Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

I saw JCC on that same Costello tour, at Newcastle City Hall. I managed to get backstage afterwards and met him. He was shy, affable and happy to sign autographs for a starstruck 18 year old! (I also met Richard Hell and Elvis Costello and the Attractions, but that's a different story.) Like you, I've spun JCC's first two Epic albums for the first time in years and have been a little underwhelmed. I agree with you that there's too much going on and much of the music just seems to get in the way, 'Beasley Street' being an honourable exception. I seem to recall a 10" LP from around the same time which featured the man in a live context with no extras: wish I'd bought it. Thanks for the book summary by the way - I think I'll give that autobiography a read.