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The career of Elvis Costello combines elements of inspired judgment, fierce commitment, faultless taste, and sheer inspiration — amongst other factors. Emerging at the
forefront of a period in rock history that spawned a considerable amount of talent, Elvis has developed into the consummate "new wave" artist, unwilling to remain swains
aithin the musical contain for too long. and breaking new
ground with total confidence and immense uyk. At
sOnntrter he a surd) one of rock's most articulate and
peotific. stoic to %stile comfortably and ►mpasustis anon the
ohok spectrum of contemporary musk. And as a .anger
his live petformanco have prosoked the most teams
admiration.
Accompanied perfectly by the Attractions — Stew Nose on
keyboards. Boise Thomas on bats. and drummer Pete
Thomas — Ehis it capable of debrstring the son of assemble
rock performance that none of his coestemeorwies can match
in intenun and ctass. Witness the revamped versions of
"Watching the became." and "Cloantime Is Owe' for
example of this. To the astute °buena. honver, all this and
"Alison" atone provided substantial esideme that a major
satsuma as about to make his protect felt.
1976: Unknown and unannounced. this Costello %balked
into the offices of Stiff Resads one day. struck up an instant
rapport olds stars then-worms° Jodi Riviera. ass signed to
the label immediate). and plans were made to launch him
into s public that bad Wm starved of such take for too
Ion. Yet 4 would be tornahang of an understatement to to
that this' initial attempts at sirok-handedly roual►nnt a
stale mink lane were successful.
1977: Three arresting and unagmative tingles oat owed on
Stiff in England. "Lest Than Zoo." Altsoo." and "The
Angels Warms Wear My Red escies." followed by his debut
album My Alas Is True. The LP remained on the U.K. chart
foe 12 weeks. reached the 114 spot. and was goat an elicited
tote of anoint by the media shoe like tun discerning re►ord-buying academe. sensed a change in the air. a feeling that
artists like Elvis sae about to change drastically the then-curfew state of rock. His first gig was a solo spot supporting
the Rumour at the Nashville in London; 1 months later at the
sank club. an estimated 700•plus people were locked out
words* • screw that London rock gigs seldom enjoy.
The Attractions mere formed in June. a trio of u.spano
indisiduals with the collective talent needed to miaow Els it'
rot rrookal imagination, Elvis spent the remainder of the year
in England oa-tour. most notably on the "Inc Stiffs" all-mars package with Nick ton. Ian bur). and Watkins Eric.
whale a fourth single. "Watchiag the Detectives." readied 113
on the U.K. chart.
The latter pan of 1977 saw this conquerint Amok.. as
the rekase of his firm ungk foe Columbia Records here.
"Alison." immediately preceded the appearance of My Abs Is
Tree us No rhos maiden soyage of the Colonies
began on the 15th of Nowmtver at the ()Id %labia( in San
rtatiasco math a memoraNe KSAN.IM the broadcast. The
tour socked its way tau over the nest month. climaxing in
NCO York City with two sushi% at the Bottom LW. December
13.14th. Than it as back to England for a month of
wadies OS the nest album.
1978: While the beginning of the sear in England found
this than-gent his record label from Stiff owe to Radar with
tin first new sulk toast to 016 in the U.K.. "(1 Don't Want
to Go to) Chelsea)." things pewee-del on a not-dissimilar
course is the Stales. liming vanquished the country onstage
sod via the radio airwaves. My Aim Is True ass the most-mentiarod album of '77 on nay top ten list of the nation's
rock aitict. including the Rollin Some Cites Award as
"Album of the Year.** Cervidadity's "New Anal of the
Year.** and ern Record %orld's ••Intport Album of the
Year." A full-page feature goo on [his is TIME nsagannc
("England's Elm: Gut Emotions") and an historic fast
appearance on NBC's "Saturday Night lac" (the hithest-rated shoo in their thenbitowy) brought him in (tont of
laerally millions of fans.
The second leg of EMS' first Noeth Amok:an tour took
him *cross the Country once again, (torn late-January (bait-(*•back dates at the Armadillo in Austin. Texas. and the CBS
Records Convention in Ne*Orleans the nett night) through
the first aria of March Ono nights at El Mccambo in
Toronto). The stage was set for the release of his second
album. This Vest's Model. produced by Nick Lon. The
album's appearance also marked the opening of another major
U.S. tour (sharing the bill with Rockink and Mink DeVilk).
stating in the Midwest that Aped, waking its way back and
Conk moss the U.S. again. and dimming at San Francisco's
%Intense& on June 7th. During the tow's final week in
California this headlined three high school concerto the Last
which an dubbed "The Extravatanta of Emit'sa:ano►"
at Hollywood High. reseeded foe posterity,
In England, Ilsit Yeses Model entered the album than at
/4 and umed in the tOp 50 for foot months After less than a
famish' off the road. Elva' touring scheduk picked up sloth
a European trip the Litt to weeks on lune. Tlie remainder of
the yea. except for two months of wonting for the next
album (September-October). combined a hook worldwide
touring schedule with more sink rekases. culminating in
December with seven sok•out nights at the Dominion Theater
in London
1979: The )ell titian with the release of EMS' thud album.
Armed Forces in the tau oak of Jaiivary, which charted at
12 en England and was entrenched in the upper echelons for
snen months on the strength of the hugely successful (12
U.K.) untie. "Ohwes Army." The new retold dyes
breathless admiration from the media and Ehis did a 31-elate
Beitith tour in support.
Elvis was back in the U.S. the tint week of February to
Open his third tow. and the St. Valentine's Day spiral was
Nand on a delicious peony* single of "My Funny Valentine'
trocc000ry unreleased) boa "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace.
Low aad Understanding." the old Krinsky Salaam nascent
nines by Elvis' peoduca Nick Lon (from Armed Forces).
Two oaks law came the new single, Armed Fon& °paling
track of "Accidents Will Happen " The l.: S. tour played an
Alston. night in New York City as April's Fool's
Day/Sunday. as Lisa ripped through sets at Great
filderskeves. the Lone Star Cafe. and the Bottom I me — the
first amid last time anyone did that; too oaken& tater the
tout dosed. the last tune this would pia) on U S. toil for 21
months.
His debut as a record producer (the Specials' first LP foe
Too-Tone). and the breakdown of Radar as a label fined out
the rest of the year 'nd 'used the way. at the beg:anis* of a
nes decade. for a now and exciting phase of ha career.
1980: Determined to retain personal invohernent and mote
control over hn recordist circa. after a series of frustrating
koal *tangles. F-Beat Records was formed in Estland. His
first new single for the label was the old Sam & Dase number.
"I Can't Stand L'p foe Falling Dolan." ohkh extended his
Consisam record of chart sworn. reaching N. The album
whence it came. Get Happy, his fourth I P. produced by Nick
Lose in Hollsocl. featured an unprecedented It new
compositions by this. plus the Sam & Disc track. and the
Mersobeats' "I Stand Accused " 20 songs in all on asst IP!
For awhile that year there oat a slight ktorp in the amount
of time spent on the road. but this &Bossed hn iongonting to
became nen more ssiderangInt and prolific. The immediate
result of this was samba album in the same )(sat. Tokio:
Liberties, his fifth I.P. Once again, that sine 20 songs
&tatted on the disc, "unattested masters, rate B--auks,
English Album cuts and collectors sterns" (as the liner notes
summarized). Among these were IS of (his' compovisons.
phis 'lily Funny Valentine' and the single of Van McCoy's
"Getting Mighty Crowded." Elvis produced nearly half the
cuts hien►elf for the first time; the remainder acre again
produced by Nick Lon.
11$1: this return to the touring CarCUte in North Amerca
began back up in the Pacific Sionhaeu the first unites of
January. Inc weeks with Scrota that coticluded bet Toronto's
Staple Leaf Gardens. Underscoeing the tour was the release of
An sisth album. Trani with fourteen now compoutions
produced by Nick Lowe. Included uas an interesting disci with
Glenn Tab:look of Squaws. "From a Whisper to a Scream":
and the sink. "Watt% Your Step " Elvis' appearance on the
odd Torn Sat late-night show during the tour was a% commemorated with an imavitai disc that documented their tecosmt a.
Then somewhat surprisingly and cameosmany. there an a
change. Om had atoms been interested in and fond of
country music: George loses especially has long Wen one of
his favorite sontariters. Eves back in 1979. bed slip the
oixasiorsal country sons into his repertoire, foe example. the
chitlins lack Ripley song. "Psycho." So la Ma). 1931. OM
Costello and the Atumuons descended upon country nonic's
moxa of Nashstlk and. with the help of lead and pedal steel
guitarist John Skin (Wanes). nude the now letendar)'
album Almost Blot. The LP (Elm* seventh) was produced to
Billy Sherrill, a character 'oho. as mods as anyone. has
profoundly influenced the course of modern country musk
and contained a colkotion of standardsand personal favorites
to which Ehis gist his on unique and sympathetic
interpretations.
Such a bold and unorthodox teuure could base backfired
disastrously. but in fact the opposite happened. It was both a
resounding critical and commercial success in England. treated
with the same respect with which it en made. It proved once
and foe all that this vim cepabk of imago-cling a range of
musical styles unmatched by any of ha contemporaries. Two
sinks are released in the U.K. from the album. "A Good
Year For the Rents" (also issued in the U.S.) .hutch reach 06
oo the chart. and Don Gibson's "Swett Dreams." In this
country. thy% supported the new tecorCI with a brief woes of
dates at star's end. the 1 o► Angeles Spout Arena. New
Year's Est at the Palladium iii Nevi Yak. and Nashville's
Tcrinesse Theater three nights later.
1982: Some sort of peak was achieved on January 7th, when Elvis Costello and the Attractions combined forces with the might of the 92-piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to deliver a memorable and moving concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, with arrangements by Robert Kirby. Elvis, and band, and the orchestra sailed through a selection of material that spanned Elvis' entire career. enstxt►shins songs like
"Alison" and "Watching the Mtn:tars" o►th a sense of
drama and pout that took the breath nay. Of course there
as a fair amount of time gives over to the country material
as well, and there again the arrantements added to their
poonano and emotional impact.
A mlaoo of "I'm Your TOY." rtmeded as the concert with
the orchestra, was released as a sink in England, and that in
effect marked the end of Ehis touistry music "project." It
has not been. contrary to some peoples •linformed.. °p awn.
a parturient chair of style. merely a ronent aad nOrthuh►e
attempt to make the son of reined he'd always wasted to make.
Bons a songwriter for *which the toed l.pcoerK. could have
ban stYlised. Ehis had bete composing furiously throughout
almost the entire peeled of time shin Almost Blue was
rehearsed and recorded. He therefore hail a sizeable backlog
of material from which to assemble the next album and in the
going of 1932, began work in earnest on his eighth album
Imperial Bedroom.
The eser•present and irreplscrabk Attractions provided
backup for a set of fifteen new compositions (including one
ccoariter with Chris Difford of Squeeze) as this evicted ries
stem as both a socalist and %alliance/. task* is tic-chaps
his most coheriuse work Iodate. The mood sad tempo are as
%stied as the melodies; and the *AUKS:C. magnetise Sent
Now achotratIons and the entire act& from the colorful.
surrealism cover illustration to the "Man Ow of Time" singk
and the epic "Town Oyer." all contributed to a further
simpressive chapter in the Etors Count° story.
The unusual and almost obligatory spate of extensor
tounag followed the June release of Imperial Bedrooms. The
North American itinerary started in Cahforma in mid-luty,
worked its *ay through the Southwest and Sfidssest. up into
Canada. and then doss n the East Coast wrapping up in
Honda after eight weeks out. The British tour culmiaued in
two highly-acclaimed and successful gigs at the Royal Albert
Hall tort the Christmas period.
19113: Eser the musk aficionado. (his has retained his
interest and enthusiasm for anything new and good, and to
that end has produced material foe up-and-coming Scottish
group the Bluebells. Another notatac collaboration in the
recent past has resulted in one of the best (and certainly most
respected) unties of merit times. namely "Shipbuilding" by
Robert Wyatt. Elvis wrote the mernixabk needs and flit
Langer NICKe the music, bah with Wyatt in mind. and the
(gnashed work was as poignant and articulate an observation
on the far-reaching effects of a modern day crusade like the
Falklands was as one could ever elliCit from an other•ise
'non-literary' art form.
Nkanal►le, this had onitten. and with the Attractions.
rehearsed and recorded his mu album. One track in
particular. "Pills and Soap." bore special relevance to the
general election is the springtime. It was decided that. ies
order to give the song's Message the attention deserved.
should intenediately be released as a single — sot•sithuanding
the fact that F-Best's licensing agreement with WF.A Records
in England had concluded some tune before. and netotia►ons
bah almost nay mayor roved company had not yet rcwhed
in a new agreement. So 'Pills and Soap' by The Imposter ass
issued on the undependast Demon Records. and then further
notoriety as a result of an extravagant Occasion by the
directors of Demon to dekte the sink on Election Day.
thereby insuring its place in the annals of rock and music
marketing history
Shortly thereafter a new hi:eosins agreement ass reached
between I •Beat and RCA Records isoiklwide. taCtudints
Scandinavia. and the U.S./Canada, *here Ehis rtra►ialt on
Columbia Records. The first release in England was the Weed
new single. "Everyday I Write the Book." Elvis Costello aid
the Attractions' new album is Punch The Clock.
produced by the highly successful team of Clive Langer and
Alan Winstanky (Madness' "Our House" and Dexy's
Nlidnitld Runners being their most current credits). The LP
contains (his' own versiOn of "Simpbuildtain (with trumpet
solo by Chet Baker) and a 're-modelled' mum of —pans and
Soap." Like; a of Elvis records it is an album of may
moods, intricate subdeties. and great authority. If anything it
is more immediately acectUblt than its predeasson, utilizing
the Wash poser of the T)(0 Horns. the pee-sisals backup
words of the duo known as Afrodinak, and the string
arrangement of David Bedford.
But Punch The Clock also has its moments of soul-searching introspection and incisive objectivity. One should never underestimate Elvis' ability to write a good tune almost effortlessly. Listen to "The Invisible Man" for an inspired example of the work of a remarkable songwriter. At a time when there seem to be fewer truly interesting or worthwhile lyricists than ever, Elvis Costello remains virtually untouchable.
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