what genre is elvis costello

Elvis Costello genre

New wave

power pop

punk rock

pub rock

Full Answer

See more

What is Elvis Costello known for?

Elvis Costello, original name Declan Patrick McManus, (born August 25, 1954, London, England), British singer-songwriter who extended the musical and lyrical range of the punk and new wave movements.

What was Elvis Costello's biggest hit?

'Oliver's Army' – Armed Forces 'Oliver's Army' is Elvis Costello's highest-charting single and it spent three weeks at number two in the UK, as well as charting in a number of other countries.

Are Diana Krall and Elvis Costello still married?

Elvis Costello has reflected on the unusual way he met his wife, in front of millions of people watching the Grammy Awards. The English singer-songwriter, born Declan Patrick MacManus, has been married to Canadian jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall since 2003.

What nationality is Elvis Costello?

BritishElvis Costello / Nationality

What are the most popular Elvis Costello songs?

SheOliver's ArmyAlisonEveryday I Write The BookPump It UpChelseaElvis Costello/Songs

Is Elvis Costello in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with The Attractions, and was nominated for a 2004 Academy Award for the song “Scarlet Tide” from Cold Mountain, which he co-wrote with T-Bone Burnett. In 2015 he published an acclaimed memoir, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink.

Does Elvis Costello have a child?

Dexter Henry Lorcan Ma...Frank Harlan James Ma...Matthew MacManusElvis Costello/Children

Why did Elvis Costello change his name?

Born Declan MacManus in London, Costello made the switch to the name we all know after signing his first recording contract. His new name was a two-part suggestion from his manager, borrowing 'Elvis' from Elvis Presley (probably a smart move for the time period) and his own father's stage name of Costello.

What songs did Elvis Costello sing?

SheOliver's ArmyAlisonEveryday I Write The BookPump It UpChelseaElvis Costello/Songs

Is the name Costello Irish or Italian?

Irish"Costello is both Irish and Italian. The Irish pronounce it CAH-stel-oh, with the accent on the first syllable. The Italians pronounce it cah-STEL-oh, with the accent on the second syllable." Eleven callers claimed the name Costello is neither Irish nor Italian, but Spanish.

What does the PJ in PJ Harvey stand for?

pjharvey.net. Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined local band Automatic Dlamini as a vocalist, guitarist and saxophonist. The band's frontman, John Parish, became her long-term collaborator. In 1991, she formed an eponymous trio called PJ Harvey and subsequently began her career as PJ Harvey.

What song made Elvis Costello famous?

“Pump It Up” Easily Costello's most recognizable song, “Pump It Up” is one of the few he's written whose core lovability can be boiled down to the fact that it's just a great, peppy punk dance rocker.

What was Elvis Costello's first hit?

Watching the DetectivesCostello released his first major hit single, "Watching the Detectives", which was recorded with Steve Nieve, Steve Goulding (drums) and Andrew Bodnar (bass)—the latter two being members of Graham Parker's backing band the Rumour.

What songs did Elvis Costello right?

SheOliver's ArmyAlisonEveryday I Write The BookPump It UpChelseaElvis Costello/Songs

When was Elvis Costello popular?

Beginning as one of Britain's new wave artists of the late 1970s and early '80s, Elvis Costello wrote and recorded a string of albums that challenged not only the musical style of the era, but the myriad styles of popular music.

What was Elvis Costello's band called?

The AttractionsElvis Costello & The Attract...1977 – 1986The New Basement TapesElvis Costello/Music groups

Who is Elvis Costello?

Full Article. Elvis Costello, original name Declan Patrick McManus, (born August 25, 1954, London, England), British singer-songwriter who extended the musical and lyrical range of the punk and new-wave movements. The son of musicians, Costello was exposed to a mix of British and American styles—dance-hall pop to modern jazz to ...

What was Elvis Costello's style?

The son of musicians, Costello was exposed to a mix of British and American styles—dance-hall pop to modern jazz to the Beatles —from an early age. During the early 1970s he lived in London, recording demos and performing locally while working as a computer programmer.

Is Costello an OBE?

Costello was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2019. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Patricia Bauer, Assistant Editor.

Did Elvis Costello divorce Diana Krall?

He and O’Riordan divorced in 2002, and the following year he married jazz musician Diana Krall.

Is Elvis Costello in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Costello penned a memoir, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink (2015), which was accompanied by the album Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album. Elvis Cost ello & the Attractions were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Costello was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2019.

Who was Elvis Costello?

Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Elvis Costello arrived as a sneering spitfire, the smartest and meanest singer/songwriter in the first wave of 1970s British punk backed by the Attractions, a band who could match his ferocity. Soon, Costello galloped away from the loud fast rules of punk, demonstrating his musical ...

What was Elvis Costello's first album?

Costello 's debut album, My Aim Is True, was released in the summer of 1977 to positive reviews; it climbed to number 14 on the British charts but it wasn't released on his American label, Columbia, until later in the year. Along with Nick Lowe, Ian Dury, and Wreckless Eric, Costello participated in the Stiff label's Live package tour in the fall. At the end of the year, Jake Riviera split from Stiff to form Radar Records, taking Costello and Lowe with him. Costello 's last single for Stiff, the reggae-inflected "Watching the Detectives," became his first hit, climbing to number 15 at the end of the year.

What album did Elvis Costello record?

Costello reunited with the Attractions to record the majority of 1994's Brutal Youth, the most straightforward and pop-oriented album he had recorded since Goodbye Cruel World . The Attractions backed Costello on a worldwide tour in 1994 and played concerts with him throughout 1995. In 1995, he released his long-shelved collection of covers, Kojak Variety. In the spring of 1996, Costello released All This Useless Beauty, which featured a number of original songs he had given to other artists but never recorded himself. Painted from Memory, a collaboration with the legendary Burt Bacharach, followed in 1998. The album was a success critically, but it only succeeded in foreign markets, outside of its home countries of the United States and Britain. A jazz version of the record made with Bill Frisell was put on hold when Costello 's label began to freeze up due to political maneuvering. Undaunted, Costello and Bacharach hit the road and performed in the States and Europe. Then, after Bacharach left, Costello added Steve Nieve to the tour and traveled around the world on what they dubbed the Lonely World Tour. This took them into 1999, when both Notting Hill and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me featured significant contributions from Costello. In fact, he appeared with Bacharach in the latter as one of a pair of Carnaby Street musicians, albeit street musicians with a gorgeous grand piano at their disposal.

What is the name of the album that Costello released?

Costello also compiled a companion album, Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album, which featured a career-spanning selection of songs from his catalog, as well as two previously unreleased selections. In July 2018, Costello revealed that he was recovering from a "small but very aggressive cancer.".

What was the first song that Costello wrote for Spike?

Spike featured the first appearance of songs written by Costello and McCartney, including the single "Veronica.". "Veronica" became his biggest American hit, peaking at number 19.

When I was cruel Costello?

When I Was Cruel kicked off another productive era for the ever-prolific Costello. In 2003, he returned with North, a collection of classically styled pop songs pitched halfway between Gershwin and Sondheim. The next year, he collaborated with his new wife, Diana Krall, on her first collection of original material, The Girl in the Other Room. That fall, Costello released two albums of his own original material: a classical work entitled Il Sogno and the concept album The Delivery Man, a rock & roll record cut with the Imposters. Issued in 2006, My Flame Burns Blue was a live album with Costello fronting the 52-piece jazz orchestra the Metropole Orkest; the release featured classic Costello songs (with new orchestral arrangements) alongside new compositions and a performance of Il Sogno in its entirety.

When did Elvis Costello record another album?

Costello would not record another album with the Attractions until 1994. During 1987, Costello negotiated a new worldwide record contract with Warner Bros. and began a songwriting collaboration with Paul McCartney. Two years later, he released Spike, the most musically diverse collection he had ever recorded.

What was Elvis Costello's talent?

Elvis Costello's talent for songwriting and performance grew throughout the early 1970s, during which time he showcased his abilities on the local pub rock circuit. According to the Guardian, Costello's father advised the young musician to avoid drawing attention to his family's musical history — his father's group, the Joe Loss orchestra, was known as the U.K.'s biggest dance band in their heyday – but despite his musical connections, Costello was far from being an industry plant.

Why did Elvis Costello pull out of his tour?

That is, until 2018, when he announced to the world that he was pulling out of his remaining summer tour as a result of prostate cancer. According to RTE, Costello said the diagnosis was like "entering into the unknown."

Why was Costello's song "This Year's Girl" misinterpreted?

"This Year's Girl," for example, was criticized by some as misogynistic, though Costello himself later wrote that the song is a critique of the male gaze (via Vulture ).

Why was Liverpool a hotspot for pop music?

One version is that a group of Liverpool-based sailors known as the Cunard Yanks would bring American records to the port city , which were unavailable anywhere else (per the Guardian ). More recently, researchers have come to the more prosaic conclusion that Liverpool's NEMS record store was the key. The shop had the unusual policy of stocking every record issued in the U.K., and also had free listening booths, per B ob Pitt. Tellingly, the store was owned by Brian Epstein, who would go on to become the Beatles ' influential manager. Liverpool's musical heart was still beating strongly when, in 1971, Declan MacManus moved with his Liverpudlian mother, Lillian, from Twickenham, London, to Birkenhead, just across the river from Liverpool. Declan MacManus would become better known as Elvis Costello.

What is Costello's spinning songbook?

But in the 21st century, Costello has come up with an ingenious method of ensuring his back catalog gets even treatment, with the use of the "spectacular spinning songbook," a gig gimmick that he first performed in the 1980s (per the Guardian ). A la Wheel of Fortune, Costello and his musicians are joined on stage by a huge wheel, on which 40 of his best-loved songs are written, and audience members are invited up to "spin the wheel for England" and choose which song from Costello's extensive back catalog the band plays next — to rapturous audience reaction, and, per the same source, to rave reviews.

Where is Elvis Costello performing in 2020?

In March 2020, Elvis Costello returned to Liverpool for a homecoming gig. The city was the birthplace of both his parents, and where he made his first musical steps. The show, at the city's historical Olympia Theater, received rave reviews from major British news outlets such as the Guardian , which highlighted one very personal resonance that Costello had brought to the show.

Was Elvis Costello married?

As described in his 2015 autobiography, "Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink" (via Vulture ), Costello's early years as a musician were fraught with financial difficulty. By 1974, Costello was married, and the couple welcomed their first child, Matthew, shortly after. While Costello was eking out a living with irregular live performances in local pubs and attempting to gain attention for his music by sending a string of demos to British record companies, he also worked a number of a day jobs, including at a bank and at the Elizabeth Arden cosmetics company. His wife, Mary, also worked, but the two failed to make ends meet, and were forced to move in with Costello's in-laws to get by until Costello finally secured a deal with Stiff Records.

Nick Lowe

Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in power pop and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and har... [wikipedia] Find more bands like Nick Lowe

Joe Jackson

David Ian "Joe" Jackson (born 11 August 1954) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. Having spent years studying music and playing clubs, Jackson scored a hit with his first release, "Is She Really Going Out with Him?", in 1979. This was followed by a n... [wikipedia]

Squeeze

Squeeze are a British rock band that came to prominence in the United Kingdom during the new wave period of the late 1970s, and continued recording in the 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. In the UK, their singles "Cool for Cats", "Up the Junction" and "Labelled with Lo... [wikipedia]

Graham Parker

Graham Parker (born 18 November 1950, Hackney, East London) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.... [wikipedia] Find more bands like Graham Parker

Paul Weller

Paul John Weller (born 25 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame with the punk rock/new wave/mod revival band The Jam. He had further success with the blue-eyed soul music of The Style Council (1983–1989), before establish... [wikipedia]

Robyn Hitchcock

Robyn Rowan Hitchcock (born 3 March 1953) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano, and bass guitar.... [wikipedia]

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

The Attractions were an English backing band for the English new wave musician Elvis Costello between 1977 and 1986, and again from 1994 to 1996. They consisted of Steve Nieve (keyboards and ukulele), Bruce Thomas (bass guitar), and Pete Thomas (drums). They a... [wikipedia] Find more bands like Elvis Costello & The Attractions

How many albums does Elvis Costello have?

Currently, he can boast a catalogue of over 30 studio albums, which is not often seen.

What genre did Costello explore?

Instead of remaining within the framework of fast-paced new-wave songs, he explored the works of the aforementioned Burt Bacharach, as well as the genre of jazz. This knowledge helped Costello grow into other more ‘sophisticated’ genres.

What is Elvis Costello's greatest song?

Elvis Costello’s 10 greatest songs of all time: 10. ‘Complicated Shadows’ – All This Useless Beauty. When Costello wrote ‘Complicated Shadows’ he asked Johnny Cash if he had any interest in singing it, but he would decline. All This Useless Beauty came out in 1996 and peaked at number 28 on the UK album charts.

What does Costello sing about?

In this song, Costello sings from the perspective of someone at a wedding who’s observing the superficiality of a wedding between a couple that is doomed to fail. He resists the urge to voice this observation, something he would have done when he was younger – when he was cruel.

Why did Costello remove the personal pronouns?

After he wrote the song with Attractions’ keyboard player Steve Nieve, Costello removed all the personal pronouns because “this was pop music, not a confession.”. 7. ‘ (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea’ – This Year’s Model.

When was this year's girl by Elvis Costello released?

Released in 1977 on Elvis Costello and The Attractions’ brilliant first album, This Year’s Model, ‘This Year’s Girl’ received a lot of pushback for its seeming misogynistic nature. Costello, however, adamantly refuted this notion and said that he wrote it in response to The Rolling Stones’ ‘Stupid Girl’. Instead, Costello’s song is a criticism of superficial fashion and the fickleness of it. In response, Costello said, “Everything in the song is about the way men see women and what they desire from them.”

When did Elvis Costello start his career?

Costello released his debut album, My Aim is True, in 1977, and the following year he formed a partnership with his backing band, The Attractions and released This Year’s Model and would continue to work with them until 1986. He would also work with another band called The Imposters in the early 2000s. Costello has been called an encyclopedia of ...