UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

[sweetest punch]

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/bo ... 576486.php

Elvis Costello's autobiography offers musical influences, celebrity anecdotes and rock and roll mythology

By Bob Ruggiero


"Writing about music," Elvis Costello once said, "is like dancing about architecture."

This quote has been used against music journalism and journalists for decades. But here's the thing: Elvis Costello didn't actually say it.

He was quoting comedian Martin Mull but repeated it enough during interviews that he started getting the credit.

In Costello's deep and expansive autobiography, the man born in London as Declan MacManus sorts through the truths, falsities, exaggerations, contradictions, triumphs and tragedies found in that other guy, "Elvis Costello."

The huge, black-framed Buddy Holly glasses? His record company thought it would make him stand out visually: "It was like Superman in reverse," he writes.

The name? His managers thought that calling him "Elvis" was a surefire publicity generator, though he did ask traveling companions in the American South to call him "Kent" so as not to provoke anger. "Costello" was one of the pseudonyms his musician father used when performing.

When he first came on the scene in 1977 with "My Aim Is True," Costello was lumped into the punk or new wave genres because he was English, looked weird and recorded for Stiff Records.

But as his career unfolded, the restless gypsy would make music ranging from rock, pop, country and soul to standards, jazz and classical. It's almost as if the albums "This Year's Model," "Almost Blue," "Blood & Chocolate," "The Delivery Man" and "Momofuku" could not have come from the same artist.

Some of the most vivid writing in "Elvis Costello: Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink," recalls Costello's early tours of America. His adventures included many moments of wonder, such as discovering a record store open at midnight, or finding an attractive Italian girl who would take you home between club sets and introduce you to her father and brothers.

"For everything I thought I knew about America, you could say the opposite was the truth," Costello writes. "It was the most wanton place and the most prohibitive, both seductive and prim. For every brash sales pitch and disposable thrill, there was decency and strange, deep traditions that European clichés about America often overlooked."

As expected, Costello is passionate about sharing his own musical likes and influences. By book's end, any budding record nerd has a serious syllabus of homework listening.

Likewise, he includes many anecdotes from artists ranging from Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison to Tony Bennett, Chet Baker and Paul McCartney - the last of which Costello has written a batch of songs with. And who knew he loved boogie rockers Little Feat?

His all-time favorite singer - with whom he also got to record - was George Jones. And when he toasted Jones as the "greatest country singer in the history of the world," in front of no less than the imposing figure of Johnny Cash, even the Man in Black agreed with him.

Costello details the real-life inspirations behind some of his better known songs including "Alison" (a beautiful, but sad-faced grocery clerk), "Oliver's Army" (English troops in Belfast), "Veronica" (his mother's fading memory), "Watching the Detectives" (his love of American film noir) and "Accidents Will Happen" (a tryst with a very attractive Mexican female taxi driver).

Ironically, perhaps his most famous tune - "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" - was written and originally performed by his buddy, Nick Lowe.

Costello offers his versions of two career events that have transcended their origins and slipped into rock 'n' roll mythology.

The first involves an infamous December 1977 appearance on "Saturday Night Live." As he and the Attractions (Steve Nieve, Bruce Thomas and Pete Thomas) started their final number, Costello stopped the band cold and they immediately launched into a ferocious version of "Radio, Radio." They had been told they couldn't play the song, likely due to its anti-corporate music message.

Producer Lorne Michaels quickly "banned" the group from performing on SNL ever again. But he must have had a change of heart because for the show's 25th anniversary special, just as the Beastie Boys were about to launch into "Sabotage," Costello appears, interrupts them, and they tear through "Radio, Radio."

The other incident, less savory, took place in 1979 at a Holiday Inn bar in Columbus, Ohio. A blind drunk and provocative Costello - in the company of rockers Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett - made a few ugly and disparaging racial comments about James Brown and Ray Charles, ironically, two of his musical heroes.

A fistfight ensued, and Bramlett told the press. The incident branded Costello a racist, despite a mea culpa press conference, years of penance and his own seemingly sincere personal shame.

Perhaps it's not surprising that one of rock's most literate songwriters would pen such a deep, free-form memoir. Costello's journey from dingy Liverpool pubs to the East Room of the White House is certainly worth following, even if the chronology jumps all over the place, he barely mentions his second wife (former Pogues bassist Cait O'Riordan) and a more than passing knowledge of his music is required to get the most out of the book.

The Grammy Award-winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member may even have some juice left for another tome. While he continues to tour, record and raise twin boys with his third wife, jazz singer/pianist Diana Krall, Costello has found time to work on about 40 new songs.

Seems like he may have gained the love and understanding, but days of quiet peace are surely rare.

[Heats101]

Picked up mine from a local bookshop at the weekend (did not pre order) and was surprised it was a soft not hard back version. Was their a choice?
Assumed the intial print would all be hard followed later by cheaper/soft copies.Plus most images I have seen appear to be hardback.

[verbal gymnastics]

I've only seen hardback copies.

Maybe you live in a violent area and people aren't to be trusted with hard objects

[charliestumpy]

The main reason why I/many others started buying into-buying-watching-hearing DPAM from 1977 is/was his abilities with English words.

And I enjoy/enjoyed his music too.

For quite a lot of money, the INDEX/discography etc should have been sold to us in non-chronological American-mispelled versions 2 weeks ago in Hard-Back edition.

Doubtless, the Index-etc things will turn up in English in £3 remaindered papperbok offerings soon.

I accept that discography might have added a few more useful pages, but hey - I have the Waterstones version with extra-pix anyway/all of my legally web-shared discographies anyway.

Anyway.

Good luck all in '45' + USA-invaders world.

DPAM = thank you for the music/shame you went yank-Canuck after London-Liver-Ire etc.

BE all nations/nice.

Correct English spelling for vollumes sold in England would be good too.

[verbal gymnastics]

Correct English spelling for vollumes sold in England would be good too.

You've got to love the irony

[Heats101]

"Maybe you live in a violent area and people aren't to be trusted with hard objects"

I am tempted to pass comment on this statement bearing in mine my current location and its historical past. But that would not be PC would it ?

[WindUpWorld]

I'm reading slowly to savour it, then listening to the audio roughly in tandem. Thoughts from a third of the way in...As well as being manna from heaven for the likes of us, his book is damn good and, no surprises, superbly written. The thematic structure, darting around chronologically, makes for fascinating and emotional connections, inferences and resonances. As Nic Roeg said 'Chronological time is merely a measure of how long we are alive on Earth' - it's not always got much to do with how we piece together and understand our lives. Just a thought.

See you in a few chapters or at the Festival Hall, whichever is the sooner.

[johnfoyle]

I've just finished the book. I'll going to let it sink in & , hopefully, comment tomorrow.


Meanwhile , this is neat -


https://instagram.com/p/9D3gzLIOnQ/

[sulky lad]

So is Steve the only Attraction/ Imposter depicted here ? I'd be really hurt if I were Pete !

[johnfoyle]

Last night's Arena on Irish radio had a review of the book by Roisin Dwyer - about 7 minutes into the show -

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/arena/#2004128

[Man out of Time]

According to this article by the publisher Berlin Verlag, there is a German language version of the Memoir due for publication on 9 November 2015. The German title is:

"Unfaithful music: Mein Leben" - "My Life" in English

Germany.JPG (213.83 KiB) Viewed 23022 times

Is anyone aware of other non-English language versions of the Memoir due for publication? I would expect it to appear in Spanish and Italian and possibly French (for the Canadian market).

MOOT

[johnfoyle]

Somewhere earlier in this thread there are details of a edition in Dutch. I remember because I , of course, made a silly joke about 'double Dutch'/Duchess'.

[johnfoyle]

Found it - Dutch edition available Dec. 1st -

http://www.proxis.com/boeken/nl/boeken/ ... rback-boek#

[johnfoyle]

A day after finishing the book , it is still sinking in. Any thoughts I may have are , if you can indulge me, random.

What with being aware of Elvis's work it is hard to see it at a remove. Needless to say it is hugely informative as regards background information. The Cait years are explained with a brevity that only serves to emphasise their awfulness. Hindsight is great ,but looking back at the themes of many of the songs of that period and contrasting them with the fulsomeness of the many dedications to her it now seems so obvious what the inherent contradictions , confirmed in the book, were indicating. Hopefully this will serve as a sort of closure for all concerned.

Trying to see the book from the perspective of a casual fan , I reckon they may well come away with both a confirmation and an acceptance of the preconception that Elvis is a bit weird but likable. The depth of his self laceration and his self confidence in his writing may serve to give him a more rounded personality than has been apparent before. I like to think it was apparent to some of us who were prepared to delve deep into & examine the coverage over the years. This volume serves it all up in a nice, neat bundle.

It helps that it is so readable. I'm a fast reader and it helped that I kind of knew most of the material before so didn't have to weigh it up too much but I was surprised at how quickly I got through it. It was like being in pub with Elvis , just hearing him yarn on and on. Sure , there are errors in dates and the like but that kind of added to the casualness and accessibility, the narrative sense being more pleasurable than dwelling on pedantry.

That's the best I can do at the moment. I look forward to discovering, through other comments , aspects of the book I may have missed. My book group has a process where we all get to give an opinion uninterrupted for a few minutes. I hate going first because I'm usually in the horrors as the rest contribute insight & opinions that show how much I have missed. The same may well apply here !

[johnfoyle]

Looks like the marketing in the U.K. will be extensive

https://twitter.com/hmvDarlington/statu ... 7826616320

Elvis Costello releases his memoir Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink tomorrow. Buy the CD and get £2 off the book!

[Jack of All Parades]

A day after finishing the book , it is still sinking in. Any thoughts I may have are , if you can indulge me, random.

What with being aware of Elvis's work it is hard to see it at a remove. Needless to say it is hugely informative as regards background information. The Cait years are explained with a brevity that only serves to emphasise their awfulness. Hindsight is great ,but looking back at the themes of many of the songs of that period and contrasting them with the fulsomeness of the many dedications to her it now seems so obvious what the inherent contradictions , confirmed in the book, were indicating. Hopefully this will serve as a sort of closure for all concerned.

Trying to see the book from the perspective of a casual fan , I reckon they may well come away with both a confirmation and an acceptance of the preconception that Elvis is a bit weird but likable. The depth of his self laceration and his self confidence in his writing may serve to give him a more rounded personality than has been apparent before. I like to think it was apparent to some of us who were prepared to delve deep into & examine the coverage over the years. This volume serves it all up in a nice, neat bundle.

It helps that it is so readable. I'm a fast reader and it helped that I kind of knew most of the material before so didn't have to weigh it up too much but I was surprised at how quickly I got through it. It was like being in pub with Elvis , just hearing him yarn on and on. Sure , there are errors in dates and the like but that kind of added to the casualness and accessibility, the narrative sense being more pleasurable than dwelling on pedantry.

That's the best I can do at the moment. I look forward to discovering, through other comments , aspects of the book I may have missed. My book group has a process where we all get to give an opinion uninterrupted for a few minutes. I hate going first because I'm usually in the horrors as the rest contribute insight & opinions that show how much I have missed. The same may well apply here !

John, I, too, found it is an extremely fast, enjoyable read-perhaps for the same reasons you give- familiarity and the seeming open, fluid conversational tone of the prose. I also find that chunks of it do not linger long after the digestion. The sentences have a staccato rhythm that causes the eye to move across the page rapidly- much like the lyric line of those vaunted early lyrics. Impressively, they are frequently punctuated with a clever pun[just like the lyrics] or with a self-deprecating reflective observation or a piercing aphorism.

I greatly enjoyed the fluidity of the narrative, it never bogs down; its not being anchored to a chronological time frame as EC lets his reflections wander back and forth is a plus. As you note this provides strongly to the conversational tone that you rightly comment that it reads as if you were sharing the same booth with EC and he, and he alone, has your ear for several hours. I do not think he is a prose stylist but he manages to consistently keep a tale or memory moving with his clipped prose. That he did not need a ghost writer or co-writer deserves praising.

I was surprised by his statement that poetry does not hold a candle to lyric writing. I would have welcomed more discussion by him on this subject and less tour minutiae but that is just me. I also wish he would have elaborated more upon the influences he felt as he was developing as a writer and recording artist. When he lets himself go-discussing particular recording sessions like those involving Imperial Bedroom or King of America or National Ransom- I was particularly enraptured. It was a surprise to find out how dearly he seems to feel about those sessions and for that period of the early to mid eighties in his career.

Perhaps the biggest revelation to me was the sheer guilt that pervades so much of his memories-it has to be a heavy burden he carriers going into his later years. I have the sense that this was a major 12-step way to make peace with certain demons as he goes forward. The book is haunted by a son's attempts to connect with a father and a family's history. I found that touching and quite often sad. The photo of his father in front of the Vanguard flooded me with thoughts of my wife and her father who often worked at the same location during his career. This also prompts another thought of how comfortable EC seems to be with the medium of jazz. It is an avenue I would welcome him exploring more in his later years.

There are portions of the book that could have used some judicious editing but, on the whole, I had a wonderful time going back over the past 40 years with his recollections.

[johnfoyle]

Thanks Jack .

[terryhurley]

to John & Jack - I, for one, appreciate your reviews.

[stricttime81]

I'm through about 5 chapter and finding it really enjoyable. One of many interesting things: EC quotes some lyrics from "Man Out of Time" as follows:

"To murder, my love, is a crime" The addition of commas completely changes the meaning of the lyric in a way I hadn't thought of. The original lyric sheet (as well as the soundtrack lyric sheet) does not contain commas, so I always thought it was "To murder my love is a crime," as in, you killed love. Wonder which was the original intent?

[docinwestchester]

I'm through about 5 chapter and finding it really enjoyable. One of many interesting things: EC quotes some lyrics from "Man Out of Time" as follows:

"To murder, my love, is a crime" The addition of commas completely changes the meaning of the lyric in a way I hadn't thought of. The original lyric sheet (as well as the soundtrack lyric sheet) does not contain commas, so I always thought it was "To murder my love is a crime," as in, you killed love. Wonder which was the original intent?

Good point! I always interpreted it as the comma-less version.

[docinwestchester]

I found this 1983 clip of EC watching a clip of Ross:



EC looks genuinely happy.

[erey]

I'm through about 5 chapter and finding it really enjoyable. One of many interesting things: EC quotes some lyrics from "Man Out of Time" as follows:

"To murder, my love, is a crime" The addition of commas completely changes the meaning of the lyric in a way I hadn't thought of. The original lyric sheet (as well as the soundtrack lyric sheet) does not contain commas, so I always thought it was "To murder my love is a crime," as in, you killed love. Wonder which was the original intent?

Good point! I always interpreted it as the comma-less version.

Well, EC is a performing lyricist, not a poet.

[terryhurley]

I'm through about 5 chapter and finding it really enjoyable. One of many interesting things: EC quotes some lyrics from "Man Out of Time" as follows:

"To murder, my love, is a crime" The addition of commas completely changes the meaning of the lyric in a way I hadn't thought of. The original lyric sheet (as well as the soundtrack lyric sheet) does not contain commas, so I always thought it was "To murder my love is a crime," as in, you killed love. Wonder which was the original intent?

Good point! I always interpreted it as the comma-less version.

As did I.

[sweetest punch]

Interview on World Cafe (NPR): http://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/ ... paign=rock#

[johnfoyle]

MIke Scott of The Waterboys - on tour in Ireland - tweets tonight

Mike Scott ‏@MickPuck
Reading Costello's book pre-show in Sligo. He was a prefect!


Mike doesn't pull his punches - while touring in Scandinavia recently -

Mike Scott ‏@MickPuck Oct 11

So hungry for a music read I bought Lydon's Anger Is An Energy. Reached page 7 before throwing it out the window into the Swedish landscape.