Elvis - Lost in Showbiz?

shabbydoll · Post by **shabbydoll** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 5:40 am

Hello everyone. Haven't been around here much lately, but had to nip in to read the reactions of El's latest marriage. Big buds with Sir Elton now, heh? To tell you the truth, I think he has always been a bit of a celebrity hound. Might be his Dad's influence, part of the family business. Still it seems odd, I always thought he was less shallow. Now that I think of it, I wonder what ever gave me that idea.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 12:41 pm

Nice to see that you're still around shabbs, and a nice to the point post! I think that he doesn't really exist anymore, but surfaces from time to time from his Parallel universe.

lapinsjolis · Post by **lapinsjolis** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 1:04 pm

Hi Shabbydoll! Hope all is well with you. You've been missed. Happy holidays.
<img src="http://prod.bsis.bellsouth.net/coDataIm ... 708259.gif" width="127" height="70">

As for Mr. Costello and his personal life-HUGE disappointment. I don't think he'd recognize himself if he bothered to look. His greatness lies simply in music. But he still is one of the best. You have to ignore a great deal of the artist to enjoy the art sometimes.

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 1:34 pm

lapinjolis:

love the "roundettes"!!! hee hee!

you wrote: " I don't think he'd recognize himself if he bothered to look."

deep dark truthful mirror needed perhaps? obviously not wanted.

personally, i like looking in that mirror. occasionally. keeps me true. i like being true.

the emotional truth is in the work presented, not in the actions of the artist.

lapinsjolis · Post by **lapinsjolis** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 5:02 pm

Ah but confession without reparation is useless. My only hope is he can't maintain this psuedo-glamour boy life because it's absurd. I love 'North' and think it would have happened (not with the same exact songs) without the jazz princess. He has loved that music long before he met her and the influence, covers and the like are scattered throughout his work. I thought I'd add that in because I HATE it when it's portrayed as a revelation rather than a progression.

My mother sent me those dancers-she is too fun.

<img src="http://prod.bsis.bellsouth.net/coDataIm ... 3canes.gif" width="374" height="250">

I love the Holidays! All joy and peace even to the pre-spirit visited Scooges.

Danny · Post by **Danny** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 7:51 am

Hi all - why can't the guy have celeb mates? Why is it bad?

I've never liked this stuff about 'selling out', with any artists - when people don't like their fave artists to become popular, and all that.

Anything that ups Elvis's public profile is a good thing I reckon! I think he should shmooze more and get cover versions.

'World's Great Optimist' sounds tailor made for Robbie Williams for example. I want people to be whistling Elvis songs the way I do!

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 8:49 am

Danny wrote:Hi all - why can't the guy have celeb mates? Why is it bad?

Dan - two words: Ben Elton

I used to love Ben Elton but he has become Mr (and no doubt Sir one day) Ben Establishment.

Listening to him talking about "So I said to Bob De Niro" and "Roger (Taylor)" etc makes me want to heave when he's become all the things he used to despise. I don't want to see Elvis become like that. The thought of this makes me shudder.

In the near future we might only be able to see Elvis and special guests at the Albert Hall for £50 a seat. I can't bear the thought. And afterwards you won't be able to get near him to talk to him or sign stuff because of his entourage/"people".

Danny · Post by **Danny** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:11 am

But what does it matter who he hangs out with? What's wrong with saying 'So I said to Robert De Niro..?'

All that matters is the music he puts out - why do you care who he's mates with? If you were famous and of a certain stature, you'd come into contact with lots of people of the same calibre, and possibly form friendships - why shouldn't he be mates with other musicians? I don't understand it - it sounds like preciousness to me.

The music's what I'm in it for!

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:44 am

Danny wrote:All that matters is the music he puts out - why do you care who he's mates with?...

...The music's what I'm in it for!

And it's the music that will suffer.

Look at North...

*runs out of room and awaits backlash*

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 1:23 pm

I want him to be revered like Sinatra or the Beatles or Bob Dylan...so that when you say 'Im an Elvis Costello fan', people don't say 'why?'...I don't want what happened to Ian Dury to happen, where you die and suddenly everyone realises how great you were, and crap pop artists do covers albums and come out on the tabloids saying that they were 'massively influenced' by him...I want to walk in to bars and hear EC songs that aren't 'Pump it up', 'Olivers Army' or 'Alison'...I wanna hear someone say 'I love Elvis' and when their friend replies 'Yeah, Spike changed my life' they say 'No, I meant Elvis Pressley'....I want women to be more attracted to me because I like Elvis Costello...

I don't wanna see teenage pop groups covering him though, and have to sit on the bus next to some teenage delinquent whistling 'Starting to come to me' covered by Aqua, or 'The bridge I burned' remixed by DJ Apeface, and I don't wanna see him tumbling out of China White's with Jordan in tow, or anywhere near Peter Stringfellow or the 3AM girls!

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 1:31 pm

what laughingcrow said.

except for the end bit, 'cause i don't know who any of those are. but, i'll assume he means the same as i would.

and yeah, it might be presumptous of me to want that. so what. me wanting it doesn't make it so. i'm not changing his life to be what i want him to be, just stating my want. he'll do whatever he wants to do

obviously, 'cause otherwise he'd be visiting me way more often.

kimmy · Post by **kimmy** » Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:45 pm

I admit I have been keeping tabs on this site for some time, but had not been compelled to write--until now. I thought laughingcrow's post was very well said. Living in a small rural town where the biggest thrills are deer hunting and NASCAR (auto) racing, it's nice to see some different perspectives from some fellow EC fans.

Now that I've "broken the ice", you'll hear from me again soon, if that's OK.

shabbydoll · Post by **shabbydoll** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:20 am

Nice to speak to you guys again, also. Glad to see a little colour and motion on the site, and very pleased to have posted something that brought kimmy out. As for Elvis, he can and always will do what he bloody wants to, and so should he, but I just wish he'd come back to earth for a visit once in a while.

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 4:23 am

Danny wrote:Hi all - why can't the guy have celeb mates? Why is it bad?

There's a worrrld of difference between having Tom Waits (good!) and Sting (bad! naughty Elvis!) as a mate, my friend.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 4:27 am

LaughingCrow - you are spot on as ever.

Have you been listening to Martin Luther King? It sounds like you have a dream

And if you want women to be attracted to you for liking EC then get the next train to London and we'll take it from there...

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 5:31 am

I had a dream today...where children are judged not by their colur of their skin, but by the content of the CD collection!

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:20 pm

Celebrities will always hang out until the Kindom of Lord God Jehovan/Vishnu/Buddha/Beelzebub/Odin/Zeus/Bob Dobbs comes to pass. If you want to know why EC hangs with Elton instead of some guy from the corner pub, ask yourself this question.

Could you just be normal if EC sat next to you on a plane or a bar or something? Would you be anything other than a slobbering fan?

And if, somehow, you found yourself in a friendship with him, would you be able to banish all thought of personal advancement through that friendship? At the very least, I think we'd all be plotting ways to get our hands on as many freebies as possible.

He doesn't have to worry about that when haning out with new pals like Sir Elton, Sting (okay, I can't believe THAT's real), or Clint Eastwood. Personally, I can't imagine Clint begging for a back stage pass or fawning over finally getting to hear the complete Hollywood High concert.

And, hey, as to Ben Elton, at least he didn't call him "Bobby" DeNiro....

lapinsjolis · Post by **lapinsjolis** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:31 pm

I think the point of contention for most of us is not that he hangs out with famous people but that he is hanging out with people he reviled a short time ago. He is also falling into traps he criticized and snickered at. That's the trouble. I have no problem with celebrities being friends. He always had friends in various degrees of fame.

The point is he's changed and not for the better babe. Okay I just wanted to fit a lyric in there somewhere. He do whatever he chooses, no one can stop him he's over 21 and he's free. It just diminishes him on a certain level.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 8:36 pm

The thing with the sting thing though, is...

Hasn't he always bashed that guy??????????????

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 6:48 pm

Well, I guess my real point is -- at this distance -- how can we tell whether they're changes for the better or worse.

Is he givng up his old chums to hang out with "the beautiful people" or simply maturing past some of the sillier points of contention of his youth. I mean, on the scale of galactic evil, Sting doesn't really even register. It's time to face the real enemy....Madonna!

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:41 am

bobster wrote:And, hey, as to Ben Elton, at least he didn't call him "Bobby" DeNiro....

At least not on public television.

I agree with Lapinsjolis. Elvis seems to have gone the opposite of All Grown up when he said "And you hate all the people that you used to adore".

bobster wrote:Well, I guess my real point is -- at this distance -- how can we tell whether they're changes for the better or worse.

The next album may answer that. Who knows, the Bournemouth show in 2004 could be showcasing his new album "Elvis Costello and New Friends". As the New Year is out with the old and in with the new, it could be farewell to Basher, T-Bone, George Jones, Tony Bennett etc and collaborations with Sting, Elton and (there's still time) Madonna.

shabbydoll · Post by **shabbydoll** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 12:18 pm

I think there are people that can be real. Truthfully. And there are musicians that hang with those real people. Know some of them myself. Nope, sorry, don't get your point.

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 12:22 pm

Oh ye of little faith. . .

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 6:26 pm

Something like an Elvis and friends...in the style of Jools Holland and friends big band experience would be 'not that great'...

''Oh wow, look who the special guests are...Ruby Turner, Marianne Faithful and oh wow, Chris Difford!!!!''

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 10:10 pm

Perhaps at some point he could get a long term residency at one the hotels on the strip in Vegas - like Elton, Celine, Wayne or Penn & Teller. I hear there may be space at the Mirage.

Really though - do you think all of this

diminishes him on a certain level

? I'm tending to think not, maybe I'm just too close to seeing a couple of great shows this past summer that elevated him on some levels - a wash maybe.

Would you be anything other than a slobbering fan?

I could probably hold it together for about five minutes.

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

Elvis - Lost in Showbiz?

Elvis - Lost in Showbiz?

sorry for mis-using your amazing speech Martin Jr!