Elvis on Howard Stern radio show , 19 Oct. 2015

[johnfoyle]

http://emptylighthouse.com/elvis-costel ... 1067819377


A detailed account -

http://marksfriggin.com/news.htm


Elvis Costello Visits. 10/19/15. 7:35am
After the break they played a Baba Booey song parody and a song that Underdog Lady sang that they put to music. They played a prank call Sal and Richard made to a store asking him to translate what Beetlejuice was saying in Spanish. They also played Coldplay's ''The Scientist'' too. They played a Jeff the Drunk song parody and a song Sarah Silverman and Natalie Maines performed at the Howard Stern Birthday Bash.
Howard came back and said he's excited. He said sitting in the studio is Elvis Costello. Howard said look at you. He asked what it's like to be a genius. Elvis said he doesn't think that. He said Howard is his first thought when he wakes up. Howard said congratulations on writing a book himself. Howard said most people write with a ghost writer. Elvis said if he knew that he would have done that. He didn't know. Howard said there must have been times it was frustrating to write. Elvis said he just thought he'd take as long as he had to take to do it.

Howard said Elvis was nominated for a Grammy and he was up against The Cars, Toto and A Taste of Honey and A Taste of Honey won. Howard asked if it mattered to him. Elvis said he really didn't know anything about the Grammy's. He said that someone told him that if you went then you'd win. He said he didn't think it was right if that was true. Howard said that he's blowing the lid off the Grammy's saying they're fixed. Elvis said he doesn't know that to be true.

Howard said that he heard that Elvis was into drinking for a while. Elvis said some people struggle with it. He said you have to wake up one day and say you've had enough. He said he did that 20 years ago. He said he won't make jokes about it though because he has friends who struggle with it. Robin asked if he does nothing now. Elvis said he won't say that.

Howard asked Elvis about his book and found out his editor was named Brant Rumble. Elvis said that's a great name. Howard asked about writing the book and if he left a lot out thinking he would hurt people. Elvis said he did leave some out. He said he didn't give all of the details of his fights and things like that. He said that he wrote about how it ended up in songs. Elvis said that business is similar. He said he was writing about music and how it came out of family. He said he wrote about his family in songs.

Howard said his dad was a successful musician too. Howard said he read about how he had a show on the BBC. Elvis said he worked with a band that played on a show on the BBC. Howard said that must have influenced him. Elvis said that it made him realize that it goes from mundane work to something else.

Howard asked if he was influenced seeing his dad work with other musicians. Elvis said he hasn't sure he could make a living at it. Howard asked if his dad tried to talk him out of it. Elvis said no. He said his dad never said much of anything as far as advice. He said he told stories but not much advice. He said he loved his dad though. He said they didn't spend a lot of time together though. He said his parents split so he wasn't around that much. He said his mom brought him up and taught him right from wrong.

Howard said it must have given him confidence knowing his dad was musical when he got into music. Elvis said that they had a lot of records in the house. He said hid dad had a lot of records in the house because he had to learn how to sing all of those songs for the BBC. He said that his dad had to sing all kinds of songs too. He said that was the only way they heard all of those songs back then. He said they didn't have a lot of recorded music on the BBC back then. He said they had to play it live.

Howard asked if his dad was excited for him when he hit it big. Elvis said that he was. Howard said Elvis' was a member of the Beatles fan club. He asked if he told Paul McCartney that. Elvis said he knows but you don't make a big deal out of it. He said that he was a Beatles guy growing up.

Howard asked when he started playing guitar. Elvis said he had one at 9 but didn't start playing until he was 13. He said if you learn to play guitar in the key of C then you're going to fail. He said the chord of F is one that you actually say the word F. He said it's hard to learn. He said C is easy but F is hard. He said you have to learn F. Howard asked if he reads music. Elvis said he does now but he didn't back then. He said he started learning to read music around 38 or 40. He said it's hard to do anything at that age. He said he wanted to do some different stuff and he had to learn to read music.

Howard asked when he wrote his first song. Elvis said he was 13. He doesn't remember the song but he has it in a notebook he had. He said he doesn't remember the tune. He said he read it and thought that it looked like something a 13 year old would write when he's depressed about a break up. Elvis said it took him no time at all to write it.

Howard asked if Elvis thinks of himself as a poet. Elvis said not really. He said that poets are a different thing. Howard said when you write a song you must think about being laughed at. Howard said you can end up being a taste of honey or someone like that. He said it's a fine line between good music and douchey music. Elvis said you do have that in your head but you can't let it stop you.

Howard said you have to go up on stage before you're famous. Howard said you have to learn how to perform on stage. Elvis said that he wouldn't say that he was doing concerts but he did some shows. He said that they have old ledgers from when they played in 1972 and they were playing from a pub to a catholic girl school. He said they'd get paid from 3 or 4 pounds to nothing.

Howard asked if he played Beatles songs back then. Elvis said they were probably playing stuff like Crosby, Stills and Nash and The Birds. Howard said Stephen Stills is a great guitar player. Elvis said he is. He said he was a friend of Jimi Hendrix and he was playing like Hendrix. Howard said he was fantastic.

Howard asked Elvis about taking a job at a cosmetics company or something. Elvis said he did work as a computer operator at a cosmetics company. He said he wasn't putting makeup on people. Elvis said that Howard is working in a nice comfortable place. He said he had the same thing back then. He said that it was an old style computer and people in the office had to struggle. He said he was in an air conditioned room. He said he wrote his first two records in there. Howard asked if he's good with a computer. Elvis said back then the computer was as big as this studio and it could do less than his phone can do now. He said that they had data cards that he had to feed into the computer. He said it didn't have a screen so it gave a piece of paper with commands on it. Elvis said he used to write his songs on those pieces of paper that came out of the computer.

Howard asked if he was an angry guy because he was afraid of him when he first came out. Elvis said that he's not. Howard asked about who else he liked back in the early days. Elvis said that he liked Alice Cooper too.

Howard said he interviewed John Fogerty and he told him about the bad contract he signed. Howard said that Elvis sent his stuff to a record company. Elvis said he sent it everywhere. Howard said he rejected one deal because it was such a bad deal. Howard said that he thought it was Island Records. Elvis said that he signed with another company because of the kind of money they were going to give him. He said he ended that.

Howard said that he has to learn how to write a song because he has to have a hit record. He said it must be a great experience to be able to go on stage and perform with people mouthing the words to your song. Elvis said you have to do your songs as well as you can. He said people ask him to do old songs and it's a struggle to do it like you did it originally. He said he has learned how to do that though. Elvis said they had pulled the song ''Alison'' out of the playlist because he thought he was making it too easy for people to like them. He said he was very young when he did that. He just wanted to make it harder for people to like him.

Elvis talked about Saturday Night Live and how he played a different song than he had planned to and now he gets blamed for when any musician does something wrong. He said back then no one even saw it because no one had a VCR. Howard said everyone at NBC got pissed off at him for that. Howard asked if he cared about that. Elvis said that Lorne says he didn't really care but the record company was upset. Howard said they said they'd never be back on the show but he was on the show 12 years later. He was on the 25th anniversary show too. He said he was performing with the Beastie Boys. Howard said he didn't sweat it after he did that. Elvis said he flew home and they had more shows to do. He said they didn't really care.

Howard said those things that are controversial at the time end up being played all the time. Elvis said that's what everyone wants. Elvis said back then it was whatever they wrote about in the paper. He said today they have social media. He said that not that many people could have been watching back then.

Howard asked Elvis if he played cover songs when he was starting out. Elvis said of course they did. He said he remembers girls coming up to him asking if they could play Slade and things like that. Howard asked if he ever thought about his look. He said that he wears those glasses for his father. Elvis said that was kind of contrived. He said the glasses were given to him.

Elvis told Howard about working with a band named Clover over in England and how they became Huey Lewis and the News later on. Howard said he did an album with them. Elvis said that album was made with less than a thousand pounds. Howard asked what song they recorded first. Elvis said it was ''Mystery Dance.'' Elvis said that he was using the same guitar that he has now. Not the exact same guitar but the same model. He said his got broken years ago and it took years to find another one. He played a little bit of ''Mystery Dance'' for Howard so he could hear what it sounds like.

Howard said he loves that. Howard asked Elvis about the guys looking at him weird when he would do a different song like that. Elvis said it's not that different. He said he was just trying to steal off songs from the 50s and make it sound different. Howard asked if he was blown away when his song ''Alison'' became a hit. Elvis said that he had a couple of other songs that were doing well. He told Howard about going out and doing shows after that song became a big hit. Elvis said they went and played in London and the record company came up with a scheme to get him a record contract in the U.S. He said they had placards at this hotel and they thought they were doing a protest but it was just a show. He said he ended up doing a dance on that sidewalk with a police officer.

Howard said Elvis was in his cubicle writing the song Alison. Elvis said he's not sure he wrote that one at work. He said he may have written some lyrics. He said he got to look at the girls at the office at the time. He said that's all in the songs. He said that all helps. He said he would stay at work for 36 hours at a time when he was writing his music.

Howard asked Elvis to play some of his song ''Alison'' for him. Elvis said he may have written that one at work. He said that he didn't think he could sing that one at work. He said he heard it being sung differently. Howard said that he hated Alison and he wanted to kill her, right? Elvis said it's a regret song and you know you're going to do them wrong. He said he was writing the same kind of songs that other people were writing. Howard asked if he's happy about the recording of Alison. Elvis said he isn't playing guitar on that one. He said that's a friend of his. He said that guy can play better than him.

Howard asked if Elvis is happy where he is in the world of guitar players. Elvis said he's not a great guitar player. He said he's more of a writer. He said he couldn't get a job as a guitar player. He said he has always been able to work though. He said he's never been out of work since he started.

Howard asked Elvis about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elvis said that it's wrong that so many bands aren't in there. Howard asked if he has favorite songs. Howard said he must not feel that way about his own songs. Elvis and Howard talked about one of his albums and Howard mentioned a song that was on this album. Elvis said that it's not on that album. Howard said it is. Elvis said that it's only on that album in the U.S. Howard played the song he was talking about which was ''Watching the Detectives.'' They spent a minute talking about that song and how Elvis has done it in many different ways. Howard asked him to play some of that on that guitar he has today. Elvis did that for him.

Howard said that is so fucking great. Howard asked if he would ever put out an album like that just acoustic. Elvis said if people wanted that he would.

Howard asked if a song comes to him does he think God put that in his head. Elvis said that it can be upsetting when a song comes to him. He said the whole song comes to him in his head. He said you put it down before you forget it. Howard asked if he was neurotic about it. Elvis said that he had a whole song come to him while he was on the train on his way to his mother's house. He said he had to get there without hearing anything else. Howard said he must go crazy over that. Elvis said that early on he only had a notebook to write things down. Howard asked if he had things that made him crazy and drove him mad. Elvis said he would sometimes wake up in and write it down and he'd wonder if it was something new or not. He said he eventually got a Dictaphone to record it so he could remember it. He said if you let something get away that would drive him mad.

Howard asked if he still wakes up and hears songs every day. Elvis said it's not every day. He said that over the past couple of years they will come to him once in a while. He said they just come out all at once.

Elvis said that he got into rock and roll so he doesn't have to have a job. Howard said that if you lock yourself in a room then it could be a horrible experience. Elvis said that you can't make a rule book.

Howard said that this song ''Radio, Radio'' is one of his favorites. He played a little bit of that. Elvis said that song was not a new song when he put it out. He said he had another version of it that he changed. He said it was a romantic song about radio. He told Howard about some of the songs he heard that influenced him. He said he changed it into a song about how fucked up things were. He said it was about radio over in England. He said that he hadn't been to the U.S. yet. He said people thought it was about radio there in the states. He said they got to sing it on the BBC though.

Howard said that he has a lot of hits on this album. He said that ''Pump it Up'' was on that album too. Elvis said he heard that they used that song during a Patriots game and he thinks it was about this deflated ball thing. He said he really didn't know about that story though. He said he really didn't have that in mind when he wrote the song. Howard played some of ''Pump It Up'' and spent a minute talking to Elvis about that. Howard said this is rock and roll right there.

Howard said when he started in radio he was working at a progressive rock station. He said he didn't think he was hip compared to the other DJs there. Howard said he would play Elvis Costello songs there to legitimize him as a DJ. Elvis said it's been his pleasure.

Howard asked Elvis to perform ''(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding'' for him. Elvis told Howard about that song and played it a short time later.

After the song Howard asked how he takes care of his throat. Elvis said that he learned to put water and a bit of dish soap in a water bottle sprayer and spray that in your throat. He said it sounds disgusting but it works.

Howard said he has so many songs to ask about. Howard said he had hit after hit. Howard played some of ''Accidents will Happen'' and said he must be so proud of himself. Elvis said they have a lot of people who contributed to his songs. He said that he's been able to work with so many great musicians and it's all a collaboration.

Howard said that Elvis has written with Paul McCartney. He said that must be intimidating. Howard asked what Paul's process is like. Elvis said they'll have a beginning for a song and they'll help each other out. He said Paul helped him out with a song he was writing and he's helped Paul. Howard asked him how he would do that. He asked him to demonstrate that on the guitar. Elvis said he would play some of the song and Paul would suggest something and they'd either use it or reject it. Howard asked if you can reject something that Paul suggests. Elvis said of course you can. He said that it was just making a dialog.

Howard asked if he developed a personal relationship with Paul. Elvis said that Paul and his wife Linda were great. Howard asked if he wishes they had video of those meetings. Elvis said that can take away from it if you do that. He said he'd rather have the photo that Linda took of them talking.

Howard asked Elvis to sing a little bit of ''Every Day I Write the Book.'' Elvis did that for him and gave him examples of how he has performed the song.

Howard said that was beautiful. He asked what the best thing about being a rock star is. Elvis asked if he's really a rock star. He said Howard is more of one than he is. Howard said he is a rock star though. Elvis said he's a rock and roll singer. Robin asked who is a rock star. Elvis said Tommy Lee and Mick Jagger. He said Mick is most certainly a rock star. He said they played with the Rolling Stones once and they were playing in October when it was cold out. He said that Mick and Keith were all bundled up playing out there. He said Mick was in silk pajamas on stage. He said that's a rock star.

Howard asked about Mick and Keith's relationship and if he thinks it hurts that Keith talks about Mick the way he does. Elvis said that they grew up together. He said he doesn't have any relationships like that. Howard said it's just mind blowing that they can't get along.

Howard asked Elvis if he likes any of the new music out there. Elvis said he does but he doesn't talk about it because then the band will be asked about it all the time. Howard asked if he's glad he's not starting out now. He said it would be so tough. Elvis said that he did alright when he was coming up but a lot of the records made in the 50s were bought out completely for 50 bucks. He said he came out when things were okay. He said he thinks he's doing okay. Howard said Elvis Presley did that with a lot of artists when he'd buy a song cheap and use it as his own. Howard said that's not right. Elvis agreed.

Howard gave Elvis a plug for his book ''Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink'' and for his web site ElvisCostello.com

Howard asked what song he remembers hearing first on the radio. Elvis said he thinks it was ''Accidents will Happen.'' He said that they were in their van and heard the song. He said they yelled out the window that it was their song but no one cared. He said they had 900 stations at the time so no one was listening to the same thing.

Howard said that it must be great when the girls start noticing you after you have a hit song. Elvis said that's never really happened. Howard said he has to be joking about that.

Howard thanked Elvis for coming in so early. Elvis said he's up early often. He said it's not that early for him. Howard said when he's touring it must be different. Elvis said it is. Howard gave him some more plugs and then went to break.

[docinwestchester]

Wow this is pretty shocking. Howard is an excellent interviewer, known for digging deep but often getting too personal. In this case his obvious respect for EC probably kept him from his usual radio shenanigans. I'll be listening to the full interview on Sirius tonight!

[stricttime81]

Very interesting, thanks for the synopsis!

[johnfoyle]

Recording now on soundcloud

https://soundcloud.com/howardstern/sets ... w_10-19-15

[FAVEHOUR]

didn't anyone record this appearance?



Dave

[docinwestchester]

didn't anyone record this appearance?



Dave

Where? Howard's show is not televised.

[johnfoyle]

The above soundcloud link has a recording.

Edit - sorry , I now see it only has a few extracts.

[FAVEHOUR]

didn't anyone record this appearance?



Dave

Where? Howard's show is not televised.

The audio, I mean.

[History Repeats]

If you have xmsirus, it is "on demand" on the app

I have downloaded to my iPad

Go under "shows" then Howard ster, then on top select "on demand" it's the show from Monday 10/19

[FAVEHOUR]

Thanks very much, HR! I was able to download to my iPhone. I'm sure there is a way to get it to my computer. I appreciate your help!

Dave

[MOJO]

This is a good interview. Stern cracks me up. He sounded like a fan boy. EC vocals / musical interludes were superb. Definitely worth a listen. Now, hopefully, Maron will interview EC!

[erey]

Is there any way to listen to this if you don't subscribe to Sirius?

(hint, hint... )

[charliestumpy]

Thanks for sharing recording of EC 'Share your love with me.