Chris Lowe

All Music Guide:

Connecticut-via-Chicago hip-hop artist Chris Lowe first started out as an up-and-coming beatsmith in the late '80s and early '90s, cultivating his skills in the same school of golden age hip-hop as esteemed producers Erick Sermon and Large Professor. Along with partner Dooley-O, Lowe was responsible for producing Stezo's 1989 rap hit "It's My Turn," which is credited as being the first record to use the widely sampled breakbeat from the Skull Snaps' "It's a New Day." Having studied under legendary '80s hip-hop producer Paul C, as did frequent Lowe collaborator Large Professor, he mainly worked with EPMD and their crew the Hit Squad in that same late-'80s/early-'90s time period. However, due to label hang-ups, Lowe barely had any output as a producer or an MC during the rest of the '90s, except for a few 12" singles here and there. Lowe's first two solo LPs, Black Life (2004) and Black Life 2: The Next Thing Smokin' (2007), didn't arrive until well over a decade after his initial work. The former album was a combination of new tracks and those obscure 12" records, but it was still fresh for most listeners, containing features from Large Professor, Parrish Smith (of EPMD), and Sadat X as well as Dooley-O and Stezo. Moreover, the LP earned Lowe a spot on URB magazine's Hot 100 artists of 2004. The follow-up album had all new material but no guest appearances. Both LPs, however, aired out his gripes with contemporary hip-hop; their '90s-styled boom-bap productions made his records sought-after products for hip-hop traditionalists.

Wikipedia:

Chris Lowe (born Christopher Sean Lowe, 4 October 1959) is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Early life[edit]

Lowe attended Arnold School, an independent school in his home town of Blackpool, Lancashire. He also worked in the Solarium. While there, Lowe played trombone in a seven-piece dance band called One Under the Eight, that played old-time favourites like "Hello Dolly", "La Bamba" and "Moon River". Lowe's grandfather had been a trombonist and was a member of comedy jazz troupe The Nitwits. Lowe also became a skilled pianist.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Education[edit]

Lowe studied architecture at the University of Liverpool from 1978. During a work placement in 1981 at a London architectural practice, he designed a staircase for an industrial estate in Milton Keynes. It was at this time that he met Neil Tennant in a hi-fi shop on the Kings Road in London.

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Career[edit]

Although Lowe has not been involved in many solo projects, in 1993 he wrote and produced the track "Do the Right Thing" for the footballer Ian Wright (Lowe is a die-hard Arsenal F.C. fan). The song featured backing vocals by the long-time Pet Shop Boys’ backing singer, Sylvia Mason-James, and the single featured remixes by Rollo. In 2004 Lowe was commissioned to do music for an advertisement for the sunscreen brand Blockhead. The song ended up in a remixed version on a "Café Mambo" chill-out compilation. He has also written the music for the song "Streets of Berlin", featured in the revival of Bent at the Trafalgar Studios in Whitehall in 2006.

In 1995, he had a cameo in the Australian soap opera Neighbours. In 1997, his flat was the subject of an in-depth feature in Elle Decoration magazine.

Pet Shop Boys[edit]

Stage presence[edit]

After Pet Shop Boys began touring on a regular basis, Lowe became known for his behaviour of standing still while playing keyboards on stage. In 1995, The Guardian commented that he was "possibly more famous for not doing anything than almost anyone else in the history of popular entertainment."

Radio[edit]

He once stood in for Pete Tong when he was too sick to present the Essential Selection on BBC Radio 1.

In August 1991, Lowe and Tennant were invited to take over Simon Bates' mid-morning show on BBC Radio 1. They chose the playlist, principally dance music. Lowe swore on air. They were invited back to fill the same role in July 1992.

Lowe along with Tennant presented a radio cover show at Absolute Radio on 15 March 2009, while DJ Geoff Lloyd was on holiday. They played their own choices as well as some old favourites.

Both Lowe and Tennant appeared on Rob Da Bank and Friends on 16 March 2009, showcasing their A to Z of music.

Lowe was interviewed by Gaydar Radio presenter Simon Le Vans. The interview was transmitted on 19 March 2009.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).