On this date in 1954, Declan Patrick MacManus was born.Thankfully, somewhere in the mid-70s someone decided he should change that name if he wanted to be a rock star.
I have many songwriting heroes, Butch Walker, Ric Ocasek, Paul Westerberg, Steve Earle, Andrew McMahon, the list goes on and on... Elvis Costello towers well over all of them as the most important person to me ever to write a song.
Now, 1954 was a LONG time ago, and over the past many years, Elvis Costello has been releasing very low key (but still brilliantly genre-bending) albums, marrying jazz divas, and hosting a snoozer of a TV show that I really WANTED to like it, but... I've never been the type to automatically be sold on something just because my hero had something to do with it and the show doesn't do it for me...
So really, the man has generally been aging as gracefully as humanly possible. (another thing I've never been a big fan of I s'pose)
1994, with the release of 'Brutal Youth' was the last time Elvis Costello assumed the role of the witty, angry, rocker that got the world's attention in the first place. What a GREAT album. (and considering his first record was released 17 years before that, that's pretty damn impressive).
That has NOTHING to do with his birthday... but really, what a record.
Actually... it can have something to do with his birthday... give YOURSELF a present on Elvis Costello's birthday... and check out:
'13 Steps Lead Down' or 'This Is Hell' or 'Sulky Girl' or 'Kinder Murder' or especially '20% Amnesia'.
There will come a time when I will talk about the truely classic early Elvis records... but for now, enjoy your day Elvis... even though every day is pretty much your day in my universe. \m/
Now that your picture's in the paper being rhythmically admired...
Chris F'n Real
EC is hands down one of the best songwriters EVER. His Momufuku album from last year is pretty stellar and harkens back to Brutal Youth, as well his prime 70's releases. I've lots of great things about his most recent blue grass tinged album and his recent cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise" is absolutely haunting.
ReplyDeleteHappy B-Day Elvis!
-JJ
He covered 'Brilliant Disguise'????
ReplyDeleteMan, I'm slipping... that's by far my fave Bruce song ever... wow... I'm going huntin'.
Momufuku IS amazing... but I'm not sure I'm 100% on board with the 'Brutal Youth' comparrison. (mind you, I'm overly precious about that record too so...)
:-)
Cheers for the tip bro... I'm so excited to find that, I'm not even upset my comment going to appear... never mind...
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ReplyDeleteIt only took me like seven years to convince me but that you did!
ReplyDeleteEveryone one else, don't take CFR's word for read the book... er... cd... fuck it take his word for it, he's right, you can only fight it for so many years. ;)