From the Archive: Elvis Costello Talks with David Remnick
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Deep Dive
What is the title of Elvis Costello's thirty-first studio album?
Hey Clockface.
What unusual combination of instruments is featured on 'Hey Clockface'?
Winds, cello, piano, and drums.
Why did Elvis Costello initially decide to focus on live performances around 2010?
He realized the traditional model of making a record and then touring to promote it was no longer viable.
How did Elvis Costello describe the process of creating 'Hey Clockface'?
He described it as an outlandish adventure, starting with flying to Helsinki to record songs spontaneously without demos, followed by a celebration in Paris with 30 people, and then a tour in England.
What was the significance of the location where Elvis Costello recorded part of 'Hey Clockface'?
He recorded in Helsinki, a place where he didn’t know anyone, which allowed him to focus purely on the music without distractions.
How did the pandemic affect Elvis Costello's touring plans?
He had to cancel the remainder of his tour as the pandemic worsened, recognizing the risk to his crew, band, and audience.
What new project did Elvis Costello work on leading up to the Presidential election?
He created 'Fifty Songs for Fifty Days', a series of songs that he described as not political but rather as an installation addressing societal issues.
Why does Elvis Costello avoid writing simplistic political slogans in his music?
He prefers to explore angles that others aren’t covering, aiming to avoid the simplistic nature of political slogans.
What does Elvis Costello say about the recurring nature of societal injustices?
He notes that many of the issues people are outraged about today have happened before, and songs can serve as reminders of this cyclical nature.
How has the pandemic allowed Elvis Costello to reconnect with his family?
He has spent uninterrupted time with his 13-year-old sons, something he hadn’t done since they were infants.
Shownotes Transcript