Unfaithful Music And Disappearing Ink

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Don't Start Me Talking

20151116

20151117 (R4)

Had he not picked up a guitar, and put on the black glasses and porkpie hats, Elvis Costello might easily have been a poet, a Charles Simic or a Paul Muldoon,' New York Times

Elvis Costello, one of the greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take of his 40 years at the top of the music business.

Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player on the White Star Line and son of dance-band singer. Costello went into the family business and before he was twenty-four had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave movement. His album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with a reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison. Costello has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award, and in 2003, Costello and the Attractions were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Today, Costello returns to the Hammersmith Palais, his father's old stomping ground, and looks back to those heady early days of British punk.

Written and read by Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello returns to the Hammersmith Palais, his father's old stomping ground.

Accidents Will Happen

20151117

20151118 (R4)

Elvis Costello, one of Britain's greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take of his 40 years at the top of the music business.

Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player on the White Star Line and son of dance-band singer. Before he was twenty-four, he had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave movement. His album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with an early reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison. Costello has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award, and in 2003, Costello and the Attractions were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In this typically idiosyncratic memoir, he charts his often unlikely rise to international success, the experiences that inspired his best-known songs, as well as the absurdities and the darker sides of fame. Today: Costello looks back on how his early childhood in 1950s London fed into his music.

Written and read by Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello looks back on how his early childhood in 1950s London fed into his music.

This World Is Killing You

20151118

20151119 (R4)

Elvis Costello, one of the greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take on his 40 years at the top of the music business.

Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player on the White Star Line and son of dance-band singer. At twenty-four he had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave movement. His album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with a reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison.

Today, Costello leaves Liverpool to make his fortune in London. But an early marriage, fatherhood and a dead-end job, seem to be at odds with the life of a would-be popstar

Written and read by Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello leaves Liverpool to make his fortune in London.

Pop Star Period

20151119

20151120 (R4)

Elvis Costello, one of the greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take on 40 years at the top of the music business.

Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player and son of dance-band singer. At twenty-four he had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave. Costello's album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with a reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison.

Today, a persona is created, a band is formed, and the idiosyncrasies of Top of the Pops are endured.

Written and read by Elvis Costello

A persona is created, and the idiosyncrasies of Top of the Pops are endured.

05 LAST

Diving For Pearls

20151120

20151121 (R4)

Elvis Costello, one of the UK's greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads the final part of his witty, frank and very irreverent take on 40 years at the top of the music business.

Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player and son of dance-band singer. At twenty-four he had his first record deal and was at the forefront of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave. Costello's album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. He has since gone on to collaborate with some of the greats in music this century, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison.

Today, infamy in the US, and protest songs at home.

Written and read by Elvis Costello

Infamy in the US and protest songs at home.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Don't Start Me Talking	20151116	20151117 (R4)	Had he not picked up a guitar, and put on the black glasses and porkpie hats, Elvis Costello might easily have been a poet, a Charles Simic or a Paul Muldoon,' New York Times Elvis Costello, one of the greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take of his 40 years at the top of the music business. Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player on the White Star Line and son of dance-band singer. Costello went into the family business and before he was twenty-four had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave movement. His album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with a reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison. Costello has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award, and in 2003, Costello and the Attractions were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In this typically idiosyncratic memoir, he charts his often unlikely rise to international success, the experiences that inspired his best-known songs, as well as the absurdities and the darker sides of fame. Today, Costello returns to the Hammersmith Palais, his father's old stomping ground, and looks back to those heady early days of British punk. Written and read by Elvis Costello Elvis Costello returns to the Hammersmith Palais, his father's old stomping ground.
02	Accidents Will Happen	20151117	20151118 (R4)	Elvis Costello, one of Britain's greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take of his 40 years at the top of the music business. Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player on the White Star Line and son of dance-band singer. Before he was twenty-four, he had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave movement. His album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with an early reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison. Costello has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award, and in 2003, Costello and the Attractions were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In this typically idiosyncratic memoir, he charts his often unlikely rise to international success, the experiences that inspired his best-known songs, as well as the absurdities and the darker sides of fame. Today: Costello looks back on how his early childhood in 1950s London fed into his music. Written and read by Elvis Costello Elvis Costello looks back on how his early childhood in 1950s London fed into his music.
03	This World Is Killing You	20151118	20151119 (R4)	Elvis Costello, one of the greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take on his 40 years at the top of the music business. Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player on the White Star Line and son of dance-band singer. At twenty-four he had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave movement. His album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with a reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison. Today, Costello leaves Liverpool to make his fortune in London. But an early marriage, fatherhood and a dead-end job, seem to be at odds with the life of a would-be popstar Written and read by Elvis Costello Elvis Costello leaves Liverpool to make his fortune in London.
04	Pop Star Period	20151119	20151120 (R4)	Elvis Costello, one of the greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads his witty, frank and very irreverent take on 40 years at the top of the music business. Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player and son of dance-band singer. At twenty-four he had his first record deal as part of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave. Costello's album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. Known for his lyricism, and with a reputation as something of an 'angry young man', he has gone on to become one of he elder statesmen of pop, collaborating with many music legends, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison. Today, a persona is created, a band is formed, and the idiosyncrasies of Top of the Pops are endured. Written and read by Elvis Costello A persona is created, and the idiosyncrasies of Top of the Pops are endured.
05 LAST	Diving For Pearls	20151120	20151121 (R4)	Elvis Costello, one of the UK's greatest and most influential singer-songwriters, reads the final part of his witty, frank and very irreverent take on 40 years at the top of the music business. Born Declan Patrick MacManus in London in 1954, Elvis Costello was raised in London and Liverpool, the grandson of a trumpet player and son of dance-band singer. At twenty-four he had his first record deal and was at the forefront of the the first wave of the British punk and new wave. Costello's album, 'My Aim Is True', was a huge hit, and with his band, The Attractions, he went on to record some of the most influential albums in the 1980s and 90s. He has since gone on to collaborate with some of the greats in music this century, including Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison. Today, infamy in the US, and protest songs at home. Written and read by Elvis Costello Infamy in the US and protest songs at home.