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CNN Live Today

Interview with Elvis Costello

Aired September 24, 2003 - 11:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Elvis Costello's new album "North" is in stores this weekend. The CD is described as brooding, moody, and a mix of jazz and classical, sort of "Cold Quarter" meets "Joe Pants." All the songs are written for piano. There are fewer than a dozen bars of electric guitar on the entire album.
"North" shows another side and range of Elvis Costello. It has debuted to some excellent reviews, and he's our guest this morning.

Elvis, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

ELVIS COSTELLO, ENTERTAINER: Good morning. How are you?

KAGAN: Doing well.

Tell us about the inspiration for this new type of music for you?

COSTELLO: Well, I was on tour the end of last September with my band The Impostors, playing rock 'n' roll shows for 2 1/2 hours, found myself writing these songs in the late hours of the night, being woken up having to find a piano in the wings of the theater or in the dressing room. And this is what came out, these songs. I didn't realize I was writing an album. I just realized I was writing a group of songs that meant a lot to me, and at the end of it all, they seem to tell some kind of story.

KAGAN: Speaking of meaning a lot to me, is it possible that the inspiration in this music is coming so easily to you because you're in love and have found a wonderful lady?

COSTELLO: I am very fortunate in my life, and I don't think it's harmful.

KAGAN: And of course we should mention that's Diana Krall, one of the most fantastic jazz artists out there today, and she would be an inspiration to anybody. Let's talk about what you're doing tomorrow night. This thing live by request, a special on A&E, a number of artists have done it. Basically, you are at the whim of the viewers.

COSTELLO: The mercy.

KAGAN: Yes, exactly.

You do a concert where people can call in. People in the audience can just stand up and say they want to hear their favorite Elvis Costello song. You nervous about that? COSTELLO: No, I think it will be enormous fun. In the 1980s, I did a show in which I had all my songs up on a game show wheel and pulled people out of the audience to spin the wheel and select the next tune that we perform, so we're kind of used to this. We're veterans of this stuff. We're Thinking of sending a roaming camera down to the U.N. and getting the delegates there to maybe request a few turns.

KAGAN: Now that would be an interesting converging of worlds. If you could only do one of your songs, what's your favorite?

COSTELLO: I don't have a favorite. It changes all the time. Just as my favorite song by other people changes, depending on my mood, but it took -- tomorrow night, I'm hoping that we will be able to play songs from "North," along with songs from the very beginning of my career. Steve Nayeev (ph), the one I'm on tour with currently and I, will play sometime in the show. But also The Impostors are there. So we will play some rock 'n' roll as well. I'm kind of greedy. I want to be able to do all the music I love.

KAGAN: It's going to be great. Two hours is not going to be enough to do...

COSTELLO: We could do this for three days.

KAGAN: Any particular song that you're hope no one asks for that you're just tired of playing?

COSTELLO: No, we're not afraid of anything.

KAGAN: No fear going into this two-hour special on A&E.

COSTELLO: No, it's going to be great. I hope to hear from people. Obviously, I've seen the program. I saw Tony Bennett do it, and he was just fantastic. He was talking to the people, and they had stories connected to the songs. I have no idea how that will transfer with a rock 'n' roll band. People will have particular ideas about the songs that we will be performing, and it will be great to sing sort of live like this and to not know until a moment before you're going to what tune you're going play.

KAGAN: Well, as long as I have access, I'm going put my request in right now, OK?

COSTELLO: What is that?

KAGAN: I'm going to "Allison." That's my favorite.

COSTELLO: We'll see if it comes up. We'll spin the big, old wheel.

KAGAN: We'll be watching. Good luck with the new CD, with the new love and with the show tomorrow night. Thanks for being here. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 24, 2003 - 11:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Elvis Costello's new album "North" is in stores this weekend. The CD is described as brooding, moody, and a mix of jazz and classical, sort of "Cold Quarter" meets "Joe Pants." All the songs are written for piano. There are fewer than a dozen bars of electric guitar on the entire album.
"North" shows another side and range of Elvis Costello. It has debuted to some excellent reviews, and he's our guest this morning.

Elvis, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

ELVIS COSTELLO, ENTERTAINER: Good morning. How are you?

KAGAN: Doing well.

Tell us about the inspiration for this new type of music for you?

COSTELLO: Well, I was on tour the end of last September with my band The Impostors, playing rock 'n' roll shows for 2 1/2 hours, found myself writing these songs in the late hours of the night, being woken up having to find a piano in the wings of the theater or in the dressing room. And this is what came out, these songs. I didn't realize I was writing an album. I just realized I was writing a group of songs that meant a lot to me, and at the end of it all, they seem to tell some kind of story.

KAGAN: Speaking of meaning a lot to me, is it possible that the inspiration in this music is coming so easily to you because you're in love and have found a wonderful lady?

COSTELLO: I am very fortunate in my life, and I don't think it's harmful.

KAGAN: And of course we should mention that's Diana Krall, one of the most fantastic jazz artists out there today, and she would be an inspiration to anybody. Let's talk about what you're doing tomorrow night. This thing live by request, a special on A&E, a number of artists have done it. Basically, you are at the whim of the viewers.

COSTELLO: The mercy.

KAGAN: Yes, exactly.

You do a concert where people can call in. People in the audience can just stand up and say they want to hear their favorite Elvis Costello song. You nervous about that? COSTELLO: No, I think it will be enormous fun. In the 1980s, I did a show in which I had all my songs up on a game show wheel and pulled people out of the audience to spin the wheel and select the next tune that we perform, so we're kind of used to this. We're veterans of this stuff. We're Thinking of sending a roaming camera down to the U.N. and getting the delegates there to maybe request a few turns.

KAGAN: Now that would be an interesting converging of worlds. If you could only do one of your songs, what's your favorite?

COSTELLO: I don't have a favorite. It changes all the time. Just as my favorite song by other people changes, depending on my mood, but it took -- tomorrow night, I'm hoping that we will be able to play songs from "North," along with songs from the very beginning of my career. Steve Nayeev (ph), the one I'm on tour with currently and I, will play sometime in the show. But also The Impostors are there. So we will play some rock 'n' roll as well. I'm kind of greedy. I want to be able to do all the music I love.

KAGAN: It's going to be great. Two hours is not going to be enough to do...

COSTELLO: We could do this for three days.

KAGAN: Any particular song that you're hope no one asks for that you're just tired of playing?

COSTELLO: No, we're not afraid of anything.

KAGAN: No fear going into this two-hour special on A&E.

COSTELLO: No, it's going to be great. I hope to hear from people. Obviously, I've seen the program. I saw Tony Bennett do it, and he was just fantastic. He was talking to the people, and they had stories connected to the songs. I have no idea how that will transfer with a rock 'n' roll band. People will have particular ideas about the songs that we will be performing, and it will be great to sing sort of live like this and to not know until a moment before you're going to what tune you're going play.

KAGAN: Well, as long as I have access, I'm going put my request in right now, OK?

COSTELLO: What is that?

KAGAN: I'm going to "Allison." That's my favorite.

COSTELLO: We'll see if it comes up. We'll spin the big, old wheel.

KAGAN: We'll be watching. Good luck with the new CD, with the new love and with the show tomorrow night. Thanks for being here. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com