Liverpool Echo, July 6, 2018

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


Liverpool Echo

UK & Ireland newspapers

-

Elvis Costello slams The Sun as 'people who can't
write for people who can't think' over cancer article


Connor Dunn

Musician resting on doctors' advice after having "very aggressive malignancy" removed

Elvis Costello has cancelled his remaining tour dates after undergoing cancer surgery — and has slammed The Sun for their reporting on the issue.

The 63-year-old music icon, who grew up in Birkenhead, scrapped the rest of his European tour, stating he was following advice to rest from doctors after they removed a "small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy".

The Sun, which has been boycotted throughout Merseyside and beyond for decades, ran with the headline: "Brit music legend Elvis Costello cancels tour as he battles 'aggressive' cancer" — suggesting the star was in the midst of an ongoing cancer battle.

The reality, however, was that he said he felt "lucky" that the tumour could be removed with just one surgery and he was resting to recover from the operation.

He posted on Twitter: "Typical S*N laziness. People who can’t write for people who can’t think. Don’t need your sympathy. Tell that to the 96."

Costello — whose real name is Declan Patrick MacManus — was met with scores of social media users agreeing with him and backing him up against the national newspaper while also wishing him well in the process.

In a statement about cancelling the remaining tour dates which include UK shows in Southend, Plymouth and Manchester he apologised to fans.

It read: "Six weeks ago my specialist called me and said, "You should start playing the Lotto".

"He had rarely, if ever, seen such a small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy that could be defeated by a single surgery.

"I was elated and relieved that our European summer tour could go ahead.

"Post-surgical guidelines for such surgery, recommend three weeks to four weeks recovery depending on whether you are returning to a desk job or an occupation that involves physical work or travel.

"It was impossible to judge how this advisory would line up with the demands on a traveling musician, playing 90-minute to 2-hour plus performances on a nightly basis but by the time we reached the Edinburgh Playhouse, I was almost fooled into thinking that normal service had been resumed.

"I have to thank our friends attending last night's show in Amsterdam and those in Antwerp, Glynde and at Newcastle City Hall for bearing me up.

"The spirit has been more than willing but I have to now accept that it is going to take longer than I would have wished for me to recover my full strength. Therefore, I must reluctantly cancel all the remaining engagements of this tour.

"My apologies go to our ticket holders in Manchester, Pula, Graz, Vienna, Tysnes and Rattvik but I would rather disappoint our friends there by not appearing than in pressing on with a show that is compromised and eventually puts my health at risk.

"My deep thanks go to Pete Thomas, Steve Nieve and Davey Faragher of The Imposters for all their deep friendship, love and support during this upsetting time.

"Thanks also to Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee whose beautiful voices have spurred me on to do the singing that I've managed, whatever the cost.

"It goes without saying that there are many others who have worked to get us to the stage and from town to town to whom I am also deeply grateful.

"To leave you with some more optimistic news, The Imposters and I — together with several of our other friends — have made a magnificent new record of which we are truly proud.

"It will be issued in October, I believe. We will return at the soonest opportunity to play that music and your favourite songs that still make sense to us all.

"Take very good care of your loved ones but gentleman, do talk to you friends — you'll find you are not alone — seek your doctor's advice if you are in doubt or when it is timely and act as swiftly as you may in these matters. It may save your life. Believe me, it is better than playing roulette.

"Yours through music. Elvis Costello"

Ticket holders affected by this should go to point of purchase for refunds.

-

Liverpool Echo, July 6, 2018


Connor Dunn reports on the cancellation of remaining dates of Elvis Costello and The Imposters' European Tour.

Images

2015-06-15 Liverpool photo 01 dm.jpg
Elvis Costello performing at The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 15th June 2015.
Photo by David Munn.


2016-04-06 Arizona Daily Star photo 01 gk.jpg
Photo credit: Keystone/Georgios Kefalas


2016-07-11 Liverpool photo 05 dm.jpg
Elvis Costello performing at The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 11th July 2016.
Photo by David Munn.


2008-06-25 Liverpool photo 08 mm.jpg
Elvis Costello backstage at Liverpool Philharmonic in 2008. Photo by Mark McNulty.

-



Back to top

External links