Tag: Costellos

The legendary musician has forged an unbreakable bond with Merseyside

Elvis Costello is one of Merseyside’s greatest ever exports. The 70-year-old, whose real name is Declan Patrick MacManus, shot to stardom in 1977 with his first album, My Aim Is True, and has been writing hits ever since.

The musician may have been born in London, but his parents are both from Merseyside and he is synonymous with the region. The Watching the Detectives hitmaker’s strong bond with Liverpool is symbolised on 81 Renshaw record shop where his iconic image is emblazoned on the front of a building on one of the city centre’s busiest streets.

The singer has previously spoken about his unbreakable bond with the city as he explained how his character and his personality was forged by his Merseyside upbringing. Speaking to Your Magazine Liverpool ahead of a gig at the Royal Philharmonic Hall last year, he said: “I tell people I was born in London and borne north on a donkey to be christened in the church of The Holy Cross in Birkenhead.

“The suburbs west of London are not a place to which I can really feel any sense of belonging. Merseyside is definitely my place of family origin; my ma was from the Liverpool 8 end of Smithdown Road and my dad’s first family home – later remodelled by the Luftwaffe – was 50 yards from the docks on Cathcart Street, Birkenhead.”

Elvis lived in West Derby with his mum, Lilian, from 1970 until he moved back down South to try and launch his music career. He enjoyed a close bond with his Scouse mum and was devastated when she died in February 2021.

He issued a heartfelt tribute on Facebook and ended it by paying thanks for everything she gave him. He said: “There is not enough to show my gratitude for all she gave to me, teaching me or handing on to me so many things, from an appreciation of Frank Sinatra, before I could properly construct sentences to a relentless Protestant work ethic that has driven my otherwise incense-infused Catholic irrationality.

“The passing of an older person should be more the occasion for celebrating their long life, good fortune and strong spirit but when it’s your Mam, it is impossible to keep the tears at bay forever. So, I’ll just say as she always did to me as a child, “Nos Da, Lillian. Sleep tight. Your Loving Son. Declan”

In the interview with Your Magazine Liverpool, Elvis admitted the passing of his mum impacted a performance in Liverpool on his 2021 tour. He said: “Truthfully, my last appearance in Liverpool was a mess. I think it was too soon after my mother’s passing and just wanted too much from the show. I lost my bearings and my judgement. Rather than it being some kind of joyful wake, it was the worst show I’ve played in the city since that dodgy folk club spot in 1971.”

Elvis is a seasoned performer and regularly returns to the city that he loves to entertain fans with his incredible back catalogue of hits. He is currently on tour with long time collaborator Steve Nieve and has dates in America planned until summer 2025. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee turned 70 last year and had surgery for prostate cancer in 2018, but he remains as busy as ever.

He is showing no signs of slowing down and harbours no plans of retiring as he will surely return to his Liverpool home soon on any potential tour in the future. He told the Sunday Times last year: “Let’s put it this way. I have a lot of music, and a lot of things are coming.

“I do have to [tour]! I do! Not for philosophical reasons, but because it’s my job. I need to make a living. I don’t have any great fortunes. I spent all my money on making other music, or years ago I made some bad investment choices -‘why don’t you invest in trees, or become a bicycle mogul?’ — you get talked into doing things. No, I did a summer tour and that was a commercial endeavour.”