Elvis Costello Fan Forum

What was the deal? I'd seen him perform these two songs live two nights earlier and he was on fire. On this one, the sound was muddy, the tempo was rushed, and his singing sounded bored and unenthusiastic. Dave barely took time to shake his hand before the show ended. There was such a wierd vibe goi...

hahahaha That's me, actually.....

Yes, that was the end of it. Hope you caught your train! (Well, you must have, if you're home now typing). The Watching the Detectives/Let Him Dangle medley was especially wonderful, I thought. And at the start of the second encore, he sang "Alison" as a solo acoustic number, and it struck...

I've been listening to this (review copy) and can say it's a gem, a charmer -- not a masterpiece, becuase that's too pompous a term for anything by the ineffable Mr Lowe -- but a thoroughly delicious piece of work nonetheless. The songs are witty (of course), self-effacing (duh), and sometimes even ...

Just got home from this extraordinary show. By my count 31 songs, no patter, just hard-hitting rock & roll for two hours. They simply tore the joint down; Steve Nieve played like a man possessed.

Anybody else get the set list?

sez you...I've always had a thing for Huey. Completely irrational, no doubt. Back to the article -- I've never read anything else by this guy and don't expect I ever will. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but if this guy can't get the passion in Elvis, then he doesn't deserve to have ...

oldhamer wrote:Actually I tend to look at Nick Lowe as being God, and Elvis being Jesus. The analogy doesn't work otherwise.

But I can see where you're coming from!

yeah, that's my church too...

Yeah, there I was, peering up at his box, thrilled to finally see Paul up close after being a fan for 40 years -- and then suddenly I realized that that was ELVIS in the box right behind him!!!!! The rest of the crowd was applauding for Paul, and I was yelling, "Elvis I love you!!!"

Great to read all this. Inspired by it, I just sat down yesterday and played every major album in order from My Aim is True through to North (well, it was St. Patrick's Day, but I ran out of time...). So many songs that had faded from my memory now came snaking back out to re-occupy that section of ...

Well, I went to the Tibet House benefit tonight, to hear Allen Toussaint perform -- on the sneaking hope that Elvis might show up as a surprise last-minute guest -- didn't happen, but by the time the show was over I didn't care, there'd been plenty of other fine music to satisfy me. But Allen did me...

I guess what's relevant is WHY you didn't -- and whether you intend to do so eventually. Now that it's possible to pre-order these things online and download them from iTunes, the fun has gone right out of being IN the store ON the day it comes out. Esepcially when you have already been able to list...

1. Hoover Factory

2. Shoes without Heels

3. The Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line

He has a great talent for fobbing off this ridiculous interviewer. Steve Nieve is an enormous talent, you have to love him for being so down-to-earth when this absurd person kept trying to put words in his mouth.

Yes, I've had to explain Elvis as well to a few folks. But not nearly as many as I've had to explain Ray Davies to. OK, I'd understand if they didn't recognize Ray's name, he hasn't done much as a solo artist -- but it's really upsetting when they have no idea who the Kinks are (I refuse to say &quo...

Blue -- The Jayhawks Tangled Up in Blue -- Bob Dylan Blue Telescope -- John Hiatt The Band Wore Blue Shirts -- Joe Jackson Pink Moon -- Nick Drake Red Moon -- David Gray Green-Eyed Girl -- Greg Trooper Golden Years -- David Bowie Heart of Gold -- Neil Young Black River -- Amos Lee Black Messiah -- t...

No, from all the interviews I've read with Ray over the past year or so, the shooting did not turn him into a bitter conservative. He did write an article (in the London Times? or maybe the Telegraph?) criticizing the current US administration for having failed New Orleans, for underfunding levee ma...

Yeah, Ray's politics can be confusing. He was raised practically as a Socialist, and sometimes when you're so far left, it looks reactionary. Reactionary is a funny word---Ray is reacting to the abuses of the modern world, but I think his sympathy for the common man cannot be questioned. There's a d...

1. New Lace Sleeves 2. Watch Your Step 3. Different Finger 4. Big Sister's Clothes 5. Shot With His Own Gun 6. Lover's Walk 7. Strict Time 8. White Knuckles 9. From A Whisper to a Scream 10. Club Land 11. You'll Never Be a Man 12. Pretty Words 13. Luxembourg 14. Fisn 'n Chip Paper One thing that str...

I'd absolutely never heard of Julian Cope, Supergrass, Happy Mondays, Beta Band, Cornership, Elastica, Spiritualized, or Massive Attack. But then I was not a teenager in the 90s. Several others I'd heard the names (who could forget the name Super Furry Monkeys?) but I doubt I ever heard the music. R...

Great news. My daughter is named Grace and she's an amazing person, 10 years old now and a force to be reckoned with. Someone told me that when his first child was born a former bandmate said to him, "Well, now that you've got kids you won't listen to music anymore." From that moment on my...

I'm a huge Kinks fan so you can't be "too English" for me. Maybe it is a thing of music biz economics...or maybe the US has such a glut of new bands right now there's no room to promote other artists. But then how does that explain Coldplay breaking through? I love their sound, but after y...

Many thanks to everyone -- I have just bought everything (it turned out I had a $100 credit, not just $75). Well, everything you suggested besides Painted From Memory, which I realized I already had. I keep forgetting it is earlier than When I Was Cruel, it's such a timeless disc. Everything was on ...

Hmm, sorry, didn't mean to imply that these bands were listed BECAUSE Americans don't know them--I must have left out a clause somewhere. Believe me, I suffer no delusions that these folks care whether Americans listen to their bands or not. And thank you for elucidating all the reasons why NME is n...

If your idea of "perfection" means white, male, middle class, middle of the road, classic guitar based rock, I would say your list is ok. Well, if I could spend the rest of my life listening to white middle-class men playing guitar life would still be just fine. (And please add the Kinks ...

This is such a fabulous album, I too hestitate to put anything at the bottom, but here goes: 1. Let Me Tell You About Her 2. When Did I Stop Dreaming? 3. Still 4. You Turned To Me 5. I'm in the Mood Again 6. When It Sings 7. Fallen 8. Someone Took the Words Away 9. When Green Eyes Turn Blue 10. You ...