Lloyd Cole

Biography

Lloyd Cole (born 31 January 1961) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He was lead vocalist of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989 and subsequently worked solo.

Early life

Cole was born in Buxton, Derbyshire, England. He grew up in nearby Chapel-en-le-Frith and went to New Mills Comprehensive School and later attended Runshaw College in Leyland, Lancashire. He studied a year of law at University College London but switched to the University of Glasgow, where he studied philosophy and English, and also met the future members of the Commotions.

1984–1989: Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

The Commotions' debut studio album, Rattlesnakes (1984), contained literary and pop culture references to such figures as Arthur Lee, Norman Mailer, Grace Kelly, Eva Marie Saint, Simone de Beauvoir, Truman Capote and Joan Didion. The band produced two more studio albums, Easy Pieces (1985) and Mainstream (1987), before disbanding in 1989.
Songs by the band include "Perfect Skin", "Rattlesnakes", "Forest Fire", "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?", "Lost Weekend" and "Jennifer She Said". Cole subsequently relocated to New York City and recorded with various musicians, including Fred Maher, Robert Quine and Matthew Sweet.

1990–1992: Lloyd Cole and Don't Get Weird on Me Babe

This solo setting produced two studio albums: Lloyd Cole in 1990 – preceded by the single "No Blue Skies×No Blue Skies27 January 1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1No Blue Skies4:092Blame Mary Jane3:483Witching Hour3:53" – and Don't Get Weird on Me Babe in 1991. The latter was recorded in two parts: one side continued the New York rock of his debut solo studio album, while the other side featured a session orchestra, much in the style of Burt Bacharach or Scott Walker. While he remained with Polydor as his record label, the US distribution contract with Capitol Records ended (US rights were picked up by Rykodisc). "She's a Girl and I'm a Man×She's A Girl And I'm A Man1991 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1She's a Girl and I'm a Man4:14", "Weeping Wine×Weeping Wine21 October 1991 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Weeping Wine2:402The 'L' Word (Tell Your Sister)3:23" and "Butterfly×Butterfly4 March 1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Butterfly3:032Jennifer She Said3:233Butterfly (The Planet Ann Charlotte Mix)6:51" were released as singles.
"Downtown×Downtown1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Downtown (edit)4:262Downtown (Lp version)5:19" (from Lloyd Cole, 1990) was featured in the American psychological thriller film Bad Influence (1990) – starring Rob Lowe and James Spader – while "Pay for It" (from Don't Get Weird on Me Babe, 1991) was on the soundtrack of When the Party's Over, starring Sandra Bullock.

1993–1999: Bad Vibes, Love Story and The Collection

Cole recorded Bad Vibes in 1993, a collaboration with producer and remixer Adam Peters, using a harder sound. "So You'd Like to Save the World" and "Morning Is Broken×Morning Is Broken1994 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Morning Is Broken (edit)3:552My Way To You4:203The Slider3:184Vicious3:535Mystic Lady3:04" were released as singles.
Love Story (1995) was recorded with the help of Stephen Street (who has worked with Blur and the Smiths) and former Commotion Neil Clark. It produced a minor hit with the song "Like Lovers Do×Like Lovers Do26 August 1995 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Like Lovers Do4:012Brand New Baby Blues (demo)3:173Perfect Skin3:12", affording Cole a mid-1990s appearance on Top of the Pops.

2000–2009: The Negatives, Music in a Foreign Language, Antidepressant

In 1997 and 1998, Cole played with some New York musicians under the name the Negatives. The group consisted of Jill Sobule, Dave Derby of the Dambuilders, Mike Kotch and Rafa Maciejak, who recorded an eponymous CD, released mainly in Western Europe and North America.
He has since released solo albums on smaller independent labels. Sanctuary Records released Music in a Foreign Language (2003) in the UK. Recorded largely by Cole himself (including tracks recorded directly onto a Mac), the songs had a stark, folk-inspired singer-songwriter style. The album was released in the US by the One Little Indian label, which also collected a number of outtakes (recorded from 1996 to 2000) on 2002's Etc. and released an instrumental ambient electronica album, Plastic Wood×Plastic Wood2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Omni 7th2:472Sim Trees2:363Train1:034Velvet3:135Headlights3:136Dry Ice0:367Plastic Wood1:528After Before and After2:399B-Mushroom1:2610Out Time1:3011On Ice0:3812The Beach2:1313Glass Jar1:1114Park West1:4215Manhattan Chase1:5116Afterthought2:0517Post Script1:4018Machinist10:04, the same year. It featured new versions of Nick Cave's "People Ain't No Good" and his own "No More Love Songs".
In 2004, to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of Rattlesnakes, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions reformed to perform a one-off tour of the UK and Ireland. The reformation was never intended to be permanent, and Cole released another solo studio album in 2006, Antidepressant×Antidepressant25 September 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1The Young Idealists2:442Woman in a Bar3:373NYC Sunshine4:214Antidepressant2:395I Didn’t See It Coming3:426How Wrong Can You Be?4:547Everysong2:228I Am Not Willing3:529Slip Away2:5810Travelling Light3:4611Rolodex Incident5:14, using his usual home recording outfit by playing all the instruments himself with friends like Sobule, Derby and the guitar work of former Commotion Neil Clark on some tracks.
In 2009, Cole released Cleaning Out the Ashtrays – a collection of outtakes, B-sides, rarities and alternative versions of his solo work. Notable cover versions include Leonard Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel #2", T. Rex's "The Children of the Revolution" and Kris Kristofferson's "For the Good Times", which he recorded with Jill Sobule.

2010–2018: Broken Record, Standards and Selected Studies Vol. 1

Broken Record, released in September 2010 preceded by the single "Writer's Retreat", marked a departure from his solo recordings, as it was performed by a band of longstanding friends and working partners, including Fred Maher, Joan As Police Woman, Rainy Orteca, Dave Derby and Blair Cowan – as well as two musicians, Matt Cullen (guitar; banjo) and Mark Schwaber (guitar; mandolin), with whom Cole tours, billed as 'Lloyd Cole Small Ensemble'. The recording of the album was entirely financed by advance purchases by his fans and contributions from Tapete Records, which later distributed the album and also oversaw and negotiated the rights to release a boxed set with his complete collection of B-sides, alternative takes and previously unreleased material, under the title Cleaning Out the Ashtrays.
A further album co-funded by fans, Standards×Standards19 June 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1California Earthquake3:502Women’s Studies4:133Period Piece3:274Myrtle and Rose5:195No Truck2:526Blue Like Mars4:207Opposites Day4:178Silver Lake2:429It’s Late3:1210Kids Today2:5611Diminished Ex4:19, was released in June 2013, and includes contributions from Fred Maher and Matthew Sweet, Blair Cowan (The Commotions) and Joan Wasser (a.k.a. Joan As Police Woman). It was preceded by the single and music video "Period Piece×Period Piece1 January 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Period Piece3:27". Other notable songs on the album were Cole's re-make of John Hartford's "California Earthquake", "Women's Studies" and favourite "Myrtle and Rose". For the first time since 1999's The Collection, Cole appeared on the UK Albums Chart for one week at position 74.
In February 2013 a new album of electronic music by Cole and Hans-Joachim Roedelius was released, called Selected Studies Vol. 1.
In 2016, Cole went on tour with the Leopards to celebrate the release of the Lloyd Cole and the Commotions Collected Recordings 1983–1988 box set. Live album Lloyd Cole and the Leopards – Live at Brooklyn Bowl was released through his website along with several live recordings of shows he performed with his son William on guitar.
In early 2017 the single "Man on the Verge" was released as a taster for the Lloyd Cole in New York – Collected Recordings 1988–1996 box set.

Since 2019: Guesswork and On Pain

Cole's eleventh studio album Guesswork×Guesswork26 July 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1The Over Under7:062Night Sweats6:193Violins6:494Remains5:095The Afterlife4:286Moments and Whatnot4:137When I Came Down From the Mountain4:518The Loudness Wars5:21 was released on 26 July 2019 by earMUSIC. Recorded (mostly) in his attic studio in Massachusetts, Guesswork was produced by Cole and mixed by German producer Olaf Opal, with executive production from Chris Hughes. The record was mastered by Kai Blankenberg at Skyline Tonfabrik in Düsseldorf. The electronic sounding album also featured contributions from, among others, Fred Maher and former Commotions Blair Cowan and Neil Clark. It was preceded by the singles "Violins×Violins21 May 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Violins6:49" and "Night Sweats×Night Sweats21 June 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Night Sweats6:19".
In 2021, Cleaning Out the Ashtrays – the 2009 collection of outtakes, alternative versions of his solo work, and cover versions – was released digitally.
On 30 January 2023, Cole announced his twelfth studio album On Pain×On Pain23 June 2023 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1On Pain4:012Warm by the Fire4:073I Can Hear Everything3:294The Idiot4:175You Are Here Now5:036This Can't Be Happening4:117More of What You Are4:458Wolves7:34 to be released on 23 June 2023: an album featuring eight songs recorded in Cole's attic and produced by Chris Merrick Hughes. Four of the songs are co-written by founding Commotions members Blair Cowan and Neil Clark. It was preceded by the upbeat single and music video "Warm by the Fire". It received 4-star reviews by Uncut, Mojo and AllMusic and it entered the UK Albums Chart at number 23.
The second single "The Idiot×The idiot25 August 2023 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1The idiot (single mix)3:54" – released on 25 August 2023 – is a homage to David Bowie's and Iggy Pop's friendship during their Berlin era in the late 1970s. According to Clashmusic.com, the video for "The Idiot" is a touching vision of love and friendship, shot not in Berlin but in Toronto's legendary Horseshoe Bar.
The first leg of the On Pain Tour started in Newcastle on October 6, 2023 and finished in Amsterdam on November 6. The show consisted of a semi-acoustic part and an electric part, both performed with Commotions co-founders Blair Cowan and Neil Clark, and Icelandic drummer Signy Jakobsdottir.
On 8 December 2023, the Wolves Disco and Boogaloo Remixes single was released, featuring 'Wolves' remixes by Mogwai a.o.

Personal life

Cole married his American wife, Elizabeth Lewis, in December 1989. They live in Easthampton, Massachusetts.

Cover versions

Some of Cole's songs have been covered by other artists. "Rattlesnakes" has been covered by Tori Amos on her concept album Strange Little Girls (2001), while Sandie Shaw released a version of "(Are You) Ready to Be Heartbroken?" in 1986.
In 2006, Scottish indie pop band Camera Obscura released the song "Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken" as an answer song to Cole's 1984 hit "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?".