Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello (Declan Patrick MacManus) was born on August 25th, 1954 and is currently 71 years old. Elvis Costello was born in London, England.
Elvis Costello is an English author and singer-songwriter. He rose to popularity in the 1970’s as a participant in London’s pub rock music scene and was later involved with the New Wave and punk rock musical genres before establishing his voice in the 1980s.
Costello’s 2015 autobiography
Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink is filled with some of the best writing we’ve ever had from a popular musician. But that isn’t a surprise, as Costello has always been equivocal and word-drunk right from the beginning. Had he not been a musician, he’d have easily qualified as a poet.
Right from the first page, Costello sets out to tell readers everything about himself. From the first chapters, it's clear that his sharp prose follows the same sharp wit and strong power of observation as his famous lyrics. He leaves out no detail in his explanations, and one example is his remarks on Bruce Springsteen, whom he describes as someone who laughed like steam escaping from a radiator.
The structure follows Costello’s signature of unconventional approach to songwriting, and thus the reader must be readied to abandon any hope for a strict timeline. There are abrupt jumps in time. For example, one chapter focuses on his rise to fame in 1977 while the next returns to his birth.
The book however, covers every phase of his life despite the tangled structure. Costello talks about his childhood in London and Liverpool as well as his experiences of his father performing as a singer with the Joe Loss Orchestra.
Born Declan MacManus, Costello had an ordinary working-class life as a teen and young adult. One of the key moments in the book focuses on his sudden rise to fame in the 1970’s with the Attractions and Stiff Records.
Costello opens up about the origins of his songs and explains the influence behind them. He also reflects on his later years such as his marriage to Diana Krall and his work with string quartets and orchestras.
There is a lot of joy in the memoir along with a fair share of sadness and remorse. Costello also writes about his father’s ill health phase and the years prior to his death. He also admits responsibility for his repeated bad judgment and bad behavior in the early years of fame and mayhem.
In the end
Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink is written with the same inimitable touch as Costello’s lyrics. It’s chock full of musical history you won’t get anywhere else and vividly captures times in England’s rich cultural history.
Related Authors
Fans of Elvis Costello also enjoy these authors:
- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
- J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter Series.
- Harlan Coben, author of the Myron Bolitar Series.
- Linwood Barclay, author of the Promise Falls Series.
- Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch Series.
Elvis Costello: F.A.Q
When was Elvis Costello Born? How old is Elvis Costello?
Elvis Costello was born on August 25th, 1954. Elvis Costello is currently 71 years old.
Where was Elvis Costello Born?
Elvis Costello was born in London, England and is English.
What was the first book Elvis Costello wrote?
The first book written by Elvis Costello was Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, published in 2015.
What was the most recent book Elvis Costello wrote?
His most recently released work was The True Story of The Coward Brothers (a short story) on November 21st, 2024.
Are there upcoming new books by Elvis Costello?
Elvis Costello does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
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How many books has Elvis Costello written?
Elvis Costello has written 2 books. All of his books are Non-Fiction Books.