Cash Box, October 29, 1977

From The Elvis Costello Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
... Bibliography ...
727677787980818283
848586878889909192
939495969798990001
020304050607080910
111213141516171819
202122232425 26 27 28


Cash Box

US music magazines

-

Columbia signs Elvis Costello in single deal


Cash Box

LOS ANGELES — Columbia Records has signed British recording artist Elvis Costello and will release his My Aim Is True, one of the fastest rising albums in England, in the United States October 31, according to Costello's American representative.

The representative, Allen Frey, of A.R.S.E. Management Inc. said Costello will embark on a concert tour of the United States Nov 15 and play in approximately 20 major markets on the tour, which he said will last slightly more than one month.

A spokesman for CBS confirmed that Costello has been signed, but said, "I have no other details of the contract."

The English version of the album, which has been available in record stores stocking import albums, has been receiving air play at many FM stations and was the number 36 most active LP on last week's Cash Box FM Album Chart.

Frey said "There is a tremendous amount of excitement. The import alone has gotten so much acceptance and airplay in various cities; San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, and the album isn't even available here anymore."

Costello, a former computer programmer England, first came to attention less than a year ago when he turned recording artist and recorded My Aim Is True for Stiff Records, which is manufactured and distributed by Island Records in Great Britain.

The album has become one of the most popular in England and, as a result, Costello is one of the hottest concert attractions there as well. He recently played a six-week engagement at London's Nashville and, according to the club's owner, hundreds of people were turned away each night.

Recently, efforts have been made by American record companies to acquire the rights to distribute Stiff Records' product in the U.S. but nothing has yet been finalized.

Columbia, however, has now picked up Costello as a single artist, without gaining Stiff's other two acts, new-wave group The Damned, and Nick Lowe, who has written and produced for Graham Parker and Dave Edmunds.

Frey added that the contract with CBS is not a single album deal for My Aim Is True, but said Costello will be considered a Columbia recording artist and will record his future albums for CBS.

Costello's music has been compared to that of several prominent stars, ranging from Graham Parker and Van Morrison to Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley, from whom he borrowed his first name.

Frey also handles Graham Parker And The Rumour, Clover and is the American representative for Pink Floyd and said when Costello's album is released here it will be slightly different from the original English version.

"I think there are two changes in the album: there is a live version of 'Blame It On Cain' and there may possibly be strings on 'Alison'." He also said a song may be added which is not on the English album.

-
<< >>

Cash Box, September 24, 1977


Cash Box reports on Elvis Costello signing to Columbia Records, and on Jake Riviera, EC and Nick Lowe leaving Stiff Records.

Images

1977-10-29 Cash Box page 09 clipping 01.jpg 1977-10-29 Cash Box page 99 clipping 01.jpg
Clippings.


Riviera exits Stiff with two acts


Cash Box

1977-10-29 Cash Box page 88 clipping 01.jpg

LONDON — Jake Riviera, who founded the new wave label Stiff with former Brinsley Schwartz manager Dave Robinson in August last year, has left the company with managerial rights to a couple of its top acts, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

Riviera, originally known as Andrew Jakeman, was previously road manager for Dr. Feelgood, and launched Stiff in collaboration with Robinson with financial backing from Feelgood's Lee Brilleau and rock photographer Keith Morris. The label originally operated through specialist stores and mail order, but signed a distribution deal with Island Records at the beginning of this year. Another of its successful acts is The Damned.

Costello and Lowe will fulfill their current recording contractual commitments, but a label change is anticipated later.



1977-10-29 Cash Box cover.jpg 1977-10-29 Cash Box page 09.jpg 1977-10-29 Cash Box page 88.jpg 1977-10-29 Cash Box page 99.jpg
Cover and page scans.

-



Back to top

External links