New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Pretty self-explanatory
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cwr
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by cwr »

I was hoping that some Grammy attention might give the album a second wind, maybe get a few more people to check it out. OH WELL
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by FAVEHOUR »

Neil. wrote:Does seem a shame! Nomatter. The album remains good, whether or not it's nominated for anything.

I notice it didn't make the NME top 50 albums of the year list, either. Bah! Maybe some of the muso magazines will take up the slack?
No love from Rolling Stone's year end list either.
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

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No. 9 on American Songwriter's Best Albums list.

http://www.americansongwriter.com/2013/ ... ms-2013/5/
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by johnfoyle »

Image


50 Best Albums of 2013, Mojo , Jan '14. The 'PS' is, I'm guessing , Phil Sutcliffe


WUG doesn't make the Uncut best of '13 , even though it was contributor Terry Staunton's top pick

Image

He was clearly a voice in the wilderness, as this explanation of the voting shows -

Image
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Jack of All Parades »

invisible Pole wrote:No. 9 on American Songwriter's Best Albums list.

http://www.americansongwriter.com/2013/ ... ms-2013/5/
Nicely spotted but l am more excited by who and what got the #1 spot- they got that dead on correct- Jason does have the best album I heard in 2013. 8)
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

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No. 64 in "The Best Albums of 2013" on Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.html ... 1000734883
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Interesting list, thanks for that. Good to see most of my favourites in there (but no Lloyd Cole, insane!). But also a weird sense of 'who the hell are all these people?' I'd say there's about 20-25% in there that I've never heard of, including no. 2 (Foxygen, and I hadn't heard of Lorde before looking at the Grammy list). I do like to use these lists for a bit of Spotify exploration, but I also feel I already have more than I know what to do with and a wishlist as long as my arm, who needs more? But what if one of these albums contains just one song that once heard it becomes impossible to imagine your life without - I lay awake at night haunted by this thought.

Hats off to Fiona Sturges above with Pale Green Ghosts. Was listening to it again last night. John Grant is a real talent.
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

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http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/2013 ... host-28156

Listen: Wise Up Ghost

By Nicholas Liao

This article appeared in the December 2013 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 78, No. 12, page 42).

The coupling might raise a few eyebrows, but Elvis Costello and hip-hop outfit The Roots have more in common than one might think.

The Roots’ performances—fluent in jazz, soul, and funk—distinguish them from their peers in the rap world, where live instruments can be rare. And Costello has dabbled in as many musical idioms over the years as he has recorded albums, often to memorable effect.

The seeds for this unlikely joint effort were sown during Costello’s appearances on The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon, where The Roots are the house band. The record certainly carries a freewheeling vibe from those informal early sessions, with almost half of the songs being more than five minutes long. That gives Costello ample space to talk about what’s on his mind—chiefly, corruption and vice in their many forms: political and spiritual, personal and corporate.

On the album’s opener, “Walk Us Uptown,” Costello snarls, “Will you walk us uptown / while our tears run in torrents / to suffer in silence or pray for some solace.” Bitterness gives way to a weariness with propaganda on “Tripwire”: “You’re either for or against us / and that is how the hatred begins.”

But is the whole greater than the sum of the parts? Costello’s vocals are as inspired as ever, and The Roots drummer Questlove’s backbeats hit hard. But the flabby arrangements threaten to eclipse the obvious chemistry—that The Roots’ funk grooves are a natural vehicle for Costello’s sharp delivery. There’s some unrealized potential here.

While Wise Up Ghost doesn’t succumb to the usual downfall of supergroup recordings—talent canceling out talent—neither does it count as either artist’s essential listening. But one gets the sense that their ambitions were perhaps more modest. It’s more an after-hours, loose-tie affair. Attendance is optional, but you won’t be sorry you were there.

This article appeared in the December 2013 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 78, No. 12, page 42).
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

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Belgian radio station "Radio 1" has WUG at No 19 in their "the best albums of 2013" list: http://www.radio1.be/programmas/exit/de ... s-van-2013
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by johnfoyle »

One of the few bits of 'new' news in that recent interview with Elvis was that he was visiting his mother in England on his way back from Japan to Canada. On Dec. 18th he tweeted some photos of the display of WUG in Probe Records in Liverpool.


https://twitter.com/ImposterSpeaks/stat ... 48/photo/1


Image


https://twitter.com/ImposterSpeaks/stat ... 85/photo/1


Image


http://www.probe-records.com/
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

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No. 16 in The Slicing Up Eyeballs Readers Poll.

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/1 ... bums-2013/
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Oh ho ho ho ho! Good job the Pixies' EP1 was in there, wouldn't have been on otherwise. I love how all (or almost all? not sure with some lower down) of the acts there hail from or were active in the 80s. Made me chuckle.

Funny how much Bowie has been up there in these polls, and while much of it is very good, I can't quite see it as up there with Heathen. Dare I suggest I need to play it some more.

It was also hugely edifying to finally see a poll other than mine and yours (and enthusiast Jackson Monk, were he to post one) which included Standards.
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

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Yeah, the site focuses on the acts which started back in the 70's or 80s', coming from new wave, alternative, electronica or college rock, or whatever you call it, so you might always be sure that their readers will choose New Order, Wire, Johnny Marr, or even OMD over any new bands.

Sad that Lloyd Cole's new album, though generally got very good reviews, somehow didn't make it to many Best of 2013 lists.
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by sweetest punch »

http://www.elviscostello.com/homepage#/ ... -roots/561

Quick Questions for Steven Mandel - Producer/Engineer For Elvis Costello and the Roots

Note-Tation: Doug Plourd: 2nd January 2014.

When I was finishing up the Top 12 Records of 2013 series, I reached out to Steven Mandel(@stevenmandel) to get a few thoughts about MY #1 album of the year, Wise Up Ghost. Steven produced, engineered and mixed the album, as well as lending his song writing skills. He was gracious enough to take the time to respond to the quick email with some very insightful thoughts.

- Was there any particular track that was hard to have come together?

The track that was hard to come together was the first one we worked on and ended up as a bonus track. Can You HEAR Me. We almost had Crosby & Nash doing the backgrounds but in the end it was Elvis and Kirk. They never sat right so in the mix stage I really had to buckle down and move them around so they would feel right. This was the track I worked on the longest I believe, partly because it's over 6 minutes. With lots of vocal parts and horn parts.The climactic ending alone took me a virtual lifetime to be "satisfied" with.

- Do you have a favorite track? One that when completed, you knew you had something special?

My favorite track is Grenade. Felt I had helped create a Costello track that was both unique and also something his fans would understand. But the title track is something, when completed, I knew would be on Elvis Costello Compilations til the end of time.

- My favorite track is the title song. The callback to the North album is brilliant. (and made me audibly gasp when I heard the melody come up) How did this song come together?

Wise Up Ghost started when, after we began work on the album, I realized I should explore some of Elvis's albums I wasn't an expert on, like North. Heard the intro to Can You Be True while driving from NY to Philly. Upon arriving in Philly at 2am or so, went straight to the studio to loop it. Had to continue the next day and was able to find a good way to loop it a certain way that made sense for a new song. Added some fx and sent it to Elvis. He immediately wrote those lyrics and then we recorded the vocals in Vancouver shortly thereafter. Drums, horns, bass, guitars all came later in NY and Philly. Theres 2 passes of drums, one in the left channel and one in the right. Both are live passes, in other words, not looped. In fact, besides the North loop, all the instruments are live full passes.

- Is there a second record on the horizon?

There is no 2nd EC & Roots on the horizon. But I hope to continue pairing up EC and Quest. Perhaps for an album of some sort.
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by The imposter »

Don't know if this has been discussed here, but after finally reading through album credits on WUG I notice a sample credit on "Come The Meantimes" for"I Don't See Me in Your Eyes Anymore" by Glass House. I haven't identified this on the track so far.. Any ideas ? There is no mention of it on the samples wiki page, although this lists just EC samples. http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... and_quotes

Is this the only example of a non EC sample ?
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Interesting point. Haven't seen anything on this. Is it definitely a sample or an acknowledgement of a songwriting debt to it? The chord progression is definitely similar, less so when the vocal comes in, but listen to the opening and sing Come The Meantimes over it. there are other touches - the keyboard on CTM echoes the strings on this song somewhat. If it's a direct sample, it's subtler than I can pick up on here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTuc5XY79PY
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Neil. »

Well spotted - the intro string are looped all the way through, aren't they?
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

Of course, that's the sample! Well spotted you!
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by MOJO »

Nice list. I wonder if he ever listened to WIOQ growing up - Friday night flashbacks with David Dye was awesome. Good to see Paul's Boutique on the list. One of my favs back in the day.
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Otis Westinghouse »

List?
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by SoulForHire »

Odd that Mandel's favorite track is Grenade but that is one of the few that has not been played live (yet), unless it was played for the Clinton gig (for which no setlist has surfaced as of yet).
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by SoulForHire »

docinwestchester wrote:
cwr wrote:"Stick Out Your Tongue" I have actually come to prefer over the original "Pills & Soap." I just like it better.
I agree (heresy, right?) The live version in Brooklyn sealed the deal for me.
Me too. Also, I LOVE the Brodsky Quartet, but I never liked their version.
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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by Man out of Time »

An interview with Christian Lehner in New York around the release of WUG was written up twice, firstly here:

Deutschlandfunk.de

Translated into English via Google Translate

" With the music stop , it did not work "

British musician Elvis Costello in conversation with Christian Lehner

Elvis Costello has worked with in his 35-year music career with stars like Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and Allen Toussaint. Now he was with the hip- hoppers The Roots in the studio : the result is the album " Wise Up Ghost" .

Christian Lehner : Hi Elvis Costello ! Thank you and welcome to this conversation . Do they tell us a little about her new album with The Roots . How did that come about?

Elvis Costello : The Roots mastered almost all genres and they are workaholics . They are also the house band of the late night show Jimmy Fallon on NBC. They play there along with many special guests . Three / four years ago, it was my turn . I knew them , they knew me , but we had no idea how much we appreciate each other. The guys knew almost all my records ! A collaboration was therefore inevitable. They threw the bait out how they formulated it , and I just snapped .

Lehner : Did you have a shared vision of how the album should sound ? You are indeed rather from rock music , the roots of funk and hip -hop ? So there was a sound idea?

Costello : We have gone without having a plan and without a record contract to the studio. No one knew about it. The recording room had no windows , not even a clock . So we never knew what time it is, but had all the time in the world ! We have not stopped us long with the studio procedure , but simply laid off. This only works with class musicians.

Lehner: " Wise Up Ghost" has a very unique sound aesthetics of rock , soul and hip -hop And you do not rap about , but you use the technique of sampling take text fragments of your own old songs, and integrate them into the new texts . . . Why ?

Costello : First, we wanted to upload some of my old pieces new. But then I had another idea : We crawled my catalog for similar topics. I wanted to find out why certain things I have said. From the collected verses collages and finally completely new songs came .

Lehner: What have you found apparently in their old material is very dark , sad and sometimes angry. There are fragments of texts of songs from the 80s through war or personal and political betrayal. Where do you see as the parallels to the present time ?

Costello : Today, as then , the world seems out of joint . People's confidence is abused . Many questionable things are done in our name. It deceives us openly . These are now no big news , but I think you have to point out again and again , and that until something changes .

The album is called " Wise Up Ghost" , or " refresh the mind " and not " Lie down to die ." It is borne by the firm belief that we - are better than presents itself the world right - despite all of the surrounding cleavage and manipulation. The greatest danger is in my opinion the fear. It makes us open to populism and fanaticism.

Lehner: What function does this music?

Costello : Music consolation. Music directed . This is to be understood literally, because music increases the heart rate. If you allow it, they can take you to other thoughts . For me it works very well with instrumental music. It may sound presumptuous, but music speaks to your soul . Because people have actually always believed.

Lehner: Mr. Costello, the album title " Wise Up Ghost" is self-referential ? Do you want to also award for yourself to courage?

Costello : Originally, the album should not be about me. But life had other plans . My father has died. The loss of a parent is a serious thing for every person. Suddenly, in addition to the topics in the news and politics personal and private thoughts were to death. I have these verses then integrated into existing texts and rewritten a bit. I knew my musical partner , of course, not so good. But without mutual trust would be not have been possible.

Lehner: I know hardly any other rock musician, who so much with other musicians works like you do . What motivates you because there?

Costello : I 'm curious ! If I have the opportunity to work with Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach, I certainly would not say no. These are people whose music I have admired for a lifetime. This is always enriching. I 'm not talking about money, but of experience. And maybe something wonderful comes out here . I still can believe that I recorded with the two total twelve songs hardly !

Lehner: When they started in the 70s , because you have shown as a kind of rock ' n ' roll clown. Too big glasses, ill-fitting suits, erratic stage shows. Today we would probably call you Rock 'n' Roll Geek.

Costello : You have to work with what has a given nature. Before I tried it with the music , I 've worked in an office. I wear glasses since I was 17 . These are not exactly the best conditions when you want to play in a rock and roll band . So I was left with no other choice than this boring look to create something flashy and make my trademark . First there was just me , then it became the image, which it can now play excellent .

Lehner : You have played so pretty much all the music that there is , and you have worked with many renowned musicians . Have not you ever feel like just stop and retire ?

Costello : No, with the music stop , it did not work . But of course the world can decide that there is no more room for you and that you can no longer live on your music. And yes, I've spent the last few years often thought to stop publishing new music. It's exhausting and consumes so much time. I've also have a responsibility towards me and to my family . So I played with the idea of ​​something to ease up and down and to deny to concerts with my existing repertoire. But then a band like The Roots comes along and already I 'm back in a recording studio !

But it's good to know that you have no right to these things. Just because one has made a good record , that does not not mean that one can make twelve good ."

And for ORF in Austria

Translated into English via Google Translate

The co-workers

The British bard Elvis Costello has recorded the excellent album "Wise Up Ghost" with the hip-hop gurus Roots. An approximation to an unknown plus interview.

Mysterious Elvis

The passionate, insatiable, talented, versatile, hard-working, gutmenschelnde and somewhat vain Elvis Costello. These are attributes that I have collected over the past few weeks in my research about the singer-songwriter from London. His name was familiar to me. I also knew that he has pop history's weight. Elvis Costello is for me anyway so far remained a shadow man.

The rock star with the more schleißig fitting suits existed at most as an enigmatic figure in the Nippes shelf of my Popwahrnehmung. Why? I do not know. Perhaps because I am a native of Elvis P fan did not want to bother with appropriated Elvis Cs. Or was it just another passing music interests who wanted to never cross over the years simply? Full costello free was not my life but then again. "Veronica", the common hit with Paul McCartney (1989), who just earned this name many girls this age group, I was quite familiar. Even the jagged new wave popular song "Pump It Up" or "Radio" from the early days with the Attractions I knew from various student parties - of course, without ever directly with the name Elvis Costello to get in touch. Also, "Spectacle," his television music-talk, which ran in the Sundance Channel in the U.S., I watched occasionally and then the small guest role was in the HBO series "Treme," where Costello played the New Orleans much admired Costello . But all this never led to the impulse of self-Closer-To-Employ-will. So research. And the realization that I had actually missed something.

In the mid-seventies, the man was with the sounding stage name Declan Patrick MacManus yet. The son of a musician working in an office in London, wearing gray suit for large glasses and tried it first with a bit of folk and pub rock. 1977 then the first hit for the cheeky indie label Stiff Records in the wake of the punk boom. Costello was the post-punk Bankrupts Rock'n'Roll Geek with occasional forays into the world of the New Wave, New rocksteady and New Soul and managed alongside the Talking Heads or the young Police in the record collections clever Popfreunde.

What happened next is sleek sprawling: Costello ate through different styles of music as an insatiable locust. Jazz, country, classical, nothing was safe from him. Also, he clutched more or less famous fellow musicians en masse. If there were a record for the most collaborations in the Guinness Book of Records, Elvis Costello would probably occupy the first three places. An excerpt from the creative name list, which hangs securely over his bed and not long checked is: Burt Bacharach, Fall Out Boy and Sofie von mother. Sic! Many fans were there no longer. Also, some colleagues who I have interviewed about Costello. Most are piled in the album "The Juliet Letters" (1993), a collaboration with the classic string ensemble Brodsky Quartet. Let's put it this way, it is understandable.

Wise Up Ghost and other Stories

And now, sitting across from me, a good-humored and very verbose Elvis Costello. The occasion is the recently released album "Wise Up Ghost", which he recorded with The Roots. The album was recorded live in feverish sessions for the most part and shows the fact Involved in top form. Costello rages, moans and whispers through 15 songs ranging from funk, rock and dub. With "If I Could Believe" it has the herzerweichendste ballad recorded since his time with Burt Bacharach, as I am assured a Costello connoisseur.

Quest Loves The Roots roll him beats, horns, funky keys and heavy bass lines, as if the mother ship would be circling above the recording studio. Although Costello has first produced an album with a hip-hop band, he did not try thankfully as a rapper. Rather, he took the technique of sampling. This purpose, however enough a pencil. Costello quoted on "Wise Up Ghost" several of his old song lyrics, which he has fitted into new texts. Many Pop artists hear a modern Stax plate of soul-anguish and social criticism. This reminds me of "Wise Up Ghost" concerning the sound over long distances but also to the Damon Albarn more or less buried Gorillaz.

The interview

We sit in the office of his label boss Bruce Lundvall on 5th Avenue in the Flat iron District of Manhattan. Lundvall in 1985 new and well established, the legendary jazz label after its inclusion in Capitol Records. The office looks like a jazz museum. Framed Legends and gold records on the wall. An upright piano in the corner. Costello feels comfortable. We Austrians are, as always on such occasions, the last lined up the day. Elvis breaks loose while the tired Routiniertheit. The impression has been created the day before the joint concert with The Roots in Brooklyn, should be confirmed in the following concise but detailed 20 minutes: Elvis Costello has remained as a musician, as a star, as Grammy winner an almost childlike nerdy music fan. Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Elvis Costello on The Roots

The Roots love to poach in the genre forest and they are workaholics - as I do. They are also the house band of the late night show Jimmy Fallon on NBC. They play there along with many guests. Three, four years ago, it was my turn. I knew them, they knew me, but we had no idea how much we appreciate each other. The guys knew almost all my records! A collaboration was therefore inevitable. They threw the bait out how they formulated it, and I just snapped.

About the recording of "Wise Up Ghost"

We went without a concept without a recording contract to the studio. No one knew about it. The recording room had no windows, not even a clock. So we never knew what time it is, but had all the time in the world! We have not stopped us long with the studio procedure, but simply laid off. This only works with class musicians.

About the sampling of old Costello Lyrics

First, we wanted to upload some of my old pieces new. But then I had another idea: We crawled my catalog for similar topics. I wanted to find out why certain things I have said. From the collected verses collages and finally completely new songs came.

About the sometimes deeply sad to angry Lyrcis of "Wise Up Ghost" and the use of older lyrics like "The River in Reverse" (2006) or "Shipbuilding" (1982) as a critique of the current conditions

Now, as then, the world seems out of joint. The confidence from the people being abused. Many questionable things are done in our name. It deceives us openly. These are now no big news, but I think you have to point out and that until something changes again and again. The album is called "Wise Up Ghost", or "refresh the mind" and not "Lie down to die." It is borne by the firm belief that we - are better than presents itself the world right - despite all of the surrounding cleavage and manipulation. The greatest danger is in my opinion the fear. It makes us vulnerable to populism.

About the death of his father and the impact on the writing

Originally, the album should not be about me. But life had other plans. My father has died. The loss of a parent is a serious thing for every person. Suddenly, in addition to the topics in the news and politics personal and private thoughts were to death. I have these verses then integrated into existing texts and rewritten a bit. I knew my collaborators (The Roots, note) personally, of course, not so good, but the trust agreed. Otherwise I would have myself can not open.

About the avid "co workers" Elvis Costello and his numerous collaborations

I'm curious! If I have the opportunity to work with Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach, I certainly would not say no. These are people whose music I have admired for a lifetime. This is always enriching. I'm not talking about money, but of experience. And maybe something wonderful comes out here. I still can believe that I have received a total of 12 songs with Paul and Burt hardly!

About his geeky look in the seventies

You have to make do with what one give nature. From the outset it was clear that I'm not a second Robert Plant. Before I tried it with the music, I've worked in an office. I wear glasses since I'm 17. These are not exactly the best conditions when you want to play in a rock and roll band. So I was left with no other choice than this boring look to create something flashy and make my trademark. First there was just me, then it became the image, which it can now play excellent.

About Costello's penchant for the U.S. ASTM African musical tradition and the motives of his social and musical commitments (including appearances by Allen Toussaint) in post-Katrina New Orleans

New Orleans historically had an extreme breakdown of different cultures. The music that we all love has its roots there. That is a fact. Of course, the skin color played a decisive role, if only because many people otherwise would not have ended up there. Nothing has American culture influenced more than this great crime of slavery. My ancestors come from a city that has lived by trading with people. We all know the story of the emergence of rock and roll, the intersection of rhythm and blues and hillbilly. The farther back slip these things in the past, the more Gechichte we have from which we can draw.

What we are witnessing today is a better transparency of these foundations. On the Internet, the most obscure music can be found in the former minimum conditions. There are countless musical treasure maps that open up there. Makes us better musicians? Not necessarily! But these archives are already a great thing.

About the impossibility of stopping

With the music stop, you can not. But of course the world can decide that there is no more room for you and that you can no longer live on your music. And yes, I've spent the last couple of years sometimes thought to stop publishing new music. It's exhausting and consumes so much time. I've also have a responsibility towards me and to my family. So I played with the idea of ​​something to ease up and down and to deny to concerts with my existing repertoire. But then a band like The Roots comes along and already I'm back in a recording studio!"

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Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by stricttime81 »

I ran into ?uestlove last night at the Boardwalk Empire premiere party in NYC. We had a brief conversation and I mentioned that I had caught a couple of his gigs with Elvis Costello, and they were awesome. Told him I was right up against the stage at Brooklyn Bowl and they f'in killed it that night. He was really appreciative and couldn't have been nicer. Seemed like a really cool, down to earth guy, for what it's worth.

Peace.
AKA: Mike the Lawyer
MOJO
Posts: 1021
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:05 pm

Re: New album for 2013: "Wise Up Ghost" (with The Roots!)

Post by MOJO »

Cool. You should have broke out the peace pipe. Something tells me he would A-OK with that. A quick vap would do.
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