I bought Armed Forces by Elvis Costello for my 14th year birthday present when it came out, from the import section of Budget Tapes N Records in Kennewick, WA. I had never been as excited about an album’s packaging before studying Barney Bubbles’ work on that one, which I wasted many hours absorbing, loving the …
Steve Gans has said “there are two kinds of music: the kind you’re introduced to as a teenager, and everything else.” Quite true. I’ve been watching musical guests on SNL for decades, from the beginning to the present, and the two most memorable for me are still performances by Elvis Costello and the Specials which …
Elvis Costello burst onto the music scene in the late seventies, riding on the wave of punk & new wave that took over the world at the same time. His political lyrics and ability to fly in the face of the establishment earned him a place in the punk genre. His refusal to be censored …
Thanks to David Handelman for this: In 1987 and 1988 Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello recorded an album’s worth of collaborative material which was never released. Burning Wood has the demos for some of those songs. According to Sal Nunziato, the blog’s proprietor, some of the finished material from those sessions, “trickled out and found …
. Even when you’ve spent time as a professional rock critic, there are inevitably gaps in your musicology knowledge. And one of the aspects of music I’ve always loved is how musicians pay homage to mentors, inspirations, peers, and lesser-known talents by covering or, better still, collaborating with them, helping them reach a wider audience. …
. Even considering what a sucker I am for a love song, I do not think I’m overstating the sublimity of the lyric masterpiece She by Elvis Costello. Like many folks, the first time I heard the song was in the soundtrack for Notting Hill. Had Costello written it for the film, he surely would …
. . Not sure if this has been done elsewhere, or if there would be any interest, but I’ve always had a soft spot for great lyrical couplets. Elvis Costello is pretty much the master (and Dylan, of course) but it might be interesting to see a link where posters could put up their own …
Hard to believe I was almost 30 before I finally listened to Pet Sounds. SUMMERTIME, 1981 In preparation for my first cross-country road trip from the Midwest, to Seattle – where I’ve now made my home since 1985 – I was recording mix tapes to play in the car. I’d already filled several tapes with …
“The Weight” off The Band‘s 1968 album, Music From Big Pink has become the favored cover tune for every flavor and sector of Americana rock. Something in the loping, star-spangled bounce of the tune gives voice, meter and harmony to subtle, reassuring myths of rural America and has found appeal, not just in the land …