Madcity Music Sheet, April 10, 1978: Difference between revisions
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And then another magical wave of the hand and the music was on again at the same never-before-reached level of intensity — an intensity that kept building throughout both shows. His three backup musicians, The Attractions, seemed to be swept around by a magnetic field that changed whenever he moved. Elvis' nervous energy kept him pacing back and forth across the stage; now and then he would stop and madly stare out into the audience, transfixed by some unspoken thought, perhaps an unpleasant memory from the not-too-distant days when he was confronting his famous blacklist of record business people who had refused to give his awesome talent a chance. | And then another magical wave of the hand and the music was on again at the same never-before-reached level of intensity — an intensity that kept building throughout both shows. His three backup musicians, The Attractions, seemed to be swept around by a magnetic field that changed whenever he moved. Elvis' nervous energy kept him pacing back and forth across the stage; now and then he would stop and madly stare out into the audience, transfixed by some unspoken thought, perhaps an unpleasant memory from the not-too-distant days when he was confronting his famous blacklist of record business people who had refused to give his awesome talent a chance. | ||
But those days were over. He knew it. We knew it. And we knew that the words he sang and the strange way in which he sang them would stay with us long after he unplugged his guitar. For this was no fun rock show, no smooth presentation, no pretty music. The truth hurts. When he sang "Waiting For the End of the World" and shrieked "dear Lord!" at the end of each chorus, it was the end of the world. When he sang the line in "Less Than Zero" about British Nazi spokesman Oswald Mosley "with the swastika tattoo,"he raised his spidery hands to his forehead and carved out a swastika that almost made my forehead bleed. | But those days were over. He knew it. We knew it. And we knew that the words he sang and the strange way in which he sang them would stay with us long after he unplugged his guitar. For this was no fun rock show, no smooth presentation, no pretty music. The truth hurts. When he sang "Waiting For the End of the World" and shrieked "dear Lord!" at the end of each chorus, it was the end of the world. When he sang the line in "Less Than Zero" about British Nazi spokesman Oswald Mosley ''"with the swastika tattoo,"'' he raised his spidery hands to his forehead and carved out a swastika that almost made ''my'' forehead bleed. | ||
The second show began with a comic introduction from Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen and ended with the gripping "Watching the Detectives," and a more powerful finish would have been impossible. Backed by a vicious reggae beat and fiery organ line, the new and future King of Rock | The second show began with a comic introduction from Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen and ended with the gripping "Watching the Detectives," and a more powerful finish would have been impossible. Backed by a vicious reggae beat and fiery organ line, the new and future King of Rock 'N' Roll led the song with a drunken fury. In the middle of it he walked back to the band and once more waved his hand. The music immediately dropped 50 decibels and Elvis returned to the microphone, fingers clenched tightly around the mouthpiece. | ||
"I've been to California, and I've seen the police," he began, in a tone that conveyed pure fright. | "I've been to California, and I've seen the police," he began, in a tone that conveyed pure fright. | ||
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"They all wear guns!" | "They all wear guns!" | ||
In a split second the hands jumped from the microphone to guitar and | In a split second the hands jumped from the microphone to guitar and the music kicked back up again while he sang "Watching the Detectives" over and over again, his face and body contorted into a figure wracked in pain, until the song ended and he walked off the stage as quietly and unaffectedly as he walked on, except this time everyone was on their feet screaming "Elvis!" | ||
There could be no encore. | There could be no encore. | ||
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[[image:1978-04-10 Madcity Music Sheet | [[image:1978-04-10 Madcity Music Sheet photo 01 kk.jpg|400px|border|center]] | ||
<small> | <center><small>Photo by [[Karen Knodt]].</small></center> | ||
{{Bibliography boxx}} | |||
<center><h3> This Year's Model </h3></center> | <center><h3> This Year's Model </h3></center> | ||
<center>''' Elvis Costello </center> | <center>''' Elvis Costello </center> | ||
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The following song, "Pump It Up," sounds like Question Mark and the Mysterians backing Bob Dylan on "Subterranean Homesick Blues. " In contrast, "Little Triggers" is a slow ballad that is introduced by an acoustic piano line that continues throughout the song. | The following song, "Pump It Up," sounds like Question Mark and the Mysterians backing Bob Dylan on "Subterranean Homesick Blues. " In contrast, "Little Triggers" is a slow ballad that is introduced by an acoustic piano line that continues throughout the song. | ||
"You Belong to Me" rocks out the first side and sounds similar to the | "You Belong to Me" rocks out the first side and sounds similar to the Rolling Stones' "Last Time" in the beginning of the song, and toward the end it has a bubble down bass line that was so memorable from "19th Nervous Breakdown." Not to get carried away with playing "spot the riff," but the similarities to the great songs of the Sixties provides much of the backbone to these arrangements. | ||
"Hand in Hand" opens the second side with a strange reversed echo to the title and is filled with those subtle little details like the vibrato guitar chords that make these songs appealing. "Lipstick Vogue" matches Costello's angry vocals with a church organ sound over rampaging drums. The drumming on this is excellent and it drives the song. | "Hand in Hand" opens the second side with a strange reversed echo to the title and is filled with those subtle little details like the vibrato guitar chords that make these songs appealing. "Lipstick Vogue" matches Costello's angry vocals with a church organ sound over rampaging drums. The drumming on this is excellent and it drives the song. | ||
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Why waste your time on the mindless re-hashed boogie music when you can have ''This Year's Model''? | Why waste your time on the mindless re-hashed boogie music when you can have ''This Year's Model''? | ||
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[[image:1978-04-10 Madcity Music Sheet illustration.jpg|400px|border|center]] | |||
<center><small>Illustration by [[Dana Derber]].</small></center> | |||
<center><h3> | |||
{{Bibliography boxx}} | |||
<center><h3> Stiffs!? </h3></center> | |||
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<center> Gary Radloff </center> | <center> Gary Radloff </center> | ||
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''' Stiffs Live | |||
{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
You would have a hard time trying to assemble a stranger bunch of characters than is on the cover of the Stiffs' live album. Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Larry Wallis have formed the nucleus of the Stiff label in the past year. | You would have a hard time trying to assemble a stranger bunch of characters than is on the cover of the Stiffs' live album. Ian Dury, Wreckless Eric, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Larry Wallis have formed the nucleus of the Stiff label in the past year. | ||
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This recording was made when these five, along with various backing musicians, toured England. Wreckless Eric and Ian Dury perform two songs each, while Larry Wallis is joined by Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe on his version of "Police Car." | This recording was made when these five, along with various backing musicians, toured England. Wreckless Eric and Ian Dury perform two songs each, while Larry Wallis is joined by Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe on his version of "Police Car." | ||
The album opens with Nick Lowe doing "I Knew the Bride," a song he wrote for Dave Edmunds' ''Get It'' | The album opens with Nick Lowe doing "I Knew the Bride," a song he wrote for Dave Edmunds' ''Get It'' lp. This rockabilly styled tune features Edmunds on guitar and shows the diversity of Lowe's songwriting abilities. Lowe and Co. follow with the previously un-recorded "Let's Eat." | ||
A pleasant surprise is Elvis Costello and The Attractions doing a Burt Bacharach tune, "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself." The live version of Costello's "Miracle Man" included here is not as good as that on the "B" side of the single release of "Alison" (CBS 3-10641). | A pleasant surprise is Elvis Costello and The Attractions doing a Burt Bacharach tune, "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself." The live version of Costello's "Miracle Man" included here is not as good as that on the "B" side of the single release of "Alison" (CBS 3-10641). | ||
The entire lineup of Stiffs joins in on Ian Dury's "Sex | The entire lineup of Stiffs joins in on Ian Dury's "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" (an existential motto for the blank generation??) to finish out the record. This collection only serves as a sampler to the varied styles of these musicians and is recommended for the less adventurous. The individual recordings of Dury, Lowe, and Costello are better than this live set. | ||
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'''Madcity Music Sheet, Supplement No. 1, April 10, 1978 | '''Madcity Music Sheet, Supplement No. 1, April 10, 1978 | ||
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[[Jim Bessman|James Bessman]] recalls Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]], Tuesday, [[Concert 1977-11-29 Madison|November 29, 1977]], Bunky's, Madison, | [[Jim Bessman|James Bessman]] recalls Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]], Tuesday, [[Concert 1977-11-29 Madison|November 29, 1977]], Bunky's, Madison, Wisconsin. | ||
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[[Gary Radloff]] profiles EC ahead of his concert with The Attractions and opening acts [[Mink DeVille]] and [[Nick Lowe]], Thursday, [[Concert 1978-04-20 Madison|April 20, 1978]], Orpheum Theatre, Madison, | [[Gary Radloff]] profiles EC ahead of his concert with The Attractions and opening acts [[Mink DeVille]] and [[Nick Lowe]], Thursday, [[Concert 1978-04-20 Madison|April 20, 1978]], Orpheum Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin. | ||
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Gary Radloff reviews ''[[This Year's Model]]'', ''Pure Pop For Now People'', and ''[[Live Stiffs]]''. | Gary Radloff reviews ''[[This Year's Model]]'', ''[[Pure Pop For Now People]]'', and ''[[Live Stiffs]]''. | ||
{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
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{{Bibliography box | {{Bibliography box}} | ||
<center><h3> Elvis mania!!!</h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis mania!!!</h3></center> | ||
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When word had reached us that Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Mink DeVille, and Nick Lowe with Rockpile were going to be at the Orpheum Theater April 20th, we had to pinch ourselves to believe it was true. These are, without a doubt, three of the most exciting and important acts to arise in the past two years. Something special was called for, and this Special Supplementary Issue of the ''Madcity Music Sheet'' was put out simply because we are fans. | When word had reached us that Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Mink DeVille, and Nick Lowe with Rockpile were going to be at the Orpheum Theater April 20th, we had to pinch ourselves to believe it was true. These are, without a doubt, three of the most exciting and important acts to arise in the past two years. Something special was called for, and this Special Supplementary Issue of the ''Madcity Music Sheet'' was put out simply because we are fans. | ||
The past couple of years have seen so much happening in the music world that it's hard to get a perspective on it all. Yet, it is safe to say there is something resembling a rock n' roll renaissance that has been breaking forth from two urban centers, New York City and London. The originators or groundbreakers can be traced back to the early seventies and we'll avoid the historical debate on whose "scene" broke first. | The past couple of years have seen so much happening in the music world that it's hard to get a perspective on it all. Yet, it is safe to say there is something resembling a rock 'n' roll renaissance that has been breaking forth from two urban centers, New York City and London. The originators or groundbreakers can be traced back to the early seventies and we'll avoid the historical debate on whose "scene" broke first. | ||
Of these three acts, all were a part of the new music that was coming out. Mink DeVille was a part of the New York scene and one of the original bands at CBGB's. While Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe and their association with the Stiff record label were major music forces out of London. | Of these three acts, all were a part of the new music that was coming out. Mink DeVille was a part of the New York scene and one of the original bands at CBGB's. While Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe and their association with the Stiff record label were major music forces out of London. | ||
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{{Bibliography box | {{Bibliography box}} | ||
<center><h3> Pure Pop For Now People </h3></center> | <center><h3> Pure Pop For Now People </h3></center> | ||
<center>''' Nick Lowe </center> | <center>''' Nick Lowe </center> | ||
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[[Category:Bibliography 1978]] | [[Category:Bibliography 1978]] | ||
[[Category:Madcity Music Sheet| Madcity Music Sheet 1978-04-10]] | [[Category:Madcity Music Sheet| Madcity Music Sheet 1978-04-10]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Magazine articles]] | ||
[[Category:1977 concert reviews]] | [[Category:1977 concert reviews]] | ||
[[Category:Album reviews]] | [[Category:Album reviews]] | ||
[[Category:This Year's Model reviews]] | [[Category:This Year's Model reviews]] | ||
[[Category:Live Stiffs reviews]] | [[Category:Live Stiffs reviews]] | ||
[[Category:Pure Pop For Now People reviews]] |
Latest revision as of 20:52, 26 April 2023
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