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Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink

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Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink

By: Elvis Costello
Narrated by: Elvis Costello
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About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink, written and read by Elvis Costello.

'I asked my dad if he needed "Please, Please Me" any more. He laughed and handed the record to me . . ."

In a career spanning four decades, Elvis Costello (born Declan MacManus) has made himself a huge reputation through his tunes, lyrics and occasional bad behaviour. Now, for the first time, he is telling his story.

From miming on Top of the Pops, to becoming one of the industry's elder statesmen, Costello's memoir - which he has written himself and will promote assiduously - is a one-man history of British music. A warm, deep and surprisingly funny insight into an amazing life, it is rich with anecdotes about family, musicians and the creation of his famous songs.

 Entertainment & Celebrities Music Celebrity Funny Heartfelt Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

The book is fantastic - maybe the best about music by a musician that I've read....The stuff about the collaborations alone - McCartney, Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint, the Roots, the Brodsky Quartet - is riveting
Better written than your average rock memoir ... Costello is one the greatest writers of the 20th Century. It's funny, observant and clear of purpose
By turns lachrymose, self-flagellating and impassioned. Unsurprisingly, it is beautifully written. It is also often extraordinarily moving. (Dan Cairns)
Streaked with some of the best writing - funny, strange, spiteful, anguished - we've ever had from an important musician ... dark gems twinkle here in abundance.
[Unfaithful Music] is truly remarkable in the way it presents a riveting, honest portrait of the author and the many A-listers he's tread the boards with, while ricocheting through the years at an almost breathless pace ... even the most ardent Costello fan will come away having learned more about the man than any of us ever dared hope to discover (Jeff Slate)
Long one of music's wittiest, smartest, and most perceptive lyricists, Costello has done his legacy proud with his new book, which, thankfully, goes far beyond his angry-young-man days, most movingly in its frequent reminiscences about the relationship between the singer and his musician father
In a world littered with uneven (and largely ghosted) celebrity memoirs, "Disappearing Ink" is a beautifully written revelation ... The book is not just for fans. "Unfaithful Music" is a lyrical tale that stretches across generations, geography and a century of popular song."
Costello ultimately emerges as a clever, compassionate, self-aware man, brave enough to acknowledge his faults and fortunate enough to have overcome the worst of them
Written elliptically, episodically beautiful ... this man's knowledge is breath-taking
Every page exudes his deep love and knowledge of modern music
All stars
Most relevant
Fantastic book written and read perfectly by Mr. Costello.
I particularly enjoyed his vocal delivery and impressions.
When telling the story of his father's passing, hearing the emotion and hearing Elvis' voice slightly crack, brought a tear to my eye.
I do home Mr. Costello continues writing, as I'd love to hear him read another audio book.
A superb memoir.
Highly recommended!

Spectacle!

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A lovely biography passionately read by Elvis Costello himself. Wonderful stories and heartfelt memories.



A superb biography for music lovers

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I was around when he was at his peak so this book looked like a brilliant investment, and for many an hour it was,, some good stories and brilliant humour, THEN---- Confusion.
Lots of Confusion,,, he began talking about the 80's for a while then he was 15, then he was talking about NOW,, and within minutes we we in the 80's again then recording with paul mcCartney and then he was a kid.
THIS is the point where I needed to lie down,,, his life and story are superb to listen to however you need a road map and a miners helmet to keep up to the story and GOD forbid you listen while driving as I do because I lost whole sections of the story as he jumped from one time to another then mentioned 2 people,, then he mentioned some more people
OK that was it I was lost with little interest in the outcome or where the hell I was within the story.
YES it is a good listen but the latter part of this book got so jumbled I GAVE UP listening

Great book --- Well almost

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I love elvis costello BUT I did not love this book. It was read as well as elvis sings, fantastically. However like his lyrics it is very dense and difficult to follow. The form is not linear and elvis just assumes that you know a great deal about his music and life already. It's a shame, maybe it's me but I just did not like the style. I read bruce springsteens autobiography prior to this and found it mind blowing and I was not a bruce fan prior to that.

Basically a stream of consciousness

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I was 14 years old, very short-sighted and having to wear national health glasses (black frames) and very self-conscious, living in a working-class area of Paddington, when I first heard "watching that detectives", just new straight away this is going to be my music, Love the music stories, and Elvis talking about his family history.


Elvis makes a fine narrator






Great to hear Elvis narrating his autobiography.

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