One cannot help but feel that elvis costello is of the same opinion so long as it isnt bruce thomas. Originally published by viking in 1990, the big wheel was nominated for the ralph j. Extensive information about forthcoming events, complete concert listing, discography of official releases and bootlegs, lyrics, guitar chords, articles, photos and memorabilia. They also released one album and two associated singles as an independent entity, without costello, in 1980. Apparently annoyed by his depiction in the book, costello responded with the song how to be dumb on his album mighty like a rose 1991. Appearing in an issue of melody maker, one of britains weekly music tabloids, the ad sought players for a band to back a stiff records singersongwriter named elvis costello. Whittling down the list of worthy tracks to just the ten covered here was a difficult task. Bassist bruce thomas is a standout, but everyone contributes to the party vibe. Elvis costello the very best of elvis costello 1999. His bestknown songs included the angels wanna wear my red shoes and everyday i write the book. Born declan patrick macmanus, elvis costello was raised in london and liverpool, grandson of a trumpet player on the white star line and son of a jazz musician who became a successful radio dance band vocalist. Here we talk about whats at the heart of the dysfunction, our conflicted feelings about elvis, and bruces new career as a prolific writer. Bruce thomas is an english rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the attractions. Costello s songs were already sophisticated pop music.
This transcription is bruce thomas s bass line on accidents will happen by elvis costello this transcription includes accurate notefornote transcription, one written in standard notation and tab, and the other in just standard notation. In his new book, rough notes, bruce gives the full story of his. Bruce thomas is perhaps best known as the bass player with elvis costello and the attractions, with whom he recorded and performed for nearly twenty years and was inducted into the u. Oct 11, 2018 the bands onstage chemistry remained intact over the next two years of touring, but longsimmering tensions between costello and bruce thomas came to a head, and elvis finally gave the bassist. New book from bruce thomas, march 2017 elvis costello. He trained in kung fu with the late master derek jones. They consisted of steve nieve keyboards and ukulele, bruce thomas bass guitar, and pete thomas drums. As much as elvis and bruce apparently hate one another personally, its hard to deny that they made a great team musically.
Fighting spirit, the definitive fulllength biography of bruce lee. The big wheel by bruce thomas goodreads share book. Bassist bruce thomas tells of his career with elvis costello, including priceless road stories and other gems. He dosent name people by there actual names and refers to them as the keyboard player, the drummer, singer etc. Elvis costellos autobiography offers musical influences. But its not based on just what the attractions were doing, but its about a guy whos obsessed with the number twelve, and so, contained in the book are twelve almosttrue. Bruce thomas elvis costello steve hoffman music forums. Its one of several examples in rough notes that attempts to take costello down a peg or two but at best paints bruce as george takei to costellos william shatner. The song how to be dumb, from elvis costellos 1991 album, mighty like. An ode to elvis costellos stellar backing bands, the. By the time elvis costello recorded his sophomore album, he had recruited a sharp backing band, the attractions. Does elvis costello bassist steal thunder with new memoir. In his new book, rough notes, bruce gives the full story of his tempestuous times with the singer so there appeared to be no better time than the present to catch up with the legendary bass player to get the lowdown on his written works, his musical career, and operation yewtree.
Story by patrick berkery we could stick to elvis costello and the attractionsimposters stuff and still fill half this issue with reasons to love pete thomas. Join the musician treatment foundation tonight, wednesday 29th april, at 5 pm cst for an hour of music, storytelling, and joy. Bassist bruce thomas tells of his career with elvis costello, including. Apparently, he is a songwriter friend of thomas s, and the two decided to. Bass player magazine published a transcription of every day i. The band is superheated, its muscular rhythms pumping behind costello s deft wordplay. All of this, as well as his own musical and personal history, are included in bruces book rough notes which came out last year. Few would have guessed that more than 40 years later, costello would be one of the most celebrated and genrespanning songwriters of his generation, an artist comfortable collaborating with the likes of paul mccartney, burt. You dont have to be a fan of elvis costello and the attractions to enjoy bruces book but i guess it helps. With steve nieves organ work and bruce thomas busy bass, costellos guitar is pushed to the back, and the record is much more idiosyncratic and vital than with the generic clover. Elvis costello s autobiography offers musical influences, celebrity anecdotes and rock and roll mythology by bob ruggiero oct. Thomas has also been a nonfiction writer for several decades, and is the author of bruce lee. Unfaithful music and disappearing ink is the longawaited memoir from elvis costello, one of rock and rolls most iconic stars. Elvis costello the very best of elvis costello 1999, cd.
Less impressed, costello sacked thomas for writing it. Costello himself plays bass on two tracks 2 and 8, and the complete attractions lineup nieve, pete thomas and bruce thomas on bass appears with costello on tracks 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10. Thomas played on nine albums and toured regularly with elvis between 1978 and 1987 when he left the group. This is the site to visit for everything concerning elvis costello. Bruce thomas made them even moreso with his frequent avoidance of the root and musical wanderings. Bruce thomas born 14 august 1948 in stocktonontees, england is an english rock bass guitarist, best known as bassist for the attractions. While the book is certainly worth of a leisurely, covertocover dive, an even more. Jun 11, 2012 bruce thomas is perhaps best known as the bass player with elvis costello and the attractions, with whom he recorded and performed for nearly twenty years and was inducted into the u. One gets the feeling that elvis quirky, eccentric tunes brought out the best in bruce s highly creative, highenergy. There are almost no commercially available transcriptions of bruce thomas bass playing which i think is remarkable when you have a listen to some of his work with elvis costello. Bruce thomas pumps it up with elvis costello guitar. Bruce thomas is bestknown as the former bass player with elvis costello and the attractions and as the writer of the bestselling biogrpahy of bruce lee. Bruce thomas was the bassist for the attractions, the band formed around elvis costello in 1977.
In addition to his work with the attractions, thomas has recorded with billy bragg, john wesley harding, suzanne vega, and tasmin archer. Featuring bassist bruce thomas, keyboardist steve nieve, and drummer pete thomas no relation to bruce, the group was named the attractions. Elvis costello, british singersongwriter who extended the musical and lyrical range of the punk and newwave movements and became one of rocks mostrespected songwriters. New book from bruce thomas, march 2017 elvis costello fan. The contribution bruce thomas brought to the attractions is enormous. Kind of a tell all book about bruce thomas time as bass player for elvis costello and the attractions. As a sessionmusican he played on many hit records and trained in the martial art of body, mind and spirit kung fu. Discussion in music corner started by beatlefred, apr 21. But throughout unfaithful music, costello heaps praise on the bassists playing, especially in the passages recounting the early days of the group, when thomas. Reloaded with the imposters the attractions minus bruce thomas on.
The distractions are an elvis costello tribute band, and we play your favorite elvis costello tracks, from all areas of his catalog. Following the success of beyond the limits, this new bruce lee book again takes his own words and presents his teaching in both a. When elvis costello s first record was released in 1977, his bristling cynicism and anger linked him with the punk and new wave explosion. I loved pretty much everything they did from pump it up up to i want you. When first published, it was shortlisted for the ralph j gleason prize for music writing. Interview with bruce thomas, bassist for elvis costellofor bass. Brutal youth was the third, and most recent of costello s albums, to peak at number two in the uk albums chart, following on from armed forces 1979 and get. There was a new wave revolution happening in rock music in the late 70s and the poster boy for it was the bespectacled elvis costello and his band of attractions, which included our guest this week bassist bruce thomas. Bruce thomas is a great bass player still hugely underrated imo. Musician treatment foundation was founded in late 2017 as the firstnonprofit of its. Find bruce thomas credit information on allmusic allmusic.
Lipstick vogue elvis costello and the attractions bruce. Sep 30, 2015 bruce thomas, bassist for elvis costellos original backing band the attractions, makes quick work attributing a quote popularized by costello to its originator martin mull. With steve nieves organ work and bruce thomas busy bass, costello s guitar is pushed to the back, and the record is much more idiosyncratic and vital than with the generic clover. Bruce thomas pumps it up with elvis costello by dan forte guitar player march 1987 everything about elvis costello his intelligent and prolific songwriting, impassioned singing, hornrimmed visual image, everchanging stylistic jaunts,even his antihero guitar playing is so allpervasive that his trio of sidemen, the attractions, seems all.
Having failed to elicit a response from the song smith concerned. His unique bass playing has also graced records by suzanne vega, peter case, duncan dhu and john wesley harding. The distractions are located in san diego, ca, but were known to travel for the right gig. Recorded at the rock n roll book club hosted by julie. Oct 10, 2018 if you cant name a single elvis costello album, here are a handful of good places to start. Bruce thomas was a member of elvis costello and the attractions during their peak. During his ten years or so with elvis costello he recorded a wealth of inventive, melodic and unusual bass lines. Following the success of beyond the limits, this new bruce lee book again takes his own words and presents his teaching in both a morepowerful and morepractical way that can have profoundly beneficial impact on your life.
Bruce thomass bass line on accidents will happen by elvis. The band is superheated, its muscular rhythms pumping behind costellos deft wordplay. Apr 16, 2016 everyday i write the book bassline as recorded by elvis costello and the attractions from the 1983 album punch the clock words and music by elvis costello transcribed by slowhand gtr i e a d g bruce thomas bass intro q100 44 gtr i e q. The musician treatment foundation proudly presents our happier musicalhour live stream concert for community first village featuring allanmayes, ladonna, and special guest elvis costello. Bassist bruce thomas is best known as the 4stringer in the attractions, the band that backed elvis costello on his earliest and best recordings. The music they created is as timeless as it is popular, the tensions that followed perhaps not as well known, but certainly as noteworthy. I bought this book to finally find out why elvis costello fired bruce thomas, and banished him from the attractions, and the airwaves. Thomas bass, thomas drums, naive, and costello were the perfect storm. Elvis costello and the attractions bassist bruce thomas explains how he came up with the bass for i dont want to go to chelsea. The attractions are the worlds greatest band according to elvis costello at the induction ceremony. I have never read the big wheel, attractions bassist bruce thomas thinlyveiled account of the life of a rock star on the road, so i cant speak to its merits. The attractions were an english backing band for the english new wave musician elvis costello between 1977 and 1986, and again from 1994 to 1996. Well, no, i dont, but its funny you should bring that up, because i just finished my book. In his new book he gives the full story of his tempestuous times with the singer so there appeared to be no better time than the present to catch up with the legendary bass player to get the lowdown on his written works, his musical career, and operation yewtree.
Bruce has said that elvis went from being in a band to having a band, but lets face it, there was never a project without elvis costello. Bruce returned to the attractions between 1994 and 1996 when elvis reunited the original lineup, touring and recording two further albums. This book eventually led to his firing of the band. Some of the bass lines are as profound and memorable as the main melodies. Bruce is also the former bass player with elvis costello and the attractions. As any bass player knows, timing is everything, and this one is in the pocket. A cursory listen to my aim is true proves that the main connection that costello had with the punks was his unbridled passion. I bought this book to finally find out why elvis costello fired. This is one of the great music books, and probably the funniest. Ive just had a communication from that gentleman of letters derek philpott and his cohort, mr wilf turnbull, who not long ago wrote to elvis costello and the attractions regarding anomalies theyd found in some of bands recorded works.
Thomas has also written several books, including the big wheel. Bruce thomas is an excellent example of what it means to develop ones own voice on the instrument. The bad blood between costello and attractions bassist bruce thomas is legendary, most vividly seen in thomas own memoir. Interview with bruce thomas, bassist for elvis costello. A new cover for rough notes for 2016 after the lone star incident, the lighting man and i got together so that whenever we played deep dark truthful mirror and elvis got to the line the sky was just a purple bruise a beam would cut vertically through the darkness to illuminate me for a second or two, and i would stand there behind him, gazing over at him with a. The only thing i can be sure of is that elvis costello didnt like it too much. Costello would continue to work with attraction pete thomas as a session musician for future releases. Download the hustle episode 7 bruce thomas of elvis. If you want to spice up your rock playing you could do far worse than use bruce thomas as a model. Over the years, tensions mounted and bruce eventually left the band. Moonrider sutherland brothers and quiver the attractions rockestra. Bruce thomas was the bassist for the attractions, the band formed around elvis. Bruce, as part of costellos band the attractions, was an integral part of the sonic architecture that made those records, from this years model 1978 to punch the clock 1983, outstanding and resonant, of and outside.
Thomas was bassist with elvis costello and the attractions at the hei. When elvis costello first burst onto the music scene in 1977, he was seen as an angry young firebrand and one of the sharpest voices in the new wavepunk revolution. Funexcitementtravel promised the headline of the ad bruce thomas answered in 1977. Fighting spirit, a biography of the renowned martial artist and movie star, and the body of time, isbn 0. Costello shares some of the blame for falling out with bruce. However the chances of elvis and bruce ever playing together again fall into the hell freezes over category. Get happy, by elvis costello and the attractions, is jampacked with 20 songs that sound like 60s motown and stax records filtered through white british punks.
A revealing book which exposes the true face of the rock and roll heroes. The critically acclaimed roman a clef about life on the road with a successful rock band, based on bruce thomas s experiences with elvis costello and the attractions. Costellos songs were already sophisticated pop music. That declan macmanus had been renamed elvis costello in the year that elvis presley died was merely a stroke of luck. Bruce thomas is truly a fantastic bass player, but as to his contributions to elvis costello s recordings, lets only praise him from this years model onwards since he doesnt appear on my aim is true the bassist on that one is johnny ciambotti nick lowe on mystery dance.
224 318 1128 1411 1253 1012 1323 1073 965 970 1250 825 1182 815 783 1032 286 1573 607 197 1202 601 564 647 357 1105 1155 1109 798 1023 88