Burst Magazine, May 2013: Difference between revisions

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This Elvis Has Not Left The Building

Elvis Costello

Eleni Lampraki

If you were born and your parents gave you the name Declan Patrick McManus would you keep it or not? Well, young Declan decided that this name wasn't suitable for his music career and quickly picked up the stage name D.P. Costello; as a tribute to his father, the musician and trumpet player Ross McManus who performed under the stage name Day Costello. It was his manager in the mid-70s who suggested the adoption of Elvis Presley's first name. And that's how Elvis Costello appeared.

Costello released his first album, "My Aim Is True", in 1977 with the independent label, Stiff Records, and in his picture on the cover, his oversized glasses he wore were set as his trademark ever since. Costello wrote most of the songs late at night, in order not to wake his wife or his son, or on the way to work (data-entry clerk on Elizabeth Arden) in the Underground. The first 1000 copies in the UK contained a form asking the buyer to send the address of a friend, who then, would receive a free copy. Later, in the same year Elvis formed his permanent backing band "The Attractions" (Steve Nieve, Bruce Thomas, Pete Thomas). Costello at that time was characterized as a "very angry young man". Soon, he signed with Columbia records. Costello recorded his second album (and first to be with the Attractions) a year later, entitled "This Year's Model". But it was the next one "Armed Forces" that was both a commercial success and a success in the world of critics.

During the '80s Costello experimented with new sounds and genres from soul to country. Significantly, he released "Almost Blue" in 1981, an album with country music songs, as a tribute to the music with which he grew up with. Two years later, Elvis adopted another pseudonym "The Imposter" and released "Pills and Soap" as a political statement versus Thatcherism, which concurred with the 1983 UK general elections - Thatcher's most decisive election victory. At the same time tensions were growing inside the band, between Bruce and Pete Thomas at first, and between Bruce and Costello himself later, which led to the second's retirement and the breakup of the band. Luckily it was a short retirement to take. He made his comeback two years later, but this would be the last collaboration with the Attractions for many years. Later in the same year he recorded "Blood and Chocolate" and went back to his post-punk roots. Although "Blood and Chocolate" failed to contain a hit single at that time, it featured "I want you", one of Costello's most significant songs. The success continued with his next album "Spike" (and his new contract with Warner Bros) and his biggest single in America, "Veronica" in 1989.

The 1990's found Elvis Costello experimenting with instrumental, orchestral and classical music. He composed the title and incidental music for the mini-series G.B.H., for which in 1991 he won a BAFTA with his pair co-composer, Richard Harvey. A few years later, after an acclaimed collaboration with Brodsky Quartet on "Juliet Letters", he reunited with the Attractions in 1995, for the album "Brutal Youth" (this was one among the six Elvis Costello albums featured in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die"). Next year's tour proved to the last for the band. Tension between Costello and Bruce Thomas grew once more and Costello split up with the Attractions once again. In 1998 he signed a multi-label contract with Polygram Records, later part of Universal Music Group. He started collaboration with Burt Bacharach and they released the critically acclaimed album "Painted from Memory". At the same time he appeared in a couple of soundtracks, for the films "Austin Powers: The spy who shagged me", "The Rugrats Movie", "The long journey home" and of course "Notting Hill" with his version of Charles Aznavour's "She".

The new millennium found Elvis Costello once again experimenting with more jazzy and classical music styles. He appeared in Steve Nieve’s opera “Welcome to the Voice” and he also wrote music for a new ballet, as an artist and in residence in UCLA. In 2002 he toured with his “new” band, the “Imposters”, which had the same members with the Attractions but a different bass player. In 2003 he released “North”, an album consisting of piano ballads, much closer to the style we know him for nowadays. In 2004, the song he wrote with T-Bone Burnett “Scarlet Tide” was used in the film “Cold Mountain” and nominated for an Academy Award. Far away from his new wave or post punk roots, he continued with classical and orchestral work with “Il Sogno”. He contributed to a jazz project in 2005 and then attempted to write a chamber opera which remained unfinished, but material can be found in 2009 album “Secret, Profane and Sugarcane”.

In the last decade he has made numerous appearances in television shows portraying himself but he never quit music. In fact we are expecting his new album either late 2013 or early 2014!


Tags: Ross MacManusJake RivieraElvis PresleyMy Aim Is TrueStiff RecordsThe AttractionsSteve NieveBruce ThomasPete ThomasThis Year's ModelArmed ForcesAlmost BlueThe ImposterPills And SoapBlood And ChocolateI Want YouSpikeWarner Bros.VeronicaG.B.H.Richard HarveyThe Brodsky QuartetThe Juliet LettersBrutal YouthBurt BacharachPainted From MemoryAustin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged MeThe Rugrats MovieLong Journey HomeNotting HillCharles AznavourSheSteve NieveWelcome To The VoiceUCLAThe ImpostersNorthT-Bone BurnettThe Scarlet TideCold MountainIl SognoThe Secret SongsSecret, Profane & Sugarcane

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Burst Magazine, Issue 5, May 2013


Eleni Lampraki profiles Elvis Costello

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2013-05-00 Burst Magazine page 18.jpg
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2013-05-00 Burst Magazine cover.jpg
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