Elvis Costello

Well, you've recorded a new album, and you talk about the story of an album. How do you view the story of Hey Clockface? Hey Clockface, the title track is deriving from Fats Waller. You're nobody's nostalgist, but you're drawing on a musical history. You're writing about time, which seems to be a big theme in this record.

Well, you've recorded a new album, and you talk about the story of an album. How do you view the story of Hey Clockface? Hey Clockface, the title track is deriving from Fats Waller. You're nobody's nostalgist, but you're drawing on a musical history. You're writing about time, which seems to be a big theme in this record.

Well, let me start at the top. I mean, it was distinctly an outlandish adventure one cannot imagine now. It began with me leaving early for a tour in Britain and getting on a plane and flying, you know, do you remember that? Flying to Helsinki, somewhere where I literally don't know anybody. They don't know me so well. I found a little studio there that intrigued me.

Well, let me start at the top. I mean, it was distinctly an outlandish adventure one cannot imagine now. It began with me leaving early for a tour in Britain and getting on a plane and flying, you know, do you remember that? Flying to Helsinki, somewhere where I literally don't know anybody. They don't know me so well. I found a little studio there that intrigued me.

Well, let me start at the top. I mean, it was distinctly an outlandish adventure one cannot imagine now. It began with me leaving early for a tour in Britain and getting on a plane and flying, you know, do you remember that? Flying to Helsinki, somewhere where I literally don't know anybody. They don't know me so well. I found a little studio there that intrigued me.

I went in there with the songs in my head rather than any kind of demo form. I knew the nature of those particular songs. They needed to be brought to life in a moment and not worked at. I couldn't rehearse them with my band. I just had to start playing. And that approach freed me. Like they literally came into existence in the moment I made them.

I went in there with the songs in my head rather than any kind of demo form. I knew the nature of those particular songs. They needed to be brought to life in a moment and not worked at. I couldn't rehearse them with my band. I just had to start playing. And that approach freed me. Like they literally came into existence in the moment I made them.

I went in there with the songs in my head rather than any kind of demo form. I knew the nature of those particular songs. They needed to be brought to life in a moment and not worked at. I couldn't rehearse them with my band. I just had to start playing. And that approach freed me. Like they literally came into existence in the moment I made them.

And I had a young engineer who was very, very adept at the modern era of digital editing, which allowed me to do things that, you know, would have been impossible. So I would disagree that you can't get music of feeling and drive out of this technology. I went from there after three days to Paris. And here's another unimaginable scene for you.

And I had a young engineer who was very, very adept at the modern era of digital editing, which allowed me to do things that, you know, would have been impossible. So I would disagree that you can't get music of feeling and drive out of this technology. I went from there after three days to Paris. And here's another unimaginable scene for you.

And I had a young engineer who was very, very adept at the modern era of digital editing, which allowed me to do things that, you know, would have been impossible. So I would disagree that you can't get music of feeling and drive out of this technology. I went from there after three days to Paris. And here's another unimaginable scene for you.

30 people gathered in an apartment in Paris celebrating Steve Naive, my piano player of 43 years, you know, my colleague. my friend, celebrating both his birthday and receiving his French passport, a group of people kissing each other and eating cake off each other's plate, raising their glasses and singing La Marseillaise. I mean, can you imagine the danger we were in, you know?

30 people gathered in an apartment in Paris celebrating Steve Naive, my piano player of 43 years, you know, my colleague. my friend, celebrating both his birthday and receiving his French passport, a group of people kissing each other and eating cake off each other's plate, raising their glasses and singing La Marseillaise. I mean, can you imagine the danger we were in, you know?

30 people gathered in an apartment in Paris celebrating Steve Naive, my piano player of 43 years, you know, my colleague. my friend, celebrating both his birthday and receiving his French passport, a group of people kissing each other and eating cake off each other's plate, raising their glasses and singing La Marseillaise. I mean, can you imagine the danger we were in, you know?

Is the idea to get the existing music that's in your head down on wax, as it were, or is the idea to give them an idea and then go from there?

Is the idea to get the existing music that's in your head down on wax, as it were, or is the idea to give them an idea and then go from there?

Is the idea to get the existing music that's in your head down on wax, as it were, or is the idea to give them an idea and then go from there?

No, I mean, I knew how these songs should feel, and obviously I had no way of knowing that combination of instrumentalists would be quite as vivid as the recordings from Paris turned out to be. We then went and did a tour of England, you know, with the Impostors. We opened up in Liverpool in the dance hall where my mother used to dance when she was a young woman in the late 40s.

No, I mean, I knew how these songs should feel, and obviously I had no way of knowing that combination of instrumentalists would be quite as vivid as the recordings from Paris turned out to be. We then went and did a tour of England, you know, with the Impostors. We opened up in Liverpool in the dance hall where my mother used to dance when she was a young woman in the late 40s.

No, I mean, I knew how these songs should feel, and obviously I had no way of knowing that combination of instrumentalists would be quite as vivid as the recordings from Paris turned out to be. We then went and did a tour of England, you know, with the Impostors. We opened up in Liverpool in the dance hall where my mother used to dance when she was a young woman in the late 40s.