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He might not be the world’s most famous “Elvis,” but Elvis Costello has earned his spot in the spotlight. The 61-year-old may have been around the block a few times, but he shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. However, despite the fact that Costello has spent a considerable amount of time in the spotlight and under the scrutiny of the public eye, there are still some things that many people don’t know. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Elvis Costello. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: His Glasses Have a Special Meaning. In fact, Costello’s famous glasses are an homage to his father. His father was Ross McManus, who was a notable singer in England when Costello was just a child.
Number Fourteen: Jimi Hendrix Got Him Banned From SNL. Costello took a note out of Jimi Hendrix’s book when the Attractions were performing in place of the Sex Pistols on SNL. Rather than perform the song they were supposed to, Costello stopped mid-performance and began another song. The stunt got him banned from SNL in 1977.
Number Thirteen: He Encouraged Paul McCartney to Be a Beatle. Or rather, he encouraged McCartney to truly embrace his Beatle-ness. When Costello first began working with McCartney, McCartney was using a hi-tech bass. However, Costello encouraged McCartney to break out and begin using the Hofner bass he had used when he was part of The Beatles.
Number Twelve: He Might Release an Album With Paul McCartney. Costello and McCartney have discussed releasing an album together in the past, and although it hasn’t happened yet, it might someday.
Number Eleven: He Doesn’t Really Hate Bruce Thomas. Though it’s no secret that there was a serious rift between Costello and bassist for the Attractions Bruce Thomas, Costello has since praised Thomas’ skills.
Number Ten: He Has No Excuses for the James Brown and Ray Charles Incident. In 1979, Costello got into a drunken fight with members of Stephen Stills’ band, and he was documented calling James Brown and Ray Charles a litany of racial slurs. In his memoir, he admits that even though his mental state was extremely poor at the time, there were no excuses for the incident.
Number Nine: He Is an Incredibly Educated Musician. Costello is very deeply entrenched in the world of music, and over the years, he has educated himself about all sorts of different artists. He has collaborated with artists like George Jones, Chet Baker, Burt Bacharach, and Tony Bennett.
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