http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/story/0 ... 22,00.html
Record doctor: Les Dennis
The comedian let his emotions show on Celebrity Big Brother. Can Paul Mardles find the path to his musical heart?
Sunday July 13, 2008
The Observer
(extract)
More typical of his taste, perhaps, is Rufus Wainwright, whose Live At Carnegie Hall, his faithful reproduction of Judy Garland's 1961 show at the venue, soundtracked the walk that he took earlier today.
'It's really funny,' he says. 'He talks about how he used to put on his mum's dresses. Plus,' he adds, as if to underscore the fact that he owns more than the one Rufus album, 'I absolutely love tracks like [Want Two's] "The Art Teacher", which is like a screenplay within a song.'
The finest exponent of that art is Elvis Costello, he thinks. Again, his devotion can be traced to his mum. 'She used to go and see Elvis's dad, a singer called Ross McManus, and come home and rave about him.' Now, 40 years later, it is Dennis's turn to rave. About how Elvis 'says so much with so very little', why his King of America is unparalleled, and how among his most treasured possessions is a signed copy of My Aim is True, Costello's venomous 1977 debut.
In a perfect world of course he would also possess a personalised version of his idol's Punch the Clock, whose undoubted highlight is the 'brilliant' 'Shipbuilding'. How does he feel about the original?
'What, you mean it's not Elvis Costello's song?'
Well, it was written by him but first sung by Robert Wyatt.
'Actually,' he says eventually, still looking shocked, as though he has been betrayed by a close friend, 'I have heard that on a compilation. I did that classic thing, like when people hear Robbie's version of "Beyond the Sea" then Bobby Darin's and go, "He's copied Robbie."'
The symptoms - his favourites
Elvis Costello
The Man (Demon)
'I could have picked This Year's Model, which was the first album of his I bought, or King of America, but this contains all his greatest tracks, from "Alison" to "Watching the Detectives".'