Complicated Shadows: The Life and Music of Elvis Costello

shabbydoll · Post by **shabbydoll** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:01 pm

Who has read this, and what did you think of the book. I personally would doubt anything Elvis said about his real emotions, but then, that is just me.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:50 pm

shabbydoll wrote:Who has read this, and what did you think of the book. I personally would doubt anything Elvis said about his real emotions, but then, that is just me.

I think there was a similar topic....
But oh well, I read the bok ages ago and I learned lots about Elvis (though not enough on grammar

). Buy it if you love Elvis and have nothing better to do on week nights

. I particularily like the efforts the author made regarding the '79 incident, making Elvis seem a bit more human rather than a racist.

verena · Post by **verena** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 7:39 pm

The first chapter is impressive and the best part of the Bio. Most of the following ones were no easy reading for me.

The book is very well written, intelligent and witty. Meanwhile the author remains apparently very much under the influence of E.C. and a devoted fan, which may have worked against him. I have a feeling that perhaps due to such devotion, a number of issues/facts remain hidden, or are not directly addressed. But the writing must have been difficult, and I would think he did well, in the circumstances he was.

For an outsider like me, the Bio. is too focused on facts and detailed chronology. I would have preferred a more distanced approach, with more explicit attempts the figure out the man and his life, based on facts but also relying on what the music, voice and lyrics do tell. The title “Complicated Shadows” is well chosen and attractive, but I was disappointed to realise that in a certain sense, thanks to the first chapter the reader starts out expecting light to be shed to the shadows, and finally ends up in some sort of darkness. Which may well be convenient to E.C., insofar as it protects his privacy and probably (self) image. Regarding the latter I do believe, however, that he would not lose but gain from a less “confidential” biography. Maybe once upon a time he fell into a fear, something to do with Dorian Grey, and later did not really go look at the actual portrait.

Concluding on a light joke I would suggest, that IMO there is a chapter missing. It could be titled “Ragged and wrong(ed)”.
I guess it might be written along the line “Ragged and wrong, right, ragged and wronged (mostly by himself, of course)”.

In a nutshell, this is what I thought of the book, Shabby Doll.

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:24 pm

verena wrote:The first chapter is impressive and the best part of the Bio. Most of the following ones were no easy reading for me.

The book is very well written, intelligent and witty. Meanwhile the author remains apparently very much under the influence of E.C. and a devoted fan, which may have worked against him. I have a feeling that perhaps due to such devotion, a number of issues/facts remain hidden, or are not directly addressed. But the writing must have been difficult, and I would think he did well, in the circumstances he was.

For an outsider like me, the Bio. is too focused on facts and detailed chronology. I would have preferred a more distanced approach, with more explicit attempts the figure out the man and his life, based on facts but also relying on what the music, voice and lyrics do tell. The title “Complicated Shadows” is well chosen and attractive, but I was disappointed to realise that in a certain sense, thanks to the first chapter the reader starts out expecting light to be shed to the shadows, and finally ends up in some sort of darkness. Which may well be convenient to E.C., insofar as it protects his privacy and probably (self) image. Regarding the latter I do believe, however, that he would not lose but gain from a less “confidential” biography. Maybe once upon a time he fell into a fear, something to do with Dorian Grey, and later did not really go look at the actual portrait.

Concluding on a light joke I would suggest, that IMO there is a chapter missing. It could be titled “Ragged and wrong(ed)”.
I guess it might be written along the line “Ragged and wrong, right, ragged and wronged (mostly by himself, of course)”.

In a nutshell, this is what I thought of the book, Shabby Doll.

In that case maybe you need to learn some E.C before reading a complex bio like this one, and I'm not trying to offend (really).

Fishfinger king · Post by **Fishfinger king** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:09 pm

I don't agree and would suport verena's views more. I've just read it on holiday (reading being a novelty at other times of the year).
The only things really new to me were the pre-1977 details - so interesting first 100 pages or so, well researched. After that it fell into the usual run of "then he did Goodbye Cruel World which was rubbish and he had a bad time and then did King of America and was horrid to the Attractions.." etc etc ad infinitum.
To be honest you learn just as much from ECs sleeve notes to the Rhino re-releases and some of it seemed to be cribbed from these. The supposed insight into what makes EC tick just wasn't there for me.

whar · Post by **whar** » Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:53 pm

Well, this book stills bring a lot of new, interesting snippets with these events.

I enjoyed all of the Buell comments, by the author and band members, and it is good to hear what goes on 'behind the scenes'.

VonOfterdingen · Post by **VonOfterdingen** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 10:23 am

I find a very interesting read as well. Not better or worse than 'Let them all talk ' though it should contain some errors.

I also read "33 1/3 Armed Forcers" - very detailed in many ways but totally void of a narrative strategy

verena · Post by **verena** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:50 pm

Thanks F.King, it's nice to be at the receiving end of support, sometimes.

E.H., War & V.O. : I agree, the book is interesting and I did learn a lot. One thing I need to clarify : by saying it was not an easy read for me, I didn't mean it is a "complex" Bio, but that after a while it tends to become a list of meetings, recording sessions, concerts, setlists, in such details that I was just plain bored. I am just an odd fan (and happy to be me, btw).

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 8:56 pm

Call it what you may call it I think it's a great book.

wolfcat · Post by **wolfcat** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:09 pm

Verena is right on this one!
Book really starts well, then it is as if the writer ran out of time and cobbled together the last few chapters from sleeve notes and fan sites.
Really, who cares if there was a rare outing for "Sneaky Feelings" at the Beacon in 1999. That kind of filler doesn't give any insight into what makes Elvis tick.
Hopefully EC will do this properly one day!
Phil

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:06 am

wolfcat wrote:Hopefully EC will do this properly one day!
Phil

Don't count on it.

Mind you wasn't it said in another thread that Elvis is going to write his book like Bob Dylan's Chrinicles?

There is a fascinating book about Elvis' life somewhere but it's going to have to come from the man himself.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:08 am

There is a fascinating book about Elvis' life somewhere but it's going to have to come from the man himself.

In twenty four volumes perhaps.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 4:58 am

That would be the abridged version!

King Hoarse · Post by **King Hoarse** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:34 pm

I read it the other week, and really enjoyed it. Except for the already lauded beginning, not a lot was news to me, but it flows really well and balances the personal and professional quite nicely. Without getting into too much detail (for better or worse - I would have liked some more attention to EC's lyrics, but of course that would have made for a completely different and much thicker book), most of the big causes and effects of Elvis' life and career are illuminated. Certainly the best biography so far.

robertchao · Post by **robertchao** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:24 pm

This book has tons of spelling errors. He spells Ronstadt as Rondstadt, etc.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:43 am

We collectively blame the Foyles

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 11:55 pm

They could have hired a good proofreader, but no - they were too cheap...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 9:10 am

... even to take me up on my kind offer to get it clean for the paperback for a modest £15 an hour.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:38 am

You've gotta sell yourself!

Did you tell them about your EC credentials?

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:15 am

Of course he did - that's why they didn't ask him

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:43 pm

I wrote about the unforgiveable travesty regarding Thompson's ignorance over the legendary tale of Get Happy!! and its two vinyl Side 1's (which I just bet they haven't bothered to put right in the paperback), gave examples of some of the myriad of lamentable literals, and offered my services.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:02 am

Is it really that bad? Your corrections might have compromised Thompson's 'style'...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:30 pm

I can't remember reading a book that needed more (straightforward) corrections.

Adam2 · Post by **Adam2** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:32 pm

I am in the midst of reading this book, and for the most part I like it. However, I think it does portray Elvis rather badly. By this I mean, hearing about his behavior, affairs, etc., certainly makes me think different about him. Unfortunetly this is true about any artist, when you read a book such as this one, you begin to really see how they were (Dylan, etc.) But I suppose that changes when you consider how he's changed, and how he's really a good guy now.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:28 am

Adam2 wrote:But I suppose that changes when you consider how he's changed, and how he's really a good guy now.

Welcome to the board Adam2. You're obviously not Bruce Thomas.

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Complicated Shadows: The Life and Music of Elvis Costello

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