Melody Maker, June 25, 1977: Difference between revisions
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{{:Melody Maker index}} | {{:Melody Maker index}} | ||
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<center><h3> The Elvis interview </h3> | <center><h3> The Elvis (Costello, that is) interview </h3></center> | ||
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<center> Allan Jones </center> | <center> Allan Jones </center> | ||
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"Let's talk about the future now, we'll put the past away." <br> | '''"Let's talk about the future now, we'll put the past away." <br> | ||
{{m}}{{m}}{{m}}{{m}}{{m}}{{m}}{{m}}{{m}} '''''— Elvis Costello, "Less Than Zero." | |||
{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
Elvis Costello was emphatic: he would volunteer no information about his past. "I ''don't''," he said, adjusting his shades impatiently, "really think that the past — ''my past'' — is all that interesting. | Elvis Costello was emphatic: he would volunteer no information about his past. "I ''don't''," he said, adjusting his shades impatiently, "really think that the past — ''my past'' — is all that interesting. | ||
"I don't see any point in talking about the past. I ''don't'' want to get into that. I mean, I haven't just learned the guitar in the last ten minutes, but I'm ''not'' going to get talking about what I've done in the past. | "I don't see any point in talking about the past. I ''don't'' want to get into that. I mean, I haven't just learned the guitar in the last ten minutes, but I'm ''not'' going to get talking about what I've done in the past. | ||
"Nobody showed any interest in me ''then''. If you weren't there, you missed it and that's it. It's gone. The people who ''were'' there then either appreciated it or they didn't. The past would only be relevant to them. As far as I'm concerned, it's pointless talking about the past. | "Nobody showed any interest in me ''then''. If you weren't there, you missed it and that's it. It's gone. The people who ''were'' there then either appreciated it or they didn't. The past would only be relevant to them. As far as I'm concerned, it's pointless talking about the past. Fuck it. I'd just rather talk about the ''future'', you know." | ||
There. I told you he was emphatic didn't I? | There. I told you he was emphatic didn't I? | ||
Elvis Costello and I are bickering this | Elvis Costello and I are bickering this sun-drenched Tuesday afternoon in an office above Stiff Records' London HQ because I had, accidentally, seen and been enthralled by his performance a week earlier at the Nashville Rooms. | ||
Friday, [[Concert 1977-05-27 London|May 27]], it was: I'd tubed over to West Kensington to catch | Friday, [[Concert 1977-05-27 London|May 27]], it was: I'd tubed over to West Kensington to catch the Rumour that night. The presence, at the bar of the Nashville, of Stiff executive Jake Riviera, accompanied by an assorted crew of Stiff hirelings and lackeys, seemed, initially, to be of no profound consequence. | ||
There exist, after all, several connections between Stiff, Graham Parker and the Rumour; and, anyway, Jake ain't the kind of cat who'd miss out on a decent lig should one appear on the horizon as it had that evening. | There exist, after all, several connections between Stiff, Graham Parker and the Rumour; and, anyway, Jake ain't the kind of cat who'd miss out on a decent lig should one appear on the horizon as it had that evening. | ||
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Elvis Costello, let me tell you, bowled me out of my breeches that night. | Elvis Costello, let me tell you, bowled me out of my breeches that night. | ||
Why, I even swore that if a platter containing such Costello meisterwerks as "(The Angels Wanna Wear) | Why, I even [[Melody Maker, June 4, 1977|swore]] that if a platter containing such Costello meisterwerks as "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," "Mystery Dance," "I'm Not Angry" and "Waiting For The End Of The World," was not in the vicinity of my Dansette turntable by the end of the month I'd be around to Stiff looking for the head of Jake Riviera. | ||
The fact that Jake's head remains unsevered would suggest that the platter for which I yearned has been delivered: and so it has, to my immense delight. Trouble is that Stiff, after falling out with Island, are without a distribution organisation. El's album has been temporarily suspended — it was originally due for release this very week, actually. Fear not, however. It will be with you soon: in the meantime, I thought I'd bring you a despatch from the Elvis Costello front... | The fact that Jake's head remains unsevered would suggest that the platter for which I yearned has been delivered: and so it has, to my immense delight. Trouble is that Stiff, after falling out with Island, are without a distribution organisation. El's album has been temporarily suspended — it was originally due for release this very week, actually. Fear not, however. It will be with you soon: in the meantime, I thought I'd bring you a despatch from the Elvis Costello front... | ||
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Costello may deal principally with themes familiar in rock — the majority in fact, are concerned with fiercely detailed accounts of romantic encounters and failures — but he introduces a ruthless honesty to these themes and invests his observations and scenarios with perceptive insights and astonishingly vivid images. | Costello may deal principally with themes familiar in rock — the majority in fact, are concerned with fiercely detailed accounts of romantic encounters and failures — but he introduces a ruthless honesty to these themes and invests his observations and scenarios with perceptive insights and astonishingly vivid images. | ||
The insecurities and infidelities of relationships, adolescent attempts to attain a personal identity and independence, are examined with sensitive compassion and wit often quite acerbic, but equally as often, as on the classic "Alison," with an exquisite tenderness. | The insecurities and infidelities of relationships, adolescent attempts to attain a personal identity and independence, are examined with sensitive compassion and wit (often quite acerbic, but equally as often, as on the classic "Alison," with an exquisite tenderness). | ||
Always, Costello retains his originality as a lyricist: he avoids conclusively the obvious and tiresome teendream preoccupations of comparative writers like Nils Lofgren (the midget Yank's recent work, at least), Elliott Murphy and Springsteen. | Always, Costello retains his originality as a lyricist: he avoids conclusively the obvious and tiresome teendream preoccupations of comparative writers like Nils Lofgren (the midget Yank's recent work, at least), Elliott Murphy and Springsteen. | ||
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"This influence stuff," says Costello, when several of the aforementioned musicians are mentioned, "is really irritating, 'cos people are always trying to pin you down to sounding like somebody else. I appreciate the comparison you drew with Graham Parker. I suppose that it's because he's currently maybe the only person that's doing anything like me. | "This influence stuff," says Costello, when several of the aforementioned musicians are mentioned, "is really irritating, 'cos people are always trying to pin you down to sounding like somebody else. I appreciate the comparison you drew with Graham Parker. I suppose that it's because he's currently maybe the only person that's doing anything like me. | ||
"If there's a general musical area that he's working in, then I accept that I'm working in a similar area and the comparison is validly drawn. And I'd rather be compared to Graham Parker than Tom Jones. If someone came along and said that I sounded like John Denver then I'd | "If there's a general musical area that he's working in, then I accept that I'm working in a similar area and the comparison is validly drawn. And I'd rather be compared to Graham Parker than Tom Jones. If someone came along and said that I sounded like John Denver then I'd fucking worry. It's better to be compared to somebody good; but it still doesn't mean that I sit at home trying to think of ways to re-write songs from ''Heat Treatment''. | ||
"Anyway, if I'd had a record out before Graham Parker, it would all be reversed ... 'cos, you know, the people who're saying that I sound like Graham Parker are the same people who said that Graham Parker sounded like Bruce Springsteen, who are the same people who said that Bruce Springsteen sounded like Van Morrison, who are the same people who said that Van Morrison sounded the same as Bobby Bland or whoever. You know, the people who NEVER listen to the | "Anyway, if I'd had a record out before Graham Parker, it would all be reversed ... 'cos, you know, the people who're saying that I sound like Graham Parker are the same people who said that Graham Parker sounded like Bruce Springsteen, who are the same people who said that Bruce Springsteen sounded like Van Morrison, who are the same people who said that Van Morrison sounded the same as Bobby Bland or whoever. You know, the people who NEVER listen to the fucking music." | ||
The prospect of being compared to Springsteen, whose panavision scenarios — replete with so much obvious romantic, rock-mythology imagery of a kind quite antithetical to Costello's writing — fills Elvis with anguish and dread. | The prospect of being compared to Springsteen, whose panavision scenarios — replete with so much obvious romantic, rock-mythology imagery of a kind quite antithetical to Costello's writing — fills Elvis with anguish and dread. | ||
"Springsteen always romanticising the | "Springsteen always romanticising the fucking street," he complains, with no little justification. "I'm bored with people who romanticise the fucking street. The street isn't fucking attractive. I mean, I don't pretend to live in the heart of one of the worst areas of the world, right. | ||
"I live near Hounslow. It's a very ''boring'' area. It's a terrible place. Awful. Nowhere. Nothing happens. | "I live near Hounslow. It's a very ''boring'' area. It's a terrible place. Awful. Nowhere. Nothing happens. | ||
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"There's nothing exciting or glamorous or romantic about it. | "There's nothing exciting or glamorous or romantic about it. | ||
"There's nothing glamorous or romantic about the world at the moment. There is no place for glamour or romance. Romance, in the old pop song sense, has gone right out of the | "There's nothing glamorous or romantic about the world at the moment. There is no place for glamour or romance. Romance, in the old pop song sense, has gone right out of the fucking window for the moment. Nobody's got the time or the money. It's gone beyond all that. But, please remember, I don't sit around wondering how people see the world, or how ''they'' feel about things. | ||
"I don't attempt to express ''their'' feelings. I only write about the way ''I'' feel. I mean, I'm not arbitrator of public taste or opinion. I don't have a following of people who are waiting for my next word. I hope I ''never'' have that kind of following. People should be waiting for their ''own'' next word. Not'' mine''." | "I don't attempt to express ''their'' feelings. I only write about the way ''I'' feel. I mean, I'm not arbitrator of public taste or opinion. I don't have a following of people who are waiting for my next word. I hope I ''never'' have that kind of following. People should be waiting for their ''own'' next word. Not'' mine''." | ||
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"There was no phenomenal advance," he laughs. "They've bought me an amp and a tape recorder. I'm glad that they're not subsidising me to any greater extent. I don't want to be put on a retainer and spend my time ligging around record company offices like a lot of other musicians. | "There was no phenomenal advance," he laughs. "They've bought me an amp and a tape recorder. I'm glad that they're not subsidising me to any greater extent. I don't want to be put on a retainer and spend my time ligging around record company offices like a lot of other musicians. | ||
"I don't want any charity. I want to be out gigging, earning money. I don't want anything for nothing. I'm not askin anybody for their | "I don't want any charity. I want to be out gigging, earning money. I don't want anything for nothing. I'm not askin anybody for their fucking charity. I went to a lot of record companies before I came to Stiff. Major record companies. And I never asked them for charity. I didn't go in with any servile attitude. | ||
"I didn't go in and say, 'Look, I've got these songs and, well, with a bit of patching up and a good producer I might make a good record.' I went in and said, 'I've got some great | "I didn't go in and say, 'Look, I've got these songs and, well, with a bit of patching up and a good producer I might make a good record.' I went in and said, 'I've got some great fucking songs, record them and release them.' Stiff were the only ones that showed that kind of faith in me. | ||
"They let me ''do'' it. I'm still working, right. I'll only give up the job when I start working with a band." | "They let me ''do'' it. I'm still working, right. I'll only give up the job when I start working with a band." | ||
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"The people who were directly involved with the album know who they are," El explains, "and they're not the kind of people who'd be worried about credits and namechecks. Equally, the people who were instrumental in stopping me from recording before know who they were, and I wanted to remind them that I hadn't forgotten them. | "The people who were directly involved with the album know who they are," El explains, "and they're not the kind of people who'd be worried about credits and namechecks. Equally, the people who were instrumental in stopping me from recording before know who they were, and I wanted to remind them that I hadn't forgotten them. | ||
"Like, I went around for nearly a year with demo tapes before I came to Stiff, and it was always the same response. 'We can't hear the words.' 'It isn't commercial enough.' 'There aren't any singles.' Idiots. Those tapes were just voice and guitar demos. I didn't have enough money to do | "Like, I went around for nearly a year with demo tapes before I came to Stiff, and it was always the same response. 'We can't hear the words.' 'It isn't commercial enough.' 'There aren't any singles.' Idiots. Those tapes were just voice and guitar demos. I didn't have enough money to do anything with a band. It was just a lack of imagination on the part of those people at the record companies. I felt as if I was bashing my head against a brick wall, those people just weren't prepared to listen to the songs. | ||
"It's a terrible position to be in. You start thinking you're mad. You listen to the radio and you watch the TV and you hear a lot of | "It's a terrible position to be in. You start thinking you're mad. You listen to the radio and you watch the TV and you hear a lot of fucking rubbish. You very rarely turn on the radio or TV and hear anything exciting, right? And, all the time, you know that you're capable of producing something infinitely better. | ||
"But I never lost faith. I'm convinced in my own talent, yeah. Like I said, I wasn't going up to these people meekly and saying, 'Look, with your help and a bit of polishing up, and with all your expertise and knowledge of the world of music we might have a moderate success on our hands.' | "But I never lost faith. I'm convinced in my own talent, yeah. Like I said, I wasn't going up to these people meekly and saying, 'Look, with your help and a bit of polishing up, and with all your expertise and knowledge of the world of music we might have a moderate success on our hands.' | ||
"I was going in thinking: 'You're a bunch of | "I was going in thinking: 'You're a bunch of fucking idiots who don't know what you're doing. I'm bringing you a lot of good songs, why don't you go ahead and fucking well record them.' They didn't seem to understand that kind of approach. | ||
"No, it didn't make me bitter. I was ''already'' bitter. I knew what it would be like. I had no illusions. I have no illusions at all about the music business. It was no sudden shock to be confronted by these idiots. I didn't ever think that I was going to walk into a record company to meet all these fat guys smoking big cigars who'd say something like, 'Stick with me son. I'll make you a STAR.' | "No, it didn't make me bitter. I was ''already'' bitter. I knew what it would be like. I had no illusions. I have no illusions at all about the music business. It was no sudden shock to be confronted by these idiots. I didn't ever think that I was going to walk into a record company to meet all these fat guys smoking big cigars who'd say something like, 'Stick with me son. I'll make you a STAR.' | ||
"I'm not starry-eyed in the slightest. You can tell what all these people are like instinctively. You just have to look at them to tell that they're | "I'm not starry-eyed in the slightest. You can tell what all these people are like instinctively. You just have to look at them to tell that they're fucking idiots. But, I don't want to come off sounding like I'm obsessed with the music business. | ||
"I couldn't give a | "I couldn't give a shit about the music business. They just don't know anything. That's all you've got to remember. They're irrelevant. I don't give any thought to any of those people. They're not worth my time." | ||
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Elvis just says he felt inspired and excited. The hits just kept on coming (''My Aim Is True'', incidentally, is the first album I've heard for ages that sounds as if it is essentially a collection of Top Ten singles), as it were. | Elvis just says he felt inspired and excited. The hits just kept on coming (''My Aim Is True'', incidentally, is the first album I've heard for ages that sounds as if it is essentially a collection of Top Ten singles), as it were. | ||
"I just love the sound of the album," Elvis enthuses. "'Cos I love things that sound great on the radio. 'Less Than Zero,' I thought sounded great on the radio. The record isn't for people with | "I just love the sound of the album," Elvis enthuses. "'Cos I love things that sound great on the radio. 'Less Than Zero,' I thought sounded great on the radio. The record isn't for people with fucking great hi-fis. I'm not interested in those people, or ''that'' kind of mentality. I don't want my records to be used to demonstrate fucking stereos in Lasky's. I just want people to ''listen'' to the fucking music. | ||
"I don't want to be successful so that I can get a lot of money and retire to a house in the | "I don't want to be successful so that I can get a lot of money and retire to a house in the fucking country. I don't want any of that rock 'n' roll rubbish. I don't want to go cruising in Hollywood or hang out at all the star parties. I'm not interested in any of that. It's the arse end of rock 'n' roll. I'm just interested in playing. | ||
"I want to put a band together as soon as possible and get out on the | "I want to put a band together as soon as possible and get out on the fucking road. We're auditioning people this week. We're looking for young people. People that want to get out and play. Putting a band together is the most important thing at the moment. | ||
"I think it might be difficult getting the right kind of people and I can imagine us wading through a right bunch of idiots. The group sound I want will be a lot sparser than the album sound. I just want bass, drum, guitar — my guitar — and for keyboards we'll probably go for a Vox or Farfisa sound. | "I think it might be difficult getting the right kind of people and I can imagine us wading through a right bunch of idiots. The group sound I want will be a lot sparser than the album sound. I just want bass, drum, guitar — my guitar — and for keyboards we'll probably go for a Vox or Farfisa sound. | ||
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"I want to get away from the conventional group sound. I'd say that I want a kind of pop group line-up, but people might take that as something lightweight or trivial. But it ''will'' be a pop line-up in the sense that it won't be a ''rock'' band. | "I want to get away from the conventional group sound. I'd say that I want a kind of pop group line-up, but people might take that as something lightweight or trivial. But it ''will'' be a pop line-up in the sense that it won't be a ''rock'' band. | ||
"I hate hard-rock bands. I hate anything with | "I hate hard-rock bands. I hate anything with fucking extended solos or bands that are concerned with any kind of instrumental virtuosity. I can listen to maybe 15 seconds of someone like the Crusaders, say, before I get very bored. I know how good they are because everybody keeps telling me how fucking marvellous they are. But I get bored. | ||
"There are going to be no | "There are going to be no fucking soloists in my band. The songs are the most important thing. I want the songs to mean something to people. I don't mean by that that I want them to be significant. It's just that too much rock has cut itself off from people. It's become like ballet or something. Ballet is only for people who can afford to go and see it. It's not for anybody else. You don't get ballet going on in your local pub. | ||
"There's a lot of rock music that's become exclusive and it's of no use to anyone. Least of all me. Music has to get to people. In the heart, in the head. I don't care where, as long as it | "There's a lot of rock music that's become exclusive and it's of no use to anyone. Least of all me. Music has to get to people. In the heart, in the head. I don't care where, as long as it fucking gets them. So much music gets thrown away. It's such a fucking waste. | ||
"That's why I like and write short songs. It's a discipline. There's no disguise. You can't cover up songs like that by dragging banks of | "That's why I like and write short songs. It's a discipline. There's no disguise. You can't cover up songs like that by dragging banks of fucking synthesizers and choirs of angels. They have to stand up on their own. With none of that nonsense. ''Songs'' are just so fucking effective. People seem to have forgotten that. | ||
"Like, people used to live their lives by songs. They were like calendars or diaries. And they were ''pop'' songs. Not elaborate | "Like, people used to live their lives by songs. They were like calendars or diaries. And they were ''pop'' songs. Not elaborate fucking pieces of music. You wouldn't say, like, 'Yeah, that's the time I went out with Janet, we went to see the LSO playing Mozart.' You'd remember you went out with Janet because they were playing 'Summer In The City' on the radio." | ||
You will have gathered by now that Elvis is committed to success: he's not, however, altogether sure when that success will be achieved. | You will have gathered by now that Elvis is committed to success: he's not, however, altogether sure when that success will be achieved. | ||
"There are lot of people," he says, "who ''should'' be successful. If ability had anything to do with success then there would be a whole lot of obscure people who'd be famous and there would be a whole lot of famous people who'd be lingering in obscurity." | "There <!-- are lot --> are a lot of people," he says, "who ''should'' be successful. If ability had anything to do with success then there would be a whole lot of obscure people who'd be famous and there would be a whole lot of famous people who'd be lingering in obscurity." | ||
Was there anyone, I wondered, that he would like to see becoming famous? "Yeah," he replied. "''Me''." | Was there anyone, I wondered, that he would like to see becoming famous? "Yeah," he replied. "''Me''." | ||
{{cx}} | |||
{{tags}}[[Concert 1977-05-27 London|Nashville Rooms]] {{-}} [[The Rumour]] {{-}} [[Stiff Records]] {{-}} [[Jake Riviera]] {{-}} [[Graham Parker]] {{-}} [[Less Than Zero]] {{-}} [[Alison]] {{-}} [[Melody Maker, June 4, 1977|Melody Maker]] {{-}} [[(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes]] {{-}} [[Mystery Dance]] {{-}} [[I'm Not Angry]] {{-}} [[Waiting For The End Of The World]] {{-}} [[The Beatles]] {{-}} [[Georgie Fame]] {{-}} [[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[Nils Lofgren]] {{-}} [[Bruce Springsteen]] {{-}} [[Graham Parker]] {{-}} [[Van Morrison]] {{-}} [[Nick Lowe]] {{-}} [[Bobby Bland]] {{-}} [[Dave Robinson]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1977-06-25 Melody Maker page 14.jpg| | [[image:1977-06-25 Melody Maker page 14.jpg|370px]] | ||
<br><small>Page scan.</small> | <br><small>Page scan.</small> | ||
<small>Photo by Daniel Driscol.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1977-06-25 Melody Maker photo 01 dd.jpg| | <small>Photo by [[Daniel Driscol]].</small><br> | ||
[[image:1977-06-25 Melody Maker photo 01 dd.jpg|320px]] | |||
[[image:1977-06-25 Melody Maker cover.jpg|x120px | <small>Cover.</small><br> | ||
[[image:1977-06-25 Melody Maker cover.jpg|x120px]] | |||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Latest revision as of 21:41, 2 September 2023
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