Relatively Insignificant EC Stuff. . .

[verbal gymnastics]

Fabulous!

[arturobandini]

NR didnt make NPRs listener poll for the top 100 albums of 2010. What a shame

[Jack of All Parades]

Those Sock puppets are incredible- timely and delicious parody and a medley not too unlike what he gave the corporate stiffs only days before. Just wonderful!

[johnfoyle]

http://www.elvis.com/news/detail.aspx?id=102

Graceland's Celebrity Visitors Through the Years

December 10, 2010

Latest Additions:

(extract)

May 4, 2009: Elvis Costello,

[johnfoyle]

http://eduagain.com/learn/un851452033i92/bo926546045

Mvyradio Launches Large Music-related Interview and Performance Archive

Popular mvyradio.com (WMVY) has unveiled one of the Web’s largest and most interesting music-related archives sections, with the addition today of more than 160 wide-ranging interviews and live performances. Among the new offerings are exclusive recordings from Elvis Costello, The Wallflowers, Amos Lee, John Mayer, Carly Simon, Richard Thompson and Bruce Hornsby. Additionally, the station will begin a month-long concert series featuring some of the artists’ performances, April 6.

This expansion arrives just a year after the station began its “mvyradio On the Road” series, one of the more robust recording expeditions of any radio station, traveling to Canada, Philadelphia, Newport, Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky to interview and record musical talent from a variety of genres including Rock, Folk, Bluegrass and Blues. Among the venues and festivals that mvyradio took part in were SXSW, MerleFest, the Newport Folk Festival and Canadian Music Week, events known for their groundbreaking music experiences.

[johnfoyle]

http://kingsbarcade.com/2011/01/01/this ... tribute-2/

Saturday, January 1st, 2011
This Year’s Models (Elvis Costello Tribute)

KINGS
14 West Martin Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
919.833.1091

[johnfoyle]

http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/70260/

Daryl Hall
The lighter half of Hall & Oates was never cool, exactly. And now, once again, he’s hot.

By Chris Norris
Dec 26, 2010

(extract)

“Right now, I’m busier than I’ve ever been in my life,” he says, stepping between open guitar cases and strewn power cords in his longtime recording studio—a century-old farmhouse in woodsy Pawling, New York. Hall has been squeezing in sessions here for an upcoming solo album on Verve in between arranging Hall & Oates’s Japanese tour; prepping for slots like last summer’s Bonnaroo, where he shared a bill with Phoenix, Flaming Lips, LCD Soundsystem, and Kings of Leon; and booking guests for his critically acclaimed webcast “Live From Daryl’s House.” On New Year’s Eve, WGN is broadcasting a show featuring highlights from the series’ 36 episodes, which included performances by greats like Smokey Robinson and Nick Lowe and younger artists like Neon Trees, Kevin Rudolf, and Diane Birch—all jamming with Hall and friends at two conjoined Colonial houses upstate. Next fall, the show will be nationally syndicated. “They just bring in their guitars and set up,” says Hall, who calls his show a rougher analogue to Elvis Costello’s TV music series Spectacle. “I love Elvis, but his show is more like Inside the Actors Studio. My show is the exact opposite of that. There’s no audience, and it’s balls-to-the-wall craziness and chaos.”

[krm]

http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/70260/

Daryl Hall
The lighter half of Hall & Oates was never cool, exactly. And now, once again, he’s hot.

By Chris Norris
Dec 26, 2010

(extract)

“Right now, I’m busier than I’ve ever been in my life,” he says, stepping between open guitar cases and strewn power cords in his longtime recording studio—a century-old farmhouse in woodsy Pawling, New York. Hall has been squeezing in sessions here for an upcoming solo album on Verve in between arranging Hall & Oates’s Japanese tour; prepping for slots like last summer’s Bonnaroo, where he shared a bill with Phoenix, Flaming Lips, LCD Soundsystem, and Kings of Leon; and booking guests for his critically acclaimed webcast “Live From Daryl’s House.” On New Year’s Eve, WGN is broadcasting a show featuring highlights from the series’ 36 episodes, which included performances by greats like Smokey Robinson and Nick Lowe and younger artists like Neon Trees, Kevin Rudolf, and Diane Birch—all jamming with Hall and friends at two conjoined Colonial houses upstate. Next fall, the show will be nationally syndicated. “They just bring in their guitars and set up,” says Hall, who calls his show a rougher analogue to Elvis Costello’s TV music series Spectacle. “I love Elvis, but his show is more like Inside the Actors Studio. My show is the exact opposite of that. There’s no audience, and it’s balls-to-the-wall craziness and chaos.”

Preview from Nick Lowe episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfpuPs8Zpv0

A segment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a30Uo5sJWSQ

or directly to Daryls webpage:
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/

[krm]

http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/70260/

Daryl Hall
The lighter half of Hall & Oates was never cool, exactly. And now, once again, he’s hot.

By Chris Norris
Dec 26, 2010

(extract)

“Right now, I’m busier than I’ve ever been in my life,” he says, stepping between open guitar cases and strewn power cords in his longtime recording studio—a century-old farmhouse in woodsy Pawling, New York. Hall has been squeezing in sessions here for an upcoming solo album on Verve in between arranging Hall & Oates’s Japanese tour; prepping for slots like last summer’s Bonnaroo, where he shared a bill with Phoenix, Flaming Lips, LCD Soundsystem, and Kings of Leon; and booking guests for his critically acclaimed webcast “Live From Daryl’s House.” On New Year’s Eve, WGN is broadcasting a show featuring highlights from the series’ 36 episodes, which included performances by greats like Smokey Robinson and Nick Lowe and younger artists like Neon Trees, Kevin Rudolf, and Diane Birch—all jamming with Hall and friends at two conjoined Colonial houses upstate. Next fall, the show will be nationally syndicated. “They just bring in their guitars and set up,” says Hall, who calls his show a rougher analogue to Elvis Costello’s TV music series Spectacle. “I love Elvis, but his show is more like Inside the Actors Studio. My show is the exact opposite of that. There’s no audience, and it’s balls-to-the-wall craziness and chaos.”

Preview from Nick Lowe episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfpuPs8Zpv0

A segment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a30Uo5sJWSQ

or directly to Daryls webpage:
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/

[johnfoyle]

It's a year too late , but Alison got used in a play -

http://www.ruckustheater.org/home/tell_it.html

Tell It & Speak It & Think It & Breathe It

Short Plays Inspired by Great Lyrics
at The Side Project Theatre

1439 W Jarvis / Chicago, IL 60626

October 25 - November 4, 2009

Included -

THE FORMER THINGS by Aaron Dean*

A remix of “Alison” by Elvis Costello, Directed by Mitch Vermeersch*
BLAINE / Aaron Dean*
KIM / Jes Mercer
MAN / Brian Hurst

Footage of Elvis appears briefly in this trailer -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pBdArXs ... r_embedded

[docinwestchester]

Preview from Nick Lowe episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfpuPs8Zpv0

A segment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a30Uo5sJWSQ

or directly to Daryls webpage:
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/

Full Nick Lowe show - EXCELLENT!
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/curr ... l?ep_id=37

[lenhodge]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9Gxfe7q ... r_embedded
A bit of fun ! Enjoy !

[johnfoyle]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mary-McCartney- ... 411&sr=1-2

Mary McCartney: From Where I Stand

Nov 2010

Product Description
From Where I Stand is photographer Mary McCartney’s first book, introducing the very best work spanning her career from the mid-1990s to the present. These images are a reflection not only of Mary’s personal world, but also of the unique relationships she establishes with the people she photographs. She constantly seeks to put her subjects at ease, watching and waiting for them to let the camera in rather than imposing any formal ideas of composition or technique. The book is centered around an outstanding collection of portraits, from 50s-inspired rockabillies to Paul and Linda McCartney, Madonna, Bono, Debbie Harry, Elvis Costello, Dennis Hopper, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Moss. Here are amazing people, places, and events as seen through Mary’s eyes: the intimacy of backstage preparations among the corps de ballet at the Royal Opera House; the raw energy of fashion shows and rock concerts, both on stage and off; the private spaces of home and family; and wittily observed vignettes of visual delight.

A Elvis photo by Ms McC -

[johnfoyle]

There was a show in Utica NY on Dec. 6 1977 ; Elvis didn't appear on the U.S. east coast in Jan. '78-


http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... 1977-12-06

Feedback, Uncut, Jan. 11

A FEW STIFF ONES

I enjoyed Allan Jones' recent article [Stop Me..., October Issue, Take 161] about being lost somewhere in the vicinity of Cleveland looking for The Clash in that late '70s winter. It reminded me of travelling through a blizzard to see Elvis Costello in a remote bar in upstate NY in January 1978. I was a college student in 1977-1978 working at The Record Theatre in Syracuse, NY when al l these wonderful little EPs and 45s started appearing from your side of the pond- "Spiral Scratch", the Pistols, Stranglers, etc. I was immediately hooked, especially when the first Stiff 45 appeared in our shop—Elvis” ‘Alison" b/w "Welcome To The Working Week".

Weeks later, I heard he was coming to a tiny bar in Ithaca, NY—the Four Aces, I believe. My roommate and I threw a case of crap beer in my old Ford, and the Stiff picture sleeve into my sheepskin jacket pocket and headed south in a blizzard. Hell,we couldn't even see the road in front of us and at times were honestly driving through a cornfield.

Somehow we found this old bar that was in the middle of nowhere,went in, found a crowd of about 25 punters in there. Elvis and the Attractions came on, blew us away for 45 minutes and it was over. We stepped outside and saw the storm had gotten stronger and went back inside for a final swig before heading out. At that point the owner (bless him!) said, "Storm's too bad. Everyone crash here for the night. Bar's open. We'll make breakfast in the morning." The Attractions then proceeded to literally jump over the bar and start swilling. I recall seeing Pete Thomas with a quart bottle of vodka to his lips. Elvis meanwhile sulked away and was doing his best angry young man impression. I sauntered up, held out the bent copy of the Stiff 45 and shyly asked, "Elvis, I've done a few illustrations of you for art class, is there someone I could send them to at Stiff for consideration?" Elvis autographed the sleeve with his head down, gave it back, looked at me and growled, "Fackawf!" He then retreated to a corner of the bar and had some intense conversation with some lucky lass that lasted until I could see no more. Meanwhile, I went over and had more than a few cocktails with the Attractions and had them autograph the sleeve as well (although I believe it was Huey Lewis and band Clover that may have played on that one), until everyone literally passed out in various places in the bar.

Only when you‘re young. Bless my wife, I've got that raggedy Elvis Stiff45 sleeve framed and still hanging in our living room to this very day.

Roger G Williams Herndon, VA

You obviously caught Elvis in what in those days passed for a rare good mood. — Allan

[johnfoyle]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1692945/

When Harvey Met Bob was one of the better things on tv here recently. A dramatisation of the story behind Bob Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith's putting together of Live Aid in 1985 is was well paced and moving.

Elvis wasn't depicted , his only appearance being in the form of these listings in the production office -







Phil Chevron of the Pogues has commented in his own erudite way about it here -

http://www.pogues.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... start=3975

Including this -

Though myself and the other Pogues were engaged that day in support of the UK mineworkers in their fight against Thatcher, at a benefit concert in Brixton, my over-riding personal memory of that day remains the arrival of Elvis Costello at our soundcheck, fresh from his stint at Wembley, his wrists, hands and cuffs all covered with cribs of the impossible-to-memorise list-song lyrics of the song he had just performed in front of two billion people.

The song was, of course, "All You Need Is Love", and Costello's endearingly hammish solution to a tricky technical question somehow seemed to embody the spirit of the day. The Beloved Entertainer himself may have felt that way too, for I saw him make no attempt that evening to obliterate the evidence.

[Who Shot Sam?]

There is a review of Marnie Stern's new album in this week's issue of The New Yorker that refers to Elvis (and Paul Weller) as "formerly dominant post-punk figures" (as contrasted with the increasing influence of once unfashionable "virtuosic" bands like King Crimson). Ouch. And this from a magazine that just profiled EC a few short weeks ago.

I'm not a huge fan of Sasha Frere-Jones, their pop music critic, but there you have it.

[Who Shot Sam?]

Chicago Riot, an indoor soccer club based in the Windy City, is celebrating "Double Elvis Night" on January 9.

Fans who dress up as either Elvis receive free Lager Riot standing room tickets, with upgrades to seating areas available at the ticket window. Festivities extend to halftime as a team of Elvis Presleys battle a team of Elvis Costellos in indoor soccer to determine the superior Elvis.

http://www.chicagoriotsoccer.com/news/a ... ticleid=89

[johnfoyle]

Interesting perspective in this blog -

http://baconandunicorns.blogspot.com/20 ... -reel.html

(extract)

I have been on a Costello kick lately. Listening to his first few albums in particular. They make me want to dance and eat a lot of tacos.

[verbal gymnastics]

I suspect the use of "enhancements"

[And No Coffee Table]

From Mad magazine's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me spoof (issue #386, October 1999). Artwork by Ray Alma.

[johnfoyle]

http://www.punknews.org/review/9870



Johnny Madcap and the Distractions
Let's Get Lost (2010)
Crimescene

John Gentile
January 7th 2011

From Let's Get Lost's first beat, the sharp drums, bouncing bass and synthesizer makes it clear that the new wave formula isn't dead yet. While frontman John Mastantuono's last band, Madcap, played street punk influenced by bands like Rancid, Catch 22 and the Bouncing Souls, the Distractions head straight for Elvis Costello territory.

On this five-song release, the synthesizer soars as poppy drums and guitar rapidly click underneath while Johhny Madcap sings energetic, blue-eyed soul. As with much of early new wave, the band covers topics including the radio, girls and being an outsider (despite the fact that everyone likes outsiders).

But, merely because Johnny Madcap and the Distractions wear their early Elvis Costello influences in the open doesn't mean they are derivative. Rather, while a lot of modern new wave acts can get caught up in the trimmings of new wave, making caricatures of the genre, it seems that the band is able to write catchy songs first and foremost, and have decided to convey them in a new wave coat.

To the band's credit, while new wave can seem confining at times, the band takes the synthesizer, crisp guitar notes and warm vocals and creates a handful of songs that make a well-trodden genre feel fresh, simply through their ability to write a "good song" in the classic sense. Now that the band has mastered Elvis C.'s blueprint and made a snappy EP which deals in equal parts substance and style, on their next release they'll be able to add new and usual elements and make an album that's both a tribute to the past as well as something special in its own right.

Buy here -

http://distractions.bigcartel.com/produ ... et-lost-ep

[johnfoyle]

Someone at the Sunday Times is a Elvis Costello fan.

[History History]

Last summer, Thompson curated the Meltdown festival on the South Bank in London. “It was fantastic, very hard work, but great,” he says. He selected the themes and artists for the festival, appeared in his own slots and occasionally with his chosen guests.

“Elvis Costello did a solo show which was phenomenally fantastic,” he says. “And I did a couple of songs with him at the end.”

Was that a good and interesting match of voices? “I think that’s for others to say, but we’ve both done a lot of harmony singing.”

[johnfoyle]

Includes the opening credits of The Social Network , with the later dropped Beyond Belief by Elvis as the soundtrack , about 4.34 into this -



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whNd1-yU ... r_embedded

[johnfoyle]

' I think for about two weeks I thought I was Elvis Costello.'

http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB3 ... f=4&t=4803