EC a specialist topic on MasterMind

[Man out of Time]

Broadcast tomorrow (Sunday 5 January) on BBC1 in the UK at 7pm GMT. Long-time fan author Mark Billingham answers questions on EC. UK forum members can test their own knowledge against his. For overseas forum members, I might remember to make a note of the questions and post them here...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03pm2m8

What odds a question on "the vanity factory" or R White's Lemonade?

MOOT

[verbal gymnastics]

Or Elvis was born Declan Patrick MacManus. What name did he add in 1986?

[migdd]

Aloysius.


Oh. . . . this isn't really a new game thread?

[johnfoyle]

The questions from the Elvis round on the show in 2004 - will any be repeated?

For which song, co-written with T-bone Burnett, was EC nominated for an oscar in 2004? (The Scarlet Tide, correct)

In July '97, the academy of St Martins in the Fields, under the direction of Neville Mariner, performed Costello's musical score for which fairytale? (Hansel and Gretel....incorrect, Tom Thumb)

What is the opening track from Costello's 2003 album North? (You turned to me...incorrect, You left me in the dark)

Which was the first album to feature Costello's longstanding backing band, the Attractions? (This Year's Model, correct)

On which song from the soundtrack to the film Grace of my Heart, did Costello first collaborate with the songwriter Burt Bacharach? (God give me strength, correct)

Which American singer covered the Costello songs Party Girl, Girl's Talk and Talking in the dark on her 1980 album Mad Love? (Linda Ronstadt, correct)

Which pseudonym did Costello use in his guise as the narrator of his 1986 album Blood and Chocolate? (Napoleon Dynamite, correct)

The original release of which Costello single had the catalogue number FbeatXX32? (Everyday I write the book, correct)

Costello collaborated with Richard Harvey in composing the soundtrack for which 1991 channel 4 drama series? (GBH, correct)

On the album For The Stars with Anne Sofie von Otter, which Tom Waits song is coupled with the Paul McCartney song Junk? (Broken Bicycles, correct)

The tribute album 'Bespoke songs, lost dogs, detours and rendezvous: the songs of Elvis Costello' featured a cover of his song All Grown Up by which artist? (Tasmin Archer, correct)

Who wrote the song Good year for the roses, which Costello covered on his country and western-inspired album 'Almost Blue'? (Gerry Chestnut, corrct)

Which song co-written by Costello and Paul McCartney contains the lyrics 'She could be in pictures, if she wasn't all covered in fur'? (Mistress and Maid....incorrect, Pads, Paws and Claws)

Who was the co-producer of Costello's 1994 album Brutal Youth, which featured Nick Lowe on bass? (Kevin Killen....incorrect, Mitchell Froom)

Costello and Bacharach jointly won a grammy at the 41st grammy awards for which song? (I still have that other girl, correct)

Who was the main bassist on Costello's 2002 album 'When I was cruel'? (Davey Farragher, correct)

[A rope leash]

Minutiae...so much minutiae...my God it's all minutiae!

[johnfoyle]

Shirt 'n attitude inspired by Elvis ?

Mark won - The Curse Of Costello fails to strike!

The questions were very easy, none of that difficult stuff, like in '04 , involving catalogue numbers etc.

The only duplication was -

Costello collaborated with Richard Harvey in composing the soundtrack for which 1991 channel 4 drama series? (GBH, correct)

[johnfoyle]

Thanks to Nick on the eclistserv f/book page for the questions .....c'mon, you don't really need to be told the answers, do you?

Q1. What was the name of Costello’s backing band consisting of Bruce Thomas, Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas?

Q2. Costello signed with the UK record label which released his first hit single “Watching the Detectives" in 1977. What was the name of the label?

Q3. In 1993, Costello released an album with the Brodsky Quartet. What was its title?

Q4. Costello went to Nashville in 1981 to record the Country and Western covers album “Almost Blue” with which producer?

Q5. Which single taken from the Armed Forces album reached no 2 in the UK Charts in 1979?

Q6. The song Shipbuilding from his 1983 album “Punch The Clock” featured a trumpet solo. Which jazz musician performed it?

Q7. “Veronica” from the album “Spike” reached the top 20 in the American singles charts in 1989, who was the co-writer of that song?

Q8. What was the title of the first single released under the name Elvis Costello in 1977, it was about the fascist Oswald Mosley?

Q9. Costello collaborated with a legendary songwriter on the 1991 album Painted From Memory. Who was it?

Q10. In 1999 Costello had his first UK top 20 hit single for over a decade with a song from the soundtrack of the film “Notting Hill”. What was its title?

Q11. In 1995 Costello was the artistic director of a festival at the Southbank Centre. What was the name of the festival?

Q12. In 1992 Costello and Richard Harvey won a BAFTA for the original television music for a series written by Alan Bleasdale. What was the series?

Q13. What was the name of the backing band with which Costello recorded the 2004 album, The Delivery Man?

[johnfoyle]

I tweeted -

Well done @MarkBillingham - & wearing a shirt as vivid as anything Elvis has been sporting lately!

He answered-
Mark Billingham @MarkBillingham
@JJohnFoyle EC has always been my fashion guru...

Another exchange -

steve breakey @stevebreakey

Well done @MarkBillingham winning celebrity mastermind the only reason you never got the imposters has to be the buzzer put you off

Mark Billingham @MarkBillingham
@stevebreakey It honestly WAS. I suddenly had loads of time and my mind went walkabout...

[verbal gymnastics]

Those questions were so easy but it's no doubt a bit different when they're bring fired at you in front of a studio audience.

[Otis Westinghouse]

There's no comparison whatsoever between the 2004 ones and these. Evidence of the relentless dumbing down of everything, or just a different question setter. Even I could get all of these no probs, whereas before there were several ones I wouldn't have had a clue with (catalogue numbers!).

[sheeptotheslaughter]

Thanks for posting the original questions John. I remember at the time them being 'difficult' and not getting them all right. Whilst playing along with the programme.

They were far easier this time but I think it could also have been the fact it was 'Celebrity Mastermind' that made the questions slightly easier.

I wasn't sure if Mark Billingham though I was taking the 'piss' out of him for getting The Imposters question wrong on our twitter exchanges.