Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink

So Elvis Costello finally gets around to writing his autobiography. Was it worth the wait? Well, sort of. Mostly. Don't get me wrong, the man can write and is at times very entertaining. But his approach here can also be very frustrating.
The structure is nominally linear, but Costello does go off on tangents which tend to derail the flow of the story. It's almost stream of consciousness at times, one story bringing to mind another and then another. So for 400 pages, give or take, we get a fairly riveting account of Costello's early years (with diversions), first musical steps and rise to a sort of pop stardom, with all the transgressions and temptations that such a lifestyle brings with it. He also delves deep into family history, especially his relationship with his father, Ross McManus, former singer with the Joe Loss Orchestra. Costello's love and respect for his father is very evident.
But by the time we get to Armed Forces and it's aftermath you realise you're almost two-thirds of the way through the book, with no sign of a “volume two” in the offing.
Consequently, and frustratingly, Costello leaves his story hanging. We get very little on the making of Get Happy!!, Trust, even Imperial Bedroom. The book starts to become more scattergun, dipping into the making of River In Reverse here, meeting his wife Diana Krall there.
The sound of names being dropped is deafening as we speed through the last 30 years of Costello's career.
In fact some of the final chapters descend into a list of “and then I wrote....” with chunks of lyrics reprinted. Costello is never less than honest, I'll give him that, and he owns up to his failings as both a husband and bandmate. But with the album “North” he seems to have shut up shop in terms of confessional songwriting and become a modern day Tin Pan Alley songwriter. This makes for a less interesting final third, apart from a very moving account of the death of his father, Ross McManus.
I don't want to sound too negative about this book, it is a very good read. But as Costello fan I would have liked some of the gaps in his story to be filled in a bit more. So it just about gets 4 stars from me.

Best parts: the fascinating, vast number of other musicians with whom Costello has interacted and been influenced by - Johnny Cash, Dylan, Nick Lowe, Allen Toussaint, etc., the tales from his early days as one of the “Angry Young Men,” and the origins of many of his most notable songs. Weaknesses: the book jumps around in time, even within chapters, so you get more of a feel for his life instead of a clear picture. Plus he gets a little indulgent towards the end, eschewing recollection for ruminating on his relationship with his father. I was a little surprised by the way he basically shrugs off his flagrant adultery against his first wife, but I guess that's all part of sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Overall a memorable and honest read that doesn't mind taking a risk that the reader will close the book liking its subject and author a little less than when the book started.

For a love of Elvis Costello and his music, I wanted to enjoy this book more. But the fragmented tales jump time and place faster than a Dick Dale guitar riff. Still, the book contains moments of magic for me. It was seldom easy to read, but I'm glad I read it.