Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, April 13, 1979

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Elvis Costello makes friends the hard way


Jack Lloyd / Knight-Ridder Newspapers

It started out as the Great Elvis Costello-Bonnie Bramlett Debate in the bar at a Holiday Int it Columbus. As frequently happens during bar room debates. things got a trifle out of hand

After all Elvis Costello s not known for subtlety in presenting his points of view on matters c2e.se to his heart, and no one has ever accused Bonnie Etremlett of being a genteel. fragile creature

So it could hardly come as a great surprise when the debate turned into a brawl.

The altercation wok place recently after Costello and his band completed a show at the Columbus Agora_ and Stephen Suits and members of his troupe finished their show at Veterans' Memorial Auditorium

THE TWO UNITS got together for some drinks and early mot nine conversation 113 the bar.

But. according w the account given by Miss Bramlett — a veteran roomer who started out with the Delaney and Bonnie duo and t now singing background the Suns band — Costello s c:onaments quickly turned rather nasty.

His observauons about America and Americans were sha_rply c&:ical. to pm it mildly - We hate you." be was quoted as saying at of ie DOIDL.

"We just come here for the money.- be said. allegeAly summing up Arnerica.as as -2/2St a bil,I)Cb of ---e.asers and niggers."

AT t His POECT. a member of the Suns crew pull-e-421 Cus--.ello out of his chaff= the collar amd advised the not -new ware- star to cool it The Two men Ware sep=-2L.ed and Suns left_

npt Ctrs cello_ according to Branalet_l_ was in no mood to cool it Eis blast at America's contribution to Prop music worked its way to James Brown and finally •/:* Ray Charles. both of whom he nit down with what we.re Interpreted as biLint r- vial slurs.

'Den Br aml tt rot stet Costello repot-Leas: replied_ " — Ray Cfla71€. — nigger.F. and — — yOLL.• •

With this. Bramiert slapped Gosiello. C,ostello rporided by calling her a slut. With this one of the Stills" roadies slugged Costello. hocking him to the

BOTH GROUPS Si-ENT at each other until hotel personnel brought the fight to a halt.

"Ile cursed in my face. my country. my money and my mentors.- Brarnlett said. And that's why he got his ass kicked. He went craz7.- on me and he went crazy on the wrong chick.-

Necd.}ess to say. those involved in promoting the Costello tour and his record company. Columbia. became somewhat nervous when accounts of the run-in began spreading last week_

A press conference was called in New York 'so that Costello could give his side of the story.

Costello admitted making the statements, but denied being a racist_ He said the quotes attributed to him were taken out of context.

He said he was being verbally abused in the argument and resorted to the hard-nosed comments "because I wanted to say the most offensive, obnoxious thing I could think of to rid myself of those people and end it."

COSTELLO ADDED, "I don't want to leave America with the last thing in the minds of Americans being that I'm a racist. I want to be remembered for my songs."

Costello declined to apologize for the comments, saying, "I have nothing to apologize for." He called the incident "ludicrous" and suggested that he was being exploited far publicity value.

A Columbia Records representative defended Costello by pointing out that he had been a member of a British organization called Rock Against Racism.

"He's not really a mean man," the Columbia person added. "He means well he really does. It's just that he had a difficult time of it while growing up and this is his wav of getting retribution."

IT WAS ALSO suggested the American media was too eager to jump over Costello's case because of his unwillingness to talk with the press in this country.

The fact of the matter is that Costello has done nothing to conceal his arrogance and contempt ever since reports labeling him the great hope of "new wave" began drifting to America from England some two years ago.

Small wonder those with a financial stake in Costello's career are worried. Despite his considerable gifts as a songwriter, Costello was not easily sold in this country, with his first two albums generating only moderate public interest.

While his third LP, "Armed Forces", has done nicely on the record charts, Costello has yet to reach superstar status.

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Chronicle-Telegram, April 13, 1979


Jack Lloyd reports on the Columbus incident and the March 30 press conference in New York.

(Variations of this piece ran in the Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, Orange County Register, Orlando Sentinel, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Examiner, and others.)

Images

1979-04-13 Elyria Chronicle-Telegram page E-18 clipping 01.jpg
Clipping.

Page scan.
1979-04-13 Elyria Chronicle-Telegram page E-18.jpg

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