Radio Times, September 15, 1979: Difference between revisions
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What Costello looks for in others’ music is what he endeavours to bring to his own: passion. an inherent discipline | What Costello looks for in others’ music is what he endeavours to bring to his own: passion. an inherent discipline | ||
and an unswerving sense of commitment, ' I like songs — records that have something to them, some point — be it a political point or an emotional point.’ In that respect, he says, [[Dusty Springfield]] and Linton Kwesi Johnson, [[Hank Williams]] and the Marvelettes, have more in common than might initially be supposed. Significantly. the records Costello, has selected for Star Special, with a few exceptions, are either vintage or highly contemporary, reflecting his belief that ‘rock music shut off dead around 1965 and didn't wake up again until 1976’, It was in that period. Costello says, that rock lost its way and he lost his faith — experiencing betrayal, you suspect | and an unswerving sense of commitment, ' I like songs — records that have something to them, some point — be it a political point or an emotional point.’ In that respect, he says, [[Dusty Springfield]] and Linton Kwesi Johnson, [[Hank Williams]] and the Marvelettes, have more in common than might initially be supposed. Significantly. the records Costello, has selected for Star Special, with a few exceptions, are either vintage or highly contemporary, reflecting his belief that ‘rock music shut off dead around 1965 and didn't wake up again until 1976’, It was in that period. Costello says, that rock lost its way and he lost his faith — experiencing betrayal, you suspect, in the way ; that only one who was truly seduced | ||
by the promise of rock and roll | by the promise of rock and roll in the first place could do. The era of rock at its most self conscious, of psychedelia. | ||
the whispered confessions of singer-songwriters, selling their diaries for a fortune’, and flirtations with concertos and | the whispered confessions of singer-songwriters, selling their diaries for a fortune’, and flirtations with concertos and | ||
symphony orchestras - Everything,’ says Costello, ‘seemed like a blind alley; you’d believe in somebody forty minutes | symphony orchestras - Everything,’ says Costello, ‘seemed like a blind alley; you’d believe in somebody forty minutes | ||
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the Beatles records have merit; .you can find faults with them, but it’s very easy to make people into icons and then say They let us down”, but they’re only human beings’. | the Beatles records have merit; .you can find faults with them, but it’s very easy to make people into icons and then say They let us down”, but they’re only human beings’. | ||
If it was through the emergence of punk rock in 1976 that the spirit of rock was reborn, Costello did not necessarily warm to the genre as a whole — once anything becomes a movement. he says, It is the beginning of the end — but its protagonists captured his imagination. He describes ‘God Save The Queen’ by the Sex Pistols as ‘probably the best rock and roll record ever | If it was through the emergence of punk rock in 1976 that the spirit of rock was reborn, Costello did not necessarily warm to the genre as a whole — once anything becomes a movement. he says, It is the beginning of the end — but its protagonists captured his imagination. He describes ‘God Save The Queen’ by the Sex Pistols as ‘probably the best rock and roll record ever released’, as revolutionary in its own time as [[Elvis Presley]]’s "[[Mystery Train]]", and [[The Who|the Who’]]s 'My Generation ' were in theirs. Evangelism of a different sort — during the week of the Silver Jubilee Costello would throw open the window and play the record at full volume. ‘It’s an Irritating-the neighbours sort of record, and one example of what a record stands for being more important than what it sounds like. Its irrelevant whether it’s note-perfect or even in tune; it's beyond music. | ||
The first Clash album affected him equally strongly. Costello says he played the record non-stop for 36 hours when it was first released - not a great record by any accepted musical criteria but given of an indefinably heroic quality which makes it irresistible. They’re probably my favourite modern band, because I figure there is some heart in what they do, which is what separates them from other bands that affect that punk stance. It’s another case where bad production and bad singing | The first Clash album affected him equally strongly. Costello says he played the record non-stop for 36 hours when it was first released - not a great record by any accepted musical criteria but given of an indefinably heroic quality which makes it irresistible. They’re probably my favourite modern band, because I figure there is some heart in what they do, which is what separates them from other bands that affect that punk stance. It’s another case where bad production and bad singing | ||
just don’t matter, | just don’t matter, generally speaking, I could never see much merit in that idea of punk bands not being able to play their instruments. I still don’t regard myself as a musician as such — technically I’m very much inferior to the other guys | ||
in the band — but at the same time there | in the band — but at the same time there is no point in forcing yourself to listen to a record which is actually ugly to the | ||
Ears. I like the idea of, say, the Damned much more than I like actually listening to them.’ | Ears. I like the idea of, say, [[the Damned]] much more than I like actually listening to them.’ | ||
That the Clash are also lyrically naive is not, he says, important. Political sophistication was never a criterion of good | That the Clash are also lyrically naive is not, he says, important. Political sophistication was never a criterion of good |
Revision as of 20:42, 15 January 2015
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