Elvis Costello Fan Forum (2024)

FAQs

Why is Elvis Costello so popular? ›

According to Rolling Stone, Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical traditions of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison with the raw energy and sass that were principal ethics of punk", noting the "construction of his songs, which set densely layered wordplay in an ever-expanding repertoire of styles."

The vast majority of whom appear to all support Liverpool F C. Elvis has agreed to use of "Shipbuilding" and "Oliver's Army" in the project and recorded a great footballing anecdote about his love for the Reds.

Working full time as a computer operator, he landed his first record deal with Stiff Records in 1977 and recorded his first album "My Aim Is True" while on vacation. The album was a smash hit in England and landed Costello a worldwide distribution deal with Columbia records.

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.

'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.

He had previously recorded a duet version of “This Year's Girl” for HBO's The Duece and was struck by how a different voice gave the song new colors. From there, it was just a hop, skip, and jump to imagining how the whole record would sound in a different language, albeit one that Costello doesn't speak.

Not many people are friends with their favorite football star, but of course Elvis was. Here he is with his friend and Cleveland Browns player Jim Brown. Elvis' favorite teams included the Browns and the Pittsburg Steelers.

Elvis Costello has always drawn from an eclectic bunch of influences. Notorious for weaving his punk roots with threads pulled from nearly every style of music, he's been as quick to mine Motown classics as the confessional lyrics of Joni Mitchell or the straight-talking twang of George Jones.

Elvis Costello (OBE)

The singer/songwriter received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II on June 7, 2019.

In 1974, he married Mary Burgoyne, and had one son, Matthew. At the end of his first marriage, Costello had an affair with Bebe Buell, then-girlfriend of singer Todd Rundgren, and the mother of Steven Tyler's daughter Liv Tyler. In 1986, Costello married Pogues bassist Cait O'Riordan, and they split up by 2002.

How do you describe Elvis Costello? ›

Elvis Costello (born August 25, 1954, London, England) is a 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 the Beatles—from an early age.

Costello has composed songs for Roy Orbison, Georgie Fame, Chet Baker, Dusty Springfield, Solomon Burke and Johnny Cash and written songs with Loretta Lynn, Bill Frisell, Aimee Mann, Chris Difford, Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson, Carole King and his wife, Diana Krall.

Lowe also produced Elvis Costello's first five albums, from 1977 to 1981, including My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, and Armed Forces, which spun off numerous UK hit singles.

His father's influence on him was evident early on, as he began playing piano at age nine and guitar at age eleven. He took up the stage name Elvis Costello when he began performing in pubs in the mid-1970s. His first single, Less Than Zero, was released in 1977 and made it to number five on the British charts.

Elvis Costello's wealth primarily stems from his prolific music career. His debut album My Aim is True was a significant success, paving the way for numerous subsequent albums. Notable albums like This Year's Model and Armed Forces garnered critical acclaim and high sales, contributing greatly to his income.

The name "Napoleon Dynamite" is a pseudonym used by Elvis Costello for his 1986 album, "Blood and Chocolate." Executive producer Jeremy Coon had stated that the similarity is a coincidence and that the producers were unaware of Costello's usage of the name until the film was in production.

GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Elvis Costello has been forced to cancel the remaining six shows of his ongoing European tour after revealing he was recently diagnosed with cancer. The 63-year-old underwent surgery in May to remove a "small but aggressive cancerous malignancy" before beginning his summer tour.