RAM, February 24, 1978: Difference between revisions
(formatting) |
(formatting) |
||
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
Elvis is very into revenge, see. "The only two things that matter to me, the only motivation points for me writing all these songs," opines Costello with a perverse leer, "are ''revenge'' and ''guilt''. Those are the only emotions I know about, that I know I can feel. Love? I dunno what it means, really, and it doesn't exist in my songs. | Elvis is very into revenge, see. "The only two things that matter to me, the only motivation points for me writing all these songs," opines Costello with a perverse leer, "are ''revenge'' and ''guilt''. Those are the only emotions I know about, that I know I can feel. Love? I dunno what it means, really, and it doesn't exist in my songs. | ||
"Like" — he's into this discourse now — "when I played earlier in front of all those reps or whatever they're called — all those guys working for Island (''Stiff's UK distributor – ed'') — did you hear me introducing 'Lip Service'? | "Like" — he's into this discourse now — "when I [[Concert 1977-07-22 London|played]] earlier in front of all those reps or whatever they're called — all those guys working for Island (''Stiff's UK distributor – ed'') — did you hear me introducing 'Lip Service'? | ||
"'This song is called 'Lip Service' and that's all you're gonna get from me'. That was straight from the heart, that, 'cos last year I actually went to Island with my demo tape and none of them wanted to know. Back then they wouldn't give me the time of day. But ''now''..." | "'This song is called 'Lip Service' and that's all you're gonna get from me'. That was straight from the heart, that, 'cos last year I actually went to Island with my demo tape and none of them wanted to know. Back then they wouldn't give me the time of day. But ''now''..." | ||
Line 78: | Line 78: | ||
Ross MacManus joined the Joe Loss band in 1955, and enjoyed a fair amount of success. | Ross MacManus joined the Joe Loss band in 1955, and enjoyed a fair amount of success. | ||
Back in the '50s, of course, big bands were real hip, and the paper was full of them until rock 'n' roll came along. Thus Elvis — | Back in the '50s, of course, big bands were real hip, and the paper was full of them until rock 'n' roll came along. Thus Elvis — or rather, Declan — was brought up in a house full of jazz records, with a father who knew and worked with British jazz stars like Ronnie Scott, Phil Seamen, Joe Timperley, Tubby Hayes and Bill McGuffie. | ||
On top of that, Ross used to take Elvis along to the studios in the early '60s, and there he met the likes of the Stones, Hollies, Mojos, Merseybeats, Beatles and so on when they recorded their spot for the ''Joe Loss Show''. | On top of that, Ross used to take Elvis along to the studios in the early '60s, and there he met the likes of the Stones, Hollies, Mojos, Merseybeats, Beatles and so on when they recorded their spot for the ''Joe Loss Show''. | ||
Line 96: | Line 96: | ||
At one time, apparently, he went to stay with a boxer friend on the west side — and found himself sharing a house with Legs Diamond, the notorious gangster. | At one time, apparently, he went to stay with a boxer friend on the west side — and found himself sharing a house with Legs Diamond, the notorious gangster. | ||
Ross's father is also credited with helping to bring the blues to Britain. Ross makes a lot of the fact that both Elvis and his grandfather were born on the Leo/Virgo cusp, seven days apart, and that they look alike (as if he and Elvis don't!) | Ross's father is also credited with helping to bring the blues to Britain. Ross makes a lot of the fact that both Elvis and his grandfather were born on the Leo/<wbr>Virgo cusp, seven days apart, and that they look alike (as if he and Elvis don't!) | ||
He also tells us Elvis has some great songs about his grandfather which have yet to be unveiled in public — especially one called "My Friend," about his grandad's New York experiences. | He also tells us Elvis has some great songs about his grandfather which have yet to be unveiled in public — especially one called "My Friend," about his grandad's New York experiences. | ||
Line 146: | Line 146: | ||
'''RAM, No. 78, February 24, 1978 | '''RAM, No. 78, February 24, 1978 | ||
---- | ---- | ||
[[Nick Kent]] profiles Elvis Costello | [[Nick Kent]] profiles Elvis Costello {{92}}(from [[New Musical Express, August 27, 1977|''NME'', Aug. 27, 1977]]){{9x}}. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
[[Annie Burton]] reviews ''[[My Aim Is True]]''. | [[Annie Burton]] reviews ''[[My Aim Is True]]''. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
[[Phil McNeill]] | [[Phil McNeill]] talks to [[Ross MacManus]]. {{92}}(from ''NME'' interview [[New Musical Express, October 29, 1977|Oct. 29, 1977]]){{9x}}. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
Also | Also includes excerpts from <i>NME</i>'s Blackmail Corner {{92}}([[New Musical Express, September 17, 1977|Sep. 17, 1977]]).{{9x}} | ||
---- | |||
Includes the ''[[Stiff Fourplay]]'' flexi-disc. | |||
{{Bibliography images}} | {{Bibliography images}} | ||
Line 172: | Line 174: | ||
There's nothing average about Elvis Costello. The more you listen to ''My Aim Is True'', the more Costello's nonconformity strikes you between the ears. | There's nothing average about Elvis Costello. The more you listen to ''My Aim Is True'', the more Costello's nonconformity strikes you between the ears. | ||
Like all singer/songwriters, he's necessarily an egotist. (Obviously you have to be, to consider your opinions, your perceptions and so on worthy of public performance). But he's not your average deliverer of personalized love songs; no baby I lerv you why don't you lerv me slushy whines here. The album's only track possibly definable as a love song is the tender, rueful "Alison" (its chorus provides the ''My Aim Is True'' title line); that track, like the rest of Costello's songs, is still hard-edged, pointed, and in no way mushy. That point is clearly spelt out in Alison's first verse: ''"I'm not gonna get too sentimental / like those other sticky valentines."'' He goes on, neatly illustrating both his nifty, neat expression of emotion and his control of | Like all singer/songwriters, he's necessarily an egotist. (Obviously you have to be, to consider your opinions, your perceptions and so on worthy of public performance). But he's not your average deliverer of personalized love songs; no baby I lerv you why don't you lerv me slushy whines here. The album's only track possibly definable as a love song is the tender, rueful "Alison" (its chorus provides the ''My Aim Is True'' title line); that track, like the rest of Costello's songs, is still hard-edged, pointed, and in no way mushy. That point is clearly spelt out in "Alison"'s first verse: ''"I'm not gonna get too sentimental / like those other sticky valentines."'' He goes on, neatly illustrating both his nifty, neat expression of emotion and his control of wordplay: ''"Cause I don't know if you are loving some body / I only know it isn't mine."'' | ||
Neat, huh? He does the same thing time and again throughout the songs on this album, deftly turning cliches inside out, building up a chorus for an unexpected | Neat, huh? He does the same thing time and again throughout the songs on this album, deftly turning cliches inside out, building up a chorus for an unexpected punchline, taking the sympathetic emphasis from some observed third person onto himself ("No Dancing"), always maintaining a strong sense of realism by piling up true life detail, keeping imagery skillfully scaled down to life size. He's what you might call a slow dazzler; at first it's the music that grabs you, the simple four or five piece basic R&B band dominated by drums and workmanlike guitar. The band's mixed well back so the Costello tonsils dominate; only after close listening can you hear just what those uncredited musicians are up to, particularly the guitarist; when he's given a short space for himself (or themselves — Elvis plays rhythm guitar, but lead is played by someone within the Stiff family, maybe even Dave Edmunds) he fills it with economical tight licks. But it's the lyrics that dominate, even though their full impact takes time to absorb. | ||
The musical mood changes from track to track — fast rock 'n' roll on "Mystery Dance," a riff reminiscent of "Heartbreak Hotel" and, incidentally, the closest Elvis Costello comes to his namesake; "I'm Not Angry" has a wild guitar, clashing cymbals pattern that makes you know he's not angry, he's furious. | The musical mood changes from track to track — fast rock 'n' roll on "Mystery Dance," a riff reminiscent of "Heartbreak Hotel" and, incidentally, the closest Elvis Costello comes to his namesake; "I'm Not Angry" has a wild guitar, clashing cymbals pattern that makes you know he's not angry, he's furious. | ||
Costello stands outside the established patterns, but unlike the punks deliberate childish defiance which recognizes authority, and is therefore ultimately part of it, Costello is using the established conventions against themselves. His voice sounds instantly familiar, but there's no one person you can pin him to as an imitator; instead his voice is an amalgam of rock singing styles, forged into a style of his own. On ''My Aim Is True'' the only recognisable style that isn't original is the Spectorism of "No Dancing"; the fact that it's been achieved without Spector's wall of sound machinery and dozens of overdubs is remarkable in itself. Costello, strange and vengeful little person that he is, has emerged as the most original and straight out musically addictive character for quite some time. Sharp, witty, (take the ''"legendary hitchhiker"'' lines of "Waiting For The End Of The World," for instance) perceptive, original and a remarkable singer as well.... | Costello stands outside the established patterns, but unlike the punks' deliberate childish defiance which recognizes authority, and is therefore ultimately part of it, Costello is using the established conventions against themselves. His voice sounds instantly familiar, but there's no one person you can pin him to as an imitator; instead his voice is an amalgam of rock singing styles, forged into a style of his own. On ''My Aim Is True'' the only recognisable style that isn't original is the Spectorism of "No Dancing"; the fact that it's been achieved without Spector's wall of sound machinery and dozens of overdubs is remarkable in itself. Costello, strange and vengeful little person that he is, has emerged as the most original and straight out musically addictive character for quite some time. Sharp, witty, (take the ''"legendary hitchhiker"'' lines of "Waiting For The End Of The World," for instance) perceptive, original and a remarkable singer as well.... | ||
There's no stopping him now. | There's no stopping him now. |
Latest revision as of 18:21, 7 March 2024
|