Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 2, 1982: Difference between revisions
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In a recent [[Newsweek, August 9, 1982|interview]] with <i>Newsweek</i>'s Jim Miller, Costello allowed that he felt many of his early songs were too "smug," "clinical," and "narrow-minded." His new work, he said, should have heart and compassion. But he wondered, he told Miller, if that attitude would take some of the edge off his previous compositions, the edge that "bloody-mindedness gives you." | In a recent [[Newsweek, August 9, 1982|interview]] with <i>Newsweek</i>'s Jim Miller, Costello allowed that he felt many of his early songs were too "smug," "clinical," and "narrow-minded." His new work, he said, should have heart and compassion. But he wondered, he told Miller, if that attitude would take some of the edge off his previous compositions, the edge that "bloody-mindedness gives you." | ||
[[image:1982-09-02 Atlanta Constitution page 13B clipping 01.jpg|120px|right]] | |||
That was, admittedly, a problem as Costello gave almost a bouncy reading to songs that, when he first recorded them, seemed designed to drive the listener to unutterable despair. But by the time he had eased through the first few selections — and the audience, who would have cheered him maniacally at the start had he simply stood on stage and recited "Mary Had A Little Lamb," had calmed down enough to actually listen — he seemed to have found a new meaning in even his oldest work. | That was, admittedly, a problem as Costello gave almost a bouncy reading to songs that, when he first recorded them, seemed designed to drive the listener to unutterable despair. But by the time he had eased through the first few selections — and the audience, who would have cheered him maniacally at the start had he simply stood on stage and recited "Mary Had A Little Lamb," had calmed down enough to actually listen — he seemed to have found a new meaning in even his oldest work. | ||
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|next = Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 27, 1983 | |next = Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 27, 1983 | ||
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''' | '''Atlanta Constitution and Atlanta Journal, September 2, 1982 | ||
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[[Mitchell Shields]] | [[Mitchell Shields]] (''Constitution'') and Russ DeVault (''Journal'') profile Elvis Costello and report on his concert with [[The Attractions]], Wednesday, [[Concert 1982-09-01 Atlanta|September 1, 1982]], Fox Theatre, Atlanta. | ||
{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
[[image:1982-09-02 Atlanta | [[image:1982-09-02 Atlanta Constitution page 1B clipping 01.jpg|380px]] | ||
<br><small>Clippings.</small> | <br><small>Clippings.</small> | ||
[[image:1982-09-02 Atlanta Journal page 1B clipping 01.jpg|380px]] | |||
{{Bibliography box}} | |||
<center><h3> The other Elvis </h3></center> | |||
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<center> Russ DeVault </center> | |||
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'''Costello's simple playing, singing style shows Fox fans what rock is all about | |||
{{Bibliography text}} | |||
The name "Elvis" means rock 'n' roll. | |||
But what a lot of people are learning is that it isn't always followed by "Presley." There's also Elvis Costello. | |||
He's a 27-year-old Englishman who drew about 3,500 to the Fox Theatre Wednesday night. He gave them no reason to confuse his music with that produced by the late Elvis Presley, but he still showed them what rock 'n' roll is all about. | |||
Costello, whose style of guitar playing is as simple as his singing, relied upon the words of his songs and the sounds of the songs made famous by others to captivate his audience. | |||
Costello, wearing a dark suit, shirt and tie, seemed oblivious to the problems treated by anxious fans, but he didn't allow them to get too settled. When his music began to seem repetitious, he'd reach out and shake his listeners with some old time rock 'n' roll. | |||
He displayed a perfect understanding of American music from "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" to "Slipping and Sliding," but his fondness for such songs shouldn't be mistaken for blanket forgiveness of what he perceives as national faults. | |||
Take him to California and he'll leave saying, as he recently did, that "If one more person said 'Have a nice day,' I thought I'd kill him." | |||
Or expose him to the notion that dying in defense of one's country or family is heroic and he'll say, "Somebody in your family's got to bury you." | |||
That isn't the feeling traditionally associated with rock 'n' roll, of course, but it is what helps makes Costello's version interesting. | |||
It is a view that has changed since he burst upon the rock 'n' roll scene in 1977, singing, ''"Welcome to the working week; oh, I know it don't thrill you; I hope it don't kill you...."'' | |||
Today, as he says in "The Imperial Bedroom," ''"Isn't it a pity that you're going to get hurt..."'' | |||
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<small>Photo by [[Michael Pugh]].</small><br> | |||
[[image:1982-09-02 Atlanta Journal photo 01 mp.jpg|380px]] | |||
<!-- Elvis Costello captivates 3,500 at Fox. --> | |||
<small>Page scans.</small><br> | <small>Page scans.</small><br> | ||
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{{Bibliography notes footer}} | {{Bibliography notes footer}} |
Revision as of 16:39, 6 January 2022
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