man out of place.

reading this article about elvis costello not digging the UK anymore reminded me of the time I interviewed the great man (in person! in his new york hotel room! this was when his album with burt bacharach came out — I interviewed him too — and I seemed to see declan macmanus all over town). I was dead excited about interviewing him and he seemed like the nervous one! and despite conducting the interview in a quiet hotel room, the tape recorder seemed to only record the white noise of an air-conditioner. I was able to salvage enough of it and mr bacharach’s interview to write something for time out new york. I really liked their album! anyway, I gave EC a copy of time out new york with liz phair on the cover, and he said she looked like celine dion in the photo. I also gave him a copy of chickfactor, and for some reason we discussed belle & sebastian; he’d written them off without even hearing them because, he said, “I don’t like scottish music.” wow! such a sweeping statement, and I have to say, he has missed out on a lot of good shit. what a shame. perhaps it’s the influence of that evil yuppie jazz singer diana krall…
the great bespectacled songwriter must be turning 50 this year because the first time I saw him (in 1982) was on his 25th birthday. he was touring to support the stellar imperial bedroom when I realized he was god’s gift to songwriters. I still try to pay attention but I think it’s been downhill since 1986. I will always have a soft spot for him, though.