, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements In leisurely, insightful prose...Will Birch offers a solid biography for Lowe's devoted fans. --Publishers Weekly [Cruel to Be Kind] makes clear that Lowe's contributions to pop music have been many and mighty--and certainly worthy of celebration with a biography...sure to please old-time admirers of an essential rocker. --Kirkus Reviews

Even the Jesus of Cool needs a St. Paul to spread his gospel and Will Birch is more than up to the task in Cruel to Be Kind. In this intimate, engrossing, and eye-opening biography of Nick Lowe, Birch reveals deep insights into the man and his work. It's a book as elegant as one of Lowe's songs: filled with just the right combination of pathos, humor, and wit, told with an economy of style, and nary a wasted word or sentence. Absolutely brilliant. --Bob Mehr, author of the New York Times bestseller, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements [Will Birch] has written a sunny book about the genial and underappreciated Lowe, following his career through its many incarnations... [A]n enjoyable portrait. --Booklist In leisurely, insightful prose...Will Birch offers a solid biography for Lowe's devoted fans. --Publishers Weekly [Cruel to Be Kind] makes clear that Lowe's contributions to pop music have been many and mighty--and certainly worthy of celebration with a biography...sure to please old-time admirers of an essential rocker. --Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

Will Birch is a former drummer and songwriter with the Kursaal Flyers (""Little Does She Know"") and The Records (""Starry Eyes""). During the 1980s he moved into record production, working with such acts as Any Trouble, Dr Feelgood, Hollies, Billy Bremner (Rockpile) and the Long Ryders. Throughout the 1990s Will wrote many articles for MOJO and other music magazines. He is the author of No Sleep Till Canvey Island: The Great Pub Rock Revolution, and Ian Dury: The Definitive Biography. He lives near London.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available