Elvis Gets It

[RayRay]

Steal This Record

A Pastoral Address From The Right Reverend Jimmy Quickly

There was a time when the release of a new title by your favourite record artist was a cause for excitement and rejoicing but sadly no more.

6th December 2011 sees the issue of “The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook” by Elvis Costello and the Imposters.

This beautifully designed compendium contains all manner of whimsical scribblings, photographs and cartoons, together with some rock and roll music and vaudevillian ballads.

Tape and celluloid were rolling at the Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles in April this year and present a vivid snapshot of the early days of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook show on “The Revolver Tour” of 2011.

The live recording finds the Imposters in rare form, while the accompanying motion picture blueprints the wilder possibilities of the show, as it made its acclaimed progress across the United States throughout the year.

Unfortunately, we at www.elviscostello.com find ourselves unable to recommend this lovely item to you as the price appears to be either a misprint or a satire.

All our attempts to have this number revised have been fruitless but rather than detain you with tedious arguments about morality, panache and book-keeping - when there are really bigger fish to filet these days - we are taking the following unusual step.

If you should really want to buy something special for your loved one at this time of seasonal giving, we can whole-heartedly recommend, “Ambassador Of Jazz” - a cute little imitation suitcase, covered in travel stickers and embossed with the name “Satchmo” but more importantly containing TEN re-mastered albums by one of the most beautiful and loving revolutionaries who ever lived – Louis Armstrong.

The box should be available for under one hundred and fifty American dollars and includes a number of other tricks and treats. Frankly, the music is vastly superior.

If on the other hand you should still want to hear and view the component parts of the above mentioned elaborate hoax, then those items will be available separately at a more affordable price in the New Year, assuming that you have not already obtained them by more unconventional means.

Tickets are currently on-sale for the Spectacular Spinning Songbook appearances in the U.S., U.K. and Europe during April, May and June in the Spring of 2012. More dates will be announced in the very near future.

[miketheknife]

[RayRay]

Elvis Costello is telling people to not buy his latest box set because his label is ripping people off.

[rabb]

I don't know why, but this has me just laughing hysterically right now

[miketheknife]

It's the only thing I could find to convey my confusion. I don't know why but I read the post like 3 or 4 times and still couldn't get things straight until I googled the thing.

Most of the confusion was the fact that I don't know much about Elvis Costello and had no idea he was the Reverend Jimmy Quickly.Pretty much all I know about him is a)that Veronica song is awesome b)he was in one of the austin powers movies and c)he hates his record company.

[RayRay]

Now Motorhead is doing the same thing:

And the reason why Motorhead told us about this? Because they're totally pissed about it! "Unfortunately greed once again rears its yapping head," Lemmy Kilmister stated. "I would advise against it even for the most rabid completists!"

The only problem is that Motorhead didn't get a vote on this one, since they don't own or control the recordings in question. The 'Early Years' bundle includes a compendium of early albums, starting with their self-titled debut and pushing through 'No Remorse.' And, a smattering of singles sprinkled on top. Toss in a few posters, a photo book, some pins, concert program replicas and a plastic skull with red light-up eyes, and you get the overloaded idea.

But wait: haven't we seen this strange scenario before? Actually, yes: just a few months ago, Elvis Costello launched a 'steal my album' campaign to discourage fans from buying his own high-priced collection. But the Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook box set was just over $200, making it financial childs' play in comparison.

There's another huge difference: Motorhead is definitely not telling their fans to steal this $600 monstrosity. But they are offering an alternative: the group just released 'The World Is Yours,' along with a companion DVD release. That's new stuff, without all the plastic. "The band hopes fans will choose these new releases over this outrageously expensive box set."

Sucks they have no control over their masters.