New Musical Express, June 29, 1996: Difference between revisions
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But if the chief peril of elder statesmanship is having one's presence increasingly taken for granted, God bless America and its subtle variation on the class system. There, Costello has routinely traded his wares on the enormoshed circuit for the past ten to 15 years, playing to audiences in the highly respectable neighbourhood of 12,000 a night. "People come up to me in England going, 'What do you do now?' They think I've quit. And I say, 'I've just played Madison Square Garden!"' | But if the chief peril of elder statesmanship is having one's presence increasingly taken for granted, God bless America and its subtle variation on the class system. There, Costello has routinely traded his wares on the enormoshed circuit for the past ten to 15 years, playing to audiences in the highly respectable neighbourhood of 12,000 a night. "People come up to me in England going, 'What do you do now?' They think I've quit. And I say, 'I've just played Madison Square Garden!"' | ||
So we meet a Music Man resplendent in dark apparel but sunnyside humour. He discreetly but regularly checks his watch: the Attractions are in town rehearsing for their upcoming summer tour, and he's anxious not to keep his old sparring partners waiting too long. Yet at 42 he maintains a novice's enthusiasm at his continued involvement in this crazy-when-you-think-about-it way of life: "I don't look down on anybody. One of the gravest mistakes musicians make is to become as cynical as some of the people that work in the business side of the music industry." Ancient history might have mellowed the bug-eyed misanthrope of tabloid outrage, but his frenzy for fine print remains undimmed. And there's some points to prove too, Mister. Like he says on the new record, "If you still don't like my song then you can just go to hell... " | So we meet a Music Man resplendent in dark apparel but sunnyside humour. He discreetly but regularly checks his watch: the Attractions are in town rehearsing for their upcoming summer tour, and he's anxious not to keep his old sparring partners waiting too long. Yet at 42 he maintains a novice's enthusiasm at his continued involvement in this crazy-when-you-think-about-it way of life: "I don't look down on anybody. One of the gravest mistakes musicians make is to become as cynical as some of the people that work in the business side of the music industry." Ancient history might have mellowed the bug-eyed misanthrope of tabloid outrage, but his frenzy for fine print remains undimmed. And there's some points to prove too, Mister. Like he says on the new record, ''"If you still don't like my song then you can just go to hell..."'' | ||
"Melody is very subjective isn't it?" says Elvis Costello, apropos of nothing immediately obvious. "I've read criticism of my work becoming tuneless, as I would say it's become more tuneful. '[[The Juliet Letters]]' is very, very tuneful. So is 'Mighty Like A Rose', there's a lot of really strong melodies on it, but it's almost like people couldn't hear them. I would say this record is very tuneful. Of course, a dummy will say there's no fire in this..." | "Melody is very subjective isn't it?" says Elvis Costello, apropos of nothing immediately obvious. "I've read criticism of my work becoming tuneless, as I would say it's become more tuneful. ''[[The Juliet Letters]]'' is very, very tuneful. So is ''[[Mighty Like A Rose]]'', there's a lot of really strong melodies on it, but it's almost like people couldn't hear them. I would say this record is very tuneful. Of course, a dummy will say there's no fire in this..." | ||
Two disbelieving Music Man eyebrows somersault from behind the sunglasses. "We could bash these songs out if we wanted to, it's just defeating the whole object of them. The songs are written a certain way and that's the way you play 'em." | Two disbelieving Music Man eyebrows somersault from behind the sunglasses. "We could bash these songs out if we wanted to, it's just defeating the whole object of them. The songs are written a certain way and that's the way you play 'em." | ||
The songs on 1994's '[[Brutal Youth]]' were conceived with bashing out high on their perpetrators' list of priorities. The first EC and The Attractions album since 1986's virtuoso bile-fest '[[Blood And Chocolate]]', it had critics jumping cartwheels, relieved that the contrasting cul de sacs of ' | The songs on 1994's ''[[Brutal Youth]]'' were conceived with bashing out high on their perpetrators' list of priorities. The first EC and The Attractions album since 1986's virtuoso bile-fest ''[[Blood And Chocolate]]'', it had critics jumping cartwheels, relieved that the contrasting cul de sacs of ''Mighty Like A Rose'' (an elaborately overdone pop curdle) and ''The Juliet Letters''' (Elv gets not noticeably funky with [[The Brodsky Quartet]]) had been eschewed for a main road whose contours they recognised and remembered with fondness from those halcyon skinny tie-tastic days of '78. | ||
Emphatically satisfying as it might have been, a degree in clairvoyance was not required to deduce its successor would head off down the grass verges again. And so, nimbly side-stepping '[[Kojak Variety]]', last year's belatedly released "what I did on my holidays" covers album, we have ' | Emphatically satisfying as it might have been, a degree in clairvoyance was not required to deduce its successor would head off down the grass verges again. And so, nimbly side-stepping ''[[Kojak Variety]]'', last year's belatedly released "what I did on my holidays" covers album, we have ''All This Useless Beauty''. Predominately composed of ballads, it sees the Attractions in slow-fuse smoulder mode, a case of 'Brutal Middle-Age'. This, the Music Man opines, is one reason the album was presented to the public with what he regrettably perceives as a "lack of urgency". More significant, perhaps is that a fair few of the songs were written either for, or with, other people in mind, and have thus been sitting around a bit. With the likes of [[Aimee Mann]], [[Roger McGuinn]] and [[June Tabor]] having already released "their" songs from ''All This Useless Beauty'', to the casual onlooker the record might have the air of a collection rather than an album, of Costello dabbling again when we'd much prefer it if he got down to Some Proper Work — ie, 'More Brutal Youth', Music Man, thank you. | ||
"It makes it seem like a rather more studied record than it is. I have to be honest, it's been written about very positively, but inside those compliments there's been a sense of, 'So what?' which I think is a grave misreading of the contents. The problem with making a record like 'Brutal Youth' is it's very easy to get excited about a record like that because of the reference to the previous sound. That particular Attractions combo sound is one that particularly the older critics get misty-eyed about. 'Cos it makes 'em feel young. The old bastards! They have much more of a problem with being old than I have. I have no problem with being the age I am. I hated being young, it was f---ing terrible. I like being this age. I can say, 'Young man' to people now, it's great!" | "It makes it seem like a rather more studied record than it is. I have to be honest, it's been written about very positively, but inside those compliments there's been a sense of, 'So what?' which I think is a grave misreading of the contents. The problem with making a record like 'Brutal Youth' is it's very easy to get excited about a record like that because of the reference to the previous sound. That particular Attractions combo sound is one that particularly the older critics get misty-eyed about. 'Cos it makes 'em feel young. The old bastards! They have much more of a problem with being old than I have. I have no problem with being the age I am. I hated being young, it was f---ing terrible. I like being this age. I can say, 'Young man' to people now, it's great!" | ||
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"He's a very brave boy isn't he? He followed his feelings, and because it didn't have the tightness of The Jam a lot of people hated it. But then people got to the root of what they liked about him in the first place, which was his sincerity... I don't know him very well. Our paths crossed over the years and we've always been friendly. I remember doing a show with him one time and we sang '[[My Ever Changing Moods]]' together and he was really anxious to improve the way he could sing. I thought, 'That's f---ing great, this guy's just had 12 Number One hits and here he is worrying about whether he's singing well.' Most people don't give a shit once they've had that. He really wanted something that was just beyond his reach and now he's got there. I'm really happy people have come round." | "He's a very brave boy isn't he? He followed his feelings, and because it didn't have the tightness of The Jam a lot of people hated it. But then people got to the root of what they liked about him in the first place, which was his sincerity... I don't know him very well. Our paths crossed over the years and we've always been friendly. I remember doing a show with him one time and we sang '[[My Ever Changing Moods]]' together and he was really anxious to improve the way he could sing. I thought, 'That's f---ing great, this guy's just had 12 Number One hits and here he is worrying about whether he's singing well.' Most people don't give a shit once they've had that. He really wanted something that was just beyond his reach and now he's got there. I'm really happy people have come round." | ||
Weller's latter day work is characterised by a preoccupation with his own and other people's shortcomings. From its title inwards, 'All This Useless Beauty seems galvanised by a similar strain of sadness at the inadequacy of man -and men in particular. | Weller's latter day work is characterised by a preoccupation with his own and other people's shortcomings. From its title inwards, ''All This Useless Beauty'' seems galvanised by a similar strain of sadness at the inadequacy of man -and men in particular. | ||
"Melancholy rather than sad," the author considers. "There's always a bit of humour. I tried to make the songs really melancholy so that they're like blues, they lift you out of the thing rather than you come to a totally negative conclusion. I'm not trying to make bubblegum records that everybody will listen to once then discard after a week, that's somebody else's job. I can't see the point of making a completely obvious record. You can use plain language but it needn't necessarily give up all its secrets in the one hearing. And I've got the real feeling I'll be singing songs from this recording in ten years' time." | "Melancholy rather than sad," the author considers. "There's always a bit of humour. I tried to make the songs really melancholy so that they're like blues, they lift you out of the thing rather than you come to a totally negative conclusion. I'm not trying to make bubblegum records that everybody will listen to once then discard after a week, that's somebody else's job. I can't see the point of making a completely obvious record. You can use plain language but it needn't necessarily give up all its secrets in the one hearing. And I've got the real feeling I'll be singing songs from this recording in ten years' time." | ||
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"I got a lovely gift recently from America. Two CDs' worth of my stuff that had been covered by people on the Internet. There was a version of 'No Action' off 'This Year's Model' that sounded like 20 Homer Simpsons at the bowling alley! F---ing marvellous! That'll be the end of the record industry if that happens, and good luck! Brilliant! It'll all go completely random. Let's take all the paintings out of the galleries and put 'em on the Internet. Then we have all this useless beauty. See, that's what I meant, it's a prediction! I've no idea whether it's a good or bad thing, but there's one thing it isn't and that's a safe thing." | "I got a lovely gift recently from America. Two CDs' worth of my stuff that had been covered by people on the Internet. There was a version of 'No Action' off 'This Year's Model' that sounded like 20 Homer Simpsons at the bowling alley! F---ing marvellous! That'll be the end of the record industry if that happens, and good luck! Brilliant! It'll all go completely random. Let's take all the paintings out of the galleries and put 'em on the Internet. Then we have all this useless beauty. See, that's what I meant, it's a prediction! I've no idea whether it's a good or bad thing, but there's one thing it isn't and that's a safe thing." | ||
He finished his drink, shook the journalist by the hand, then went to get his picture taken. What was it with him and photographers and dark, smelly side streets? He disappeared off into Dublin's lunchtime hub. Resumed his rehearsals with the old band. Played the gigs at the Roundhouse. Went well. Felt good. What had he said on 'All This Useless Beauty' again? "There's still some pretty insults left... ' | He finished his drink, shook the journalist by the hand, then went to get his picture taken. What was it with him and photographers and dark, smelly side streets? He disappeared off into Dublin's lunchtime hub. Resumed his rehearsals with the old band. Played the gigs at the Roundhouse. Went well. Felt good. What had he said on ''All This Useless Beauty'' again? "There's still some pretty insults left... ' | ||
Throughout it all, he was the Music Man. He knew of no other way. | Throughout it all, he was the Music Man. He knew of no other way. |
Revision as of 18:54, 2 August 2014
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