Elvis gets honorary degree, Liverpool 2008

[sweetest punch]

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liv ... -21165695/

Honorary Liverpool University doctorate for Elvis Costello


Fresh from a triumphant homecoming gig, Elvis Costello will be handed an honorary degree in Liverpool next week.

The musician will be awarded an honorary doctorate in music by the University of Liverpool at the Philharmonic Hall on Thursday.

It will be just eight days after he left the venue to the sound of rapturous applause.

Costello, who as Declan McManus lived for a time in Birkenhead, will be joined by 12 other luminaries to be bestowed with doctorates over four days, including Liverpool Football Club chief executive Rick Parry and Lord Derby.

Elvis Costello shot to fame with his band, The Attractions, in the late 1970s and his music has explored and tested the boundaries of a range of musical genres from soul and pop to rock and punk.

He has collaborated with musicians such as Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett and Sir Paul McCartney.

[FAVEHOUR]

One of the honorees is Professor Drummond Bone.


Coincidence???

[verbal gymnastics]

That's Professor Sir Drummond Bone to you if you don't mind

What a fantastic coincidence. And I bet Elvis will be thinking of his song when he gets introduced.

Any truth in the rumour that one of the lecturers is called Stella Hurts

[MOJO]

I bet "Dr. Bone" is quite popular with the ladies. Professor Bone doesn't sound so impressive.... but Dr. Bone... Wow, that puts him in a league of his own. I think I suddenly need a one-on-one tutoring session w/ the Bone... oh, I mean, Dr. Bone.

[verbal gymnastics]

It certainly puts a different perspective on boning up for an exam. And I bet he's never heard that before!

Congratulations though Elvis.

[Hawksmoor]

Hmm. Managed to drag himself back to England to collect that, then?

[johnfoyle]

The deed would appear to have been done ; perhaps this photo was posed in advance -

http://www.liv.ac.uk/



http://www.liv.ac.uk/news/press_release ... duates.htm

Thursday, 3 July, 3.00pm – Elvis Costello (Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music)

[MOJO]

Nice shot. It conjures up the song Family Affair. Where are the kids? Any shots of Dr. Bone?? Congrats, Dr. Elvi.

[scielle]

Well ain't that grand - now they've got a pair! That's two Superman capes for the boys!



http://www.elviscostellofans.com/phpBB2 ... f=2&t=1200

[johnfoyle]

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100 ... _page.html


Elvis Costello with the Vice Chancellor of Liverpool University, Sir Drummond Bone, after the singer-songwriter received an honorary Doctorate of Music at Liverpool University


http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpoo ... -21263568/





Elvis Costello gets his degree at last

Jul 4 2008

Liverpool Echo



MUSIC legend Elvis Costello has been honoured by Liverpool university.

Costello was made a doctor of music at the Philharmonic Hall in recognition of a varied career which has encompassed post punk and high opera.

“I’m slightly humbled to receive it in the company of those who have actually working hard for their degrees,” he joked yesterday before a packed theatre of graduates.

Elvis, or Declan MacManus as he was known when he moved to Birkenhead in 1970, played his first gigs at the 800 club in Wallasey and the Great George Project at the Blackie in Liverpool.

Yesterday, dressed in academic robes that covered silver wrist bangles and skull-and-crossbone cufflinks, he still cut a slightly dangerous figure among the lecturers.

It may be that these days his glasses bear designer labels and have to be swapped for reading spectacles to read an acceptance speech. But his sense of urgency is still evident.

He said: “A school friend was killed at Saint Francis of Xavier school in front of us in the stupid avoidable accident that just shouldn’t have happened.

“Life seemed brief and it became important to live properly.

“We were visited by a career advisor who told us we could either go to uni or go into the army.

“I told that gentleman I wanted to write words and put them to music.

“He replied witheringly, ‘So you want to be a pop star then’?”


http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liv ... -21226693/


Elvis Costello humbled by music honour

Jul 4 2008

by Richard Down,
Liverpool Daily Post

ONE of Merseyside’s adopted sons, who earned his spurs on the city’s folk club circuit, has been honoured by the University of Liverpool.

Elvis Costello was made a doctor of music at the Philharmonic Hall yesterday in recognition of a varied career which has encompassed post punk and high opera.

“I’m slightly humbled to receive it in the company of those who have actually been working hard for their degrees,” he joked yesterday, before a packed theatre of graduates.

But the musician has risen from the Merseyside club scene to become one of the most revered musical polymaths in a career that spans three decades.

Elvis, or Declan MacManus as he was known when he moved to Birkenhead in 1970, played his first gigs at the 800 club in Wallasey and the Great George Project at the Blackie in Liverpool.

These performances earned him about 50p from gate receipts, according to his contemporaries.

Professor Kelvin Everest introduced yesterday’s graduates to the legend, drawing attention to his Liverpool roots.

He said: “He first met Nick Lowe in The Grapes in 1972 in Liverpool.

“Nick would go on to produce the first five albums.” It was this collaboration that helped Costello and his trademark glasses shoot to fame with The Attractions.

At the height of his powers, he was often compared to a menacing Buddy Holly.

Yesterday, dressed in academic robes that covered silver wrist bangles and skull-and-crossbone cufflinks, he still cut a slightly dangerous figure among the lecturers.

He said: “A school friend was killed at Saint Francis of Xavier School in front of us in the stupid avoidable accident that just shouldn’t have happened.

“Life seemed brief and it became important to live properly.

“We were visited by a career advisor who told us we could either go to Uni or go into the Army.

“I told that gentleman I wanted to write words and put them to music.”

Instead, he fell out of school and into a computing job in Bootle.

From these beginnings, Costello developed into a musician capable of composing the hugely challenging music that he performed with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra last week.

Costello now divides his time between Canada and the UK. But yesterday he revealed how Liverpool helped shape one of the most intriguing musical careers.


A blog account -

http://euonym.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/ ... tarstruck/

[Top balcony]

Hi

You may care to view the cermony via this link to the university web page:

http://www.firstsightmedia.co.uk/liverp ... mony9.html

It took a few goes to get both sound and vision but perhaps you've got a better pc than me.

Elvis stands stage left at approx 9.21 mins whilst the citation / nomination speech ( including a few minor errors of fact eg Flip not Flip City)

Doctor Costello takes the podium 19.21-28 mins to read out his acceptance speech.

Colin

[johnfoyle]

Thanks for this Colin. Elvis' speech is poignant enough , a neat balance between respect and outspokenness. Most of the content is a reprise of stories told in the Rhino reissue notes and the like. That bit about the road fatality just before Elvis finished school is especially moving.

By the way , a DVD of the ceremony may be bought via the above link. At £37 , I think I'll give it a miss.

[The imposter]

Elvis deserves his doctorate for having to sit through that ceremony. Applauding a list of names for an hour. I was exhausted just watching. As for the dvd, I think I'd prefer to read the telephone directory, you can get through it quicker and don't have to applaud each name. I believe that Costello's musical knowledge and ability is without question but what does an award like this actually mean ?

The acceptance speech is interesting enough though, thanks for posting.