Photo Credit: Blaine Schultz
Los Straightjackets
A young Elvis Costello wisely took notes while watching Nick Lowe’s pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz. Lowe would go on to produce Costello’s first five albums, as well as performing and recording a string of albums with Rockpile under his or Dave Edmund’s name. In 1992 Lowe was part of the band Little Village with Ry Cooder and John Hiatt; two years later with his album The Impossible Bird Lowe began the third act of a career that began in 1967. Catchy songs, witty observations and growing old gracefully in a business that typically offers a short shelf life--Lowe has deftly remained an engaging cult artist. Last year at Summerfest, Lowe’s Lucha Libre-masked backing band Los Straitjackets played a set of guitar instrumentals that relied on dynamics over volume. In fact, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if they had given the sound mixer the afternoon off.
