New Musical Express, January 27, 1979: Difference between revisions
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The official deal on the Riviera-Global (Costello's management) end was uncomfortably double edged. I could talk to Costello, sure, but there would be no official interview. | The official deal on the Riviera-Global (Costello's management) end was uncomfortably double edged. I could talk to Costello, sure, but there would be no official interview. | ||
Personally, I saw no reason why Costello should do an interview anyway. In the motor whilst idly perusing one of the music rag's, I'd come across the quote "silence makes legends" | Personally, I saw no reason why Costello should do an interview anyway. In the motor whilst idly perusing one of the music rag's, I'd come across the quote "silence makes legends," which in its given context (manager Peter Grant's jive explanation for Bad Company's slug-like dormancy this past year or so) was laughable, but in regard to Costello made perfect sense. | ||
In a purely objective light the fact that Elvis is a loquacious and intriguing subject seems secondary to the contention that it's an art in itself to remain inscrutably silent in the face of continual media harassment and that those who have successfully kept mute – the Dylans and De Niros – usually just coincidentally happen to be the mightiest talents in their particular line of work. | In a purely objective light the fact that Elvis is a loquacious and intriguing subject seems secondary to the contention that it's an art in itself to remain inscrutably silent in the face of continual media harassment and that those who have successfully kept mute – the Dylans and De Niros – usually just coincidentally happen to be the mightiest talents in their particular line of work. | ||
Take a rain check on Elvis Costeilo's current state of grace on the rock front – and let's dispense with the unnecessary superlatives – and one is near blinded by the fact that here is a man playing for "big stakes" | Take a rain check on Elvis Costeilo's current state of grace on the rock front – and let's dispense with the unnecessary superlatives – and one is near blinded by the fact that here is a man playing for "big stakes." I mean, let's ignore his popularity over here in Blighty a moment and note that Costello is the first New Wave artiste (along with Talking Heads who skipped lightly over the lower echelons of that US Top 30 with their second release) to make an appreciable dent on the ultra-reactionary American market. All the rest of the New Wave's diverse constituents haven't done more than tickle the soft white underbelly of the great hulking beast. | ||
Unsettling, irritating he may be to the smug Yank megabuck big boys but in '78 they all learnt it's better not to underestimate Elvis Costello. | Unsettling, irritating he may be to the smug Yank megabuck big boys but in '78 they all learnt it's better not to underestimate Elvis Costello. | ||
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From there on out, the sky seemed the limit. Costello and the Attraction's toured all over the world ceaselessly. The 52 states of America were all traversed unrelentingly, in Australia Costello's feisty manner caused a nasty little riot, and finally in Japan The Attractions scored yet another accolade by being the first New Wave band both to visit the country and play small clubs instead of large halls. | From there on out, the sky seemed the limit. Costello and the Attraction's toured all over the world ceaselessly. The 52 states of America were all traversed unrelentingly, in Australia Costello's feisty manner caused a nasty little riot, and finally in Japan The Attractions scored yet another accolade by being the first New Wave band both to visit the country and play small clubs instead of large halls. | ||
When not doing concerts, the band were in Eden studios for two weeks, knocking out 17 tracks, 12 of which formed the "next album" | When not doing concerts, the band were in Eden studios for two weeks, knocking out 17 tracks, 12 of which formed the "next album," tentatively titled ''Emotional Fascism'' but finally known to all as ''Armed Forces'' (title gratis Attractions drummer Pete Thomas), Another cut – "[[(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?|What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love And Understanding]]" – was cheekily released under the name of the song's composer, one [[Nick Lowe]], as a single late last year. Another, "[[Tiny Steps]]," made an impromptu appearance on the B-side of "[[Radio, Radio|Radio Radio]]" and another two peaches ("[[Wednesday Week]]" and "[[Talking In The Dark]]") emerged on a collector's only item handed out to the lucky folk who made it to the Dominion gigs over Christmas. Only one song, "[[Clean Money]]" remains unreleased in any form whatsoever, going the way of other stray Costello items like "[[Dr. Luther's Assistant]]" and "[[Crawling To The USA]]" which somehow don't quite cut the final test with their creator. | ||
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"It was no great trial for me as such though I did go strange towards the end. I'd like blank out and just see red. It's hard to explain." | "It was no great trial for me as such though I did go strange towards the end. I'd like blank out and just see red. It's hard to explain." | ||
The matter of personal | The matter of personal compatibility on tour was one topic dear to Costello's heart after the Sheffield gig, when he continued to adhere to the party line of no one-to-one interview. In an attempt to compromise the situation, I first of all suggested providing him with a list of several questions to which he could compose a written reply. No, he didn't like that idea much either. He became candid: | ||
"It's not a personal thing against you at all but I honestly don't want to deal with ''New Musical Express''. I think the paper has become cheap and offensive (Oh well, ours never was one of the great romances, EL – Ed). It's like Rolling Stone used to be a good paper but it blew it, lost its perspective. I don't like the ''NME'' much anymore and I particularly don't like some of the things that have been printed about my personal life." | "It's not a personal thing against you at all but I honestly don't want to deal with ''New Musical Express''. I think the paper has become cheap and offensive ''(Oh well, ours never was one of the great romances, EL – Ed)''. It's like ''Rolling Stone'' used to be a good paper but it blew it, lost its perspective. I don't like the ''NME'' much anymore and I particularly don't like some of the things that have been printed about my personal life." | ||
Finally I play my last card, which is simply to get the three tour participants – Costello, [[Richard Hell]], and [[John Cooper Clarke]] – together and start up what hopefully will become a reasonable dialogue, first about the tour and then on to...well, virtually anything. This idea Costello finds surprisingly agreeable and the three duly assemble in the hotel lounge. A preliminary question about the tenuous relationship between the three in terms of each other's notoriety is immediately scuppered by Hell who unfortunately plumps for the easy option: cynicism. Our four-sided discussion begins to turn into a three-against-one, with the question master on the losing side. | Finally I play my last card, which is simply to get the three tour participants – Costello, [[Richard Hell]], and [[John Cooper Clarke]] – together and start up what hopefully will become a reasonable dialogue, first about the tour and then on to...well, virtually anything. This idea Costello finds surprisingly agreeable and the three duly assemble in the hotel lounge. A preliminary question about the tenuous relationship between the three in terms of each other's notoriety is immediately scuppered by Hell who unfortunately plumps for the easy option: cynicism. Our four-sided discussion begins to turn into a three-against-one, with the question master on the losing side. | ||
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"Because it became obvious that it was impossible to get away with it. And also because ''Armed Forces'' seemed actually more appropriate with its double meaning and all. It was Pete's (Thomas) idea actually." | "Because it became obvious that it was impossible to get away with it. And also because ''Armed Forces'' seemed actually more appropriate with its double meaning and all. It was Pete's (Thomas) idea actually." | ||
Just as it seems a dialogue has begun, a finger taps on my shoulder and Costello's lackey PR man peers down and informs me it's time to split. When I counter that I'm happy to spend the night at the hotel the message has to be spelt out: "It would be, uh, better if you came with us," he leers. I look at Costello who sits there smiling inscrutably and I realise that I've been set up The whole thing has been a performance, impeccably acted out with Costello the likely instigator. He'll probably get a song out of it. | Just as it seems a dialogue has begun, a finger taps on my shoulder and Costello's lackey PR man peers down and informs me it's time to split. When I counter that I'm happy to spend the night at the hotel the message has to be spelt out: "It would be, uh, ''better'' if you came with us," he leers. I look at Costello who sits there smiling inscrutably and I realise that I've been set up The whole thing has been a performance, impeccably acted out with Costello the likely instigator. He'll probably get a song out of it. | ||
And that would be that if it weren't for some revelations on the drive back. Jake Riviera, as always still functioning on enough adrenalin to equip a small field battalion, reveals that Elvis has already composed the whole of his next album while bassist Bruce Thomas reckons the maestro has enough to fill four new albums. | And that would be that if it weren't for some revelations on the drive back. Jake Riviera, as always still functioning on enough adrenalin to equip a small field battalion, reveals that Elvis has already composed the whole of his next album while bassist Bruce Thomas reckons the maestro has enough to fill four new albums. | ||
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'''New Musical Express, January 27, 1979 | '''New Musical Express, January 27, 1979 | ||
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[[Nick Kent]] profiles Elvis Costello | [[Nick Kent]] profiles Elvis Costello. <span style="font-size:92%">{{n}}Includes a brief report on the [[Concert 1979-01-18 Sheffield|January 18]] concert in Sheffield. (A version of this piece also ran in [[Creem, May 1979|''Creem'', May 1979]].)</span> | ||
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''[[Armed Forces]]'' is No. 7 on the UK album chart [[:image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express page 02 clipping 01.jpg|(page 2)]]. | ''[[Armed Forces]]'' is No. 7 on the UK album chart [[:image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express page 02 clipping 01.jpg|(page 2)]]. | ||
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[[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express cover.jpg|360px]] | [[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express cover.jpg|360px]] | ||
<br><small>Photos by [[Pennie Smith]]. Cover photo caption is ''Costello, Shades & Drapes '79.''</small> | |||
[[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express pages 24-25.jpg|360px|border]] | |||
<br><small>Page scans.</small> | |||
[[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express page 26 clipping 01.jpg|x320px|border]] | |||
[[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express photo 03.jpg|x320px|border]] | |||
<br><small>Clipping and photo.</small> | |||
[[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express photo 01 ps.jpg|360px]] | |||
<br><small>Photos by [[Pennie Smith]].</small> | <br><small>Photos by [[Pennie Smith]].</small> | ||
[[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express | [[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express photo 02 ps.jpg|360px]] | ||
[[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express page 02 clipping 01.jpg| | [[image:1979-01-27 New Musical Express page 02 clipping 01.jpg|200px|border]] | ||
<br><small> | <br><small>Chart clipping.</small> | ||
{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Revision as of 00:41, 3 June 2017
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