Transcription
2000-01-23: "Music Fair", Fuji TV, Japan Elvis Costello and Steve Nieve, plus interview
Transribed by Hiroko Maeta [vetiver@hazama.co.jp]
This is their first appearance on Japanese TV program.
- Alison
- She
A little conversation from Japanese TV Program "Music Fair" (January 23, 2000)
(Due to my English ability, I couldn't pick up some words when he mumbled very fast.)
(Presenter introduced two guests for tonight, Elvis Costello and Motoharu Sano, a Japanese musician)
EC : Hello.
(Showing the clips from "Sessions from West 54th", narrator gives an outline of his activity. Presenter said that they knew each other for some time, and that Mr. Sano has admired Elvis so much.)
Presenter : Mr. Sano, how do you feel to be with Mr. Costello today?
Sano : I've listened to his music since I was a teenager and I wrote some songs inspired by his music, so it's really honorable for me to play in front of him today.
Presenter : Mr. Costello, you knew Mr. Sano for some time, didn't you?
EC : We met several years ago. I was aware that he came to London and play with some musicians, some friends of mine, and I'd heard his record, I thought it's interesting to hear somebody from Japan coming over trying to make a connection with people from London. I thought that it was very brave!
He made a very good job. That's what I thought.
(Presenter said to Sano that he might ask any questions to EC, for this is a good opportunity to do so.)
Sano : Your music seems to be influenced by past great musicians. Among them, whom do you admire most?
EC : I don't think that's a stylistically one songwriter that I draw from, I think, I really have to say, you know, that I wouldn't perhaps be playing music, if it hadn't been it, for example, Lennon - McCartney. And initially because that was the music that really belongs to me, and exactly the right age to have responded to Beatles music.
And then, you know, obviously when it comes to words, you can't really talk about modern pop writing, popular song writing, which goes beyond the cliche, the simple romantic ???????, without Bob Dylan.
Presenter : What would you play for us tonight?
EC : I would play with Steve Nieve on piano, "Alison" in a brand new style. After 22 years, I've decided to play the brand new style to you.
(EC & SN played Alison)
Presenter : How does it feel to play in front of each other?
Sano : I was really nervous.
EC : It's a don't think thing. ??????, nevertheless I was really nervous, I've always been, ?????? musician you know that they know something about what you do.
Presenter : Mr. Sano, please introduce the next song.
Sano : As Mr. Costello would sing his smash hit "SHE", I brought a song called "SHE" which I wrote several years ago.
EC : It's a theme! "She" theme!
(EC said this not witty discovery of him really happily, but presenter neglected this. It was a funny moment.)
(Presenter asked EC about "SHE")
EC : (I) go to Abbey road studio, the famous studio in London, and I sing with the entire London Symphony Orchestra to gigantic pictures of Julia Roberts. That's not a hard job, really, you know.
(EC & SN played SHE)