Altoona Mirror, August 21, 1978: Difference between revisions

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
(,+US publications by state index)
(add transcribed text)
Line 10: Line 10:
----
----
{{Bibliography text}}
{{Bibliography text}}
Now that the new wave has broken, and the three-chord punk wonders fade into obscurity, it’s a good time to look at just what’s washed ashore. 
The media churned out reams of copy on the safety-pin and spit-wad brigade.  But something new, different and genuinely exciting was happening at the same time in British rock, and it was not punk.


Artists like [[Graham Parker]] and [[The Rumour]], Elvis Costello, [[Nick Lowe]], [[Dave Edmunds]] and [[Ian Dury]] rode the crest of the new wave to America.  Together they may make up a rather ragtag movement, but it’s one that’s made a considerable splash with the record-buying public.


While their music covers many different styles, they all share two things in common.  Most important is a mutual return to the basic rock values of energy, imagination and fun, the result of their varied involvements in the British pub rock scene.  But they also share an association of sorts with the scrappy little label that has gleaned the best of this scene and groomed them for success – [[Stiff Records]], named cheekily after a bit of record business slang for albums that bomb.  And even if these “stiffs” look deceptively like so much human flotsam and jetsam, don’t be fooled.  They are real pearls… if unpolished ones. 
'''Natural Response'''
Pub rock was a natural response to the headlines and pretension of early seventies superstars – a return to good basic songs and a low-key people-oriented approach to audiences.
At the forefront of the pub bands was [[Brinsley Schwarz]], composed of [[Brinsley Schwarz (musician)|Brinsley Schwarz]] and [[Bob Andrews]] (now in The Rumour), Nick Lowe, Billy Rankin and [[Ian Gomm]].  The Brinsleys were once best known as the victim of one of the biggest publicity hypes in the history of recorded music. 
One hundred and fifty journalists were flown to New York to witness the then unknown band’s debut at the Filmore East.  Everything that could go wrong did, and the band received a fierce roasting by the press while their backers disappeared with the money. 
The band went into “terminal shock” and considerable debt, according to [[Dave Robinson]], the ever unkempt but ultra-effective Stiff Records scion, who then managed the band.  So, they retreated to a 10-bedroom house outside London to pick up the pieces.
{{rttc}}
{{cx}}
{{cx}}



Revision as of 19:32, 31 October 2016

... Bibliography ...
727677787980818283
848586878889909192
939495969798990001
020304050607080910
111213141516171819
202122232425 26 27 28


Altoona Mirror

Pennsylvania publications

Newspapers

University publications

Magazines and alt. weeklies


US publications by state
  • ALAKARAZCA
  • COCTDCDEFL
  • GAHI   IA      ID      IL
  • IN   KSKYLA   MA
  • MDME   MIMNMO
  • MSMTNC  ND  NE
  • NHNJNMNVNY
  • OHOKORPARI
  • SCSDTNTXUT
  • VAVTWAWIWY

-

What's left over after punk wonders fade
into obscurity?


Rob Patterson

Now that the new wave has broken, and the three-chord punk wonders fade into obscurity, it’s a good time to look at just what’s washed ashore. The media churned out reams of copy on the safety-pin and spit-wad brigade. But something new, different and genuinely exciting was happening at the same time in British rock, and it was not punk.

Artists like Graham Parker and The Rumour, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds and Ian Dury rode the crest of the new wave to America. Together they may make up a rather ragtag movement, but it’s one that’s made a considerable splash with the record-buying public.

While their music covers many different styles, they all share two things in common. Most important is a mutual return to the basic rock values of energy, imagination and fun, the result of their varied involvements in the British pub rock scene. But they also share an association of sorts with the scrappy little label that has gleaned the best of this scene and groomed them for success – Stiff Records, named cheekily after a bit of record business slang for albums that bomb. And even if these “stiffs” look deceptively like so much human flotsam and jetsam, don’t be fooled. They are real pearls… if unpolished ones.

Natural Response

Pub rock was a natural response to the headlines and pretension of early seventies superstars – a return to good basic songs and a low-key people-oriented approach to audiences.

At the forefront of the pub bands was Brinsley Schwarz, composed of Brinsley Schwarz and Bob Andrews (now in The Rumour), Nick Lowe, Billy Rankin and Ian Gomm. The Brinsleys were once best known as the victim of one of the biggest publicity hypes in the history of recorded music.

One hundred and fifty journalists were flown to New York to witness the then unknown band’s debut at the Filmore East. Everything that could go wrong did, and the band received a fierce roasting by the press while their backers disappeared with the money.

The band went into “terminal shock” and considerable debt, according to Dave Robinson, the ever unkempt but ultra-effective Stiff Records scion, who then managed the band. So, they retreated to a 10-bedroom house outside London to pick up the pieces.



Remaining text and scanner-error corrections to come...

-

Altoona Mirror, August 21, 1978


Rob Patterson on the evolution of punk and new wave.

Images

1978-08-21 Altoona Mirror clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.

-



Back to top

External links