UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Pretty self-explanatory
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erey
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by erey »

docinwestchester wrote:
verbal gymnastics wrote:On a slightly related topic, has there been criticism of Bruce Springsteen not providing an index in his autobiography?
That's an excellent question. There are dozens of threads about his book at the BTX site but no one has mentioned the lack of an index. I'll post the question there and report back.
Ha. Somehow I'm thinking the top 3 occupations for Springsteen (super)fans might not be librarian, accountant, and IT professional. :wink:
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Richard on facebook has spotted one fleeting reference to Elvis -

The EC reference is on page 266 of my edition in the 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town' chapter of Book Two ('Born To Run'). "The Sex Pistols, the Clash and Elvis Costello all were pushing the envelope of what pop could be in 1977."
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by verbal gymnastics »

erey wrote:
docinwestchester wrote:
verbal gymnastics wrote:On a slightly related topic, has there been criticism of Bruce Springsteen not providing an index in his autobiography?
That's an excellent question. There are dozens of threads about his book at the BTX site but no one has mentioned the lack of an index. I'll post the question there and report back.
Ha. Somehow I'm thinking the top 3 occupations for Springsteen (super)fans might not be librarian, accountant, and IT professional. :wink:

:lol:
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Scott Sherratt posts on facebook -

For any group members who may be Grammy voters:
Elvis is under consideration for a Spoken Word nomination for his outstanding audiobook performance. If you haven't heard it you simply must. It is fabulous!

Scott produced the recording of the audiobook -

http://www.scottsherratt.com/


I gather votes have to be in by Nov. 4th , with it , hopefully , appearing on a nominations list on Dec. 6th

https://www.grammypro.com/grammy101

I told Scott I enjoyed the extract on the companion album - he replied -

That outtake, 'Sketches from My Wastebasket' was included on the Universal Records Unfaithful Music companion album. In my original post (above), I included a link to a longer version of that with a few additional, delightful stories. And, of course, that is Elvis playing the guitar bits throughout.


https://soundcloud.com/user-43440916/un ... ook-sketch
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by Jack of All Parades »

The New Statesman had a review from back on 11/2/15 and rather a good one that I just came across. I enjoyed the 'butterfly' metaphor.

http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/boo ... s-costello
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by bronxapostle »

yes, at last i have begun to read this starting yesterday at day one of jury duty! but, i am already excused. nonetheless, i am up to page 119 and loving it. VERY ELVIS! :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by bronxapostle »

I very much enjoyed the book, Elvis did a fine job entertaining, remembering and embellishing when needed. All this without being overwrought. Very good read, naturally. Who thinks there could be a second volume? Also, i got a funny feeling there were five or six times that he just HAD TO verify some date and/or factoid at our sister site, THE ELVIS COSTELLO WIKI.... anybody agree? Not that that would at all be disturbing, just sensible as a tool available for verification purposes. Thanks for the pleasurable read EC.
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by erey »

bronxapostle wrote:Also, i got a funny feeling there were five or six times that he just HAD TO verify some date and/or factoid at our sister site, THE ELVIS COSTELLO WIKI.... anybody agree? Not that that would at all be disturbing, just sensible as a tool available for verification purposes.
Definitely agree, BA.

One example jumped out at me when I was skimming the book again not too long ago. EC is describing an occasion when, knowing Ross was gravely ill, he was nearly overcome by emotion on stage while attempting to play "Last Boat Leaving". I'm sure that came from his memory. But he also "remembered" that this happened in Belfast and it was the sixth song of the set. Yep, betcha he looked that up in our wiki. :)
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by bronxapostle »

yes, good idea erey. i should re-skim it myself and make a list of where i feel he might have glanced it. i recall the story about writing I FELT THE CHILL with Loretta and hitting the Ryman stage opening for Dylan that same night and playing it straight away. this could be one instance where he perused the wiki. not that he does not have a stellar memory, just for verification purposes.
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

More promo for the book, prompted by the audio book being nominated for a Grammy. There's a 'bad language' warning at the start so Elvis might have been a bit expressive. I'm listening now - it starts about five minutes in.

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/ ... 04ebdf614f
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Usual stories except for some interesting comments at the end , c. 17 minutes , about using the word 'baton' in a 'recent composition'.
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by InvisibleMan »

myaimistrue91 wrote:
InvisibleMan wrote:30? I spent 40€ for the signed one in Padova. :x
Italian or English one?
One year later prompt answer: English.
io strombazzo!

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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by sweetest punch »

French version available for pre-order: https://www.amazon.fr/Musique-infidèle- ... s+costello

Image
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

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http://www.parismatch.com/Culture/Musiq ... ur-1379624

Elvis Costello, gentleman rockeur

Elvis Costello François Berthier / Paris Match

Figure de la new wave, le chanteur londonien raconte sa vie dans une autobiographie aussi foisonnante que son œuvre.

Elvis est un enfant de la balle. Né à Londres en 1954, Declan McManus est le fils d’un trompettiste professionnel, qui à l’âge de 9 ans reçoit des mains paternelles le Graal de l’époque : un autographe des Beatles. « C’était lors d’une “Royal Performance” devant Elizabeth II, où ils étaient en tête d’affiche, raconte aujourd’hui Elvis Costello. Mon père jouait avec l’orchestre de Marlene Dietrich et j’ai retrouvé une photographie où il figure avec tous les artistes sur scène, dont Paul McCartney et Burt Bacharach… avec lesquels j’écrirai des chansons bien plus tard. C’est marrant, non ? »

De transmission, il est beaucoup question dans son livre « Musique infidèle & encre sympathique », sa carrière étant ponctuée de collaborations avec ses idoles (dont Tony Bennett) ainsi que de coups de main aux débutants (The Pogues, The Specials). Mouvement perpétuel qui atteint aujourd’hui sa descendance : « Mon fils qui a 10 ans adore Michael Jackson, alors je lui parle de James Brown, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis pour lui expliquer d’où ça vient. »
S’il fait désormais partie de l’aristocratie rock, quand il déboule sur la scène punk en 1977, son look – lunettes à grosses montures, costumes étriqués – détonne : « J’étais le “Superman à l’envers”. J’avais des problèmes de vue dus à mon premier job d’informaticien. Mes managers m’ont alors offert ces lunettes et c’est quasiment devenu un manifeste. Je n’avais pas du tout la dégaine de rock star comme David Bowie ! Pareil pour mon pseudo, c’était une provocation car je n’ai jamais été fan d’Elvis Presley. » Toujours aussi décidé à s’inscrire dans une histoire dont il connaît chaque chapitre, Costello va alors vivre ses années « sex & drugs & rock’n’roll » au fil de tournées boostées par l’ingestion de pilules bleues et de… Pernod : « C’était ma boisson. Un mélange de Pernod, de vodka et de Coca-Cola ! Un cocktail que je ne recommande à personne. Et les amphétamines, après tout, ils en donnaient aux aviateurs pendant la guerre ! J’ai arrêté tout ça il y a vingt ans. »

Il connaît son plus gros succès avec une reprise de Charles Aznavour

Mais le rock n’est qu’une facette du talent de cet artiste qui a réussi au fil de sa discographie à aborder toutes sortes de styles : country, soul, folk et musique classique. Que manque-t-il à son tableau ? « La mazurka, comme ça je percerai en Pologne ! J’ai aussi écrit pour un artiste français très connu… Que je ne peux pas nommer. Ça s’appelle “Envie des étoiles”. »
Ironiquement, celui qui a écrit plus de 500 chansons a connu son plus gros succès avec une reprise de Charles Aznavour, « She », en 1998 pour le film « Coup de foudre à Notting Hill » : « Les producteurs se sont dit : “Qui serait la personne la moins à même de chanter un truc aussi romantique ?” Regardez ma tête ! Cela dit, j’ai croisé Mel Brooks au concert de ma femme [Diana Krall] et il m’a dit : “Je préfère votre version à celle d’Aznavour.” Je lui ai répondu : “Ne dites pas ça trop fort. Nous sommes à l’Olympia !”»

Son histoire compliquée avec la France s’est enrichie d’un épisode il y a un an, alors qu’il effectuait une série de concerts-lectures : « C’était à guichets fermés à travers le monde. Mais la date française a été annulée parce que j’étais malade et n’a jamais été reprogrammée. Ce qui résume bien mon rapport à votre pays : “Célèbre mais non désiré”. ça pourrait être le titre de votre article ! »

« Musique infidèle & encre sympathique », d’Elvis Costello, éd. Fayard, 800 pages, 26 euros.

———————————————
Google translation:


Elvis Costello, gentleman rocker

New wave figure, the London singer tells his life in an autobiography as abundant as his work.

Elvis is a child of the ball. Born in London in 1954, Declan McManus is the son of a professional trumpet player, who, at the age of 9, receives from his father's hands the Grail of the time: a Beatles autograph. "It was during a" Royal Performance "in front of Elizabeth II, where they were headlining, says Elvis Costello today. My father was playing with Marlene Dietrich's band and I found a photograph where he appears with all the artists on stage, including Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach ... with whom I'll write songs much later. It's funny, is not it? "

Of transmission, there is much talk in his book "Unfaithful music & friendly ink", his career is punctuated by collaborations with his idols (including Tony Bennett) as well as helping beginners (The Pogues, The Specials). Perpetual movement that reaches his descendants today: "My son who is 10 years old loves Michael Jackson, so I talk to him about James Brown, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis to explain where it comes from. "
If he is now part of the aristocracy rock, when he debuted on the punk scene in 1977, his look - glasses with large frames, skimpy costumes - detonates: "I was the" Superman upside down ". I had vision problems due to my first job computer scientist. My managers then offered me these glasses and it is almost a manifesto. I did not have the rock star look like David Bowie at all! Same for my nickname, it was a provocation because I was never a fan of Elvis Presley. Always so determined to fit into a story of which he knows each chapter, Costello will then live his years "sex & drugs & rock'n'roll" over tours boosted by the ingestion of blue pills and ... Pernod : "It was my drink. A mix of Pernod, vodka and Coca-Cola! A cocktail that I do not recommend to anyone. And amphetamines, after all, they gave to airmen during the war! I stopped all this twenty years ago. "

He knows his biggest success with a cover of Charles Aznavour

But rock is only one facet of the talent of this artist who has succeeded over the course of his discography to address all kinds of styles: country, soul, folk and classical music. What is missing from his painting? "The mazurka, so I'll break into Poland! I also wrote for a very famous French artist ... That I can not name. It's called "Envy of the Stars". "
Ironically, the one who wrote more than 500 songs had his greatest success with a cover of Charles Aznavour, "She", in 1998 for the movie "Love at first sight in Notting Hill": "The producers said to themselves:" Who would be the least likely person to sing such a romantic thing? "Look at my head! That said, I met Mel Brooks at my wife's concert [Diana Krall] and he said, "I prefer your version to Aznavour's." I said, "Do not say that too loud. We are at Olympia! "

His complicated history with France was enriched by an episode a year ago, while he was performing a series of concerts-reads: "It was sold out around the world. But the French date was canceled because I was sick and was never reprogrammed. This sums up my report to your country: "Famous but unwanted". it could be the title of your article! "

"Unfaithful Music & Friendly Ink" by Elvis Costello, ed. Fayard, 800 pages, 26 euros.
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

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johnfoyle
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

More promotion for the French edition of the book. This goes behind a paywall after a few paragraphs. There is a option to , I think , to pay a euro for one off access but I'm not sure if you end up registering for recurring payments.

http://www.lemonde.fr/musiques/article/ ... 54986.html
erey
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by erey »

It let me grab it. No paywall.
Elvis Costello : « Mon écriture est instinctive »

Les Mémoires du musicien britannique, auteur de plus de 400 chansons, sont publiés en français.

LE MONDE | 27.10.2017 à 10h04 • Mis à jour le 27.10.2017 à 10h24 | Propos recueillis par Bruno Lesprit
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Le binoclard teigneux dont les chansons étaient motivées par la « vengeance » et la « culpabilité » – du moins à ses débuts, il y a quarante ans – est de retour, cette fois en librairie. La photo iconique d’Elvis Costello prise en 1977 à Amsterdam par Anton Corbijn, un Buddy Holly new wave allongé sur un lit avec sa guitare Fender Jazzmaster et un minuscule ampli, orne la couverture de Musique infidèle & encre sympathique, les Mémoires du chanteur britannique enfin traduits en français (éd. Fayard, 800 p., 26 euros). A 63 ans, celui qui est né Declan Patrick MacManus avant d’être surnommé « Mr. Songwriter » a donné rendez-vous dans un hôtel parisien. Pour un entretien impromptu puisque l’objet de sa visite dans la capitale était un concert à l’Olympia de sa femme, la chanteuse de jazz Diana Krall.

Etes-vous à l’initiative du livre ou est-ce une proposition ?

On m’avait suggéré d’en écrire un… quand j’avais 24 ans. C’était totalement ridicule, je n’avais encore rien fait ! Mais j’ai commencé à y repenser à 33 ans, un âge qui me semblait parfait. Finalement, j’ai signé un contrat en 2003. Pour me retrouver dans une situation que j’ai bien connue avec tant de maisons de disques, quand je concluais un accord avec une personne qui se faisait virer et que je devais ensuite parler à une autre qui s’en foutait. Mon éditeur, David Rosenthal, est parti de Simon & Schuster. A ce moment, en 2010, j’ai arrêté l’écriture du livre. Heureusement, il m’a rappelé et proposé un transfert chez Blue Rider [division de Penguin]. Le livre a paru douze ans après la signature du contrat.

Dans les remerciements, vous dites avoir été tenté de jeter la machine à écrire par la fenêtre. Le processus a été si laborieux ?

Non, c’est une blague. Ecrire n’est pas un problème pour moi, ce livre est plutôt volumineux et j’ai beaucoup jeté. Je n’arrivais pas à décider dans quelle direction m’orienter. Aujourd’hui, tout est archivé, il est très facile de retracer ma carrière en détail. Sur Wikipédia vous trouverez les grandes étapes, mais ce n’est pas intéressant. Il fallait que j’explique comment je suis devenu un musicien. Dans mon cas, c’est un business familial né quand mon grand-père, orphelin, a intégré la Royal Military School of Music. Ce qui a permis à mon père de s’emparer d’une trompette et de gagner à son tour sa vie dans un orchestre de jazz. La musique est entrée dans ma famille pour la libérer depuis trois générations. Mon arrière-grand-père, un docker, est mort d’un accident du travail. Nous, nous avons pu faire ce que nous voulions.

Ce livre serait donc un cheminement par la mémoire. Dès lors, il ne pouvait plus être chronologique. On m’a reproché l’absence de structure – alors que c’est très structuré, mais de façon inhabituelle – et d’index. Mais je ne suis pas un collectionneur de timbres. Quand j’écris, je suis guidé par l’imagination, le rythme, l’émotion. Ceux qui aiment mon travail pensent que je suis un intellectuel, alors que j’en suis l’opposé. Je n’ai pas un esprit analytique. Je ne lis que des livres d’histoire et de la poésie. Mon écriture est instinctive et affective. Mon langage, je l’ai absorbé en écoutant les chansons des autres.

Votre père tient une grande place dans le livre. Plus comme collègue que père, semble-t-il.

Notre point commun, c’est la curiosité. A la fin de sa vie, il a même écouté tout ce que j’ai fait. Mais il était nul pour la discipline et en aucun cas un modèle. Il nous a quittés, ma mère et moi, c’est elle qui a entièrement veillé à mon éducation, sans me décourager quand j’ai dit que je voulais faire de la musique alors que cela faisait marrer à l’école. Elle aussi adorait le jazz, elle a été vendeuse dans un magasin de disques. En fait, je n’étais pas sûr de vouloir devenir un musicien professionnel. Jusqu’à ce que j’aie un boulot à temps plein d’employé de banque. Là, j’ai compris que je ne pourrais pas faire ça jusqu’à la fin de mes jours.

J’ai commencé à écrire le livre quand mon père est entré dans les dix dernières années de sa vie [Ross MacManus est mort en 2011]. On lui avait diagnostiqué un Parkinson. Le disappearing ink du titre provient de là, une encre qui disparaît, et non une encre invisible comme on pourrait l’entendre avec l’édition française. Comme une mémoire qui disparaît.

Lors de l’une de nos dernières conversations, nous avons parlé de son moment de gloire, en 1963, quand il a participé au show annuel donné devant la famille royale, en même temps que les Beatles. Quand je racontais cela, on ne me croyait pas. Et j’ai retrouvé récemment cette photo de groupe [il la montre sur son portable]. Au centre, les Beatles et Marlene Dietrich, derrière eux mon père et Burt Bacharach [alors directeur musical de l’actrice et chanteuse]. Vous pouvez imaginer combien c’est troublant pour moi : mon père en compagnie de deux types avec qui j’écrirai quantité de chansons, 15 avec Paul McCartney, 35 avec Burt.

Cette proximité avec vos parents grâce à la musique fait que vous ne vous êtes pas rebellé contre eux, ce qui était l’essence du rock’n’roll. Cela ne vous a pas manqué ?

Je n’ai jamais été dans cette attitude de rébellion. Le rock’n’roll pour moi n’était qu’un genre musical parmi ceux que j’aimais. Et mon musicien préféré était Georgie Fame, influencé par George Russell, Mose Allison et Count Basie, ce qui réduisait la distance entre ma collection de disques et celle de mes parents. J’ai écouté les leurs plus tard et ils sont peu à peu devenus mes favoris. J’ai enfin compris ce qu’on pouvait trouver chez Charlie Parker.
Si ma carrière devait être résumée en une chanson, j’aimerais au moins que c’en soit une que j’ai écrite !

J’étais surtout fan des Beatles, qui combinaient l’amour du rock’n’roll et celui du cabaret. Au milieu des années 1960, il fallait choisir son camp, et le côté rebelle des Stones ne m’allait pas. J’aimais leurs singles, Play With Fire notamment, mais je n’ai possédé aucun de leurs albums avant 1977 et j’ai toujours été très sélectif, alors que j’avais tous les enregistrements des Beatles. A ce jour, vous savez, je n’ai toujours pas d’exemplaire de Who’s Next, et pourtant j’adore les singles des Who, comme I Can’t Explain et I Can See For Miles. Mon temps était occupé à écouter d’autres choses, des songwriters de Californie, Sly & The Family Stone, de la country… En Angleterre, la country se référait aux novelty songs [un genre comique]. Et puis j’ai réalisé qu’elle pouvait être aussi émouvante et profonde que ce que j’aimais dans le rhythm’n’blues. Une chanson a suffi pour cela : Do Right Woman, Do Right Man par les Flying Burrito Brothers, chantée auparavant par Aretha Franklin.

Votre regard sur votre carrière a-t-il changé avec ce livre ?

Ce qui ressort, c’est que pratiquement tous les choix que j’ai faits, financiers j’entends, étaient les mauvais. Quand vous aimez la musique, cela n’a pas d’importance car, en tant que musicien, par contre, c’était toujours les bons : j’ai ainsi pu travailler avec Allen Toussaint ou un quartette à cordes.

Je n’ai jamais essayé d’être célèbre. Si je le suis, c’est par accident. Nous nous parlons parce que j’ai un statut, cela n’a aucun rapport avec mes ventes de disques ou la billetterie. En France, je ne crois pas avoir joué en dehors de Paris depuis trente ans. Je n’ai par exemple jamais donné de concert à Varsovie.

Ma femme, elle, fait sept dates en Serbie ! Comme quoi, le jazz est vraiment un langage international. Et savez-vous pourquoi on me connaît aux Philippines, au Brésil et en Corée ? Pour She, ma reprise d’Aznavour. Si ma carrière devait être résumée en une chanson, j’aimerais au moins que c’en soit une que j’ai écrite !

Vous aviez annoncé ne plus souhaiter enregistrer d’albums après Wise Up Ghost, votrealbum de 2013 avec les Roots. Mais vous écrivez toujours des chansons ?

J’en ai écrit 19 pour une comédie musicale qui, je l’espère, sera montée en 2018, A Face in The Crowd, fondée sur une nouvelle dont Elia Kazan a tiré un film [Un homme dans la foule, 1957]. L’histoire d’un chanteur de hillbilly qui devient un démagogue médiatique. Et la dernière en date est à moitié en français, à moitié en anglais, elle s’intitule Adieu Paris (l’envie des étoiles).
Google translated:
Elvis Costello: "My writing is instinctive"

The Memoirs of the British musician, author of more than 400 songs, are published in French.

THE WORLD | 27.10.2017 at 10.04 • Updated 27.10.2017 at 10:24 | Interviewed by Bruno Lesprit
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The tedious dude whose songs were motivated by "revenge" and "guilt" - at least at the beginning, forty years ago - is back, this time in bookstores. The iconic photo of Elvis Costello taken in 1977 in Amsterdam by Anton Corbijn, a Buddy Holly new wave lying on a bed with his Fender Jazzmaster guitar and a tiny amp, adorns the cover of Unfaithful Music & Friendly Ink, Memoirs of the British singer finally translated into French (Fayard edition, 800 p., 26 euros). At 63, who was born Declan Patrick MacManus before being nicknamed "Mr. Songwriter" has made an appointment in a hotel in Paris. For an impromptu interview since the object of his visit to the capital was a concert at the Olympia of his wife, the jazz singer Diana Krall.

Are you initiating the book or is it a proposal?


I had been suggested to write one ... when I was 24 years old. It was totally ridiculous, I had not done anything yet! But I started to think about it again at age 33, an age that seemed perfect to me. Finally, I signed a contract in 2003. To find myself in a situation that I knew well with so many record companies, when I concluded an agreement with a person who was fired and that I then had to speak to a another who did not care. My editor, David Rosenthal, left Simon & Schuster. At this time, in 2010, I stopped writing the book. Fortunately, he reminded me and offered a transfer to Blue Rider [Penguin Division]. The book appeared twelve years after the signing of the contract.

In the thanks, you say that you were tempted to throw the typewriter out the window. The process has been so laborious?

No it's a joke. Writing is not a problem for me, this book is rather voluminous and I threw a lot. I could not decide where to go. Today, everything is archived, it is very easy to trace my career in detail. On Wikipedia you will find the main steps, but it is not interesting. I had to explain how I became a musician. In my case, it's a family business born when my grandfather, an orphan, joined the Royal Military School of Music. This allowed my father to seize a trumpet and win his life in a jazz band. The music has entered my family to free it for three generations. My great-grandfather, a docker, died of an accident at work. We could do what we wanted.

This book would be a journey through memory. From then on, it could not be chronological anymore. I was criticized for the lack of structure - when it is very structured, but in an unusual way - and index. But I am not a collector of stamps. When I write, I am guided by imagination, rhythm, emotion. Those who love my work think that I am an intellectual, while I am the opposite. I do not have an analytical mind. I only read history books and poetry. My writing is instinctive and emotional. My language, I absorbed it by listening to the songs of others.

Your father holds a big place in the book. More like colleague than father, it seems.

Our common point is curiosity. At the end of his life, he even listened to everything I did. But he was bad for the discipline and in no way a model. It left us, my mother and I, it is she who fully ensured my education, without discouraging me when I said that I wanted to make music when it made fun at school. She also loved jazz, she was a saleswoman in a record store. In fact, I was not sure I wanted to become a professional musician. Until I have a full-time job as a bank clerk. There, I understood that I could not do that until the end of my days.

I started writing the book when my father entered the last ten years of his life [Ross MacManus died in 2011]. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's. The disappearing ink of the title comes from there, an ink which disappears, and not an invisible ink as one could hear it with the French edition. Like a memory that disappears.

In one of our last conversations, we talked about his moment of glory, in 1963, when he participated in the annual show given to the royal family, along with the Beatles. When I told that, we did not believe myself. And I recently found this group photo [he shows it on his cell]. In the center, the Beatles and Marlene Dietrich, behind me my father and Burt Bacharach [then musical director of the actress and singer]. You can imagine how disturbing it is for me: my father with two guys I'll write a lot of songs with, 15 with Paul McCartney, 35 with Burt.

This proximity to your parents through music means that you did not rebel against them, which was the essence of rock'n'roll. You did not miss it?

I have never been in this attitude of rebellion. Rock'n'Roll for me was just a musical genre among those I loved. And my favorite musician was Georgie Fame, influenced by George Russell, Mose Allison and Count Basie, which reduced the distance between my record collection and that of my parents. I listened to them later and they are gradually becoming my favorites. I finally understood what we could find at Charlie Parker.

I was especially a fan of the Beatles, who combined the love of rock'n'roll and cabaret. In the mid-1960s, you had to choose sides, and the rebellious side of the Stones did not suit me. I loved their singles, including Play With Fire, but I did not own any of their albums until 1977 and I was always very selective, even though I had all the Beatles recordings. To this day, you know, I still do not have a copy of Who's Next, and yet I love Who's singles, like I Can not Explain and I Can See For Miles. My time was busy listening to other things, California songwriters, Sly & The Family Stone, country music ... In England, the country was referring to novelty songs [a comic genre]. And then I realized that it could be as moving and deep as I liked in rhythm'n'blues. One song was enough for that: Do Right Woman, Do Right Man by Flying Burrito Brothers, previously sung by Aretha Franklin.

Has your outlook on your career changed with this book?

What stands out is that virtually all the choices I made, financial I mean, were bad. When you like music, it does not matter because, as a musician, however, it was always good: I was able to work with Allen Toussaint or a string quartet.

I have never tried to be famous. If I am, it is by accident. We talk to each other because I have a status, it has nothing to do with my record sales or ticketing. In France, I do not think I have played outside Paris for thirty years. For example, I never gave concert in Warsaw.

My wife makes seven dates in Serbia! Like what, jazz is really an international language. And do you know why I'm known in the Philippines, Brazil and Korea? For She, my recovery from Aznavour. If my career was to be summed up in one song, I'd at least like it to be one I wrote!

You announced that you would no longer wish to record albums after Wise Up Ghost, your 2013 album with Roots. But you still write songs?

I wrote 19 for a musical that, I hope, will be released in 2018, A Face in The Crowd, based on a short story from which Elia Kazan shot a film [A Man in the Crowd, 1957]. The story of a hillbilly singer who becomes a media demagogue. And the latest is half French, half English, it is called Adieu Paris (the envy of the stars).
johnfoyle
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Thanks !
In one of our last conversations, we talked about his moment of glory, in 1963, when he participated in the annual show given to the royal family, along with the Beatles. When I told that, we did not believe myself. And I recently found this group photo [he shows it on his cell]. In the center, the Beatles and Marlene Dietrich, behind me my father and Burt Bacharach [then musical director of the actress and singer]. You can imagine how disturbing it is for me: my father with two guys I'll write a lot of songs with, 15 with Paul McCartney, 35 with Burt.
Time to look for this photo.
johnfoyle
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

Image

Maybe the photo referred to in the Le Monde interview

http://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/news-p ... d592221352
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verbal gymnastics
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by verbal gymnastics »

Genius work again John!
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
sweetest punch
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by sweetest punch »

Item about the release of the French translation of his book on TF1: http://www.lci.fr/culture/les-memoires- ... 68747.html
Elvis was in Paris for some interviews.
Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
johnfoyle
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Re: UNFAITHFUL MUSIC & DISAPPEARING INK - Oct. 2015

Post by johnfoyle »

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