Melbourne Age, March 30, 2014: Difference between revisions
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<center><h3> The lasting attraction of Elvis Costello and the Imposters </h3></center> | <center><h3> The lasting attraction of <br> Elvis Costello and the Imposters </h3></center> | ||
After close to 40 years behind Elvis Costello, drummer Pete Thomas and keyboard man Steve Nieve know - and appreciate - their man. | |||
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"Steve really is probably my best friend," Thomas says. "From the beginning, we roomed together and when we went on adventures and things it was always me and him. We've been arrested together, several times, and we've been together so long now that we've got a natural friendship." | "Steve really is probably my best friend," Thomas says. "From the beginning, we roomed together and when we went on adventures and things it was always me and him. We've been arrested together, several times, and we've been together so long now that we've got a natural friendship." | ||
Not just friends but admirers of what each brings to his work with the forever changing Costello, who is usually | Not just friends but admirers of what each brings to his work with the forever changing Costello, who is usually — and incorrectly — described as the former punk rocker who made a country album at the height of his pop fame, learnt classical scoring to work with the [[Brodsky Quartet]] and later symphony orchestras, has written for jazz ensembles and former pop stars, co-written with [[Burt Bacharach]] and [[Paul McCartney]], and recorded Americana, folk, rock and soul. | ||
"If you are in LA doing sessions there are various people who come in and they will play some generic blues or boogie woogie. Steve doesn't think like that," Thomas says. "He'll go and listen to some blues or some country but he'll incorporate that into his own style, because he's classically trained and he's got this melodic library, this catalogue that he can draw on. | "If you are in LA doing sessions there are various people who come in and they will play some generic blues or boogie woogie. Steve doesn't think like that," Thomas says. "He'll go and listen to some blues or some country but he'll incorporate that into his own style, because he's classically trained and he's got this melodic library, this catalogue that he can draw on. | ||
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Elvis Costello of course has no problem speaking for himself. If anything, the garrulous veteran musician, musicologist, multi-musical stylist and songwriter of no mean standard has to be hog-tied and gagged these days to stop him talking. | Elvis Costello of course has no problem speaking for himself. If anything, the garrulous veteran musician, musicologist, multi-musical stylist and songwriter of no mean standard has to be hog-tied and gagged these days to stop him talking. | ||
Nieve, on the other hand, has to be cajoled. He is helped by the fact that after solo recordings, a music-theatre project with lyrics by his wife, [[Muriel Teodori]], and now film scoring (including David Wenham's segment of the film The Turning), he's got himself a new album under his name, called Together. | Nieve, on the other hand, has to be cajoled. He is helped by the fact that after solo recordings, a music-theatre project with lyrics by his wife, [[Muriel Teodori]], and now film scoring (including David Wenham's segment of the film ''The Turning''), he's got himself a new album under his name, called Together. | ||
The record features 14 different vocalists | The record features 14 different vocalists — from Costello and Laurie Anderson to Sting and his bass-playing son, Joe Sumner — and as usual he's been ready to push the boat out musically, to be uncomfortable. | ||
"I am a bit uncomfortable in general, in life," Nieve says. "I find it gives you excitement when you do that, and that's probably why I like to take that risk." | "I am a bit uncomfortable in general, in life," Nieve says. "I find it gives you excitement when you do that, and that's probably why I like to take that risk." | ||
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As Thomas readily agrees, risk taking is one of the attractions of being an Attraction and an Imposter. | As Thomas readily agrees, risk taking is one of the attractions of being an Attraction and an Imposter. | ||
"That's one of the great things about playing with [Costello]: he explores all these different areas so if he wants to do a bossa nova then you have to go and listen to bossa novas and try to find who is the best guy | "That's one of the great things about playing with [Costello]: he explores all these different areas so if he wants to do a bossa nova then you have to go and listen to bossa novas and try to find who is the best guy — there's this Brazilian called Milton Banana who played on The Girl from Ipanema. And you find these people, you study what they do and it helps you develop as a drummer. | ||
"But sometimes it takes a second live: he'll whip into something else and it's, whoa! Sometimes it's more a question of intensity. When we do our new-wave stuff, it's pretty flat out, it's fairly physical. You've got to be fit and you've got to whack them. But then if you suddenly switch to something with brushes, it can take a second | "But sometimes it takes a second live: he'll whip into something else and it's, whoa! Sometimes it's more a question of intensity. When we do our new-wave stuff, it's pretty flat out, it's fairly physical. You've got to be fit and you've got to whack them. But then if you suddenly switch to something with brushes, it can take a second — but not just for me, for everyone in the band," he laughs. | ||
"Sometimes we'll look at each other and "who-oa-oa." | "Sometimes we'll look at each other and "who-oa-oa." | ||
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''Elvis Costello and the Imposters play on [[Concert 2014-04-23 Sydney|April 23]] at the State Theatre. Also, on [[Concert 2014-04-21 Byron Bay|April 21]] at Bluesfest, Byron Bay; and [[Concert 2014-04-19 Deniliquin|April 19]] at Deni Blues & Roots Festival, Deniliquin. | |||
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*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age Wikipedia: The Age] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age Wikipedia: The Age] | ||
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[[Category:The Age| Age 2014-03-30]] | [[Category:The Age| Age 2014-03-30]] | ||
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[[Category:2014 interviews]] |
Revision as of 02:20, 11 May 2014
Elvis Costello and the Imposters play on April 23 at the State Theatre. Also, on April 21 at Bluesfest, Byron Bay; and April 19 at Deni Blues & Roots Festival, Deniliquin.
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