Elvis Costello is a popular British singer and songwriter. He managed to influence the development of modern pop music. At one time, Elvis worked under creative pseudonyms: The Imposter, Napoleon Dynamite, Little Hands of Concrete, DPA MacManus, Declan Patrick Aloysius, MacManus.
The career of a musician began in the early 1970s of the last century. The singer's work was associated with the birth of punk and a new wave. Then Elvis Costello became the founder of his own group The Attractions, which was the musician as support. The team led by Elvis traveled the world for more than 10 years. After the band's popularity declined, Costello pursued a solo career.
During his active creative career, the musician has put on his shelf many prestigious awards. Including from Rolling Stone, Brit Award. The personality of the musician deserves the attention of fans of quality music.
Childhood and youth of Declan Patrick McManus
Declan Patrick McManus (real name of the singer) was born on August 25, 1954 at St Mary's Hospital in London. Patrick's father (Ross McManus) was Irish by birth, but most importantly, the head of the family was directly related to creativity, as he was an outstanding English musician. The mother of the future star, Lillian Ablet, worked as a manager in a musical instrument store.
From childhood, parents tried to instill in their son a love for high-quality and good music. The first serious experience of working on stage occurred in early childhood. Then Ross McManus recorded music for advertising a cooling drink, and his son sang along with him on backing vocals.
When the boy was 7 years old, he moved to the outskirts of London - Twickenham. Secretly from his parents, he saved up money to buy a vinyl record. Patrick bought the Please Please Me compilation by the then-popular The Beatles at the age of 9. From that moment on, Declan Patrick began to collect various albums.
In adolescence, parents notified Patrick of a divorce. The boy was very upset by the separation from his father. Together with his mother, he is forced to move to Liverpool. In this city, he graduated from high school.
It was on the territory of Liverpool that the guy gathered his first group. Then he began to study in college and at the same time earn money in the office as a clerk. Of course, the guy spent most of his time rehearsing and writing tracks.
The creative path of Elvis Costello
In 1974 Elvis returned to London. There, the musician created the Flip City project. The team collaborated until 1976. During this period, Costello recorded several compositions as a solo artist. The works of the young musician did not go unnoticed. He was noticed by Stiff Records.
The first work for the label was the song Less Than Zero. The track was released in March 1977. A few months later, a full-fledged album, My Aim Is True, was released. The album was received warmly by critics. After the release of the Elvis album, Costello has been compared to Buddy Holly.
Soon, the artist signed a more lucrative contract with Columbia Records to release his own collections in the United States of America. Financial support was provided by Westover Coast Clover.
The composition Watching the Detectives took the lead in the music charts. This period is marked by the founding of The Attractions support act. The team appeared on the scene instead of the famous Sex Pistols. Interestingly, the appearance of musicians on stage was marked by a scandal. They performed tracks that were not on the program. Thus, the guys were banned from appearing on television for some time.
Soon the guys went on tour. As a result of the tour, the musicians presented the live album Live Live in 1978. The initial tour of Australia took place in December of the same 1978.
Increasing popularity of singer Elvis Costello in America
Costello went on a tour of the United States of America and Canada. This allowed him to find new points of contact for conducting musical experiments.
In 1979, the singer's discography was replenished with a third studio album, which was warmly received by both music critics and music lovers. The compositions of Oliver's Army and Accidents Will Happen took the lead in the music charts. A video clip was also released for the latest release.
In the early 1980s, the singer's repertoire was replenished with poignant and lyrical compositions. Among other tracks, the single I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down should be singled out. In the track, the musician used the so-called "word game".
A year later, the musician presented Trust with the unique track Watch Your Step. The edition appeared live on Tom Tom's the Tomorrow. By the middle of 1981, with Roger Bechirian, a unique sounding compilation called East Side Story was created.
In October of the same year, Elvis Costello delighted fans of his work with the album Almost Blue. The tracks of the compilation were filled with katri-style songs. Despite the musician's efforts, the album received mixed reviews from critics. From a commercial point of view, the record can not be called a success.
Some time later, the musician presented a better and more powerful LP Imperial Bedroom. Jeff Emerick took part in the recording of the disc. Elvis did not appreciate the marketing move, but in general the record was warmly received by fans.
Punch the Clock was released in 1983. A special feature of the collection is the duet with Afrodiziak. Under the creative name The Imposter, a publication has been released, which is aimed at the issues of elections in Britain.
In the same year, Elvis Costello presented the bright composition Everyday I Write the Book. A music video was also released for the track. The video features actors parodying Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Later, the musician provided vocals for Tomorrow's Just Another Day for Madness.
The breakup of The Attractions
By the mid-1980s, relations within the support group The Attractions began to heat up. The breakup of the team occurred immediately before the release of Goodbye Cruel World. The work, from a commercial point of view, turned out to be an absolute “failure”. In the mid-1990s, the musicians re-released Goodbye Cruel World. The tracks of the album will sound more powerful, "tastier" and more colorful.
In the mid-1980s, Elvis Costello took part in Live Aid. On stage, the musician brilliantly performed an old northern English folk song. The performance of the singer caused genuine delight among the audience.
At the same time, the album Rum Sodomy & the Lash was released for the punk folk group Pogues. Elvis Costello released his next albums under the creative pseudonym Declan MacManus. In May 1986, the musician performed at the Self Aid charity concert in Dublin.
A little later, Elvis gathered the musicians of the previously disbanded group to record a new album. This time the guys worked under the wing of an experienced producer Nick Lowe.
The new album was called Blood and Chocolate. This is the first compilation that did not include a single super hit. However, this did not upset Elvis very much; the musician spent days and nights in a recording studio to present a new creation to fans.
Another record was created under a new stage name - Napoleon Dynamite. The assembled team, led by Elvis Costello, went on a large-scale tour.
The final work for Columbia Records was the recording of the compilation Out of Our Idiot. After leaving, the musician signed a contract with Warner Bros. Soon, on the new label, the musician recorded the compilation Spike, co-authored with the outstanding Paul McCartney.
The work of Elvis Costello in the 1990s
In the early 1990s, the musician presented the LP Mighty Like a Rose to fans of his work. Music lovers from a number of tracks singled out the musical composition The Other Side of Summer. The song was created in collaboration with Richard Harvey.
Costello himself declared this period a time of experimentation with classical music. Elvis collaborated with the Brodsky Quartet. He also wrote musical material for the Wendy James LP.
In the mid-1990s, the musician expanded his discography with a collection of cover songs by Kojak Variety. This is the last record released by Warner Bros. In support of the collection, he went on tour with Steve Neave.
Steve and Peaty returned to work as a backup team for The Imposters. The terms of the contract were such that the band soon released a major studio album. We are talking about the collection Extreme Honey.
At this stage, Elvis Costello became artistic director of the popular Meltdown festival. In 1998, the musician signed a contract with Polygram Records. An initial collection was published here in collaboration with Burt Bacharach.
1999 was marked by the release of the musical composition She. The track was written for the popular movie Notting Hill. From 2001 to 2005 Elvis is busy reissuing a catalog of works. Almost every record was accompanied by a bonus in the form of an unreleased song.
In 2003, Elvis Costello, along with Steve van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl, performed The Clash's "London Calling" at the 45th Grammy Awards.
By the autumn of the same year, a collection of ballads with piano inserts was released. A year later, the first orchestral work Il Sogno was performed. At the same time, the singer's discography was replenished with a new album. The collection was called The Delivery Man.
Elvis Costello today
Since 2006, Elvis Costello has begun writing a number of plays and chamber operas. A few years later, the singer's discography was replenished with another disc. We are talking about the Momofuku album. During this period of time, the celebrity appeared at the final concert of the popular band The Police.
In July 2008, Costello received his PhD from the University of Liverpool. A year later, the musician presented the album Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, which was recorded with the participation of T-Bone Burnett. This period is marked by regular tours. Each performance of Elvis was accompanied by a full house.
The next album Wise Up Ghost was released only in 2013, and two years later Elvis published his memoirs Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink. Both works were received warmly by fans.
Elvis Costello tormented fans with his silence for 5 years. But soon his discography was replenished with the studio album Look Now. The release of the new compilation by Elvis Costello and his band Imposters Look Now took place on October 12, 2018 via Concord Music. The album was produced by Sebastian Krys.
The presented album included 12 tracks, and the deluxe edition - four more bonus tracks. In the United States of America, in support of the new collection, the musician went on tour already in November.
2019 was marked by the presentation of the mini-album Purse. The work received the highest marks from music critics. And Costello himself was pleased with the work done.
Artist Elvis Costello in 2020-2021
In 2020, Elvis Costello's repertoire was replenished with two tracks at once. We are talking about musical compositions Hetty O'Hara Confidential and No Flag. The musician himself calls the first composition "the story of a gossip girl who outlived her time." After the release of the tracks, the artist gave a concert for American fans.
In 2020, a new LP by E. Costello was released. We are talking about the collection Hey Clockface. The album was topped by as many as 14 tracks. Fans and music critics received the novelty incredibly warmly. Recall that the previous full-length album Costello released a couple of years ago, so for the "fans" the presentation of the LP was a big surprise.
At the end of March 2021, his discography became richer by one more mini-album. The record was called La Face de Pendule à Coucou. The compilation was topped by six francophone versions of three tracks from the Hey Clockface LP.
