3 thoughts on “Nick Lowe and Ry Cooder in 2009: Fool Who Knows”
This cut led me back to the Little Village album. Little Village was a “supergroup” made up of John Hiatt, Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner. I hated John Hiatt, but I loved Lowe and Cooder, and Keltner kicks ass. So we waited. And were terribly disappointed by a record that comes across, mostly, as John Hiatt album with solos. Especially since Lowe’s Fool Who Knows is absolutely the best song on the album. There are a couple of other okay ones, and as much as I hate Hiatt, he’s a professional songwriter. But that’s also why I hate him so much. I saw him open for someone, maybe Carlene Carter and the Rumour, back in the day, and didn’t know anything about him. It was hate at first sight. Don’t bother with Little Village. Ry and Nick did much better work elsewhere, everywhere.
I know a pedestrian amount about Nick Lowe, hardly anything about Ry Cooder and a little less about John Hiatt (“I know they’re musicians” pretty much describes my level of expertise on the latter two.)
It’s refreshing to see you spew a little bile though, Peter.
Hmmm. I thought Little Village was harmless enough, but you are right Peter: they were a hyped super group who could certainly play, and who had two great songwriters between Lowe and Hiatt, but were unable to deliver anything as cool or clever as “Slow Turning” or “Girls Talk” collectively which was a disappointment.
I happen to really love Hiatt, who is a hell of a songwriter in my view and have seen him at least once that I can remember and he was quite good (I think it was at a travelling Newport Folk Festival in 1998). But, I really love all the performers in Little Village, especially Keltner who is among the best and most original time keepers in the game IMHO.
I saw Rockpile open for Blondie in 1978 and that was indeed a kick ass show with both bands strutting their stuff.
This cut led me back to the Little Village album. Little Village was a “supergroup” made up of John Hiatt, Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner. I hated John Hiatt, but I loved Lowe and Cooder, and Keltner kicks ass. So we waited. And were terribly disappointed by a record that comes across, mostly, as John Hiatt album with solos. Especially since Lowe’s Fool Who Knows is absolutely the best song on the album. There are a couple of other okay ones, and as much as I hate Hiatt, he’s a professional songwriter. But that’s also why I hate him so much. I saw him open for someone, maybe Carlene Carter and the Rumour, back in the day, and didn’t know anything about him. It was hate at first sight. Don’t bother with Little Village. Ry and Nick did much better work elsewhere, everywhere.
I know a pedestrian amount about Nick Lowe, hardly anything about Ry Cooder and a little less about John Hiatt (“I know they’re musicians” pretty much describes my level of expertise on the latter two.)
It’s refreshing to see you spew a little bile though, Peter.
Hmmm. I thought Little Village was harmless enough, but you are right Peter: they were a hyped super group who could certainly play, and who had two great songwriters between Lowe and Hiatt, but were unable to deliver anything as cool or clever as “Slow Turning” or “Girls Talk” collectively which was a disappointment.
I happen to really love Hiatt, who is a hell of a songwriter in my view and have seen him at least once that I can remember and he was quite good (I think it was at a travelling Newport Folk Festival in 1998). But, I really love all the performers in Little Village, especially Keltner who is among the best and most original time keepers in the game IMHO.
I saw Rockpile open for Blondie in 1978 and that was indeed a kick ass show with both bands strutting their stuff.