Elvis Costello

As we finished the song, the initial reaction in the moment was, I think we better get out of here. Somewhere in it, somebody said in anger, you'll never work on American television again. But the idea I was banned from television is nonsense.

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. When rock and roll emerged in the days of Little Richard and Chuck Berry, Elvis and the Beatles, no one thought about long careers, the way a musician's work might evolve over time. But that was then. Now there are careers that are 40, 50 years long. Elvis Costello has been on the scene since the mid-70s, a leader of the new wave.

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. When rock and roll emerged in the days of Little Richard and Chuck Berry, Elvis and the Beatles, no one thought about long careers, the way a musician's work might evolve over time. But that was then. Now there are careers that are 40, 50 years long. Elvis Costello has been on the scene since the mid-70s, a leader of the new wave.

This is the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. When rock and roll emerged in the days of Little Richard and Chuck Berry, Elvis and the Beatles, no one thought about long careers, the way a musician's work might evolve over time. But that was then. Now there are careers that are 40, 50 years long. Elvis Costello has been on the scene since the mid-70s, a leader of the new wave.

But since then, he's led a vital and brilliant career of experiment and variation. And I've been following it all along.

But since then, he's led a vital and brilliant career of experiment and variation. And I've been following it all along.

But since then, he's led a vital and brilliant career of experiment and variation. And I've been following it all along.

Costello's newest album, Hey Clockface, is out this month, and it was largely recorded before the pandemic. I spoke with him as he sat outside his house near the harbor in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is why you might even hear a foghorn in the background. I wonder how you approach new music like that.

Costello's newest album, Hey Clockface, is out this month, and it was largely recorded before the pandemic. I spoke with him as he sat outside his house near the harbor in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is why you might even hear a foghorn in the background. I wonder how you approach new music like that.

Costello's newest album, Hey Clockface, is out this month, and it was largely recorded before the pandemic. I spoke with him as he sat outside his house near the harbor in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is why you might even hear a foghorn in the background. I wonder how you approach new music like that.

If you feel that a new album must have either a new sound, a new thematic approach, how do you approach that idea of a new record?

If you feel that a new album must have either a new sound, a new thematic approach, how do you approach that idea of a new record?

If you feel that a new album must have either a new sound, a new thematic approach, how do you approach that idea of a new record?

Well, about 2010, I told people I was going to concentrate on live performance. I think that was coming to terms with the fact that the model that we had lived by for the previous years was no longer in existence. That was you made a record and then you went out on the road and you played the music of that album folded into your general repertoire.

Well, about 2010, I told people I was going to concentrate on live performance. I think that was coming to terms with the fact that the model that we had lived by for the previous years was no longer in existence. That was you made a record and then you went out on the road and you played the music of that album folded into your general repertoire.

Well, about 2010, I told people I was going to concentrate on live performance. I think that was coming to terms with the fact that the model that we had lived by for the previous years was no longer in existence. That was you made a record and then you went out on the road and you played the music of that album folded into your general repertoire.

sometime around then, maybe it was the way the record world itself was changing, that stopped happening. And so I put my work into first the revival of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook because it put all of my songs in play and left them to chance, literally. Then I was completing this book I'd been working on for a long time. I started to feel as if everything was about

sometime around then, maybe it was the way the record world itself was changing, that stopped happening. And so I put my work into first the revival of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook because it put all of my songs in play and left them to chance, literally. Then I was completing this book I'd been working on for a long time. I started to feel as if everything was about

sometime around then, maybe it was the way the record world itself was changing, that stopped happening. And so I put my work into first the revival of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook because it put all of my songs in play and left them to chance, literally. Then I was completing this book I'd been working on for a long time. I started to feel as if everything was about

using what you had and adding into it, and you could change the focus. You were no longer worried about, oh, I've got to play the hit single, you know?