The authorised biography of Nick Lowe, the 'Jesus of Cool'.

'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.

'Brilliant biography of an undersung late-blooming treasure . . . subtly profound as well as wickedly entertaining, this biography does its subject scintillating justice' Mojo

Cruel to Be Kind is the definitive account of Nick Lowe's uncompromising life as a songwriter and entertainer, from his days at Stiff Records, to becoming the driving force behind Rockpile, to the 1979 smash hit 'Cruel To Be Kind'.

Nick's original compositions have been recorded by the best in the business, from enfant terrible of the New-Wave, Elvis Costello, to 'The Godfather of Rhythm and Soul', Solomon Burke; from household names, including Engelbert Humperdink, Diana Ross, and Johnny Cash, to legendary vocalists such as Curtis Stigers, Tom Petty, and Rod Stewart.

His reputation as one of the most influential musicians to emerge from that most formative period for pop and rock music is cast in stone. He will forever be the man they call the 'Jesus of Cool'.

'Nick's poise as a singer, his maturity, and his use of tone is beautiful. I can't believe it's this guy I've been watching since I was a teenager' Elvis Costello, 2013

'The master of subversive pop' Nick Kent, NME, 1977

'Nick Lowe is such a f*cking good songwriter! Am I allowed to say that?' Curtis Stigers, 2016