Editing Lloyd Cole (section)

== Career ==
=== 1984–1989: Lloyd Cole and the Commotions ===
The Commotions' debut studio album, ''[[Rattlesnakes (album)|Rattlesnakes]]'' (1984), contained literary and [[popular culture|pop culture]] references to such figures as [[Arthur Lee (musician)|Arthur Lee]], [[Norman Mailer]], [[Grace Kelly]], [[Eva Marie Saint]], [[Simone de Beauvoir]], [[Truman Capote]] and [[Joan Didion]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Simpson|first=Dave|date=2019-10-08|title=Lloyd Cole and the Commotions: how we made Rattlesnakes|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/oct/08/lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions-how-we-made-rattlesnakes|access-date=2021-11-21}}</ref> The band produced two more studio albums, ''[[Easy Pieces]]'' (1985) and ''[[Mainstream (Lloyd Cole album)|Mainstream]]'' (1987), before disbanding in 1989.<ref name="Larkin" />

Songs by the band include "[[Perfect Skin (Lloyd Cole and the Commotions song)|Perfect Skin]]", "[[Rattlesnakes (song)|Rattlesnakes]]", "[[Forest Fire (song)|Forest Fire]]", "[[Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?]]", "[[Lost Weekend (song)|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]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.magicrpm.com/artistes/lloyd-cole/videos/interview-top-4 |title=Magic RPM Lloyd Cole interview |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201820/http://www.magicrpm.com/artistes/lloyd-cole/videos/interview-top-4 |archive-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>

=== 1990–1992: ''Lloyd Cole'' and ''Don't Get Weird on Me Babe'' ===
This solo setting produced two studio albums: ''[[Lloyd Cole (album)|Lloyd Cole]]'' in 1990 – preceded by the single "[[No Blue Skies]]" – and ''[[Don't Get Weird on Me Babe]]'' in 1991.<ref name="Larkin" /> 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 (singer)|Scott Walker]].  While he remained with [[Polydor Records|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]]", "[[Weeping Wine]]" and "[[Butterfly (Lloyd Cole song)|Butterfly]]" were released as singles.

"[[Downtown (Lloyd Cole song)|Downtown]]" (from ''Lloyd Cole'', 1990) was featured in the American psychological thriller film ''[[Bad Influence (1990 film)|Bad Influence]]'' (1990)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://popdose.com/the-popdose-guide-to-lloyd-cole/ | title=The Popdose Guide to Lloyd Cole|website=Popdose.com | date=5 February 2008 }}</ref> – 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]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}

=== 1993–1999: ''Bad Vibes'', ''Love Story'' and ''The Collection'' ===
{{BLP sources section|date=November 2021}}
Cole recorded ''[[Bad Vibes (Lloyd Cole album)|Bad Vibes]]'' in 1993,<ref name="Larkin" /> a collaboration with producer and [[remix]]er Adam Peters, using a harder sound. "[[So You'd Like to Save the World]]" and "[[Morning Is Broken]]" were released as singles.

''[[Love Story (Lloyd Cole album)|Love Story]]'' (1995) was recorded with the help of [[Stephen Street]] (who has worked with [[Blur (band)|Blur]] and [[the Smiths]]) and former Commotion [[Neil Clark (musician)|Neil Clark]]. It produced a minor hit with the song "[[Like Lovers Do (Lloyd Cole song)|Like Lovers Do]]", 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/509995/lloyd-cole-jill-sobule-out-to-prove-two-negatives-make-a-positive/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513152351/http://www.mtv.com/news/509995/lloyd-cole-jill-sobule-out-to-prove-two-negatives-make-a-positive/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 May 2018 |title=Lloyd Cole, Jill Sobule Out To Prove Two Negatives Make A Positive |access-date=21 July 2015 |work=MTV News |first=Teri |last=Vanhorn |date=7 December 1998}}</ref> 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.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

He has since released solo albums on smaller [[Independent record label|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 (computer)|Mac]]), the songs had a stark, [[Folk music|folk]]-inspired singer-songwriter style.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} The album was released in the US by the [[One Little Independent Records|One Little Indian]] label, which also collected a number of [[outtake]]s (recorded from 1996 to 2000) on 2002's ''Etc.'' and released an instrumental [[Ambient music|ambient]] [[electronica]] album, ''Plastic Wood'', the same year. It featured new versions of [[Nick Cave]]'s "People Ain't No Good" and his own "No More Love Songs".{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

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.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}} The reformation was never intended to be permanent,{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} and Cole released another solo studio album in 2006, ''Antidepressant'', 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lloydcole.com/weblog/index.php?p=1251&c=1 |title=Lloyd Cole weblog|website=Lloyd.com|access-date=15 October 2019}}</ref>

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 "[[New Skin for the Old Ceremony|Chelsea Hotel #2]]", [[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]]'s "[[Children of the Revolution (song)|The Children of the Revolution]]" and [[Kris Kristofferson]]'s "[[For the Good Times (song)|For the Good Times]]", which he recorded with [[Jill Sobule]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lloydcole.com/album/cleaning-out-the-ashtrays/|title=Cleaning Out The Ashtrays|date=30 January 2009|website=Lloydcole.com|access-date=9 November 2023}}</ref>

=== 2010–2018: ''Broken Record'', ''Standards'' and ''Selected Studies Vol. 1'' ===
{{BLP sources section|date=November 2021}}
''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 (musician)|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 [[A-side and B-side|B-sides]], alternative takes and previously unreleased material, under the title ''Cleaning Out the Ashtrays''.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

A further album co-funded by fans, ''[[Standards (Lloyd Cole album)|Standards]]'', was released in June 2013, and includes contributions from Fred Maher and [[Matthew Sweet]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lloydcole.com/weblog/index.php?p=6565&c=1|title=Lloyd Cole weblog|website=Lloyd.com|access-date=15 October 2019}}</ref> 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". 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20130630/7502/|title=Official Album Chart Top 100|date=30 June 2013|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=27 May 2023}}</ref>

In February 2013 a new album of electronic music by Cole and [[Hans-Joachim Roedelius]] was released, called ''Selected Studies Vol. 1''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.de/Selected-Studies-Vol-1-Roedelius-Hans-Joachim/dp/B00AHN0FJG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355473114&sr=8-1|title=Selected Studies Vol.1|date=22 February 2013|website=Amazon.de|access-date=15 October 2019}}</ref>

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.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}} 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.

=== 2019–present: ''Guesswork'' and ''On Pain'' ===
Cole's eleventh studio album ''[[Guesswork (album)|Guesswork]]'' 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 (musician)|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 (musician)|Blair Cowan]] and [[Neil Clark (musician)|Neil Clark]]. It was preceded by the singles "Violins" and "Night Sweats".

In 2021, ''Cleaning Out the Ashtrays'' – the 2009 collection of outtakes, alternative versions of his solo work, and cover versions – was released digitally.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

On 30 January 2023, Cole announced his twelfth studio album ''[[On Pain]]'' 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 (magazine)|Uncut]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/lloyd-cole-on-pain-142891/ |title=Lloyd Cole - on Pain |website=Uncut.co.uk |date=23 June 2023}}</ref> ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'' and [[AllMusic]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-pain-mw0003974984 |title=Lloyd Cole - on Pain Album Reviews, Songs & More |publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> and it entered the UK Albums Chart at number 23.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/lloyd-cole-on-pain/|title=ON PAIN |date=6 July 2023|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=9 November 2023}}</ref>

The second single "The Idiot" – 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/bowie-posthumous-the-idiot-whyteleafe/ |title=Bowie Posthumous: The Idiot, Whyteleafe |website=Bowiesongs.wordpress.com |date=27 July 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/lloyd-coles-the-idiot-nods-to-the-transformative-powers-of-berlin/ |title=Lloyd Cole's 'The Idiot' Nods to the Transformative Powers of Berlin |website=Clashmusic.com |date=24 August 2023}}</ref>

The first leg of the On Pain Tour started in Newcastle on October 6, 2023 and finished in Amsterdam on November 6.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lloydcole.com/live/|title=Live|date=5 March 2013|website=Lloydcole.com|access-date=31 January 2025}}</ref> 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.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

On 8 December 2023, the ''Wolves Disco and Boogaloo Remixes'' single was released, featuring 'Wolves' remixes by [[Mogwai]] a.o.{{cn|date=March 2025}}