How do you explain EC to people who have no idea?

[toofargone]

Hi everyone,

I just had a beer or 2 (well, maybe 3) with a friend and the topic of EC came up (well, I brought it up). I told him how much I was looking forward to EC's Australian tour. Then came the questions I have heard so often.......Who is Elvis Costello? What does he sing?

I usually start my reponse with "have you heard the song Oliver's army?" If I get a blank look, I usually stop there. If I get a yes, I usually ask "what about Watching the detectives?" or "Good year for the roses?" I never seem to get any further than that, I didn't get a very positive response to those questions tonight from my friend, so I showed him a greatest hits (Spectacle) DVD hoping to "arouse" him (for want of a better word). Still not much of a response, but curiously he agreed to take a spare ticket I had to see EC in Melbourne 10th Oct. I suspect he is more interested in the beer before & after the show than the actual concert.

Does anyone have some advice on how to convert the non-believers? Or should we keep EC all to ourselves?

[Neil.]

God, that's a tricky one. People of around my age (41) have always heard of Oliver's Army, and like it. They might already know Pump It Up.

People ten years younger than me seem only to have heard of 'She' from the Notting Hill soundtrack, so that's really frustrating, as it's sooooo unrepresentative (and one of his worst vocals/recordings, I always think - even though it's a good song).

Actually getting someone into Elvis so that they become die-hard fans is a tough one.

I usually bung 'em a compilation CD and pray - but as I never give any serious time to compilation CDs that are given to me, how can I expect others to lavish serious listening time on mine?

The problem really is the fact that the older people get, the less receptive they become (myself included). There are more responsibilites and less time to indulge your cultural side.

So I managed to get my twentysomething cousins into Elvis, as they were still hungry for music. I don't think I've got anyone over thirty into Elvis in a big way.

I find it really hard to resist filling up a comp CD with 20-or-so-tracks, but for an introduction, it's probably best to keep it down to ten. I always warn my hapless victim that they won't like Elvis's voice when they first hear it - that it'll sound samey and grating, but once they get into the melodies and lyrics, they'll actually grow to love the idiosyncracies of his voice. I beg them to give the CD five good listens, with headphones, in the dark. I don't think anyone ever does!

Tracks for a 10-track CD would have to include some pop, rock, and balladry, to show his range. But I never get the final mix right - though I would say Oliver's Army is always good to kick off with. I tend to go with the following, as - and I have no way of proving this - I imagine they have good 'first listen' impact - but this could all be bollocks! (I often interchange some of them with Man Out Of Time, Black Sails in the Sunset, You Little Fool, and London's Brilliant Parade) It's so difficult!

Oliver's Army
Hoover Factory
I Hope You're Happy Now
Love For Sale
Pump It Up
Sweet Dreams
I Can't Stand Up...
Shatterproof
The People's Limousine
Couldn't Call It Unexpected

[A rope leash]

Around these parts, Everyday I Write the Book is the song people associate with Elvis Costello. It's because an automated lite rock station played it repeatedly back in the early Nineties.

Most people just don't get Elvis because he hasn't been shoved down their throats. I always suggest something that's hard to find, like Out of Our Idiot. It doesn't matter. Most people have already formed an opinion about Elvis and about Elvis Costello fans. He's weird and so are we.

I wouldn't try to turn anyone on to Elvis unless I really cared about them.