Elvis Costello

Quirky singer-songwriter, born Declan MacManus, and currently married to Diana Krall, he has released many albums over the past 35-40 years, as well as presenting a decent music/chat show 'Spectacle' for an American network where guests ranged from The Police to Bill Clinton (!). Here's a handful of his finest works:

Oliver's Army

The Other Side of Summer

Pump It Up

New Amsterdam

Shipbuilding

  

Elvis Costello & the Imposters: Live in Memphis
A 2004 concert, briefly guesting Emmylou Harris, with some classic tunes, and promotion of his then-current album 'The Delivery Man'. He ended on 'Pump It Up', oddly (but thankfully)

Elvis Costello: Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival
Some familiar and not so familiar numbers, with special guest Allan Toussaint along for some of them. Tends to always repay watching.

Elvis Costello: Mystery Dance
A pretty comprehensive look at the quirky singer-songwriter who had musical performance in his genes, and went on to marry Diana Krall. His collaborations with the likes of Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach were probably more notable than his more politically lauded stuff. But he perseveres.

Later Presents: Elvis Costello - In Concert
A repeat from 1996 to go with the above. Here, Elvis used the Attractions and the Brodsky Quartet at various times. Sometimes he introduced songs, sometimes he didn't. Impressively, after a strong run-through of 'Watching The Detectives', he ended on 'I Want To Vanish'.

         Elvis Costello is a rare gem! Speaking from AmeriKa, it's truly a pleasure to hear some tracks I've never heard! As per usual, and sadly, his AmeiKan career was mediocre at best.

These were the ONLY two songs that hit the Top 40 here ....

#36 peak
Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write The Book

#19 Peak
Veronica - Elvis Costello

Adric wrote:         Elvis Costello is a rare gem! Speaking from AmeriKa, it's truly a pleasure to hear some tracks I've never heard! As per usual, and sadly, his AmeiKan career was mediocre at best.

It's weird to hear that, he seems to have gone out of his way to suck up to the American market (in a nice way, ahem). I can't pretend I like, or even get, every song, but he's done plenty that are worth a listen. Here's another one:

I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down

His own YT account has a few dozen clips   

Live at the Artist's Den: Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes
From the New York Public Library, Nov 2, 2010. He was mainly plugging his 'National Ransom', and made little or no concession to anyone expecting any hits. He's undeniably a gifted songwriter, and a fine singer, but he does give a sense of forcing an audience to come up to his level, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

He's recently published a memoir: 'Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink'

The South Bank Show Originals: Elvis Costello
Melvyn checked him out in 1981, as he was in Nashville making the "Almost Blue" LP. The crux seemed to be Elvis trying to do country music his way, and producer Billy Sherrill trying to do it his way instead. They managed to work it out. The album is a mix of covers and original tunes, I'm not sure I knew before that "A Good Year for the Roses" was a cover.

Discovering: Elvis Costello
His musical father, Ross McManus, was quite well known for a Lemonade advert. Young Declan first formed Rusty, and then Flip City. As part of the Pub Rock scene, he developed his act, and when he signed to Stiff Records, renamed himself as Elvis Costello. His 1st LP was made in a day, and he soon became a favourite with the critics. He assiduously courted an American market, whether acting up on Saturday Night Live, or doing an album of country covers. His childish and misguided spat about Ray Charles was a low, though. He developed a stage persona, Napoleon Dynamite, collaborated with Paul McCartney and others, worked with the Brodsky Quartet as well as the Attractions. He wonafta and a Grammy. He played Glastonbury in 2005 but felt unsatisfied. He's currently married to Diana Krall, and last released a new album in 2013.

Elvis Costello - Live at Baloise Session
From the Event Halle in Basel, 2014, Elvis did over an hour of material, sometimes interspersed with banter about going to Blackpool, or his distaste for Pop Idol and the X Factor. He played a wide mix of stuff, from 45 to Shipbuilding.

misery guts wrote:He's recently published a memoir: 'Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink'

Managed to get a copy of this. It's pretty impressive stuff, his format is a bit jittery, but he does goes into depth and covers most of his career, as well as giving credit to his father's life, and has plenty of anecdotes with the great and the good of the music business, whether Dylan, McCartney, Bacharach or many more.

Elvis Costello and the Imposters - The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook
From the Wiltern, LA, in 2011, where Elvis presented a large spinning roulette wheel and invited members of the audience to spin the wheel and they'd then play the song. In this truncated presentation, they did 3 spins, but the credits listed 6 spins. Elvis also had the Bangles (or 3 of them) present to sing "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's A Doll Revolution)" and dance during the finale of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding?" In some respects such a format smacks of showing off, but it was a good show.

He's had to cancel upcoming tour dates after having had surgery in May on an aggressive tumour. He fulfilled some dates in June, but has now decided he needs more recuperation time. Hope it works out 

Chalkie Davies - Rock Photographer
Elvis was one of many happy contributors to this 2015 doc on a Welsh photographer who had a heady decade or so taking iconic photos of Nick Lowe, Squeeze, the Specials, and others, working for the NME and then the Face. The death of friend Phil Lynott in 1986 hit him for 6 and he moved into advertising instead, and he's lived in New York since 1988.

Video Killed The Radio Star: Elvis Costello
Still Records' Dave Robinson, journalist Paolo Hewitt and presenter Malcolm Gerrie told tales of how Declan MacManus became EC, partly as a stunt, and how his early crude efforts at videos gave way to more thoughtful pieces like Veronica or I Wanna Be Loved, or the animated triumph of Accidents Will Happen.

Just released a new album Hey Clockface, which made the Top 40.

Released a new album yesterday, The Boy Named If, with the Impostors. Whilst promoting it, he's called on radio stations not to play Oliver's Army anymore, because of the n-word therein.

Saturday Kitchen Live - Elvis Costello
Maybe a stretch of choice... Elvis was the invited guest, talked about forthcoming tours to push his new album, also a separate speaking tour, how the new album comes with a book which he did the illustrations for, and how it feels having recently lost his mother. He has been in the business for around 45 years. He's not too keen on concept albums. He got to enjoy his "Food Heaven" - blind scouse.