The Boy Named If, new album by Elvis & The Imposters, January 14, 2022

Pretty self-explanatory
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sweetest punch
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The Boy Named If, new album by Elvis & The Imposters, January 14, 2022

Post by sweetest punch »

In this thread people are speculating about a new (already recorded) album with the Imposters, to be released next year: http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB3 ... =2&t=11478
And No Coffee Table wrote:Is my wishful thinking getting out of hand, or has EC dropped several hints that he and the Imposters have been recording remotely?

From Variety: "Although he skipped over recording with his band the Imposters on 'Hey Clockface,' he emphasizes his love for that unit as 'a functioning group in the right now — and I mean, right now — that's doing stuff that will blow people's minds when they hear it.'"

On Tom Robinson's radio show (at 53:15) he says of Pete and Steve: "We are recording together to this day."

On Paul Myers' podcast at 52:40 he says "recently I was working on a new song with Davey."

Then at 1:27:40 he speaks of unidentified "good colleagues": "We are already sharing our ideas and trying to be as daredevil as we can be as we play in our various spaces and look to making records for next year. I mean this record is now, another one will be next year. We have some great surprises around this corner. It won't be very long until we're all together again, but we can't put a date on that right now, so my response to that is we should play as much as we can and kick up as much ruckus as we can until it's time to be together."
sweetest punch wrote:
cwr wrote:
And No Coffee Table wrote:Is my wishful thinking getting out of hand, or has EC dropped several hints that he and the Imposters have been recording remotely?

From Variety: "Although he skipped over recording with his band the Imposters on 'Hey Clockface,' he emphasizes his love for that unit as 'a functioning group in the right now — and I mean, right now — that's doing stuff that will blow people's minds when they hear it.'"
Today during his Instagram Live interview with the Washington Post, EC was talking about the Imposters' Abbey Road sessions that almost happened with Nick Lowe producing. He said that the songs they were gonna do then would not have been intended for what Hey Clockface became, that they were their own separate batch of songs.

He then said that he thinks that he may still end up working with Nick producing when the pandemic is over but that if that happens it would be with a different group of songs. He then said, cryptically, that those songs were "gone now."

I could be wrong about this but he *seemed* to be looking for a way to avoid directly saying that he has already recorded those songs at some point since lockdown began! I can't imagine that he simply threw away those songs, never to record them, so I think "those songs are gone now" was him saying that he found a way to record them since the cancelled Abbey Road sessions. I think there is a new EC & The Imposters LP in the can and we are gonna find out about it before too long...
Hear The Washinghton Post interview here: http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB3 ... =2&t=11713 .
At 38:00 Elvis talks - with a mysterious smile - about these Abbey Road songs as “being gone, but not put aside”!!
Last edited by sweetest punch on Wed Oct 27, 2021 6:59 am, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by bronxapostle »

And No Coffee Table wrote:Is my wishful thinking getting out of hand, or has EC dropped several hints that he and the Imposters have been

look to making records for next year. I mean this record is now, another one will be next year. We have some great surprises

I think there is a new EC & The Imposters LP in the can and we are gonna find out about it before too long...
[/quote]

My immediate highlights....
Is it me or is this pluralization of records REALLY nice?

That middle paragraph here of Elvis' words i interpret as one is done already and another is up their sleeves. Hope we are looking for a big 2021 and I really appreciate his optimism about things getting back to regular. :D
sweetest punch
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by sweetest punch »

Elvis is also working on “a compilation, based on Painted From Memory”:
http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB3 ... =2&t=11656
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WindUpWorld
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by WindUpWorld »

He was obviously on a roll what with the sessions before and planned for the end of the UK tour. Lockdown has had a great side effect of giving him some space to set all sorts of things in motion it seems. Our gain!
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by sweetest punch »

sweetest punch wrote:https://www.google.be/amp/s/variety.com ... 32372/amp/

Elvis Costello on Turning His 1979 Tour De Force, ‘Armed Forces,’ Into 2020’s Splashiest Boxed Set

(...)

It’s amazing how venerable (the song PLU) has been, that your audience really doesn’t want to leave until they’ve heard that.

Well, it’s become a closer on many nights. It won’t always be in that place. Maybe someday we will be able to play it in a different way. I don’t know whether we will. But you know, we have a lot of songs always to consider, and you want to put some emphasis on the newest material. By the time we venture out again, the way things are looking, that new material could be something entirely different than even this record. You know, I haven’t stopped writing songs. So the next show could be 15 songs you’ve never heard before, for all I know.

(...)

And I will say, I’m very grateful for my friendship, which becomes deeper and more valuable to me, with Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas, and also Davey Faragher — who’s now been in a band with us (the Imposters), albeit on and off, over the last 20 years. That’s twice as long as the Attractions existed, so get over it, you know. That band is never coming back. That band was in the past. It’s a great band that made those great records. If that’s what you want to hear, knock yourself out. Here’s a box that’s celebrating this band at one of their high points. They had several; they had two or three. But the band now is a functioning group in the right now, and I mean, right now, that’s doing stuff that will blow people’s minds when they hear it. And I mean that. I’m very, very excited about being in collaboration with those guys — not just with Steve on “Hey Clockface,” but what the future brings (for all of the Imposters playing together), and that’s a pretty good feeling.

So there is more recording going on?

I think we took everybody by surprise by delivering an album when everybody said it was impossible to make an album. But I had a head start, didn’t I, because I had started in February. So of course you can mix in isolation very effectively, but you can record in isolation if you want to.
I’ve made several recordings that haven’t come out yet that I’ve made for other people. There’s one really good record that I think Rodney Crowell is putting together that must be coming out soon that I contributed to. I wrote with and for Tommy McClain for a record that my friend C.C. Adcock is producing that’s coming out hopefully soon.

But a lot of records have struggled to finish the work that they began, because some people need to be in a room with other musicians in order to get it done. We’re not those people. I can put Pete Thomas down in his basement, where he has a drum kit, and we can do anything we want.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by And No Coffee Table »

She was very hazy on the specifics, but Kitten Kuroi mentioned a new EC/Imposters "record" during her Instagram chat with Steven Mandel.

After saying she wasn't sure if she was about to go on tour, Mandel asked specifically about the Kansas (City) show, and she answered: "I am not a part of the Kansas show. I think that they, they worked on a little old record, I feel like, from what I understand, the quartet of them, so they're going to do a couple quartet shows."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQMimg_Jr3v/
The exchange starts at 36:15.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Hawksmoor »

Encouraging news. You could take it to mean that they're planning the 'quartet' shows to showcase a new LP. We know that '2020 Farewell OK' is an Imposters recording, made since lockdown, and it seems unlikely that they'll play shows in August simply to promote a single which will be nine months old by that point. So the signs are good that 'little old record' does mean a new LP. Fingers crossed.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by JPadoo »

With all due respect to the dedicated EC fans that are, without question, willing to follow him down virtually any musical path, I am stunned by the minimal response to a possible new Imposters album. I’ve felt for quite some time that Elvis’s fan base is among the least loyal out there when compared to other comparable artists, like Dylan, Bruce, Neil Young, etc. I’ve been a fan for 43 years, own every record, attended dozens of live shows, and am of the opinion that Elvis is the most underrated artist of his or any other generation. So I don’t get the lack of enthusiasm or interest, or the often times ridiculous nit-picking about a particular record or release. This man should be treated as a national treasure. There has never been anyone like him, and there will never be anyone like him. Off the top of my head, the list of musicians EC has been responsible for me discovering is simply endless (George Jones, Gram Parsons, Allen Toussaint, The Brodsky Quartet, Jesse Winchester, Charlie Rich, Michael Leonhart, Johan Lindstrom Septett, Ron Sexsmith, Mose Allison, Larkin Poe,Jim Ford, and on and on…). Anyway, 40 some-odd years into an incomparable career, EC has more than earned our respect, admiration, and LOVE. To this day, his B-sides and bonus material, from Big Tears or Just a Memory to Dirty Rotten Shame or Lucky Dog to the absolutely stunning Isabelle in Tears or April 5th are better and more interesting than the allegedly “major” releases of other so-called relevant artists. For now, I’m done rambling…
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Neil. »

You're right, this is looking encouraging!

I heard 'Farewell OK' - it was a fun rocker in the style of 'Baby's Got A Brand New Hairdo' (and, as has been noted, a very big tip of the hat to 'Hippy Hippy Shake'), so although it felt a bit of a throwaway in that regard, the actual sound of it was terrific - very Blood & Choc, very Brutal Youth. The classic sound.

Fingers crossed for a new release in the autumn!
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Man out of Time »

JPadoo wrote:With all due respect to the dedicated EC fans that are, without question, willing to follow him down virtually any musical path, I am stunned by the minimal response to a possible new Imposters album.
Firstly, welcome to the Fan Forum, JPadoo. You sound like you had something to get off your chest.

For what it's worth, if there is any "lack of enthusiasm" for a possible new Imposters album, it may be because it is one of a long list of new releases that have been trailed in recent years, but have yet to appear. Sweetest Punch helpfully posted this list to another thread last
month - What Next For Elvis after A Face In The Crowd ?

We have now had (in the UK, Europe and Japan) the release of La Face de Pendule à Coucou on vinyl, but that still leaves a lot in the queue (or line as our American friends would say). Whether they will all see the light of day at some point, isn't certain.

I think we were all excited by the songs from A Face In The Crowd, when they were premiered five years ago, but only one or possibly two have so far been recorded and released. That is not for lack of effort on Elvis' part, but it is where we are. Some of these projects may never get recorded, or released because sales revenue would not be enough to recover the costs - even in this digital age.

I would buy a new Imposters' album - probably in multiple formats, but I would pay far more to see new songs played live, and that is the reality. So for musicians to make a living these days, they mostly need to tour, and that is very difficult at the moment, and uncertain going forwards. So when shows are advertised there is far more interest and excitement, than in an album that may be months or years away.

MOOT
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by krm »

"....... but I would pay far more to see new songs played live, and that is the reality. ...... So when shows are advertised there is far more interest and excitement, than in an album that may be months or years away."

Exactly! Kansas City is a bit far away, but count me in if there are any European or UK shows.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by sulky lad »

krm wrote:"....... but I would pay far more to see new songs played live, and that is the reality. ...... So when shows are advertised there is far more interest and excitement, than in an album that may be months or years away."

Exactly! Kansas City is a bit far away, but count me in if there are any European or UK shows.
Apparently we may not be letting "Europeans" in for any UK tours this time round - but don't worry, I'll pretend you're my sophisticated younger brother back from a long working holiday overseas :wink:
As MOOT says, we long term fans have had plenty of excitement about pending releases only for various let downs of a commercial type but no-one has, as yet, complained that Elvis is still touring too much ! Add to that, there's probably about £100K tied up in tickets from 2020 that haven't been redeemed yet in various folks pockets !
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by JPadoo »

:shock: Thanks for the welcome, MOOT. Yeah, I guess I had some things to get off my chest, but I’ve always loved the anticipation of a new record of any kind by Elvis, and he rarely makes rock n roll albums anymore, so a new Imposters record thrills me no end. Now of course obviously a new Imposters album does not necessarily mean it’ll be R and R, but from recent Elvis statements, it does seem likely. And I get the upcoming live show excitement…I can still recall my 15 year old self seeing Elvis and the Attractions for the first time at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic after hearing “No Action” on the great WPIX-FM. Now, as an almost 60 year old man all these years later, I’ve never lost the passion of hearing the latest batch of new songs from, as I stated previously, the most criminally underrated artist of this or any other generation.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Hawksmoor »

JPadoo wrote:With all due respect to the dedicated EC fans that are, without question, willing to follow him down virtually any musical path, I am stunned by the minimal response to a possible new Imposters album. I’ve felt for quite some time that Elvis’s fan base is among the least loyal out there when compared to other comparable artists, like Dylan, Bruce, Neil Young, etc. I’ve been a fan for 43 years, own every record, attended dozens of live shows, and am of the opinion that Elvis is the most underrated artist of his or any other generation. So I don’t get the lack of enthusiasm or interest, or the often times ridiculous nit-picking about a particular record or release. This man should be treated as a national treasure. There has never been anyone like him, and there will never be anyone like him. Off the top of my head, the list of musicians EC has been responsible for me discovering is simply endless (George Jones, Gram Parsons, Allen Toussaint, The Brodsky Quartet, Jesse Winchester, Charlie Rich, Michael Leonhart, Johan Lindstrom Septett, Ron Sexsmith, Mose Allison, Larkin Poe,Jim Ford, and on and on…). Anyway, 40 some-odd years into an incomparable career, EC has more than earned our respect, admiration, and LOVE. To this day, his B-sides and bonus material, from Big Tears or Just a Memory to Dirty Rotten Shame or Lucky Dog to the absolutely stunning Isabelle in Tears or April 5th are better and more interesting than the allegedly “major” releases of other so-called relevant artists. For now, I’m done rambling…
As others have said, welcome to the forum, and good to hear your views. But with all due respect, it feels slightly harsh for somebody who's been a member for two days to label us as 'among the least loyal fanbase'. Stick around, read the discussions, join in - please - we'd love to hear your views. You'll find that actually, we are pretty keen on Elvis and his music. As it goes, I've also been a fan for 44 years, own every record, have attended (I think, at last count) 30+ shows and yep, I also think Elvis is the most underrated artist of his or any other generation. Yes, he has earned our respect, admiration, and love. But I think you'll find that's quite a common view around these parts. Welcome. :)
JPadoo
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by JPadoo »

Apologies for the harshness of my initial post. I’ve been a fan of this site for many years and certainly was not referring to anyone here with my “least loyal fan base” comments. I suppose, just like most of the dedicated followers here, I’m just constantly perturbed/mystified by the ongoing lack of recognition for most of Elvis’ work. (Excepting the Grammy for Look Now, but those kind of accolades are so overdue it’s beyond laughable…) Anyway, I’m looking forward to being a part of sharing my thoughts and reading the passionate words of my fellow EC fanatics…and a Happy Fathers Day to all the pops out there!!! :D
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Arbogast »

JPadoo wrote:Apologies for the harshness of my initial post. I’ve been a fan of this site for many years and certainly was not referring to anyone here with my “least loyal fan base” comments. I suppose, just like most of the dedicated followers here, I’m just constantly perturbed/mystified by the ongoing lack of recognition for most of Elvis’ work. (Excepting the Grammy for Look Now, but those kind of accolades are so overdue it’s beyond laughable…) Anyway, I’m looking forward to being a part of sharing my thoughts and reading the passionate words of my fellow EC fanatics…and a Happy Fathers Day to all the pops out there!!! :D
Not to mention that the Grammys themselves are laughable.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by verbal gymnastics »

JPadoo wrote:Apologies for the harshness of my initial post. I’ve been a fan of this site for many years and certainly was not referring to anyone here with my “least loyal fan base” comments.
There are many other long time fans of this site who prefer to read posts but choose not to join (as I’ve found out from chatting to people at gigs and trying to get them to join!). As a fan of this site for so long what persuaded you to sign up?

Also in what terms do you feel Elvis has a lack of recognition? Are you talking commercially? In terms of awards (most of which Elvis doesn’t care about anyway)?

Elvis has been recognised by fellow artists new and old over the years - Dylan, Springsteen, U2, Green Day, Fiona Appel, Larkin Poe to name very very few.

And I’d have thought getting an OBE puts him in the national treasure bracket!
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by JPadoo »

All good questions. Regarding the first one, as to why I decided to join now, to be honest, I’ve tried to a few times in the past but my complete lack of technological skills always led me to somehow screw it up and put it off, telling myself I’ll get to it later. While I’m sure that may seem a bit unbelievable to most here, believe me when I say my incompetence in such things is beyond belief. Second question : in what ways do I feel Elvis lacks recognition? I suppose mostly critical acclaim here in the states. I read the reviews and while they’re usually positive and the records well-received, sometimes it seems that the major publications treat him as an afterthought. I’m not talking awards of any kind, or commercial success. Lord knows that’s meaningless nonsense. And yes, Elvis is absolutely highly regarded by many more than the great examples you mentioned. I guess the absolute bottom line for me is when I’m having discussions or arguments with friends and acquaintances about the so-called musical greats of our time, I’m always the one bringing Elvis’ name to the table. Not at all scientific. Maybe even completely stupid of me to have to defend and champion someone who needs neither. But hey, there you go. And I now wish to disown my use of the words “national treasure”, OBE and all…
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Hawksmoor »

JPadoo wrote:All good questions. Regarding the first one, as to why I decided to join now, to be honest, I’ve tried to a few times in the past but my complete lack of technological skills always led me to somehow screw it up and put it off, telling myself I’ll get to it later. While I’m sure that may seem a bit unbelievable to most here, believe me when I say my incompetence in such things is beyond belief. Second question : in what ways do I feel Elvis lacks recognition? I suppose mostly critical acclaim here in the states. I read the reviews and while they’re usually positive and the records well-received, sometimes it seems that the major publications treat him as an afterthought. I’m not talking awards of any kind, or commercial success. Lord knows that’s meaningless nonsense. And yes, Elvis is absolutely highly regarded by many more than the great examples you mentioned. I guess the absolute bottom line for me is when I’m having discussions or arguments with friends and acquaintances about the so-called musical greats of our time, I’m always the one bringing Elvis’ name to the table. Not at all scientific. Maybe even completely stupid of me to have to defend and champion someone who needs neither. But hey, there you go. And I now wish to disown my use of the words “national treasure”, OBE and all…
I suspect it's partly to do with what we would have regarded as 'recognition' 40 years ago (when you and I were teenagers and Elvis was a pop star) and what counts as 'recognition' now. Then, if you weren't having lots of hit records and getting lots of TV exposure, you were being 'not recognised' (or 'under-rated', if you want). Now, it's perfectly possible to have a long and distinguished career in popular music, make yourself a multi-millionaire (which I assume Elvis is), get lots of high-status music industry awards, and be very highly-rated by all the big names in the industry, while still being a relative unknown to the average person in the street.

What we have always thought of as 'pop music' has splintered, and diversified over the years, and the number of artists producing popular music has multiplied a hundred times since the 1960s. So sure, there was a point when if you weren't having lots of hits and getting on Top of the Pops, you were a failure. But now...95% of people you could probably ask, in the street, haven't even heard of, say...Tom Waits. But he's still a hugely respected figure to those in the know, he's won loads of awards, he is also (presumably) a multi-millionaire, he has (like Elvis) a gargantuan back catalogue that continues to sell very handsomely, and anyone who has heard of him really rates him. But he's not a pop star.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with what you're saying. But I do think it's an interesting area to discuss. And the main thing I'm thinking is that 'success and recognition' when Elvis began his career mean very different things to what 'success and recognition' mean in 2021 for an artist working in the field of popular music.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by JPadoo »

Excellent point you make about our perceptions of recognition from 40 years ago to the present day, and on the diversification of pop music over the years. Also, you mention Tom Waits, who I would say is a fantastic example of a widely respected, successful artist doing whatever the hell he pleases, much like Elvis, and as you say, is certainly no pop star.

Quick aside : My oldest and dearest friend, someone I don’t see much of these days, but who I talk to all the time, will usually end our conversations with the question “anything new that you’re listening to?” Like yourself and I’m sure for many many folks on here, music and the discovery of something new and challenging, different or off the beaten track, is an integral part of our relationship, from our misguided youth to this very day. The passion is as strong today as it was back then, and I truly appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the subject.
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Ymaginatif »

I feel unable to express my nitpicky opinions after this now :D

Well, I'll recover, don't worry :D

don't forget, different people have different experiences. For me EC is a national treasure for all the amazing things he's done in the past (and influencing several decades of my life). He certainly deserves all the acolades. But his recent exploits are a pale shadow of that. To me at last. Some I even find complete insults to his fan base.
I don't have any problem combining this 'nitpicky' view with complete adoration. There we go, a short stroll through the psychology of Ymaginatif :lol:
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Arbogast »

Ymaginatif wrote:I feel unable to express my nitpicky opinions after this now :D

Well, I'll recover, don't worry :D

don't forget, different people have different experiences. For me EC is a national treasure for all the amazing things he's done in the past (and influencing several decades of my life). He certainly deserves all the acolades. But his recent exploits are a pale shadow of that. To me at last. Some I even find complete insults to his fan base.
I don't have any problem combining this 'nitpicky' view with complete adoration. There we go, a short stroll through the pschology of Ymaginatif :lol:
I'm with you, Ymag... I love EC no end, but that doesn't mean he doesn't infuriate me sometimes (accepting RARHOF induction and the OED; the endless, money-grabbing reissues and "collectible" merch, to name a few e.g.s).
It's worth remembering that this is a fan site (fan = short for "fanatic"); as such, many of the people here simply won't countenance criticism of our hero. Right now, though, I'm just utterly pumped for live shows this summer!
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Hawksmoor »

Arbogast wrote:I'm with you, Ymag... I love EC no end, but that doesn't mean he doesn't infuriate me sometimes (accepting RARHOF induction and the OED; the endless, money-grabbing reissues and "collectible" merch, to name a few e.g.s).
It's worth remembering that this is a fan site (fan = short for "fanatic"); as such, many of the people here simply won't countenance criticism of our hero. Right now, though, I'm just utterly pumped for live shows this summer!
Me too, but FWIW I'll weigh in and say a couple of things (for the sake of lively debate, always). For one thing, I'm definitely not a person who 'won't countenance criticism of our hero'. I went through a lengthy phase of thinking his music was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but that personally I really didn't like him much at all. That lasted for twenty years or more, but has mellowed in the last two or three years, when I've come to regard him with a lot more warmth. And even my like/dislike for him as a person is an artificial construct, as I've never even met him, so, as with all media personalities, we're reacting to the media construct and not the actual person.

I think he's made a few terrible records, which I won't name for fear this discussion descends into 'which are your worst five EC LPs?' and all that. Which is obviously a fun discussion to have, but not what this thread is about. Plus it's entirely subjective anyway. But yeah - perfectly happy to 'countenance criticism' of him and to make those criticisms myself. IMHO he's made some bad records, and sometimes he's come over as a bit of a knob.

On the other hand, I really rate most of the stuff he's producing at the moment!

And the one thing I would take exception to is the accusation of 'money grabbing' and producing expensive 'collectible merch'. 'Money grabbing' and producing 'collectible merch'...that's his job! That's how he makes a living. And at the risk of repeating an endless cliche...you don't think it's worth the money? Don't buy it! We all have that totally free choice. Every novel, TV show, 45rpm single, CD, DVD, painting, sculpture, cinema movie, poem and play ever published has one primary aim: to grab your money. It's not 'show charity', it's 'show business'. So to accuse EC of 'money grabbing' seems fantastically pointless - of course that's what he's doing. Like everybody else!

I recall Bowie being interviewed (can't remember when or by whom, and I'm paraphrasing from memory), but it was something like - 'you must be worth millions...you don't have to carry on unless you really want to?' And Bowie said (something like) 'yeah, but at the back of your mind is always 'can I stash away a bit more for the kids after I'm gone?' Pop stars do what they do for the love of what they do, but they also all do it to 'grab money', that's a fact of life. And, as noted, we each have a perfectly free choice to say 'that's just a reissue or a pointless bit of merch. I'll save my money and wait for the next LP of actual new material'. We can all do that. :)
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Neil. »

Totally agree with the above.

Especially in this time of pisstaking streaming services where artists get peanuts, Elvis can do whatever he wants to try to exploit his talent. No-one is forcing anyone to buy any of it!
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Re: New album with the Imposters in 2021?

Post by Top balcony »

Yep
Anyone in any doubt should look up 'professional musician' in Webster's.Tangentially I can remember EC answering a question in a Guardian Q&A (ie promo) :-

Q :What book changed your life?

A : Chord Dictionary.

One for everyone who's ever picked up a six string...
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