'I will never love Elvis Costello'

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:32 am

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/ ... stello.htm

On First Listen
Elvis Costello

By: Jayson Greene
Published on: 2006-11-02

On First Listen is a regular column that forces our regular writers to listen to bands that theyâ€™ve never heardâ€”but by all rights should haveâ€”and charts the reaction.

I used to hate Elvis Costello. Everyone has their cast of musical heroes and villains, and somewhere around my tenth or eleventh time listening to My Aim Is True, I decided Elvis Costello belonged permanently in my black-hat category. Years spent reading about him in Rolling Stone had prepared me for a hyper-articulate, endlessly scornful agent provocateur brandishing pop hooks. What I found was a singer with a spectacularly unpleasant voice who proffered arch-sounding aphorisms in place of actual insights: â€œYou never asked me what I wanted, you only asked me why / I never thought that so much trouble was restin' on my replyâ€

RinghioStarr · Post by **RinghioStarr** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:12 am

"There is no catharsis in Elvis Costelloâ€™s music, only tension".

Interesting.

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:12 am

The backing band on MAIT is obviously not British, easy to discern from a single listening, even if we all didn't know by now that they were members of the So-Cal band, Clover!

Still, a well-thought out article nonetheless. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:30 pm

"I respect his roving mind and his melodic gifts, and if I donâ€™t see myself spending much time with this music past this assignment..."

O, do not worry about that. You're hearing Uncomplicated in your head right now...

LittleFoole · Post by **LittleFoole** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:33 am

migdd wrote:The backing band on MAIT is obviously not British, easy to discern from a single listening, even if we all didn't know by now that they were members of the So-Cal band, Clover!

Indeed.....Clover, did they not go on to become Huey Lewis and the News

..... I love MAIT, love EC's Attractions, years, and everything since. My wife, however, could have written that piece, exceptin' she hasn't come around to fully appreciate The Man - although she did take me to see him when he hit Knoxville for TDM tour

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:21 am

Huey Lewis was in Clover, but did not appear on or participate in the recording of MAIT. The News, as far as I know was pretty much an entirely different outfit than the rest of Clover.

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:54 am

The keyborad player (don't recall the name) was the only other member of Clover that made it into the News.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:17 am

I saw John McFee play with The Doobie Brothers last year... am I the only person here who has seen anyone (besides Elvis) from that band play?

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:37 am

I've seen McFee with EC and the Attrractions back in January 1982 at the Grand Ol Opry during the Almost Blue/Almost '82 tour. Back in those days, it was rare that EC shared the stage with another guitar player.

Also caught Huey Lewis and the News at the height of their popularity (can't remember the year but it was sometime in the late '80's) with that keyboard player (still can't remember his name) from Clover. yawwwnnn.

Sulkygirl1 · Post by **Sulkygirl1** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:11 pm

The keyboard player's name is Sean Hopper. I am not sure why I know that...

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:35 pm

Thanks, Sulkygirl1! Now I won't have to google to satiate my memory lapse.

Welcome aboard, by the way!

Sulkygirl1 · Post by **Sulkygirl1** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:07 pm

Thanks!!!

LittleFoole · Post by **LittleFoole** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:11 pm

pophead2k wrote:Huey Lewis was in Clover, but did not appear on or participate in the recording of MAIT. The News, as far as I know was pretty much an entirely different outfit than the rest of Clover.

Sounds good to me.....didn't know how much of Clover went on to become News, but recall reading that EC's backing on MAIT was Huey Lewis's band - w/o him participating. On another, totally unrelated note (totally), I recall hearing that groupies have proclaimed Huey to be the "biggest" man in rock

..... guess he has to have SOMEthing going for him, as I've been very underwhelmed by everything he's done, that I've heard...hehheh....and he surely don't qualify as a handsome man

hollyh · Post by **hollyh** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:39 pm

sez you...I've always had a thing for Huey. Completely irrational, no doubt.

Back to the article -- I've never read anything else by this guy and don't expect I ever will. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but if this guy can't get the passion in Elvis, then he doesn't deserve to have a critic's license. And the voice -- he doesn't appreciate the voice? I'd like to know whom he DOES like...

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'I will never love Elvis Costello'

'I will never love Elvis Costello'

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