Biography
Bristol native Nick Sheppard has pursued a guitar-driven path marked by unusual turns from the outset. At age sixteen he joined the Cortinas, a group whose name paid tribute to an iconic, affordable British automobile. The outfit abandoned its initial R&B focus in favor of material drawn from the Nuggets anthology and early punk touchstones such as the New York Dolls and the Stooges. Sheppard later reflected, “In retrospect, I suppose we were very hip. We were listening to the right records, as we were right there at the right time.” Two landmark 1977 singles, “Fascist Dictator” and “Defiant Pose,” appeared on Step Forward, the imprint headed by Miles Copeland, manager of the Police. That exposure secured a CBS contract, yet the buoyant tone of the resulting album True Romances struck longtime followers as tepid, prompting the Cortinas to disband in September 1978.
After a period that took him first to California and then back to Britain, Sheppard found fresh footing when the Clash dismissed Mick Jones in autumn 1983; he and Vince White were chosen to replace the departing guitarist. The reconstituted lineup crisscrossed the United States and Europe between January and May 1984. Recording sessions for what became Cut the Crap began in early 1985. Manager Bernard Rhodes dominated production decisions, and his extensive remixing left many tracks unrecognizable to the musicians who had laid them down. Pete Howard’s powerful drumming was supplanted by the album’s notorious mechanical beat. Despite the surrounding turmoil, the single “This Is England” climbed to number 16 on the British chart just before the group’s collapse. Sheppard recalled sitting in another city and thinking, “There isn’t a band.” The ensuing critical backlash prompted frontman Joe Strummer to dissolve the Clash.
In 1986 Sheppard formed Head with Gareth Sager, formerly of the Pop Group and Rip, Rig & Panic. The trio’s sound leaned toward blues and funk in ways that diverged from Sheppard’s earlier catalog. Although the three albums made little immediate impression, Head has since been recognized as an early influence on the trip-hop movement. Sheppard next teamed with longtime associate Koozie Johns in the band Shot, which secured a deal with IRS in 1991 and briefly counted Miles Copeland as manager; nevertheless, the label never issued the recordings. Viewing the domestic scene as increasingly restrictive, Sheppard relocated to Australia in 1993, where his playing surfaced in outfits bearing such names as Heavy Smoker and the New Egyptian Kings. In July 2002 he was slated to serve as guest guitarist for a Japanese tour by Johns’ project Sinnerstar. Though the dates were ultimately cancelled, the two musicians laid groundwork for future collaboration.
After a period that took him first to California and then back to Britain, Sheppard found fresh footing when the Clash dismissed Mick Jones in autumn 1983; he and Vince White were chosen to replace the departing guitarist. The reconstituted lineup crisscrossed the United States and Europe between January and May 1984. Recording sessions for what became Cut the Crap began in early 1985. Manager Bernard Rhodes dominated production decisions, and his extensive remixing left many tracks unrecognizable to the musicians who had laid them down. Pete Howard’s powerful drumming was supplanted by the album’s notorious mechanical beat. Despite the surrounding turmoil, the single “This Is England” climbed to number 16 on the British chart just before the group’s collapse. Sheppard recalled sitting in another city and thinking, “There isn’t a band.” The ensuing critical backlash prompted frontman Joe Strummer to dissolve the Clash.
In 1986 Sheppard formed Head with Gareth Sager, formerly of the Pop Group and Rip, Rig & Panic. The trio’s sound leaned toward blues and funk in ways that diverged from Sheppard’s earlier catalog. Although the three albums made little immediate impression, Head has since been recognized as an early influence on the trip-hop movement. Sheppard next teamed with longtime associate Koozie Johns in the band Shot, which secured a deal with IRS in 1991 and briefly counted Miles Copeland as manager; nevertheless, the label never issued the recordings. Viewing the domestic scene as increasingly restrictive, Sheppard relocated to Australia in 1993, where his playing surfaced in outfits bearing such names as Heavy Smoker and the New Egyptian Kings. In July 2002 he was slated to serve as guest guitarist for a Japanese tour by Johns’ project Sinnerstar. Though the dates were ultimately cancelled, the two musicians laid groundwork for future collaboration.
Albums