New book about MAIT by Richard Crouse, April 2015

[johnfoyle]

Canadian writer Richard Crouse is working on a book about My Aim Is True . His publisher is ECW Press in Toronto, and his previous book was about Ken Russell.

http://www.ecwpress.com/author/richard-crouse

http://www.richardcrouse.ca/index2.html



Richard tells me -

The book (I haven't decided on a title just yet) is part of a series called Pop Classics that deals with records, movies, books etc, that have made a huge impact on popular culture. I have been an Elvis Costello fan since I first put the needle on My Aim is True when I was fourteen years old. After the first time I listened to it all the way through, I know I would never have to listen to REO Speedwagon or Chicago ever again. My book will focus on two years, 1976 and '77 leading up to the recording and release of the record.

BTW... I'm having trouble talking to anyone who actually recorded at Pathway. Do you have any leads? I'd love to have some first hand info. Elvis, Nick Lowe and the surviving members of Clover have declined interview requests (which is VERY disappointing) but I have lots of other input from people who were around at the time... just no one from Pathway.

http://www.ecwpress.com/popclassics


I've sent him a few suggestions and , of course, wish him luck with the project.

[johnfoyle]

The book now has a title

http://www.richardcrouse.ca/biography/

(extract )


Since then Richard has written six more books, all reviewed positively by the critics, including Rock & Roll Toronto and Who Wrote the Book of Love (Doubleday). Richard has also written a Celine Dion biography (Ballantine, New York), followed by Big Bang, Baby (a rock trivia encyclopedia for Dundurn), the best-selling The 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, its sequel The Son of the 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen and the bestselling Raising Hell: Ken Russell and the Unmaking of The Devils and the upcoming Revenge & Guilt: The Making of My Aim is True.

[Goon Squad]

Sounds great, and very interesting.
Anyone know what Richard's normal timescale is from "working on" through to finished and on sale ?............months or years ?

[sweetest punch]

This book is scheduled for next year: http://www.novanewsnow.com/Community/20 ... -Theatre/1

(...)
Crouse has been the film critic for CTV's Canada AM for the past 10 years, and has hosted TV shows on Bravo and the Independent Film Channel. In addition to TV work, he hosts a radio show on News Talk 1010 and writes two weekly columns, which are syndicated across the country.

He is also the author of 10 books, mostly on film, with the latest on Elvis Costello coming out next year.
(...)

[sweetest punch]

Available for preorder in the UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elvis-King-Cost ... s+costello

[sweetest punch]

Available for pre-order in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Is-King-Cos ... s+costello
Releasedate: April 14, 2015

[johnfoyle]

http://www.ecwpress.com/books/elvis-king

Elvis is King
Costello's My Aim Is True

By Richard Crouse

Before Elvis Costello was one of Rolling Stone’s greatest artists of all time, before he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he was Declan P. McManus, an office drone with a dull suburban life and a side gig in a pub rock band. In 1976, under the guidance of legendary label Stiff Records, he transformed himself into the snarling, spectacled artist who defied the musical status quo to blaze the trail for a new kind of rock star with his debut album, My Aim Is True. In Elvis Is King, Richard Crouse examines how the man, the myth, and the music of this arrestingly original album smashed the trends of the era to bridge the gap between punk and rock ’n’ roll.

[johnfoyle]

My order from the publisher arrived in the post this morning. I look forward to reading it. I'm also dead chuffed to see that my meagre contribution - just a few pointers towards info. sources is all I recall - has meant I get a thanks in the credits. Yay!






There's an event to launch it tomorrow in Toronto -

http://www.ecwpress.com/events/pop-clas ... ed-plastic

[verbal gymnastics]

Well done John.

No invite to the launch though? There's gratitude

[johnfoyle]

It's a excellent distillation of other accounts of the period. Going by the intro I gather the unique feature of this book will be how MAIT shaped & informed the writer's life. I gather he's prominent in Canada so I daresay the book may be of particular import there. The only error I've seen is calling the folk venue where Elvis /Declan debuted The Lamplight, as per Elvis's 'lies & rumours ' time line. It was actually called The Hanging Lamp , as my research last summer pretty categorically established.

It is indeed a pretty flawless account of all things MAIT, before , during and after it's release. Richard has a clear, succinct style. Part of the acknowledgments goes ' to those who declined to talk to me , Jake Riviera, Tony Parsons, and Nick Lowe, among others, for making me rethink the approach to the book.' There is a lengthy analysis of the songs - making all kinds of comparisons, including one to Whitney Houston - but otherwise it is a straight narrative of events. I'm , of course, too close to the subject matter to tell if it will cause a new wave (ha!) of interest in the album but it is certainly recommended as a introduction to it. The writer doesn't bang on to much about his reaction to the album as a teenager but what he does is touching and evocative. There's a especially vivid description of watching the SNL appearance in Dec. '77 in his father's tv store , with rows of tvs showing it at top volume.

[migdd]

This arrived at my doorstep today, along with "Oil City Confidential", Julien Temples's documentary about Canvey Island in general and Dr. Feelgood, in particular. Looking forward to digging into both.

[johnfoyle]

Review
http://www.newstalk1010.com/blog/justin ... im-is-true

[johnfoyle]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=6022 ... 1@ecwpress

[johnfoyle]

Win a copy -

http://49thshelf.com/giveaway/view/10091813