comment #1

jjgittes says ...

The comments about Sting are pretty priceless.

Elvis may have just released his "24th" album, but it'll always be his 4th that holds a special place in my heart. I'd say at various stages of my life I've owned 15+ of his albums, but a couple years back in a fit of mid-life crisis boredom, I sold off alot of stuff.......but I could never get rid of "Get Happy!!" - they'll have to pry that album from my cold dead hands.

comment #2

travis b says ...

good stuff...but wasn't "north" an album or two ago?

comment #3

travis b says ...

yeah..scratch my last comment..i wasn't paying attention to the date on the article.

comment #4

Dixon Steele says ...

I'm guessing one of things Elvis has also learned is racial tolerance.

Because, you see, he once called Stevie Wonder a "blind nigger". Oh yes he did.

And I also know that Sting devotes a good part of his time to charities i.e. the Rainforest Foundation.

What the hell has Costello ever promoted but himself?

comment #5

jjgittes says ...

It was Ray Charles, not Stevie.

The incident of course has nothing to do with racism on Elvis' part - it had to do with blind drunkeness, and him wanting to provoke Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett into a fight.

Also, Elvis of course was always involved in Rock Against Racism and Amnesty International causes - he's promoted quite alot besides himself.

You may not dig him, but you can't distort the facts.

comment #6

travis b says ...

dixon...elvis costello on numerous occasions has expressed real regret on the incident regarding Ray Charles (not steview wonder). I also suspect that if he truly was racist, he would not have collaborated with several black artists, including Allen Toussaint with whom he recorded his most recent album with.

comment #7

nemo says ...

When Jeff gets on a tear about one of his many, many bete noirs and pet peeves -- Eddie Murphy, Republicans, people who laugh too loud in coffee shops, fat people, men wearing flip flops, people with bad taste in clothes and entertainment, couch potatoes, the Oscars, film awards in general, chick flicks, ugly Americans, whatever, the list goes on and on -- he should try to cool out and take a little of old Elvis Costello's advice --

Oh I used to be disgusted
Now I try to be amused

comment #8

nemo says ...

Hey yeah, wasn't "Get Happy!!" just great? (Don't forget the double exclamation point!!) 20 songs on a single LP, 10 per side, each one about 2 minutes long (to make 'em all fit on an LP) and each and every song a little shining gem. You really got your money's worth and then some on that LP.

Hard to think of any of those songs in isolation from the whole album. Letting that album cast its spell over me gave me some of the happiest hours of the bleakest year of my life.

comment #9

SpinDozer says ...

'It was Ray Charles, not Stevie.

The incident of course has nothing to do with racism on Elvis' part - it had to do with blind drunkeness, and him wanting to provoke Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett into a fight.'

yup, if memory serves it also had to do with RC playing Vegas, selling out and as you sed, too much booze. Tie it together with, wot was it, 'emotional fascism'? And you have the makings of a real controversy.

I was actually disappointed with Get Happy!!, need to pick up the deluxe edn w/50(!) trax and give it another chance.

comment #10

Hal says ...

Best Esquire piece ever was by Al Pacino. Really interesting, and though he is incredibly guarded, it is was so much more honest than this.

How disappointing! This makes me hate Costello a bit. He just came off as pretentious, blase and too hung up on style over substance. Like a rapidly aging, male Sofia Coppola.