New Musical Express, February 14, 1981: Difference between revisions
(formatting) |
(formatting +tags) |
||
Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
{{:NME index}} | {{:NME index}} | ||
{{Bibliography article header}} | {{Bibliography article header}} | ||
<center><h3> Elvis says | <center><h3> After all these years... Elvis says hi{{nb}}to{{nb}}yanks </h3></center> | ||
---- | ---- | ||
<center> Richard Grabel </center> | <center> Richard Grabel </center> | ||
Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
Costello and the Attractions performed "New Lace Sleeves," and then Costello alone sat down with ''Tomorrow'' host Tom Snyder for the chat. Snyder, a bundle of nervous tics (eyes blinking, eyebrows going up and down) even in the best of times, looked distinctly ill-at-ease. Costello seemed in fine humour though, leaning back and arching his eyebrows over his shades, getting intentional laughs, while Snyder's questions were provoking embarrassed snickers from the younger members of the studio audience. | Costello and the Attractions performed "New Lace Sleeves," and then Costello alone sat down with ''Tomorrow'' host Tom Snyder for the chat. Snyder, a bundle of nervous tics (eyes blinking, eyebrows going up and down) even in the best of times, looked distinctly ill-at-ease. Costello seemed in fine humour though, leaning back and arching his eyebrows over his shades, getting intentional laughs, while Snyder's questions were provoking embarrassed snickers from the younger members of the studio audience. | ||
Costello's last appearance on American television was also on the NBC network, when he appeared on '' | Costello's last appearance on American television was also on the NBC network, when he appeared on ''Saturday Night Live'' and totally freaked out that show's production crew by suddenly stopping "Less Than Zero" a few bars into the song and switching to "Radio, Radio." (''Ah, you saw Hendrix on ''The Lulu Show'' too, Elvis — Ed.'') Snyder began by asking him about the incident. | ||
Costello: "Well, I thought it was a live show, something about the title suggested it. And the number that we were sort of bullied into doing, it was written about a very English situation and didn't fit, and I had a new song that at the time wasn't recorded, about radio, and we just did it spontaneously. And evidently it's not ''that'' live. I think they told us not to come back. | Costello: "Well, I thought it was a live show, something about the title suggested it. And the number that we were sort of bullied into doing, it was written about a very English situation and didn't fit, and I had a new song that at the time wasn't recorded, about radio, and we just did it spontaneously. And evidently it's not ''that'' live. I think they told us not to come back. | ||
''Snyder: | ''Snyder: Do you rebel against that, if the record company says "Hey, we want you to do this song, this is the one we've got the money on"? | ||
Well that was before we persuaded them that that isn't the way we work. After a little gentle persuasion we got a much better understanding on those matters. | Well that was before we persuaded them that that isn't the way we work. After a little gentle persuasion we got a much better understanding on those matters. | ||
Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
What a horrible word that is. Matured. No, no, I'm not in the business of maturing. Makes you sound like cheese or something. | What a horrible word that is. Matured. No, no, I'm not in the business of maturing. Makes you sound like cheese or something. | ||
''When you were a computer programmer | ''When you were a computer programmer | ||
I was actually a computer operator. I was just a button pusher. | I was actually a computer operator. I was just a button pusher. | ||
Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
''Was it frustrating for you, working a job like that and knowing you had this talent? | ''Was it frustrating for you, working a job like that and knowing you had this talent? | ||
Oh yeah. It's all very well for me now, 'cause I've got a record contract and I can put out records, and if I don't I suppose they send the boys around or something. I was turned down by every record company in England. I just didn't present myself. Probably due to the fact that I'm a big fan of those old films where they go in and say | Oh yeah. It's all very well for me now, 'cause I've got a record contract and I can put out records, and if I don't I suppose they send the boys around or something. I was turned down by every record company in England. I just didn't present myself. Probably due to the fact that I'm a big fan of those old films where they go in and say "Have I got a song for you!" | ||
I actually believed you could do that. I used to sit down with these guys and play my guitar and say, | I actually believed you could do that. I used to sit down with these guys and play my guitar and say, "Well what do you think?" They were used to getting demo tapes they could attach these polite notes to, and I did actually force people to sit and listen to me for twenty minutes between taking phone calls. It's particularly embarrassing when you're in the middle of a song and suddenly the phone rings and he's going: "Yes darling I'll be home around eight, no, lamb casserole will be great, see ya later honey." | ||
There are still people trying to do that and they're not gonna find it funny. People come up to me and ask me if I've got any tips, and there ain't any. Just keep knocking on the door until they answer. | There are still people trying to do that and they're not gonna find it funny. People come up to me and ask me if I've got any tips, and there ain't any. Just keep knocking on the door until they answer. | ||
Line 80: | Line 80: | ||
''This was very comfortable for me, thank you very much. I didn't expect it to be, and it was. | ''This was very comfortable for me, thank you very much. I didn't expect it to be, and it was. | ||
I just wanted to do that, because people said to me, | I just wanted to do that, because people said to me, "If you're on, do the funny legs," because of the picture on the photograph, "You've got to do the funny eyebrows." | ||
{{cx}} | |||
{{tags}}[[TV 1981-02-03 Tom Snyder|Tomorrow Coast To Coast]] {{-}} [[Concert 1981-01-31 New York|The Palladium]] {{-}} [[New York]] {{-}} [[New Lace Sleeves]] {{-}} [[The Attractions]] {{-}} [[Squeeze]] {{-}} [[Tom Snyder]] {{-}} [[NBC]] {{-}} [[TV 1977-12-17 Saturday Night Live|Saturday Night Live]] {{-}} [[Less Than Zero]] {{-}} [[Radio, Radio]] {{-}} [[Jimi Hendrix]] {{-}} [[Cole Porter]] {{-}} [[Hank Williams]] {{-}} [[Ross MacManus]] {{-}} [[Watch Your Step]] {{-}} [[Jools Holland]] {{-}} [[Paul Carrack]] {{-}} [[Glenn Tilbrook]] {{-}} [[Chris Difford]] {{-}} [[Trust]] {{-}} [[Emotional Fascism]] {{-}} [[Steve Nieve]] {{-}} [[Get Happy!!]] {{-}} [[He's Got You|She's Got You]] {{-}} [[Patsy Cline]] {{-}} [[Watching The Detectives]] {{-}} [[Bob Marley]] {{-}} [[Master Blaster (Jammin')]] {{-}} [[King Horse]] | |||
{{cx}} | {{cx}} | ||
Line 95: | Line 98: | ||
[[Richard Grabel]] reports on EC's appearance on ''Tomorrow Coast To Coast'', Tuesday, [[TV 1981-02-03 Tom Snyder|February 3, 1981]]. | [[Richard Grabel]] reports on EC's appearance on ''Tomorrow Coast To Coast'', Tuesday, [[TV 1981-02-03 Tom Snyder|February 3, 1981]]. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
Richard Grabel reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]] and opening act [[Squeeze]], | Richard Grabel reviews Elvis Costello & [[The Attractions]] and opening act [[Squeeze]], Palladium, New York. ([[Concert 1981-01-31 New York|Jan. 31]] or [[Concert 1981-02-01 New York|Feb. 1]] or [[Concert 1981-02-02 New York|2]].) | ||
{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express clipping 02.jpg| | [[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express clipping 02.jpg|x320px]][[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express clipping 03.jpg|x320px]] | ||
<br><small>Clippings.</small> | <br><small>Clippings.</small> | ||
{{Bibliography box | {{Bibliography box}} | ||
<center><h3> Elvis Costello / Squeeze </h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis Costello / Squeeze </h3></center> | ||
<center>''' Palladium, New York </center> | <center>''' Palladium, New York </center> | ||
Line 110: | Line 113: | ||
---- | ---- | ||
{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
[[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express page 44 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express page 44 clipping 01.jpg|110px|right]] | ||
What do Squeeze value? Professionalism. Tightness. Songs of classic construction. Entertainment. Making the little girls smile and yell. | What do Squeeze value? Professionalism. Tightness. Songs of classic construction. Entertainment. Making the little girls smile and yell. | ||
What do I value in Squeeze? The humour and good | What do I value in Squeeze? The humour and good feeling in their voices. The way they make tired old commitments like "professionalism" and "tightness" seem not just virtues but positive fun. And they keep me alert and interested in what they do, even when it isn't entirely working. The way they make the little girls smile and yell. | ||
Jools Holland, at least, used to be a bit of a live wire. Though Glenn | Jools Holland, at least, used to be a bit of a live wire. Though Glenn Tilbrook is indisputably this band's leader, it was Holland who was always the rambunctious, funny one. With Holland replaced by ex-Ace Paul Carrack, Squeeze look more than ever like warmed-up pub rock leftovers. Fortunately they don't sound that way. | ||
Tilbrook is not a great performing personality. There is no special dynamism to what he does, nothing to fire your imagination or make you wonder what he's really like. The rest of the band appear to be downright blase. | |||
But then, they do a great job delivering those songs. | But then, they do a great job delivering those songs. Tilbrook and Chris Difford write some pop gems, songs with animation and lots of heart. Tonight the best ones sound more swinging, gutsy, alive and crackling than they did in their recorded versions. What more can you ask? | ||
It's been two long years since Elvis Costello toured America, but the time has given him a chance to come back different. | It's been two long years since Elvis Costello toured America, but the time has given him a chance to come back different. | ||
Line 149: | Line 152: | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
[[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express photo 02.jpg| | <small>Photos.</small><br> | ||
[[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express photo 01.jpg| | [[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express photo 02.jpg|x340px|border]]{{t}} | ||
[[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express photo 01.jpg|x340px]] | |||
<small>Cover.</small><br> | |||
[[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px|border]] | [[image:1981-02-14 New Musical Express cover.jpg|x120px|border]] | ||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Revision as of 21:42, 31 May 2021
|