Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Nick is another guy who it’s hard to say too much about. Brilliantly funny. And just brilliant. I loved the Brinsleys and saw them many times – by themselves, backing Dave Edmunds, in the Rumour (without Nick). Great, great band. Most people know about their Fillmore episode. I’m glad they didn’t just pack it in. They were like a UK version of the Band – or wanted to be, Great bar music. Nick has just gone from strength to strength over the years. He managed to survive the pub rock thing without being stigmatized. He became a father figure during punk despite a mullet. And he’s gracefully moved into middle age by creating a mix of country and soul that, while it’s influences are obvious, still sounds (at least to my ears) very English. It’s nice music – I mean that in the nicest way possible. Lyrically Nick is a scream. A hoot. But he can bring you to tears (is it just me or does Peace, Love and Understanding have more meaning now then when he wrote it). Shelly my love is gorgeous. The Beast In Me is not. He’s managed the unthinkable (for him at least I think), he’s sustained. He’s also managed to end up with the cream of the crop – with Ry as I mentioned before, John Hiatt, Bill Kirchen. He’s playing bass with Boz Scaggs soon in San Fran – before the next HSB. I can understand why. He’s a super nice guy who makes it all look so easy (kind of a Cary Grant of the music biz). I write songs. I throw them together. Nick composes. They sound like he just made them up but you know he really, really works on this stuff. It’s just too well thought through. Too well put together. His nickname is Basher – as a producer he had a reputation for bashing things down quickly (or was it from his Dad’s air force background). Anyway if you listen to him today, it’s the sound of a real craftsman at the height of his game. He’s playing HSB again this year and I, for one, will be there. In front of the stage hoping he’ll turn up with a band and blow the place up. If he’s solo I’m happy too. Maybe he should reunite the Brinsley’s and do Silver Pistol one last time. But then again….maybe not. Maybe he should just keep doing what he’s doing. Slowly growing in strength. Growing old gracefully. Very gracefully.

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