New Musical Express, March 25, 1978: Difference between revisions
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First time round we'd met some hours before a live taping of a Nicky Horne show for London's Capital Radio wherein Elvis would take over an hour of airtime to play some of his favourite tracks. At an Indian restaurant immediately preceding the taping, Costello seemed in fine spirits, leaping from topic to topic enthusiastically. | First time round we'd met some hours before a live taping of a Nicky Horne show for London's Capital Radio wherein Elvis would take over an hour of airtime to play some of his favourite tracks. At an Indian restaurant immediately preceding the taping, Costello seemed in fine spirits, leaping from topic to topic enthusiastically. | ||
In the three hours of all-purpose casual reacquaintance-ship Elvis went into lavish detail about his songwriting plans — particularly his aspirations for other favourite singers as diverse as George Jones, Dusty Springfield and Ian Dury to record particular songs of his (he wanted Jones to record "Stranger In The House," Dury to do a new song, "Sunday's Best"). He also blithely ran through a list of non-originals he himself was toying with the idea of recording. Like, for instance, Marc Bolan's "Jeepster" and | In the three hours of all-purpose casual reacquaintance-ship Elvis went into lavish detail about his songwriting plans — particularly his aspirations for other favourite singers as diverse as George Jones, Dusty Springfield and Ian Dury to record particular songs of his (he wanted Jones to record "Stranger In The House," Dury to do a new song, "Sunday's Best"). He also blithely ran through a list of non-originals he himself was toying with the idea of recording. Like, for instance, Marc Bolan's "Jeepster" and ABBA's "Knowing Me, Knowing You." Costello has already performed songs like Richard Hell's "Love Comes In Spurts," The Damned's "Neat, Neat, Neat," John Sebastian's "Six O'Clock," Bacharach-David's "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself," while Ian Dury's "Roadette Song" has become practically a staple item of each and every Attractions' set. | ||
Then there are the old songs he's rewritten — a new "Less Than Zero" which he's changed strictly for American audiences substituting Lee Harvey Oswald for Oswald Mosley as the song's lynch-pin — not to mention his amiable recollection of Nick Lowe's underhand swiping of the title "Little Hitler" which Costello initially intended as the title for ''Model''. | Then there are the old songs he's rewritten — a new "Less Than Zero" which he's changed strictly for American audiences substituting Lee Harvey Oswald for Oswald Mosley as the song's lynch-pin — not to mention his amiable recollection of Nick Lowe's underhand swiping of the title "Little Hitler" which Costello initially intended as the title for ''Model''. | ||
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Finally that evening came the Nicky Horne hour. Costello was initially undermined with nerves, producing a steady ingestion of wine and chain smoking. Once fortified however, he tended to overproject at times, providing the Costello watcher with intriguing glimpses mainly in the choice of records (the Dylan track "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" for example: he later confided that a year ago he would never have dared openly choose a Dylan song, fearing that such a ploy would have been interpreted then as the young songwriter bowing to an overbearing influence) but also coming on a little too brash at certain junctures, principally when asked by Horne about the generally super-positive reaction via reviews and such that he'd been granted while touring the States. | Finally that evening came the Nicky Horne hour. Costello was initially undermined with nerves, producing a steady ingestion of wine and chain smoking. Once fortified however, he tended to overproject at times, providing the Costello watcher with intriguing glimpses mainly in the choice of records (the Dylan track "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window" for example: he later confided that a year ago he would never have dared openly choose a Dylan song, fearing that such a ploy would have been interpreted ''then'' as the young songwriter bowing to an overbearing influence) but also coming on a little too brash at certain junctures, principally when asked by Horne about the generally super-positive reaction via reviews and such that he'd been granted while touring the States. | ||
He claimed widely that, "Well of course, Americans have never produced one decent home-grown rock | He claimed widely that, "Well of course, Americans have never produced one decent home-grown rock 'n' roll band, so when they're confronted with the real thing they tend to get a little over excited." In the sheer brashness of that statement (which was immediately undermined when Elvis next chose a Richard Hell and The Voidoids track as a fave pick) seemed to lay an essential quality of Costello when psyched up to confront the media. It manifested itself in a need to go to sometimes near-ludicrous extremities in order to make a stand, in order to ''project'', dead against the grain of his professions' over-weening blandness. | ||
Nine months before our ultimate showdown interview, which eventually took place last Tuesday immediately after the ''TOTP'' taping, Costello and I had got together for our first ever meeting/interview. Due to numerous | Nine months before our ultimate showdown interview, which eventually took place last Tuesday immediately after the ''TOTP'' taping, Costello and I had got together for our first ever meeting/interview. Due to numerous unforeseen circumstances, this was an event that came to land Costello with an image as a true extremist — "Mr. Revenge and Guilt" in effect — that was reverberated throughout virtually very subsequent piece written on the man, particularly those penned for the American market where Costello, having toured twice, has given only two very curt interviews. | ||
The ''TOTP'' interview then was convened by yours truly in order to find out, amongst innumerable other angles, whether the extremities of Elvis' statements during our first encounter had become something of an albatross around his neck. | The ''TOTP'' interview then was convened by yours truly in order to find out, amongst innumerable other angles, whether the extremities of Elvis' statements during our first encounter had become something of an albatross around his neck. | ||
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Bassist Bruce Thomas was more of an outsider, though his credentials are arguably the strongest of all Attraction members. A former Quiver then Sutherland Bros/Quiver bassist, be became disillusioned with the Sutherlands connection and split in a none too amicable fashion. | Bassist Bruce Thomas was more of an outsider, though his credentials are arguably the strongest of all Attraction members. A former Quiver then Sutherland Bros/Quiver bassist, be became disillusioned with the Sutherlands connection and split in a none too amicable fashion. | ||
After that came a doomed one-off affiliation, name of Moonrider which got nowhere fast, and plenty of session work. "I've always wanted to be a member of ... y'know ... the group, the greatest band." | After that came a doomed one-off affiliation, name of Moonrider which got nowhere fast, and plenty of session work. "I've always wanted to be a member of ... y'know ... ''the'' group, the greatest band." | ||
He'd heard "Less Than Zero" when the Elvis gig came up via an [[Melody Maker, June 4, 1977|ad]] in the trades calling for members of a "pop combo" to apply to Stiff. When he came on the phone, Costello himself asked what other bands Bruce was into. "I replied that I liked Graham Parker and a couple of Steely Dan albums. Elvis immediately said "Forget it." Someone else though, who'd heard of Thomas' reputation persisted and an audition was arranged. Thomas, meanwhile, had secured the ''Aim'' album and worked out all the songs in advance. That, plus the fact that drummer Pete Thomas had always rated him, clinched it. | He'd heard "Less Than Zero" when the Elvis gig came up via an [[Melody Maker, June 4, 1977|ad]] in the trades calling for members of a "pop combo" to apply to Stiff. When he came on the phone, Costello himself asked what other bands Bruce was into. "I replied that I liked Graham Parker and a couple of Steely Dan albums. Elvis immediately said "Forget it." Someone else though, who'd heard of Thomas' reputation persisted and an audition was arranged. Thomas, meanwhile, had secured the ''Aim'' album and worked out all the songs in advance. That, plus the fact that drummer Pete Thomas had always rated him, clinched it. | ||
Keyboardist Steve Naive was the last to become an attraction. More to the point, he's easily the weirdest guy I've ever, ever interviewed, almost languishing in his reputation as innocent young cove. | Keyboardist Steve Naive was the last to become an attraction. More to the point, he's easily the weirdest guy I've ever, ''ever'' interviewed, almost languishing in his reputation as innocent young cove. | ||
"I really don't understand," he rails out, blissfully unaware of the ridiculousness of each contention he makes, "why we're not as big as the Bay City Rollers! I mean, it seems very slow, this pop business thing." | "I really don't understand," he rails out, blissfully unaware of the ridiculousness of each contention he makes, "why we're not as big as the Bay City Rollers! I mean, it seems very slow, this pop business thing." | ||
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Asked if he joined Costello in order to become a part of the next Bay City Rollers, he blithely retorts, "Yeah, of course." He's the only member with no prior experience in rock, coming instead straight from the Royal College of Music where he was studying composition. He stuck around long enough to take the exams but it was by the end of the Stiffs tour that he learnt that he'd failed. | Asked if he joined Costello in order to become a part of the next Bay City Rollers, he blithely retorts, "Yeah, of course." He's the only member with no prior experience in rock, coming instead straight from the Royal College of Music where he was studying composition. He stuck around long enough to take the exams but it was by the end of the Stiffs tour that he learnt that he'd failed. | ||
Meanwhile, he claims agreeably that he's never even heard Garth Hudson or Ray Manzarek — "or the Mysterons, either" as he insists on calling | Meanwhile, he claims agreeably that he's never even heard Garth Hudson or Ray Manzarek — "or the Mysterons, either" as he insists on calling Question Mark & the Mysterians. | ||
"The only rock albums I ever owned were by T. Rex and Alice Cooper. The only concert I ever saw was by Alice Cooper. That was great, that was." | "The only rock albums I ever owned were by T. Rex and Alice Cooper. The only concert I ever saw was by Alice Cooper. That was great, that was." | ||
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''So | ''So let's talk about individual songs on ''Model''. Like, I think one critic called you a misogynist because of "This Year's Girl." | ||
Right, which is ridiculous because "This Year's Girl," if anything, is like a female "Miracle Man" in that they both deal with inadequacy — with humour, I believe. Like, "This Year's Girl" is not one girl — it's a song for and about all the girls who desperately follow this year's trends; the Biba girls or Fiorucci or whatever. And I'm not castigating them personally for swallowing that myth. In fact it's almost compassionate in a way. If it's an attack, it's an attack on the idea, or the notion. | Right, which is ridiculous because "This Year's Girl," if anything, is like a female "Miracle Man" in that they both deal with inadequacy — with humour, I believe. Like, "This Year's Girl" is not one girl — it's a song for and about all the girls who desperately follow this year's trends; the Biba girls or Fiorucci or whatever. And I'm not castigating them personally for swallowing that myth. In fact it's almost compassionate in a way. If it's an attack, it's an attack on the idea, or the notion. | ||
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So the song is totally given over to stating someone else's feelings with just the slightest tinge of ... not "fear" but y'know ... yeah, that could just about be me, y'know. | So the song is totally given over to stating someone else's feelings with just the slightest tinge of ... not "fear" but y'know ... yeah, that could just about be me, y'know. | ||
That's actually a proven example of what I meant when I spoke earlier about using other people as mouthpieces. It may one day totally get like that ... when I'm writing totally impersonal songs. See, I just can't carry on doing ... y'know, "more revenge." It'd be like The Clash singing "White Riot '78" or something . . | That's actually a proven example of what I meant when I spoke earlier about using other people as mouthpieces. It may one day totally get like that ... when I'm writing totally impersonal songs. See, I just can't carry on doing ... y'know, "more revenge." It'd be like The Clash singing "White Riot '78" or something... | ||
''How do you see these songs then as opposed to the previous collection on ''My Aim Is True''? | ''How do you see these songs then as opposed to the previous collection on ''My Aim Is True''? | ||
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''Ah yes, "Alison ." That strikes me very much as a key song for you because it's the nearest you've ever got to a direct manifestation of 'tenderness' though, at the same time, you're recoiling from exactly that feeling. | ''Ah yes, "Alison ." That strikes me very much as a key song for you because it's the nearest you've ever got to a direct manifestation of 'tenderness' though, at the same time, you're recoiling from exactly that feeling. | ||
Well that song is very, very personal to me and I rarely perform it now. Very rarely. I'm usually just not in the right mood. And it's almost frightening that, because when I find that feeling creeping up on me — when I perform that song — that I'm attaching more importance to my work than is reasonable. It's like 'yeah, it's only rock 'n' roll' but, at the same time, rock 'n' roll as such is my life. It's all I do, so these songs ''are'' me. | Well that song is very, very personal to me and I rarely perform it now. Very rarely. I'm usually just not in the right mood. And it's almost frightening that, because when I find that feeling creeping up on me — when I perform that song — that I'm attaching more importance to my work than is reasonable. It's like 'yeah, it's only rock 'n' roll' but, at the same time, rock 'n' roll as such ''is'' my life. It's all I do, so these songs ''are'' me. | ||
That's why people whose songs you admire are usually so disappointing when you meet them. Because their songs are their lives and they don't have a life outside their songs. And often I feel exactly the same way. | That's why people whose songs you admire are usually so disappointing when you meet them. Because their songs are their lives and they don't have a life outside their songs. And often I feel exactly the same way. | ||
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''Then you consider your vocation as being simply a singer and a songwriter. | ''Then you consider your vocation as being simply a singer and a songwriter. | ||
Yes (Pause). No, not my vocation. That's a fair blanket description of myself but not my vocation ... my ultimate vocation in life is to be an "irritant"! Not something actively destructive just someone who irritates, who disorientates. Someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim thinking there's maybe more to it all than the mere hum-drum quality of existence. | Yes (Pause). No, not my vocation. That's a fair blanket description of myself but not my vocation ... my ultimate vocation in life is to be an "irritant"! Not something actively destructive just someone who irritates, who disorientates. Someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim thinking there's maybe more to it all than the mere hum-drum quality of existence. | ||
{{cx}} | |||
{{tags}}[[Concert 1978-03-24 Liverpool|Liverpool]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-03-26 Bristol|Bristol]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-03-27 Malvern|Malvern]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-03-28 Bournemouth|Bournemouth]] {{-}} [[Concert 1978-03-29 Brighton|Brighton]] {{-}} [[This Year's Model]] {{-}} [[(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea]] {{-}} [[Wreckless Eric]] {{-}} [[Live Stiffs]] {{-}} [[Top Of The Pops]] {{-}} [[Bob Marley]] {{-}} [[Capital Radio]] {{-}} [[George Jones]] {{-}} [[Dusty Springfield]] {{-}} [[Ian Dury]] {{-}} [[Stranger In The House]] {{-}} [[Sunday's Best]] {{-}} [[ABBA]] {{-}} [[Knowing Me, Knowing You]] {{-}} [[Richard Hell]] {{-}} [[Love Comes In Spurts]] {{-}} [[The Damned]] {{-}} [[Neat Neat Neat]] {{-}} [[John Sebastian]] {{-}} [[Six O'Clock]] {{-}} [[Burt Bacharach]] {{-}} [[Hal David]] {{-}} [[I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself]] {{-}} [[Roadette Song]] {{-}} [[Less Than Zero (Dallas Version)]] {{-}} [[Oswald Mosley]] {{-}} [[Nick Lowe]] {{-}} [[Two Little Hitlers]] {{-}} [[The Voidoids]] {{-}} [[Bob Dylan]] {{-}} [[Mr. Revenge and Guilt]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Pete Thomas]] {{-}} [[Bruce Thomas]] {{-}} [[Steve Nieve|Steve Naive]] {{-}} [[Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers]] {{-}} [[Jake Riviera]] {{-}} [[Dr. Feelgood]] {{-}} [[John Stewart]] {{-}} [[Paul "Bassman" Riley]] {{-}} [[Sutherland Brothers And Quiver]] {{-}} [[Moonrider]] {{-}} [[Stiff Records]] {{-}} [[Graham Parker]] {{-}} [[Steely Dan]] {{-}} [[My Aim Is True]] {{-}} [[Garth Hudson]] {{-}} [[Ray Manzarek]] {{-}} [[Question Mark & the Mysterians]] {{-}} [[Rolling Stone, January 12, 1978|Rolling Stone]] {{-}} [[The Sex Pistols]] {{-}} [[Linda Ronstadt]] {{-}} [[Fleetwood Mac]] {{-}} [[Phil Spector]] {{-}} [[:Category:Stiff's Greatest Stiffs Live|Stiff's Greatest Stiffs Live tour]] {{-}} [[Bruce Springsteen]] {{-}} [[Dr. Luther's Assistant]] {{-}} [[Lipstick Vogue]] {{-}} [[Living In Paradise]] {{-}} [[This Year's Girl]] {{-}} [[Pump It Up]] {{-}} [[Miracle Man]] {{-}} [[Hand In Hand]] {{-}} [[Rockpile]] {{-}} [[Jimmy Page]] {{-}} [[Watching The Detectives]] {{-}} [[The Clash]] {{-}} [[Little Triggers]] {{-}} [[Alison]] {{-}} [[Chemistry Class]] {{-}} [[Green Shirt]] {{-}} [[The Beat]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
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[[Nick Kent]] interviews Elvis Costello. | [[Nick Kent]] interviews Elvis Costello. | ||
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A two-page ad for ''[[This Year's Model]]'' appears on pages 22-23. | Gig guide includes listings for [[Concert 1978-03-24 Liverpool|March 24]][[Concert 1978-03-24 Liverpool|-25]], Liverpool; [[Concert 1978-03-26 Bristol|March 26]], Bristol; [[Concert 1978-03-27 Malvern|March 27]], Malvern; [[Concert 1978-03-28 Bournemouth|March 28]], Bournemouth; and [[Concert 1978-03-29 Brighton|March 29]], Brighton. | ||
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''[[This Year's Model]]'' is No. 21 on the album chart and "[[(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea]] is No. 20 on the album chart," <span style="font-size:92%">([[:image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 02.jpg|Page 2]])</span>. | |||
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A two-page ad for ''[[This Year's Model]]'' appears on pages [[:image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express pages 22-23 advertisement.jpg|22-23]]. | |||
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In ''Teazers'' [[Wreckless Eric]] claims that EC's tracks on ''[[Live Stiffs]]'' may not be live. | |||
{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express cover.jpg| | [[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x255px|Cover photo by Chalkie Davies.]] | ||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 27.jpg| | [[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 27.jpg|x255px|Photo by Chalkie Davies.]] | ||
<br><small> | <br><small>Photos by [[Chalkie Davies]].</small> | ||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 28.jpg|x267px|border]][[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 29.jpg|x267px|border]] | [[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 28.jpg|x267px|border]][[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 29.jpg|x267px|border]] | ||
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< | |||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express | {{Bibliography box}} | ||
<center><h3> Live Stiffs </h3></center> | |||
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<center> Teazers </center> | |||
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{{Bibliography text}} | |||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 55 clipping 01.jpg|right|120px|Page 55 clipping - Teazers.]] | |||
Incidentally, the spreader of rumours concerning the authentic liveness (or lack of same) of Elvis Costello's contributions to the ''Live Stiffs'' album was Wreckless Eric, but even so we don't believe a word of 'em... | |||
{{cx}} | |||
{{cx}} | |||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express photo 01 cd.jpg|300px|Photo by Chalkie Davies.]] | |||
<br><small>Photos by [[Chalkie Davies]].</small> | |||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express photo 02 cd.jpg|x158px|Photo by Chalkie Davies.]][[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express photo 03 cd.jpg|x158px|Photo by Chalkie Davies.]] | |||
<small>Advertisement.</small><br> | <small>Advertisement for ''This Year's Model''.</small><br> | ||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express pages 22-23 advertisement.jpg|300px|border]] | [[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express pages 22-23 advertisement.jpg|300px|border]] | ||
<small>Gig guide.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 45.jpg|x210px|Page 45 - Gig guide.]] | |||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 46.jpg|x210px|Page 46 - Gig guide.]] | |||
<small>Teazers.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1978-03-25 New Musical Express page 55.jpg|x210px|Page 55 - Teazers.]] | |||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} | ||
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*[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/n/nme.780325a.html elviscostello.info] | *[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/n/nme.780325a.html elviscostello.info] | ||
*[http://www.flickr.com/search?safe_search=3&sort=date-posted-desc&text=N.M.E.25%3A03%3A1978 Flickr:] [[Stephen McCathie]] | *[http://www.flickr.com/search?safe_search=3&sort=date-posted-desc&text=N.M.E.25%3A03%3A1978 Flickr:] [[Stephen McCathie]] | ||
*[https:// | <!-- *[https://rettiwt.com/sweetienippy/status/557621560656539648 rettiwt: sweetienippy] --> | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1978-03-25}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:New Musical Express 1978-03-25}} |
Latest revision as of 20:34, 25 June 2024
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