Quick Q and A with Jez Lowe
 by Kathy S-B  ·  7 September 2008

Jez Lowe is considered one of the finest British singer-songwriters. He’s been plying his musical trade for several decades and is still highly regarded—just this year BBC Radio nominated him as “Folksinger of the Year” and the Indie Acoustic Project named his latest album “Jack Common’s Anthem” as a finalist for Album of the Year. Jez’s websites contain an amazing amount of information about him and his band, The Bad Pennies. There are interviews, videos, and all kinds of good stuff. Check it out at www.jezlowe.com. There is a great variety of videos available online including this recent one from the Southwell Folk Festival and this one that is an excerpt from one of his DVDs. Find out why Richard Thompson says that “Jez is the best songwriter to come out of England in a long time.” Fine praise from one of the best.

What is it about traditional British folk music that inspires you the most?

It has a depth and a purity that can only come with having been sung and played by generations of people. All the superfluous bits have been weeded out, both lyrically and melodically, and at the same time everyone has added their own little stamp on it as it passed them by. And that’s the process I try to utilise when I’m writing my own songs.

Have you worked in the music business continuously since the 1970s?

Since 1980 in fact. In the early 70’s I was in high school (!) and then at college, and then just bumming around Ireland and the UK. Playing music as I went. Then in 1980 I started it as a job and released a record. I’ve been working in music constantly ever since.

Can you envision yourself doing anything other than music in your life?

Maybe just writing, but music is the most important thing. I hope I’m lucky enough to keep it going indefinitely.

Is there a particular moment in your career when you thought to yourself: Jez, you’ve really made it!?

Being asked to come back to the Me and Thee Coffee House. [Editorial note: Good answer, Jez!]

What’s the history of your most famous song, “Back in Durham Jail”?

There is another song called Durham Jail by an 18th Century writer called Tommy Armstrong. Similar in spirit to mine, but a completely different song. Tommy actually was in Durham jail for a while, but my lyrics are purely fictional. The melody was originally a dance tune that I made up on the harmonica when I played in a local dance band. I did the song as a bit of a throw-away initially, but then lots of other people started to sing it. I saw it on a website of Irish songs the other day, credited as “traditional.” I actually wrote it in 1985.

Is there anything that you haven’t accomplished yet that you’d like to pursue?

I’m always on the look-out for a challenge and to learn something new, which is why I enjoy playing with The Bad Pennies so much. They’re constantly showing me new music, new songs, new styles. I also have a secret desire to play melodeon in a reggae/soul band. (That’s true!)

Jez Lowe pic by Alan Bennington (cropped here)