Boston Globe, March 31, 1989: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> This | <center><h3> This year's Elvis Costello </h3></center> | ||
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<center> Jim Sullivan </center> | <center> Jim Sullivan </center> | ||
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Winchester — This year's Elvis, though sporting long sideburns, looks much the same as ever, sitting in an office at the local branch of his record company, Warner Bros., with his wife, Caitlin O'Riordan, at his side. He is, though, loquacious and charming, generous with wit and anecdotes. This is not to say the British singer-songwriter has relinquished his much-vaunted edge. Hardly. The edge is just more selectively applied, reserved mostly for those who he feels over-analyze his work — or, conversely, judge it simplistically — or those who misinterpret his motives. But this is a mature artist who can co-write songs with Paul McCartney, the sort of fellow who can put the phrase "The Beloved Entertainer" on the cover of his latest album, ''Spike,'' and have it seem only half-ironic. | |||
The beloved entertainer kicks off a low-profile college [[:Category:1989 US Solo Tour|tour]] tonight at Boston College's [[Concert 1989-03-31 Boston|Conte Forum]]. The show is sold out. | The beloved entertainer kicks off a low-profile college [[:Category:1989 US Solo Tour|tour]] tonight at Boston College's [[Concert 1989-03-31 Boston|Conte Forum]]. The show is sold out. | ||
The early Elvis — the angry young man of 1977's ''My Aim Is True'' and 1978's ''This Year's Model'' — was well known for his | The early Elvis — the angry young man of 1977's ''My Aim Is True'' and 1978's ''This Year's Model'' — was well known for his | ||
literate, terse, punchy rock 'n' roll, and for his acerbic attitude and explosive temper. For instance, in | literate, terse, punchy rock 'n' roll, and for his acerbic attitude and explosive temper. For instance, in [[Concert 1978-05-04 Boston|'78]], he treated an adoring Orpheum audience to high-volume feedback after closing his terrific, but short, set. The clear message: You've spent your money, enjoyed your catharsis — now, go. In those days, in a rare interview, he said his music was inspired by "revenge and guilt." There were other incidents here and elsewhere — fisticuffs, camera smashings, general bad blood. There was the notorious drunken incident in a bar with Bonnie Bramlett when he cast a racial slur Ray Charles' way. | ||
Nasty stuff. | Nasty stuff. | ||
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However, he adds, "you overlook the fact that it's only writers that sit at home and go, 'What did he mean by all that stuff?' and we're going, 'Ha, they bought that one again! Let's kick down another door!' After about five years, you start to realize it's a bit childish. And there were some unworthy targets, people who get it in the neck if they just happen to be in your way, people who might be good people but you don't give them the chance to explain themselves." | However, he adds, "you overlook the fact that it's only writers that sit at home and go, 'What did he mean by all that stuff?' and we're going, 'Ha, they bought that one again! Let's kick down another door!' After about five years, you start to realize it's a bit childish. And there were some unworthy targets, people who get it in the neck if they just happen to be in your way, people who might be good people but you don't give them the chance to explain themselves." | ||
Costello's present munificence is not a complete surprise. This Elvis has been ascendant since 1983, after an ugly — possibly overblown — drunken incident in which Costello cast a few untoward racial slurs and punches. (The subsequent Rolling Stone cover was titled | Costello's present munificence is not a complete surprise. This Elvis has been ascendant since 1983, after an ugly — possibly overblown — drunken incident in which Costello cast a few untoward racial slurs and punches. (The subsequent ''[[Rolling Stone, September 2, 1982|Rolling Stone]]'' cover was titled "Elvis Costello Repents"; on the afternoon of our interview, at an autograph session, Costello signed a mockup poster of that cover and annotated it by crossing the "s" off "repents" and adding "still doesn't.") | ||
Costello's change of heart was especially clear in late 1986 during a carnival-like tour in which he used a "spectacular spinning songbook" — a giant wheel with song selections marked out, and spun by members of the audience, with the choices played by Costello and his band the Attractions. And his spirit was very much in evidence earlier this month on ''Late Night With David Letterman,'' where Costello did some deft verbal boxing and spun an amusing tall tale about his vision of God and the root of his song "God's Comic." | Costello's change of heart was especially clear in late 1986 during a carnival-like tour in which he used a "spectacular spinning songbook" — a giant wheel with song selections marked out, and spun by members of the audience, with the choices played by Costello and his band the Attractions. And his spirit was very much in evidence earlier this month on ''[[TV 1989-03-03 David Letterman|Late Night With David Letterman]],'' where Costello did some deft verbal boxing and spun an amusing tall tale about his vision of God and the root of his song "God's Comic." | ||
During this interview, Costello drinks coffee (with a side of water) as O'Riordan immerses herself in a book, speaking only when Costello gets stuck on the word "honorary." She helps him out, and he laughs at himself — "up too early this morning, must have left my brain in bed." | During this interview, Costello drinks coffee (with a side of water) as O'Riordan immerses herself in a book, speaking only when Costello gets stuck on the word "honorary." She helps him out, and he laughs at himself — "up too early this morning, must have left my brain in bed." | ||
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'''The Boston Globe, March 31, 1989 | '''The Boston Globe, March 31, 1989 | ||
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[[Jim Sullivan]] interviews Elvis Costello. | [[Jim Sullivan]] interviews Elvis Costello ahead of his solo concert, Friday, [[Concert 1989-03-31 Boston|March 31, 1989]], Conte Forum , Boston College, Boston, MA. | ||
{{Bibliography no images}} | {{Bibliography no images}} | ||
<br><br><br> | <br><br><br><br> | ||
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<center> | <center><h3> Memo: interview </h3></center> | ||
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<center> Jim Sullivan </center> | <center> Jim Sullivan </center> | ||
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Memories of an Elvis Costello interview past, 1983. After six years in the public eye | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
Memories of an Elvis Costello interview past, 1983. After six years in the public eye — but six years of antipathy toward the media — Costello had begun talking. He was in a good mood, chatting freely. After a few moments, I pulled out a notebook and he shot me a nasty glance. "I thought this was the new, friendly Elvis," I said. "You never know when we might change our minds," he answered sharply, with a taut smile. Interview aborted. | |||
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*[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/a-c/boston_globe.890331a.txt elviscostello.info] | *[http://www.elviscostello.info/articles/a-c/boston_globe.890331a.txt elviscostello.info] | ||
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[[Category:Bibliography 1989 | [[Category:Bibliography]] | ||
[[Category:Boston Globe| Boston | [[Category:Bibliography 1989]] | ||
[[Category:Newspaper articles | [[Category:Boston Globe| Boston Globe 1989-03-31]] | ||
[[Category:Interviews | [[Category:Newspaper articles]] | ||
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[[Category:1989 interviews]] |
Revision as of 18:58, 3 February 2016
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