|
Elvis Costello may be one of the biggest musical icons on the planet, but the legendary singer=song-writer doesn’t give two hoots about his own legacy:
“Honestly, I know it sounds odd – I don’t think in those terms. I’m quite proud of the records that I’ve done,” he said when we recently chatted on Zoom.
“But in terms of what it all means when I’m not here, what the f**k do I care? I won’t be here.” He paused to laugh. “What’s the point in worrying, you might as well live.”
I didn’t prefix the “singer-song-writer” description with English, British, or with the derogatory Plastic Paddy.
Even Elvis is hesitant about putting any labels on himself.
“I’m a bit like my grandfather – I choose what I am, all depending on who’s asking me,” he said.
“Obviously my great-grandfather was the last one to live in Ireland, but my grandfather used to give his nationality as Irish. Because what did he think he was? Both of his parents were Irish.
“The fact that he was born in Birkenhead (in Merseyside) is the same king of thing as I identify with my family home being on Merseyside, even though I was technically born in London.
“I have more of a sense of belonging to Merseyside because all of my family is from there.
“I was born in St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, the same as all the Royal Family.
“I’m actually probably 100th in line to the throne at this stage, I think! They’re just getting anybody that they can call a prince!
“The truth of it is, if somebody asks me what I am, I go: Well, I’m English when I want to be, but if you actually ask me I feel like the paternal line is pretty strong in that respect.
“And we’re Celts on two sides of my family, so we’re not English.
“I wouldn’t say we’re Irish, but we’re not English, that’s for sure.”
He added: “I haven’t lived in England since 1989. Things change, but it doesn’t change you. You’re still the same person.
“Other people have more concern about how you identify yourself than I do. I don’t even think about it. I’m a human.
“It says on my passport that I was born ‘here’ and ‘that’ – but look at my face! It’s pretty undeniable.”
He clearly feels a very strong infinity with Ireland.
“Of course. Very much. I lived there for a long while,” he said.
“I’m obviously, in a way that sounds like some sort of Irish fable, my eldest son is more Irish than me because his mother is from Galway.”
Remaining text and scanner-error corrections to come...
| 
