In the new issue of Uncut, Nick Lowe jokingly explains how he became convinced he was Johnny Cash when once writing a song. However, after sobering up, he was forced to play the idea to Cash himself, the stepfather of his then-wife Carlene Carter. “I had this idea for a song, had the first ver...
In the new issue of Uncut, Nick Lowe jokingly explains how he became convinced he was Johnny Cash when once writing a song.
However, after sobering up, he was forced to play the idea to Cash himself, the stepfather of his then-wife Carlene Carter.
“I had this idea for a song, had the first verse, and I stayed up all night thinking, ‘Oh, I can play this for [Cash]’,” says Lowe. “I drank I don’t know how much, but a lot. I became convinced I was Johnny. It sounded good after a few bottles of wine.
“The next thing I knew I was waking up to Carlene talking on the phone, saying, ‘Yeah, we’re looking forward to seeing you, Nick’s written this great song. He stayed up all night and he really wants to play it you.’ I opened my eyes to a hideous hangover. I definitely didn’t feel like Johnny Cash!”
Lowe also recalls once putting up Cash and wife June Carter Cash in his Shepherd’s Bush house, making records in Oswald Mosley’s former lock-up and attempting to steal “Oliver’s Army” from Elvis Costello. He also reveals the true origins of his “Basher” nickname.
The new issue of Uncut, dated January 2014, is out now.
Picture: Dan Burn-Forti