Posted on 02/14/2020 9:28:16 AM PST by Cecily
Singer Elvis Costello and Jack Reacher author Lee Child are among the stars honoured by Prince Charles at the Buckingham Palace investitures today.
Mr Costello was made an OBE for services to music after a five decades-long career which has seen him inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and ranked by Rolling Stone as among the 100 greatest artists of all time.
Mr Costello described being honoured as a 'curious and gracious' experience, having initially been reluctant to accept the establishment endorsement. He smiled as he told how he imagined his late father, who he described as a non-violent Irish republican, might have reacted.
Explaining that his father had sang at the palace more than 50 years ago at a Christmas staff ball, he said: 'I know my dad would've loved the idea of one of the family coming through the front door.'
The 65-year-old, who was born Declan MacManus, said: 'Obviously it wouldn't be any secret that I never write any songs about "hooray for her majesty". But her resilience, you'd have to say that's unexpected.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Congrats to Elvis anyway.
Since we’re on this topic:
Keith Richards on Mick Jagger being knighted: “Mick should have held out for a lordship.”
Gotta love Keith.
My favorite picture of Keith is of him wearing the “Jagger Sucks” tee shirt.
Not sure why Elvis Costello is a “star.” He plays & sings like a 13 year old wannabe with his first guitar and 3 weeks of lessons. No inspiration, no style, homely as an outhouse rat, & married to Diana Krall. Go figure.
He is an annoying leftie and not the greatest vocalist in the world, but he and his original band The Attractions were great, especially keyboardist Steve Nieve.
He definitely didn’t get airplay. But I was a huge fan. You can think of him more in the Bob Dylan mold. He could write lyrics and songs with the best of them.
His voice is definitely a take it or leave it thing. I totally despised his voice initially. Ironically it all changed the first time I saw him in concert.
His first 5-6 albums are quite good. And yes, the Attractions (his backing band from his second album on) are a very tight combo!
And lastly, yes, he is a lefty. Like 98% of artists/musicians.
“You could think of him more in the Bob Dylan mold.”
Actually, no I couldn’t. I’ve been a Dylan fan for 50+ years & they’re not even in the same league, IMO.
Pick any song from Costello’s catalog! —and compare with anything in Dylan’s.
There is no comparison. Dylan = not just song lyrics, but poetry. Passion, depth, irony, Biblical references, woven into musical tapestries that lend to 1000s of interpretations by multitudes of cover artists.
Costello’s lyrical product is trite, 1-dimensional teenage pop schlock— catchy, yes; inspired by the holy muse, no— his musical licks studio-manufactured by engineers that he manages to reproduce onstage & make money. Yay! He can strum & even shred! Therefore: rock star! Big whoop, IMO.
FWIW, my Dylan collection includes the Chimes of Freedom tribute album of numerous artists covering Dylan. One of only 2 selections on the 4 CD set that I absolutely hate is Costello’s take on License to Kill. OTOH, his wife Diana Krall offers a sublime rendition of Simple Twist of Fate.
But if Costello floats *your* boat, that’s fine with me.
Rant off/ we can still be FRiends, though, right? :-)
You’re way off with your evaluation of his lyrical composition abilities.
And I like Dylan but if you have a problem with Costello’s singing but didn’t mention Mr Zimmerman’s mastery of the vocals - well. I don’t know what to say.
And FWIW, the absolute worst live concert I ever attended was Bob Dylan at a small theater in Davenport IA.
He was literally into the song at least 45 seconds before I identified it as Mr Tambourine Man. But at least I can say I saw a ‘legend’.
And yes, we can still be friends.
His first three albums were good. After them, meh.
You’ve obviously never listened to Imperial Bedroom.
The whiskey & cigarette vocals matter least to me. In a way, it’s part of the appeal, when I’m in the mood for whiskey & cigarettes.
It’s the *composition* of the songs that either grabs me or doesn’t.
Ive attended numerous Dylan concerts, though, and Ill agree with you there— due to volume, feedback & lousy accoustics, a few were a “hard rain” on the ears, leaving me wondering, geez, did they even bother with a sound check?? At my age I’ll spend my $ on CDs & skip the overpriced concert tickets— regardless the artist.
Be well, FRiend.
It’s shame that Costello and McCartney didn’t collaborate more, “Veronica” is a fantastic song. I think Costello could have fit the Lennon role perfectly.
That album sounds to me a lot like The Clash. Although never a particular favorite of mine, The Clash was far superior, IMO.
It sounds nothing like the Clash.
That is true, but they didn’t have the personal, growing up together and salad days bond that Lennon and McCartney had. Both were already established artists and probably too busy to schedule much time together.
History repeats the old conceits
The glib replies the same defeats
Keep your finger on important issues
With crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues
I’m just the oily slick
On the windup world of the nervous tick
In a very fashionable hovel
I hang around dying to be tortured
You’ll never be alone in the bone orchard
This battle with the bottle is nothing so novel
So in this almost empty gin palace
Through a two-way looking glass
You see your Alice
You know she has no sense
For all your jealousy
In a sense she still smiles very sweetly
Charged with insults and flattery
Her body moves with malice
Do you have to be so cruel to be callous
And now you find you fit this identikit completely
You say you have no secrets
And then leave discreetly
................
Costello is a leftist Idiot that happens to be exceptionally talented.
I’ve seen him a dozen times live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6WijeNYKuA&list=RDi6WijeNYKuA&start_radio=1
Yep
Have you seen this (Elvis at the White House singing Penny Lane to Paul)?
m.youtube.com/watch?v=vSo-VFTq5PU
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