One of the wonders of modern life brought via one’s iPhone is to hear far-flung interviews with one’s favouritest musicians while walking the dog in the middle of nowhere.

Here is Nick Lowe on Chicago radio WBEZ talking wittily about his music and his lifelong aversion to musical earnestness. (He starts at 08.00 or so). Check it out – he is always so positive, articulate and interesting about music with a nicely tuned British self-deprecating edge.

He describes his classic ‘What’s so Funny about Peace, Love and Understanding?‘ as the slightly rueful musing of a washed-up hippy in the amphetamine 1970s, lamenting the loss of idealism. The recording then sank without trace until Elvis Costello revived it in a much angrier style. As Nick relates, it has now been recorded all round the planet. According to Rolling Stone it is the 284th best song of All Time. Praise indeed.

Nick plays a couple of songs on the radio show (video at the link). Asked why he has chosen one of them, he says that it is ‘easy to play!’ Nick – now in his 60s – says that he wants to keep going as long as he stays good and does not embarrass himself.

Here is the man himself:

And as treat the two masters together from an earlier, younger time: