Relatively Insignificant EC Stuff. . .

[Boy With A Problem]

I don't know Steve Dawson, but Jason Narducy is a pretty credible player having fronted the very underated Jason & Allison and then playing bass in Bob Mould's touring band the last few years.

[SweetPear]

Hi guys! I don't know if anyone remembers old SweetPear......hope everyone is well. Something has been driving me nuts so I have to ask you all.......There have been advertisements on television for the show HOUSE and someone who sounds an awful lot like Elvis[is singing a cover of I Don't Like Mondays. Is it EC???/b]

[mood swung]

haven't heard those ads, Sweet Pear, but I'll be looking/listening for them. I've been addicted to House since Elvis did the Beautiful. Good to have you back!

[Otis Westinghouse]

Hi there.



Commentary says it's Studio 99, but check out their cover here, it's clearly not them:

http://www.amazon.com/I-Dont-Like-Mondays/dp/B000QOVGSK

Can't find who did it, but clearly not Elvis.

[johnfoyle]

Lots of news items about the new U2 single are comparing it with Pump It Up -

examples-

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/i ... nes-early/

(extract)

After a 30-second leak of U2’s first No Line on the Horizon single “Get On Your Boots” emerged early this weekend, the band decided just to stream the whole track in its entirety on their Website. From the opening drums and fuzzed out riff, it’s clear the band went the “Vertigo” route for their comeback single.

The verses are similar to Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up,” with Bono singing, “You free me from the dark dream, Candy floss ice cream, All our kids are screaming, But the ghosts aren’t real” in a similar cadence to Costello’s This Year’s Model hit. On the chorus, Bono sings “You don’t know how beautiful you are” in a style that echoes How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb’s “City of Blinding Light,” which boasted a chorus of “Oh, you look so beautiful tonight.”




http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... ertainment

U2's latest rallying cry Sunday Fluffy Sunday

BRAD WHEELER

January 20, 2009

"I don't want to talk about wars between nations.

Not right now." - U2, from

Get on Your Boots (2009)

The guy with the bug-eye glasses and big causes just wants to whoop it up. Get on Your Boots, the new single released yesterday by Irish superstars U2, is all about no cares and sexy footwear. It's a high-revving rocker with modern, clacky percussion and a mix of sleek pop vibes and grungy guitars.

Lyrically, it stabs at politically fuelled paranoia: "Satan loves a bomb scare, but he won't scare you." Except that we are scared, and not by bombs. Where Bono, Edge and the rhythm section were able to cash in their Live Nation stock options at pre-crash value, most of us weren't so well insulated. The economic sky has collapsed, and yet rich rock stars dance in the fallout. This snazzy, up-tempo number made sense three years ago - perhaps when it was written - but it's now past its best-before date.

Get on Your Boots is the vanguard song of the forthcoming No Line on the Horizon, the follow-up album to 2004's How To Dismantle a Bomb that reportedly fuses the band's rock sensibilities with the experimental bent of previous albums Actung Baby, Zooropa and Pop. In late 2007, Bono spoke of the then work-in-progress as a mix of "dance-floor" shock and blazing guitars.

More recently, Daniel Lanois (the Canadian sound-chaser who produced the album with Brian Eno and Steve Lillywhite) raved about its groundbreaking sonics.

I'm not sure Get on Your Boots is so mind-blowing, but it sounds fresh enough. In the current issue of Rolling Stone, guitarist Edge says the song started simply with "me playing and Larry [Clayton] drumming." And that's exactly what we hear: a fuzzy riff speeding alongside a driving back beat, before Bono slows things with two verses coolly delivered, Vertigo-like. "The future needs a big kiss/ Winds blows, with a twist/ Never seen a moon like this/ Can you see it too?" I can't quite make it out - what else do you see, oh Irish one? "Night is falling everywhere," Bono continues, "rockets at the fun fair."

The grungy riff comes back on a prechorus where the line about "sexy boots" is backed up with candy-popped "ooh-oohs." A third verse concerns dark dreams, screaming kids and ghosts that "aren't real." The big refrain of "You don't know how beautiful you are" (Bono looking in the mirror?) does sound new, but only when coming from U2. The grandiose harmonies are straight out of Queen's Flash Gordon-era. The fourth and final verse rhymes submarine with gasoline - thank you, Elvis Costello.

The song's ending is its best part. The insistent guitar riff rises back into prominence, before momentarily giving way to a trashy beat and mild psychedelia. Bono wishes to talk about things other than wars, he sings, and encourages us to meet him "in the sound." Edge signs off with Hendrix fret-board hammer-ons. Pretty cool.

Get on Your Boots is a fun listen, sure thing. But while U2 admires sexy kicks, the rest of us, in these depressive times, are leaning toward shoes that are more sensible. "Meet me in the sound?" Bono, dude, we've been waiting there for years - where were you?

[johnfoyle]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/cult ... e-Who.html



A British 'hall of fame' to commemorate musicians, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Oasis is set to open in March.


By Urmee Khan, Digital and Media Correspondent, in Cannes
Last Updated: 5:55PM GMT 20 Jan 2009


The British Music Experience will use the latest 'smart' technology to entice a new media savvy audience to the 'national music museum' at the O2 centre.

Harvey Goldsmith, a leading music industry promoter and chairman of the BME Foundation, unveiled the details of the new technology at the Midem international music festival in Cannes.

Visitors to the centre will be given 'smart' tickets on arrival, like London's Oyster cards, which can be used to collect information while browsing and even purchase music as well as having information about artists sent directly to the user, simply by touching a given point with the ticket.

Music fans will be able to trace musical trends, learn to play instruments, and record their own songs, as well as to see rock memorabilia from famous artists from the last 60 years of British music, including David Bowie and The Clash.

Other high tech innovations at the £9 million exhibition, will include an area where people will be able to 'dance the decade'. They will be taught dance moves from any musical era by a virtual tutor, which is then recorded as a holograph before transmitted to the 'smart card', which can be uploaded at home.

"We expect many of these videos to be uploaded on to YouTube" said Paul Lilley, the curator of The British Music Experience.

There will also be a 'fantasy' dinner party where people will be able to see virtual music megastars sitting around a kitchen table having a discussion about their era e.g. Cliff Richard in discussion with Elvis Costello.

As well as state of the art audiovisual technology, the 'music museum', will showcase key pieces of British music memorabilia worth millions. This will include David Bowie's clown suit from Ashes to Ashes, his Ziggy Stardust costume, Noel Gallagher's Union Jack guitar, Roger Daltrey's Woodstock outfit and a vintage Amy Winehouse dress.

Tickets are expected to cost between £5 and £15.

Mr Goldsmith, who produced successful music events like the Live Aid concert with Sir Bob Geldof in 1985 and recent Led Zeppelin show in London said: "This has been a long time coming, five years of my life.

"The UK needs to reflect the history of contemporary British music and we have the opportunity of so much talent that comes out of the UK and has conquered the world and tell people what a fantastic story we have."

At the conference, Mr Goldsmith released a list of the BME management board. Trustees include a range of music gurus including: Stephen Budd, manager of The Who and Robert Plant; Paul Loasby, manager of Jools Holland; and Geoff Taylor of the BPI, the music industry body.

Bob Santelli, who set up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, will also oversee the project, he said.

Mr Goldsmith added: "When I first started this I saw the Rock and Roll hall of fame in America to reflect genres and we really needed something like this in the UK, a home for all of the history of UK talent and artists that make their name in the UK.

"We have such a wealth of talent from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin to the Rolling Stones to The Who, its just endless how many great acts we've produced. It's important for us to reflect, look back and entertain something about music has developed."

The BME will take over 22,000 sq feet on the top floor of the O2 centre 'bubble' in Greenwich, London and will open in March 2009.

[johnfoyle]

Huh?

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2323

Pretty Woman Blu-ray Detailed

Posted January 22, 2009 08:14 AM by Josh Dreuth

Walt Disney Studios Walt Disney Home Entertainment has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of 'Pretty Woman', which is due to hit store shelves on February 10th. Video will be presented in 1.85:1 1080p AVC accompanied by a 5.1 24-bit PCM soundtrack.

Extras for this release include:


* Live From The Wrap Party—Julia Roberts sings with Richard Gere while he plays the piano. Director Garry Marshall backs them both up on the drums in an impromptu performance of Elvis Costello's rendition of “Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood.”

[johnfoyle]

Some E.C. covers here -

http://www.berkeleyplaceblog.com/2009/0 ... lo-covers/

[sheeptotheslaughter]

Radio 2 (UK) played Pills and Soap at 05.45 and then Cant Stand Up For Falling Down at 6.28 (well a bit of it before the news). Elvis overload

[The imposter]

I was watching a dvd of BBC "Sounds of the 70s" tonight. (EC & The Attractions feature with Oliver's Army from 1979 TOTP in the same episode)..but rather more bizarre is halfway through Human League's "Path of Least Resistance" from "Mainstream" (1979) a succession of apparently random black & White images appear on the screen.. including one of our man

[johnfoyle]

Neat.

http://graphichug.com/2009/01/26/homage-or-fromage-v4/

[johnfoyle]

A uncanny likeness -

http://www.toonpool.com/cartoons/Burt%2 ... ello_36284



By juniorlopes

[Who Shot Sam?]

A uncanny likeness -

http://www.toonpool.com/cartoons/Burt%2 ... ello_36284



By juniorlopes

Yikes!

[migdd]

Elvis makes an appearance in this list of the 25 Greatest Rockers Over 50. Kind of nice that Graham Parker gets a mention, too.

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/listof ... free-world

[johnfoyle]

Elvis appears to have passed on a interesting project-

http://www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk/en ... -22837814/


Keith James & Rick Foot at Telford’s Warehouse in Chester

Feb 2 2009

by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

KEITH James and Rick Foot will be performing Poet in New York at Telford’s Warehouse in Chester on Monday, February 9 at 8pm.

This will be a celebration of New York’s abundant musical and poetic history in a concert of unique and evocative music.

Poet in New York is a landmark album from Keith and Rick who have achieved and sustained deserved notoriety as interpretative performers of the music of Nick Drake.

During 2007 & 2008 they embarked on another challenging endeavour The Poetry of Federico Garcia Lorca.

Both the album and the tour won them great attention and respect, filling hundreds of venues across the country.

Poet in New York, as a contemporary project, was first offered to Elvis Costello by Lorca’s niece Laura Garcia Lorca and when nothing surfaced by way of recordings or concerts, Keith and Rick were then offered the opportunity by the Lorca legal representative in London.

Tickets for their Chester performance can be obtained by ringing 01244 390090.




Poeta en Nueva York ("Poet in New York") (1940)
by Federico Garcia Lorca

http://bigspace.vega.net/poet_in_ny/poet_in_ny.htm

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/163

[pophead2k]

Elvis and Momofuku make an appearance on a dubious list:

http://www.nypress.com/article-19238-do ... them_.html

[mood swung]

my favorite part:

The only charm to Momofuku is that the songs came together too quickly for Costello to knock out a companion album of outtakes.

But I think he or she is counting the chickens before the eggs.

[johnfoyle]

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 669794.ece

From The Times

February 6, 2009

Burt Bacharach strips down to talk Robbie Williams, money and marriage
Our correspondent encounters the master of smooth listening Burt Bacharach oiling himself by his Beverly Hills swimming pool

Chris Ayres

(extract)

Of all his recent collaborations, meanwhile, Bacharach says that his work with Elvis Costello is one of the highlights. “Elvis is a good guy. He is very intense. When we were working on Painted from Memory, I could always bet that at 2.30am, if I was up and thinking about something, then he’d be up and thinking about the same thing, too.”

[johnfoyle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=965Alxl5 ... tic-vision

Americathon trailer ; Elvis appears ( briefly) at c. 2.00.

More info. here -


http://www.examiner.com/x-2766-Atlanta- ... tic-vision

[johnfoyle]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/ae/401081_yarmulke23.html



Andy Rogers / P-I
Jonathan Chalett poses in his Seattle home with some of the 32 autographed yarmulkes that he has collected.

February 22, 2009

Seattle man gets celebrities to sign yarmulkes for collection

(extract)

Chalett is an emergency room pediatrician with an unusual hobby -- collecting autographed yarmulkes, the Jewish head coverings also known as kippahs. And he's sharing his collection of 32 at the University of Washington's Odegaard Undergraduate Library from Wednesday through April 30.

The eclectic collection of names includes Barack Obama, Elvis Costello, Uma Thurman, Ray Allen and Annie Leibowitz. As far as Chalett can tell, there's no other collection like it. But he knows what it takes to get the famous to sign them: chutzpah.

http://www.lib.washington.edu/ougl/spotlight/

[MOJO]

Johnny Cash sings The Big Light -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvY1k1tNpcM

[martinfoyle]

Hate to say it, but I kind of agree with this

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Count5/to ... mn_records

19

Of all the artists here, Elvis Costello best sums up the excesses of all the people on this list: several forgettable collaborations, extreme genre hopping with mixed success (Elvis opera, anyone?), many spotty albums, too many duplicating reissue campaigns, multiple supposedly-definitive best-ofs and several expensive fanatics-only box sets. Costello has dumped so much product on the market that his royalties could probably afford him several beachfront properties around the world. On the other hand, his fan base has alway been fairly modest. Hence, his aggressive release schedule continuously runs the risk of alienating the fans that have stuck with him all these years.

[mood swung]

I'd give that a big hell yeah as well, mr. foyle.

[Otis Westinghouse]

Maybe so, but the inclusion of The Fall is heresy. there could never be too many Fall records.

[mood swung]

the one I have is one too many.