London Guardian, May 12, 1995: Difference between revisions
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Anyway, what Costello say’s he’s up against is the sort of division which means that last year the Daily Telegraph feigned shock when discovering that he, as unwashed rocker, should spend his evenings in the Wigmore Hall, his favourite classical venue. On the other hand, the NME wondered whether he was still “on our side”. Make up your own mind, Elvis, was the sorry implication. Are you a pleb or a ponce? | Anyway, what Costello say’s he’s up against is the sort of division which means that last year the Daily Telegraph feigned shock when discovering that he, as unwashed rocker, should spend his evenings in the Wigmore Hall, his favourite classical venue. On the other hand, the NME wondered whether he was still “on our side”. Make up your own mind, Elvis, was the sorry implication. Are you a pleb or a ponce? | ||
He’s being a bit of both at the moment. A fine album of “pop” cover versions, Kojak Variety, is about to be released. It includes songs originally recorded by [[Screamin' Jay Hawkins|Screaming Jay Hawkins]], [[the Supremes]] and [[Bob Dylan]] and demonstrates again Costello’s ability to inhabit a whole range of styles. It’s Costello’s “personal jukebox” ; some of the songs have been knocking around his head for 30 years. | He’s being a bit of both at the moment. A fine album of “pop” cover versions, [[Kojak Variety]], is about to be released. It includes songs originally recorded by [[Screamin' Jay Hawkins|Screaming Jay Hawkins]], [[the Supremes]] and [[Bob Dylan]] and demonstrates again Costello’s ability to inhabit a whole range of styles. It’s Costello’s “personal jukebox” ; some of the songs have been knocking around his head for 30 years. | ||
"This American TV Company wanted to do a special on the album," he explains. "We were quite far into the planning when they suddenly announced that they wanted the original artists to take part. They didn't seem to realise that some of them were not around, some of those who were, would not be too well, ad what about the logistics of getting Diana Ross to come and sing a song with me that she last sang in 1964?" | "This American TV Company wanted to do a special on the album," he explains. "We were quite far into the planning when they suddenly announced that they wanted the original artists to take part. They didn't seem to realise that some of them were not around, some of those who were, would not be too well, ad what about the logistics of getting Diana Ross to come and sing a song with me that she last sang in 1964?" | ||
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No special then, but Costello is preparing for Meltdown '95, a week-long festival of music at the South Bank, running in June. Costello is the artistic director and his clarion call of a manifesto aims to bring together "music from near and far, from now and then, entirely new and extremely old". However, he's wary of appearing too evangelical: "It has a sense of bureaucratic posturing to it, you know, of the breaking-down-barriers school. Unfortunately, Meltdown also sounds like a tacky burger bar." | No special then, but Costello is preparing for Meltdown '95, a week-long festival of music at the South Bank, running in June. Costello is the artistic director and his clarion call of a manifesto aims to bring together "music from near and far, from now and then, entirely new and extremely old". However, he's wary of appearing too evangelical: "It has a sense of bureaucratic posturing to it, you know, of the breaking-down-barriers school. Unfortunately, Meltdown also sounds like a tacky burger bar." | ||
Still, he's planned an impressive programme. The line-up includes Jeff Buckley, the Jazz Passengers, his friends, the Brodskys, and interesting mixes, such as Brian Wilson and Ray Davies compositions placed alongside pieces by Shostakovitch and Brahms. "I didn't want to throw people together for the sake of it. I was following threads." says Costello. Concerts are grouped around themes such as melancholy and, er, melancholy. "Yes, I'm big on melancholy. But I wasn't thinking, how extreme can I make this. I'm not trying to make things unpleasant. But if you have a framework that comes out of a very subjective view, then in effect you're asking the audience to come along with you." | Still, he's planned an impressive programme. The line-up includes Jeff Buckley, [[the Jazz Passengers]], his friends, the Brodskys, and interesting mixes, such as Brian Wilson and [[Ray Davies]] compositions placed alongside pieces by Shostakovitch and Brahms. "I didn't want to throw people together for the sake of it. I was following threads." says Costello. Concerts are grouped around themes such as melancholy and, er, melancholy. "Yes, I'm big on melancholy. But I wasn't thinking, how extreme can I make this. I'm not trying to make things unpleasant. But if you have a framework that comes out of a very subjective view, then in effect you're asking the audience to come along with you." | ||
It sounds promising, I say, but there's no pleasing the man. He can already hear the boo boys. "It's going to offend some people. I know. There's this over-statement of the dire in this country. You hear all the time phrases like 'he's really lost the plot', or 'how embarrassing'. I always think if you find something embarrassing, why don't you just look away." The strength of his argument is weakened by what follows. | It sounds promising, I say, but there's no pleasing the man. He can already hear the boo boys. "It's going to offend some people. I know. There's this over-statement of the dire in this country. You hear all the time phrases like 'he's really lost the plot', or 'how embarrassing'. I always think if you find something embarrassing, why don't you just look away." The strength of his argument is weakened by what follows. | ||
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Costello says he still can't play any instrument "well enough to be employed by another band". However, he's still clear where his skills lie. "I'll never be a specialist. But I can hear things across different types of music, and I know how to get what I want. Take the Brodskys - and I'm not saying this to say, hey, I know more than they do - but to be as good as they are, you cannot afford to diversify. They know the quartet repertoire inside out. However, they might miss connections between different pieces of music which spring out at me." | Costello says he still can't play any instrument "well enough to be employed by another band". However, he's still clear where his skills lie. "I'll never be a specialist. But I can hear things across different types of music, and I know how to get what I want. Take the Brodskys - and I'm not saying this to say, hey, I know more than they do - but to be as good as they are, you cannot afford to diversify. They know the quartet repertoire inside out. However, they might miss connections between different pieces of music which spring out at me." | ||
Finding "hidden" connections is an evident pleasure. He mentions how he hears similarities between songs of [[Roy Orbison]] and Schumann, and threads between Purcell and Duke Ellington. This is not offered, he says, to blandly suggest that music is all interconnected. It's more to do with "the thrill of finding two musicians in different times and places discovering something similar". Costello's enthusiasm and skill for this sort of correspondence | Finding "hidden" connections is an evident pleasure. He mentions how he hears similarities between songs of [[Roy Orbison]] and Schumann, and threads between Purcell and Duke Ellington. This is not offered, he says, to blandly suggest that music is all interconnected. It's more to do with "the thrill of finding two musicians in different times and places discovering something similar". Costello's enthusiasm and skill for this sort of correspondence should make him an ideal choice for Meltdown. Soon afterwards, he will record a new album with [[the Attractions]], and - still keen to mix it up - embark on an orchestral piece: "But I'm not quite thinking of Symphony No 1, just yet." | ||
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Meltdown '95, in association with the Guardian and BBC GLR, runs from June 23 to July 1. Booking and programme information on 0171 928 8800. See the Guardian next month for more reader ticket offers. | Meltdown '95, in association with the Guardian and BBC GLR, runs from June 23 to July 1. Booking and programme information on 0171 928 8800. See the Guardian next month for more reader ticket offers. | ||
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'''1983''' [[Punch The Clock]]<br> | '''1983''' [[Punch The Clock]]<br> | ||
'''1984''' [[Goodbye Cruel World]]<br> | '''1984''' [[Goodbye Cruel World]]<br> | ||
'''1985''' The Man<br> | '''1985''' [[The Man (The Best Of Elvis Costello)|The Man]]<br> | ||
'''1986''' [[King Of America]]<br> | '''1986''' [[King Of America]]<br> | ||
'''1986''' [[Blood And Chocolate]]<br> | '''1986''' [[Blood And Chocolate]]<br> |
Revision as of 06:34, 24 November 2014
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