Elvis Costello

Back in the Summer of 1983, my cousin Greg and I would hang out. He was at college here in Minnesota.  So, we would spend time time at one of the many lakes trying to pick up women.  He had a large appetite for music.  He introduced me Elvis Costello.  I remember seeing him on Saturday Night Live years earlier, but I failed to keep up with him.  Greg introduced me to his first album.  I have to say that I like it the best of all his works. 

I was reminded of this from watching House earlier this evening.  They played the song "Allison" at a critical touching time of the show.  The next song is partial used as the theme song for the PBS' program History Detectives "Watching the Detectives."  This nest song also comes from the first album "Waiting for the End of the World."  This comes from his album This Year's Model "Pump It Up." 

This is the real interesting part of the story.  When I got turned on to EC, I did not know that he was secretly a deadhead.  His first exposure to the band was at the Bickershaw Festival in 1972 during the legendary tour of the European continent. This underpinning of ideas led Mr Costello in ways yet unimagined.  It did make him want to pursue music with a burning passion.  Later in his career, he did get the chance to perform with his idol Jerry Garcia.  Here they are performing "You Win Again."   Here is recent performance of him doing "Friend of the Devil."

Going back to SNL, the aftermath of his playing Radio Radio instead of the agreed song got Elvis Costello banned for twenty years.  He shows up in the strangest place during The Beastie Boys set going again "Radio, Radio." We will finish this salute with a very appropriate song "What So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding?"

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
January 6, 1978
Swing Auditorum
San Bernadino, CA
listen here