Elvis Costello Doesn't Want Your Money

Now here’s an example of how awkward it must be to be in an artist/record label relationship. Elvis Costello’s live box set, The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook, is now available to buy for a possible holiday gift, but you may want to reconsider.

An official post on Costello’s website says that the $202.64 price tag is “either a misprint or satire” and that his attempts to lower the price were “fruitless.” Instead, Costello has given us all his idea of a more worthwhile holiday gift suggestion:

If you should really want to buy something special for your loved one at this time of seasonal giving, we can whole-heartedly recommend, “Ambassador Of Jazz” – a cute little imitation suitcase, covered in travel stickers and embossed with the name “Satchmo” but more importantly containing TEN re-mastered albums by one of the most beautiful and loving revolutionaries who ever lived – Louis Armstrong. The box should be available for under one hundred and fifty American dollars and includes a number of other tricks and treats. Frankly, the music is vastly superior.