Tag Archives: Elvis Costello

Since You’ve Been Gone

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A blasé Saturday and that’s fine by me. Stayed up last night watching Elvis Costello interviewing Elton John. It was quite good. Elton discussing Leon Russell, Laura Nyro and David Ackles and how much of an influence they were on him.

Some footage of each artist, each clip less than a minute though. Elton is so pudgy now. He looked comfortable with it, so good for him. Elvis opened the show singing Border Song with Allen Toussaint who may be his musical director.

They did release an album a while ago, singing songs about Hurricane Katrina. They also sand Working in a Coalmine, which is a Toussaint song. Elton sang a good portion of Burn Down the Mission, which was a favorite Elton song for me a number of years ago. It was worth watching.

After that I went to sleep waking up around 9:00 this morning. Pretty cold, temperatures in the low 30’s. Bill in Stuyvesant Town, we talked on the phone. I got the papers and some foodstuffs then started the laundry after breakfast.

Watched the Office and 30 Rock, recorded on Thursday night. Very very funny. 30 Rock was the funnier of the two.

Stopped by the Hoboken library to pick up a book I ordered a few weeks ago and forgot all about it. Turned out to be Frontman by Richard Barone. I was embarrassed and promptly put it in my bag.

I don’t know what made me order it in the first place, I think it was an online article from Popdose, an email I get daily. It was from an interview with Richard Barone and how great he is blah blah blah.

I used to think that, but as time went on I changed my feelings and now think Jim Mastro is great and Richard Barone, not so much. He’s genuinely nice that Jim, as are Rob and Frank. With Barone it seems like it’s phony.

Never got around to buying the Bongo’s Drums Along the Hudson on CD though I did take it out of the library and now it’s an mp3.

Decided to head into the city to visit Farfetched. Before that I went to Virgin and bought the latest Mojo and Uncut magazines. Big sale on cd’s. Guess they’ll be liquidating soon since the Virgin Mega-stores will be shuttered in the next year I think.

People roaming around but not really buying anything. That’s the case at Farfetched as well. No one has much money for anything this year during the holiday season and of course there is the worry about whether or not they will have jobs come Monday or the week after that or the week after that and so on.

It was good to see Harpy and Lois behind the counter. It seems pretty much definite that I won’t be working there this season. I’m pretty sure I would have heard something by now. But it’s cool.

I have a day job and this is Susan and Lois and Harpy’s main source of income. I’m not greedy.

Walked through Manhattan having a Padron and headed to the Path train. That’s about it.

The Vatican will NOT support a UN resolution to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. I’m so glad I have nothing to do with those ‘men’ in fancy dresses and hats anymore. Somethings are just too gay, even for me.

What did YOU do today?

Have Mercy on the Criminal

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It’s Thursday again and it’s a bit drizzly outside right now. I only say that since I tied up the newspapers and left them at the curb and that’s when I noticed the drizzle. Last night, a quiet night again. No raucous nights anymore. All very quiet and I’m fine with that.

Spoke with Bill on the phone last night and I think I bummed him out somewhat. Either I did or he’s coming down with a cold. I prefer the cold, not for health reasons but rather to ease my mind and free it of guilt. It’s a cold. I know this since I am presently on the phone with him. Runny nose, scratchy throat are his symptoms.

I restored the factory settings on the iPod, effectively wiping out 7000 tracks. Been reloading the iPod and I am up to over 5000 tracks. This is the point when I look for a favorite song while walking around then I realize that it hasn’t been reloaded. That will probably happen a few weeks from now.

Also the tedious anal retentive part where I restore an album like XTC’s Drums and Wires to the original vinyl track listing rather than the revised listing on the cd. Yes, I am that anal when it comes to music.

Have to make sure all of Grace Jones is there and most but not all of the 6 disc Beatles Anthology. I also collect all the downloads of let’s say, the Police, maybe 8 tracks which I re-edit and re-label as C.O.P.S. instead of the different titles from the albums they were originally on.

I recorded the Elvis Costello talk show on Sundance Channel called Spectacles. His first guest for the whole show was Elton John. Elton was responsible for me getting into Elvis Costello 30 effin years ago.

I remember (more anal retentiveness) listening to WPIX FM and they announced that Elton had received an award in the UK naming him the Artist of the Year. Elton supposedly refused the award since it was in one of his ‘retirement’ years and announced the award should go to Elvis Costello who to me was that guy who looked like the child of Buddy Holly and Woody Allen.

Elton has great taste in music though and also inadvertently turned me onto Massive Attack. I haven’t watched the show yet so who knows what the hell they talked about.

I did win a pass online to see a taping with Elvis and Rufus Wainwright. 20 years ago I would have been there, but it was at the Apollo Theater and it was scheduled 3 hours after I left work and finding something to do for a few hours paled when I thought about just going home, so I didn’t go. No regrets though.

I woke up earlier than I have the past few days and was out the door just as Matt Lauer started running his mouth. As I turned the corner onto 6th Street I noticed I left my wallet at home so I had to climb 4 flights of stairs for it so I probably missed Casey Chasm.

Bus ride was uneventful and once again I was disdainful of the other riders. As I was crossing Eighth Avenue in the city I had to walk with my fellow commuters into oncoming traffic since a flat bed truck had blocked the pedestrian walkway.

It was reassuring to see 2 traffic cops having a nice little chat while a few dozen people faced impending vehicular homicide. It was more of the same, some really dumb people always in my way.

I did run an errand and wound up meeting up with Vinny of Wanker Banker days as well as Dave G and Renee who still work there. Some catching up, who’s where, who’s looking, who’s about to lose their job. It was all good though.

Walked with Dave G as he was on a hunt for smoothies. It was good catching up with good people like that. Seems long ago that I worked with them though it was less than two years.

Walked across town, enjoying a cigar and got on a bus where I was joined by Casey Chasm. More catching up. It was good to see him. He’s a good egg man and I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob.