Elvis Costello Tells Fans to Steal His Music

costello image

Elvis Costello really doesnt want you to buy his reissued boxset of The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook due out Dec. 6.

This isnt a marketing gimmick; Costello is genuinely advising fans to avoid buying his boxset because of its unfairly high price tag. Instead, they should buy a box set from the far superior Louis Armstrong, the singer says.

The request was posted on Costellos official website under the headline Steal This Record. In it, Costello via his alter ego the Right Reverend Jimmy Quickly, Minister of Information explains:

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

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.

The boxset, which includes a CD, DVD, vinyl EP, hardcover book and autographed commemoration card, will cost more than $200, an amount Costello apparently fought to lower. His label, Hip-O Records (a subsidiary of Universal), didnt budge. Now Costello has declared war on behalf of his fans.

The Reverend recommends fans instead purchase Ambassador of Jazz, a special boxset from Louis Armstrong that contains 10 remastered albums and a charming imitation suitcase embossed with the Armstrong nickname Satchmo, released by the American Legends label.

The Reverend goes one further, telling fans items from the Costello boxset will be available separately at more affordable prices in 2012 assuming that you have not already obtained them by more unconventional means.

Costello dispelled any doubt about his unusual suggestion with a follow-up post titled Lets make things sparkling clear, which essentially reposts the information from his initial story.

Costello has built a reputation for his dry wit, sense of humor, and propensity for assuming elaborate and complex alter egos. Its safe to say Costello is serious about his suggestion.

Will you follow his advice? Let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy of Flickr, wfuv

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