"Everything is personal"
Elvis tells a Norwegian 'paper -
"Progress and renewal is more important than success"'
Elvis Costello
EC: "Thereīs lots of dark and heavy songs on The Delivery Man. But when you perform something live, it should be with joy and surplus energy.
"Art is not democratic..itīs more like a sneaking dictatorship", Elvis
says, kicking at his critics.
Elvis Costello received a lot of strange reactions when he released two
albums simultaneously last fall. And on paper it might seem as if "The
Delivery Man", on which Elvis revels in his continuing fascination with
traditional American music, and "Ill Sogno", music for a ballet based
on Shakepearesī "A midsummer nightīs dream" are miles apart.
Costello begs to differ, though.
"By releasing the albums on the same day, I wanted to present them as
works of equal merit. When I released NORTH, which was the most honest and direct album Iīd ever done, the critics told me that this wasnīt the case". Instead they told me what I SHOULD have been doing", Costello quips in his dry and witty manner.
"Everything is personal"
"Of course, itīs totally legitimate not to like an album. But many critics, especially of the male gender....and they ARE in majority, simply couldnīt
accept NORTH for what it was. Just because it didnīt sound like
something I did 25 years ago", Costello rolls his eyes behind his hornrims.
"So I decided to short-circuit the problem by stating that all my work
is of equal important value to me. All these thing come from my head. They are all personal to me.The working-methods on TDM and Il Sogno are obviously very different and they are unique experiences and adventures. But itīs not as if one is a highly intellectual exercise, but rather an attempt to try something I havenīt done before. The other is an attempt to do something Iīve done before, but in a new and different way. Thatīs why they are equally spontaneous".
His critics and his audience have given him the thumbs-up. While
critics of classical music were amazed at the competence Costello showed in the arrangements on "Ill sogno", the rock critics praised TDM, because once again Costello is pushing the boundaries for what a rock album can be and sound like.
New and Old
" I do believe that we have a very strong set of songs with an open
structure. It clearly invites to doing concerts, and maybe even another
album if Iīm inclined. Last fall, when we did a concert in Memphis with the intent of making a live DVD, we put songs from TDM alongside some of my old songs, and they connected in a strange way, almost as if they were talking to each other. For example, the main character of The Delivery Man is named Abel and the fact that one of my old songs is called Blame it on Cain". I have the utmost respect for my fans and the audience, and I expect them to use their own imagination when they come to my concerts. " Elvis says in his challenging way.
Translated by Sverre Ronny Sætrum
"Progress and renewal is more important than success"'
Elvis Costello
EC: "Thereīs lots of dark and heavy songs on The Delivery Man. But when you perform something live, it should be with joy and surplus energy.
"Art is not democratic..itīs more like a sneaking dictatorship", Elvis
says, kicking at his critics.
Elvis Costello received a lot of strange reactions when he released two
albums simultaneously last fall. And on paper it might seem as if "The
Delivery Man", on which Elvis revels in his continuing fascination with
traditional American music, and "Ill Sogno", music for a ballet based
on Shakepearesī "A midsummer nightīs dream" are miles apart.
Costello begs to differ, though.
"By releasing the albums on the same day, I wanted to present them as
works of equal merit. When I released NORTH, which was the most honest and direct album Iīd ever done, the critics told me that this wasnīt the case". Instead they told me what I SHOULD have been doing", Costello quips in his dry and witty manner.
"Everything is personal"
"Of course, itīs totally legitimate not to like an album. But many critics, especially of the male gender....and they ARE in majority, simply couldnīt
accept NORTH for what it was. Just because it didnīt sound like
something I did 25 years ago", Costello rolls his eyes behind his hornrims.
"So I decided to short-circuit the problem by stating that all my work
is of equal important value to me. All these thing come from my head. They are all personal to me.The working-methods on TDM and Il Sogno are obviously very different and they are unique experiences and adventures. But itīs not as if one is a highly intellectual exercise, but rather an attempt to try something I havenīt done before. The other is an attempt to do something Iīve done before, but in a new and different way. Thatīs why they are equally spontaneous".
His critics and his audience have given him the thumbs-up. While
critics of classical music were amazed at the competence Costello showed in the arrangements on "Ill sogno", the rock critics praised TDM, because once again Costello is pushing the boundaries for what a rock album can be and sound like.
New and Old
" I do believe that we have a very strong set of songs with an open
structure. It clearly invites to doing concerts, and maybe even another
album if Iīm inclined. Last fall, when we did a concert in Memphis with the intent of making a live DVD, we put songs from TDM alongside some of my old songs, and they connected in a strange way, almost as if they were talking to each other. For example, the main character of The Delivery Man is named Abel and the fact that one of my old songs is called Blame it on Cain". I have the utmost respect for my fans and the audience, and I expect them to use their own imagination when they come to my concerts. " Elvis says in his challenging way.