Elvis when you least expect it

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 6:16 am

Not exactly unexpected but EC gets a few mentions in the March edition of Uncut.

In the 'Editors Letter' (Allan Jones), he is talking about seeing the Arctic Monkeys on Later ...".....This is breathless stuff - short, sharp and sensational, entirely without unnecessary frills, fripperiesor flouncing - that makes me think of Costello & The Attractions nearly 30 years ago raging through something like "No Action" ."

Later in the same article he is talking about a Paul Weller interview that appears in this edition: "...but with Strummer dead, Costello marginalised and Lydon past caring, Weller, of punk's original quartet of Angry Shouty Blokes, is the last man standing....."

In the review (by Paul Moody) of the Arctic Monkeys album the by-line is "Alex Turner's breathless delivery is faultless, a foaming cocktail of lust and longing, occasionally brimming over into Costello-esque rage"

Haven't read the whole thing yet so there may be more.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 2:21 pm

Driving along the motorway back to Dublin after a morning walking in the Wicklow mountains , we flicked the radio over from the rugby commentary to hear Olivers Army ; at the same time passing us was a van with the lettering Costello Doors............

http://www.costellodoors.ie/index.htm

verena · Post by **verena** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:22 pm

I have something French for this thread. Really strange, because EC is not widely known in France. Only people who are quite knowledgeable about music seem to have heard about him. His lyrics are too sophisticated for the average level of the French in English.

Well, the second time I went to Virgin to buy a little stack of Elv cds, I went to the coffee shop as I always do and I they were showing Monkey to Man

And last week they put him on again. Something out of "Live in Memphis"

The dvd is not even for sale there... well I looked and didn't see it.

Turquoise Pajamas Pt Deux · Sun Feb 12, 2006 10:37 pm

Elvis is name-dropped in a Boston Globe baseball column, found here.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/a ... up/?page=1

1. Who's the funky guy in the oversized, black Elvis Costello glasses?
That would be Joe Maddon, new manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who rides his bicycle everywhere, has a CD collection that could stock the playlist of 20 stations on.....

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:04 am

Ellen Degeneres did some Grammy schtick where she toyed with some of the musicians backstage (aired on her afternoon talk show the day after). She crashed the rehearsal and was giving Bonnie Raitt some 'advice' and Dave Farragher, standing next to Bonnie, seemed a bit bored with the whole comedy thing. Raitt, good naturedly played along. The Edge looked pissed.

Later she slumped in the corridor backstage and sang U2 and Gwen Stefani songs while playing Harmonica and Kazoo, bummin' cash from the stars. The overrated ColdPlay guy gave her two bucks. Elvis initially tried to sneak by and avoid being pulled into the who routine, but he was either prompted, or thought better of it, and returned to hand Ellen a dollar. One dollar. He sort of shamefully waddled away, trying to play along but the whole physical comedy thing did not become him. Sort of like Buster Keaton trying to do a joke on new-q-lar energy, but in reverse.

Later, Ellen tried to leverage Elvis' "stinginess" to get more cash out of Bono, who stiffed her completely.

Scorecard:

ColdPlay guy = $2
Elvis Costello = $1
Bono = $0

Farragher = bored with the whole thing.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 6:38 pm

My son had 'Millionaire' on the other night, and I found myself watching some 50something mild-mannered man from Edinburgh be asked 'with which backing band is Elvis Costello most commonly associated?' Rather condescendingly, knobhead Tarrant asked him with a smirk if he knew the answer before the four options were shown, obviously expecting him to not have a clue, and our boy said 'I think it's "the Attractions"'. Good on him. the options were 'the Crickets', 'the Shadows' and can't remember the other. Fortunately 'the Imposters' wasn't included.

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:31 pm

As I was driving, I was listening to a gardening program on our local ABC radio station (our equivalent top the BBC) over the weekend and the hosts who are a couple of fairly "ordinary" gardening show presenters (comon-all-garden variety?) were chatting with a guest who for some reason began to comment on all of his Elvis paraphernalia.

I was somewhat surpised when one of the hosts made the comment... "that's Elvis Costello of course" to which the guest replied "no" and received the response... "oh, you mean there is another Elvis?!?"

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:28 am

MLAR is not a surf record but The Other Side of Summer is like a Beach Boys song in the way it's arranged. Maybe that's what he alluding to?

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:08 am

In a department store dressing room the other day trying on clothes and I hear overhead "Almost Blue", but not by Elvis - by some jazzy sounding chick.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:13 am

Tim(e) wrote: I was somewhat surpised when one of the hosts made the comment... "that's Elvis Costello of course" to which the guest replied "no" and received the response... "oh, you mean there is another Elvis?!?"

There's only one Elvis, and it ain't him.

(that's what one of my friends actually said about EC (not being him)

).

oldhamer · Post by **oldhamer** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:06 pm

I swear in Simon Schama's "A History of Britain" TV series there's a bit from Elvis. It was with strings, and I assume it's something from the Juliet Letters. I didn't have the album at the time though, so couldn't say which song it is. I have the series on DVD now, I'll have to watch them all to find the EC reference...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:20 pm

Indeed, the Wikipedia Costello entry sez 'Three of his songs also appeared on the soundtrack to Simon Schama's A History of Britain', though I can't find any info on which ones. The BBC site sez 'Internationally-renowned composer and saxophonist John Harle was commissioned to compose an original music score for the second series of A History of Britain. The score is performed by vocalists including Emma Kirkby, Elvis Costello and Lucie Skeaping together with the BBC Singers and BBC Concert Orchestra. The soundtrack is available to buy on CD from the BBC Shop.' So not clear if Costello only appears on John Harle numbers or doing any of his own stuff.

ReadyToHearTheWorst · Post by **ReadyToHearTheWorst** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:45 pm

I could be wrong here, but I recall at least one of the John Harle/EC Shakespeare numbers (Come Away Death?) in a documentary about the plague - p'raps it was an episode of this most excellent series.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:31 pm

spooky girlfriend wrote:In a department store dressing room the other day trying on clothes and I hear overhead "Almost Blue", but not by Elvis - by some jazzy sounding chick.

Diana Krall, perhaps?

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:27 am

I don't know, has she done a version of it? It took me a minute to recognize the song, but I don't think it was her. I could be wrong though.

Heard Alison while walking through the local pharmacy yesterday as well. . . . .

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:23 am

spooky girlfriend wrote:I don't know, has she done a version of it? It took me a minute to recognize the song, but I don't think it was her. I could be wrong though.

Well according to Mr Krall, his wife's version is the definitive one...

spooky girlfriend wrote:Heard Alison while walking through the local pharmacy yesterday as well. . . . .

The song or just a woman you know?

oldhamer · Post by **oldhamer** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:20 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Indeed, the Wikipedia Costello entry sez 'Three of his songs also appeared on the soundtrack to Simon Schama's A History of Britain', though I can't find any info on which ones. The BBC site sez 'Internationally-renowned composer and saxophonist John Harle was commissioned to compose an original music score for the second series of A History of Britain. The score is performed by vocalists including Emma Kirkby, Elvis Costello and Lucie Skeaping together with the BBC Singers and BBC Concert Orchestra. The soundtrack is available to buy on CD from the BBC Shop.' So not clear if Costello only appears on John Harle numbers or doing any of his own stuff.

Here is the CD that's available to buy. Don't recognise any, except O Mistress Mine.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 73-4963612

nobodygirl · Post by **nobodygirl** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:16 pm

I was watching PBS last night and A Black and White Night was on. I'd never seen it, and I had no idea that Elvis played the harp.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:05 pm

spooky girlfriend wrote:

In a department store dressing room the other day trying on clothes and I hear overhead "Almost Blue", but not by Elvis - by some jazzy sounding chick.

Alison Moyet's version has only recently received a U.S. release ; maybe it was that.

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:19 pm

Maybe it was - I just don't think it was Diana because the voice didn't sound deep enough. Thanks, John.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:07 am

Chrissy on listserv posts -

On tonight's Crossing Jordan they were playing "Secondary Modern" (of all
songs) in the background while Woody was in bed with that blonde chick.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.........and

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 15,00.html

( extract)

“AND I WOULD RATHER BE ANYWHERE ELSE,” Elvis Costello crooned as the Birmingham City players warmed up at Old Trafford before kick-off, “than here today.” As if they needed telling — and by a Scouser, too. After Tuesday’s 7-0 home defeat by Liverpool, the Birmingham players did not look at that stage as if they wanted to be on a football pitch anywhere.

legman open to offers · Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:55 pm

Strolling through the plumbing aisle at Home Depot with my soon-to-be. 45 starts with some good volume considering the setting. She quickly distanced from me 2 rows over until the song was done!

oldhamer · Post by **oldhamer** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 4:22 pm

I was wandering around Musiczone in Ashton (finally back in the North!!!) and I wandered in as the end of "Everyday I Write the Book" was playing. Then "Shipbuilding Came On". They were playing "The Very Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions". I left the shop when PL&U came on, but six/seven EC songs, that's not bad.... Plus I picked up the best of Nick Lowe for £3 in a charity shop earlier. I love being home!

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:19 am

Having lunch in Er Buchetto here in Ranelagh, Dublin and I start to recognise the tune playing quietly in the backround - it's Elvis and Lucinda Williams singing Wild Horses. Since that's only only the bootleg of the CMT show they did a few years ago I just had to ask where they were playing it from. A staff-members iPod , apparently.

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:08 am

I watched a programme on tv last night called 'Hooking up' all about internet dating. (A subject close to my heart as this is how I met the love of my life going on 10 years ago now!)

On it one of the guys sung an entire verse of 'Alison' to his internet date as he wined dined and showered her with flowers. He didnt do a bad job either - it would have hooked me!!