Lansing Star, February 4, 1982

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Lansing Star

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Her aim is skewed


James Neal Cohen

Krista Reese: Elvis Costello: A Completely False Biography Based on Rumor, Innuendo and Lies.

The book market seems to be flooded with "rock star" biographies. The long and turbulent careers of most of Rock's icons have been thoroughly chronicled: Dylan, The Who, The Stones, Bowie, The Beatles, and Hendrix have all had their respective lives and music investigated, scrutinized, analyzed and regurgitated into the faithful audience's face.

With so many of these books available, the addition of Elvis Costello may go unnoticed. And a not-so-close inspection of Costello reveals that he shouldn't be hastily grouped with the elder statesmen of rock. For starters, Elvis isn't elder — he's only been in the recording business since 1977. Here is a biography, Elvis' life story, presented to us while he is only 26 years old, with no visible signs of disease or artistic decay.

Before she began her book, Krista Reese knew there was little data to work with Elvis was carefully omitted any clues to his personal history from the few interviews he has granted); this problem was compounded when she received a letter from Costello's notoriously protective manager, Jake Riviera, threatening to "nail (her) against the wall" if she went through with her plans to make Elvis' private life public record. As a joke, Reese reproduced a copy of that memo on the first page of the book. Riviera needn't worry — Reese didn't uncover anything that hasn't already been reported. Essentially, Elvis Costello is a record of Elvis' "media events," items that have garnished feature pages for the past five years. This is an introduction to Elvis Costello, a tello, a primer consisting of items of little consequence to the seasoned Elvisite.

Nevertheless, as an introduction, the book is certainly adequate. There is no doubt the bespectacled rocker has pulled off some nifty escapades. There is the story of how he finally signed with a major label: he was arrested for performing in the street outside a hotel that happened to house a meeting of Columbia record executives; before he was hauled away, he attracted quite a crowd, including a few of the record people. Columbia subsequently paid his bail and signed him to a contract.

Or his legendary Saturday Night Live appearance: shortly after beginning his second number, "Less Than Zero," he signaled the band to stop; Elvis didn't feel the song was appropriate for the audience. Instead, he opted for a venomous rendition of the anti-airwaves anthem, "Radio, Radio." What the television audience couldn't see was the enraged SNL crew, incensed at this cocky rocker who threw off the intricate timing of their "live" broadcast.

The eight chapters of this "false" biography basically consist of these and similar accounts of Elvis' mischievous episodes, loosely tied together with Reese's insights. But the insights do more harm than help; they further illustrate the distance between author and subject. Reese writes,"'trying to pin down the Elvis Enigma is like trying to get a firm grasp on an ice cube — at the point of most pressure it either pops from your hand, or you look down and suddenly realize that what little you had is now dropping through your fingers."

This is where I run into my biggest problems with Elvis Costello. By now, it is made very clear to the reader that information pertaining to Elvis' personal life is nearly unobtainable. Unfortunately, author Reese surrendered there, disregarding an obvious channel to the sacred sea of Elvis info — his lyrics. The only references made to the words of Costello are the chapter titles (usually a title or a line from a song, e.g. "I Used to be Disgusted, Now I Try to be Amused," and "This Year's Model"), and scattered idle mentionings. The author never attempts to psycho-analyze the obviously anguished singer (one doesn't have to be be Freud to recognize there is definitely room for analysis here; Elvis' penchant for making reference to other-than-normal sexual preference.

Another disturbing aspect of the book is the author's seeming self-induction into the "In Crowd." When she isn't letting us in on the general wimpiness of the American rock press, she is putting down journalists en masse — entire pages are spent on horror stories of photographers having their cameras confiscated and writers being hoisted by their lapels while being warned to watch their step. Reese joins forces with Elvis and his near-fascist manager in their crusades against everyone; she has seemingly forgotten the charming note she got from Riviera, in which he promised to "pop in for a visit" if the matter went any further.

If you have followed "Prince Charmless" since My Aim is True, chances are you'll have to wait a few years yet before any real meat on Elvis is released. And though the cover of Elvis Costello is suitable for framing and the pictures throughout are enjoyable, the $9 price tag may be a bit steep for the already enlightened fan. But if, by chance, you haven't yet let Elvis into your life, and didn't catch his shenanigans when they first made headlines, Elvis Costello can serve as a formal introduction to one of rock music's truly thought-provoking figures.

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The Lansing Star, February 4 - February 17, 1982


James Neal Cohen reviews Krista Reese's Elvis Costello biography.

Images

1982-02-04 Lansing Star page 08 clipping 01.jpg
Page scan.

1982-02-04 Lansing Star cover.jpg 1982-02-04 Lansing Star page 08.jpg 1982-02-04 Lansing Star page 09.jpg
Cover and page scan.

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