Melody Maker, October 31, 1981: Difference between revisions
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''' Adam Sweeting reviews a South Bank Show TV special due to be screened on November 8 | ''' Adam Sweeting reviews a South Bank Show TV special due to be screened on November 8 | ||
{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
As London Weekend Television's blurb mercilessly points out, "Elvis Costello is well known ... for his hostility towards the media and his reluctance to do interviews." Oh really? | As London Weekend Television's blurb mercilessly points out, "Elvis Costello is well known... for his hostility towards the media and his reluctance to do interviews." Oh really? | ||
Faced with "Elvis Costello In Nashville," all the frustrated music paper scribe can do is bite the bullet and wish it had been him behind the microphone. | Faced with "Elvis Costello In Nashville," all the frustrated music paper scribe can do is bite the bullet and wish it had been him behind the microphone. | ||
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The apparent incongruity of Elvis in Nashville is homed in on right away. The opening sequence shows us Costello plonking out "Good Year For The Roses" on an acoustic guitar in his living room. Then it's into flashback — Elvis and the Attractions pumping out "Lip Service" and "Watching The Detectives" in 1978. | The apparent incongruity of Elvis in Nashville is homed in on right away. The opening sequence shows us Costello plonking out "Good Year For The Roses" on an acoustic guitar in his living room. Then it's into flashback — Elvis and the Attractions pumping out "Lip Service" and "Watching The Detectives" in 1978. | ||
Next, a familiar face. Hang on, it's ... Allan Jones! (green shirt, clean shaven, can of Heineken just in-shot). Jones has been known to pen the occasional grudging word of praise for Costello, and director Peter Carr has used the assistant editor here to frame Costello in a musical perspective. | Next, a familiar face. Hang on, it's... Allan Jones! (green shirt, clean shaven, can of Heineken just in-shot). Jones has been known to pen the occasional grudging word of praise for Costello, and director Peter Carr has used the assistant editor here to frame Costello in a musical perspective. | ||
[[image:1981-10-31 Melody Maker photo 01 ts.jpg|180px|border|right]] | [[image:1981-10-31 Melody Maker photo 01 ts.jpg|180px|border|right]] | ||
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Sherrill, says Costello's voice-over, is apparently uncritical when he's working in the studio. "But if he leaves the room for more than half an hour you're doing something wrong." | Sherrill, says Costello's voice-over, is apparently uncritical when he's working in the studio. "But if he leaves the room for more than half an hour you're doing something wrong." | ||
Costello's relationship — or lack of it — with Sherrill is the film's pivot. Sherrill's whole style is an impassive "look-you-kids-I-seen it." "You sure know how to make a man feel old, Elvis," he remarks from behind his console as the boy feels his way through Charlie Rich's "Sittin' And Thinkin'." "Ah remember the original recording session for that song 20 years ago ..." | Costello's relationship — or lack of it — with Sherrill is the film's pivot. Sherrill's whole style is an impassive "look-you-kids-I-seen it." "You sure know how to make a man feel old, Elvis," he remarks from behind his console as the boy feels his way through Charlie Rich's "Sittin' And Thinkin'." "Ah remember the original recording session for that song 20 years ago..." | ||
There's some subtle point scoring. Sherrill spots that Elvis has substituted the word "drunk" for Rich's original "loaded." "I wouldn't use the word 'loaded'," argues Elvis. Next time we hear the song, Elvis is singing "loaded." | There's some subtle point scoring. Sherrill spots that Elvis has substituted the word "drunk" for Rich's original "loaded." "I wouldn't use the word 'loaded'," argues Elvis. Next time we hear the song, Elvis is singing "loaded." | ||
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At no point does Sherrill let slip any hint that he's impressed. | At no point does Sherrill let slip any hint that he's impressed. | ||
He won't discount the possibility that Elvis might pull off a good country album, but he doesn't know if it'll be commercial — and good in popular music terms means commercial ... | He won't discount the possibility that Elvis might pull off a good country album, but he doesn't know if it'll be commercial — and good in popular music terms means commercial... | ||
[[image:1981-10-31 Melody Maker photo 03 ts.jpg|180px|border|right]] | [[image:1981-10-31 Melody Maker photo 03 ts.jpg|180px|border|right]] | ||
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Later, after shots of the group playing some of the songs at a country music club in Aberdeen, Costello probes deeper into the same topic, confessing that he feels some of the self-destructive urges implicit in the lyrics. He admits he can't tell whether he's just flirting with the idea or if he's really being taken over by it. | Later, after shots of the group playing some of the songs at a country music club in Aberdeen, Costello probes deeper into the same topic, confessing that he feels some of the self-destructive urges implicit in the lyrics. He admits he can't tell whether he's just flirting with the idea or if he's really being taken over by it. | ||
"I think this business sucks you in eventually ... I've had the disturbing impression that my work has been based around the perversion of truth for quite a while." It's a chilling confession, smartly hammered home by a cut to Costello singing "I'm Your Toy" in Aberdeen. | "I think this business sucks you in eventually... I've had the disturbing impression that my work has been based around the perversion of truth for quite a while." It's a chilling confession, smartly hammered home by a cut to Costello singing "I'm Your Toy" in Aberdeen. | ||
We'd seen him recording it in Nashville eerier, standing guitarless at the microphone and wringing the lyric out of himself with clumsy, almost spastic gestures with his two clenched fists. Onstage in Aberdeen, he sings the song to a real audience and re-enacts the same distracted motions. | We'd seen him recording it in Nashville eerier, standing guitarless at the microphone and wringing the lyric out of himself with clumsy, almost spastic gestures with his two clenched fists. Onstage in Aberdeen, he sings the song to a real audience and re-enacts the same distracted motions. | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
{{Bibliography box | {{Bibliography box}} | ||
<center><h3> Elvis Costello in Blind Date Revisited </h3></center> | <center><h3> Elvis Costello in Blind Date Revisited </h3></center> | ||
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<center> | <center> Melody Maker </center> | ||
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{{Bibliography text}} | {{Bibliography text}} | ||
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Strange that the Fun Boy Three should make such a conscious follow-up to "Ghost Town" if they are escaping the Specials, but an admirable statement, excellently produced by Dave Jordan, I believe (make mine a large one, Dave). Neville and Lynval make like the Volga Boatmen and Terry is all his deadpan best. | Strange that the Fun Boy Three should make such a conscious follow-up to "Ghost Town" if they are escaping the Specials, but an admirable statement, excellently produced by Dave Jordan, I believe (make mine a large one, Dave). Neville and Lynval make like the Volga Boatmen and Terry is all his deadpan best. | ||
I anxiously await the next bulletin from Crazy Jerry and the second best rhythm section in England (just | I anxiously await the next bulletin from Crazy Jerry and the second best rhythm section in England (just kidding…). Meanwhile, this is a hit. | ||
''THE GO-GO's "We Got The Beat" (IRS). | ''THE GO-GO's "We Got The Beat" (IRS). | ||
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''JAPAN: "Visions Of China" (Virgin). | ''JAPAN: "Visions Of China" (Virgin). | ||
I'm really sure it's Japan this time. It's got all the right | I'm really sure it's Japan this time. It's got all the right sounds… | ||
''Q-TIPS: "Love Hurts" (Rewind Records). | ''Q-TIPS: "Love Hurts" (Rewind Records). | ||
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''QUEEN & DAVID BOWIE: "Under Pressure" (EMI). | ''QUEEN & DAVID BOWIE: "Under Pressure" (EMI). | ||
Oh my God, it really is David Bowie this time, only with Queen. The very idea makes me feel sick, the record is worse. I can't see why he would want to team up with that prancing megalomaniac ("We Are The Champions Of The World"). Then maybe I | Oh my God, it really is David Bowie this time, only with Queen. The very idea makes me feel sick, the record is worse. I can't see why he would want to team up with that prancing megalomaniac ("We Are The Champions Of The World"). Then maybe I can… there's always money. | ||
As I only like his last four albums, my disappointment is not as great as the real fanatics'. This bombastic drivel could get him shot by some space cadet. Unfortunately, it will also be number one. | As I only like his last four albums, my disappointment is not as great as the real fanatics'. This bombastic drivel could get him shot by some space cadet. Unfortunately, it will also be number one. |
Latest revision as of 20:41, 1 November 2023
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