New Musical Express, May 12, 1979

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NME

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An '80s hero for the '60s


Ian Penman

Elvis Costello
Accidents Will Happen

A big fiction-in-the-way is that singles (especially) have a "direct" meaning or effect; this is obvious, we're frequently told. It's nothing of the sort. Singles have histories too.

"Accidents Will Happen" has a history. It stands for a subject and the "subject" isn't in the least bit deserving of public involvement — viz, the idealogical onanism of Elvis Costello (whoever he is). A minor-fiction-sticking-large is the idea that Costello's barkings and/or whimperings are anything other than a slickly arranged glut of thematically consumable and satisfying images-cum-motifs.

The marketing history of Costello is implicated as an ideological form of fascism insofar as he (or the rock press?) sees his speciality as transcending determinations from the base of production (real social conditions). The marketing is a pile of grubby mystifications on the fact that the last people to know about (or care about) working-class culture — i.e. R'n'R — are the industry's venal "stars," idealogues and careerists.

It is not odd to see a pushy little object-d'pseudo-art such as "Accidents Will Happen" (an LP track moderngraphic-ized and EP-ized to fulfil average market £sd sense criteria) separated from real (social) conditions and history of production if you bear in mind how totally bureaucratic and idealistic R'n'R still is.

Take this "hero" and shelve it.


Tags: Accidents Will Happen (single)Accidents Will HappenNick LoweLabour Of LustDave EdmundsGirls TalkRequested When NeededRockpileTerry WilliamsBilly BremnerHuey LewisCloverMickey Jupp

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New Musical Express, May 12, 1979


Ian Penman reviews the single for "Accidents Will Happen."


NME reports on Dave Edmunds' and Nick Lowe's upcoming Rockpile tour.


Armed Forces is No. 25 on the album chart.

Images

1979-05-12 New Musical Express page 23.jpg 1979-05-12 New Musical Express pages 02-03.jpg
Page scans.


Rockpile go out


NME

Major outing by Edmunds and Lowe

1979-05-12 New Musical Express page 03 clipping 01.jpg

NME reports on Dave Edmunds' and Nick Lowe's upcoming Rockpile tour. NME reports on Dave Edmunds' and Nick Lowe's upcoming Rockpile tour.



Transcribe.jpg


Cover.
1979-05-12 New Musical Express cover.jpg

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