Live television is the last place you should try and be spontaneous
At the time that Elvis Costello and The Attractions, in the middle of a pulverising touring schedule that made their reputation as a fearsome live band, played the cult late night comedy show on NBC it was regarded as a daring and provocative response to Monty Python. Or at least a team of the US best and brightest comedy performers – Dan Aykroyd , John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Gilder Radner, Bill Murray et al. The shows passion for presenting musical acts that might not necessarily get airtime elsewhere gained it a reputation for being cutting edge – so Elvis and the razor sharp Attraction seemed a perfect fit.
But it wasn’t supposed to happen at all.
Nearly two years before on a sleepy teatime TV show in the UK, the popular and interview shy Queen were booked to appear on the Today show. Perhaps wishing to avoid the comfy area chat with host Bill Grundy they withdrew at the 11th hour. A desperate EMI publicity department searched round for a stable-mate to replace them and found that fresh young signings, The Sex Pistols, were rehearsing across town. A limo was dispatched and the rest is talking head programme history
It is a delicious piece of irony then that the Pistols were due to make their US TV debut on the show but were unable to get the necessary visas that would enable them to gain entry to the USA. Elvis’ first US tour with his new band had just finished with early n late shows at the Stony Pony, Asbury Park the night before so were duly booked as a replacement. Drummer Pete Thomas’ ‘Thanks Malc’ T-shirt the only onscreen reference to this as a cheeky nod to the Pistols self aggrandising mentor.
So Elvis & The A’s were more than match fit for what was now their US TV debut, with both band and Elvis enjoying their growing success. Having finally got that elusive record contact and an album in the racks, Costello had ideas and new songs ready to go and saw this as the perfect opportunity to play a brand new stunner, Radio Radio, a caustic attack on the dull programming on UKUS radio stations. Both his record company and SNL producer, Lorne Michaels baulked at this and wanted him to stick to the plan – Watching the Detectives and Less Than Zero
Although Elvis was content to creep the hell out of the viewing public with his serial killer stare during the former he saw Less Than Zero (his debut release in the UK) as the wrong song for the wrong place. With its lyrics about English fascist leader, Oswald Mosley and the right wing of British culture it would go straight over the buzz-cut of the majority of the US public. Shitty radio – now that’s something that we can all get behind.
After a suitably deranged Detectives, Elvis makes a slight pretence of beginning Less Than Zero before theatrically waving his arms to halt the song and you can literally hear the room crackle with electricity. “I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen, there’s absolutely no reason to play this song here tonight’ he spits in his best mockney accent and yells the intended song title at his band who immediately blast into the opening stabs of ‘Radio Radio’. Its almost as if they knew what was coming. Its such a polite detour that he makes it sound like he is doing the programme, studio audience and viewers at home a favour.
One thing I was only made aware of years after seeing the clip for the first time in those pre-Youtube days was that Elvis begins by singing the song with this intense look right down the barrel, seizing the moment, totally committed as if trying to avoid any signs from the production staff to stop. However he changes about a minute in to seemingly directing all his fury just to the left of centre. It was claimed that when Elvis made the song change, producer Lorne Michaels started flipping him “the bird” and continued to do so for the rest of the song. Whether the myopic avenging nerd was addressing Michaels in a live TV standoff is not clear but something seems to have changed his approach. His immediate stroppy stomping off in that direction at the end could also be a clue.
It’s the sound and the fury- most musical appearances are castrated by poor sound and total lack of any energy making it further than the camera lens. This feels exciting, Elvis is seething, the studio lights and cramped conditions give him a volcanic glow. Maybe Lorne’s raised digit is only compounding that anger giving him a focus. He’s petulant, aggressive, contemptuous and walks unafraid. at the song’s final flourish he knows he’s won whatever battle – inner or outer he’s fighting.
Elvis was subsequently banned from SNL, which lasted 11 years until the might of Warner Brothers Records behind him and his new hit album with its co-Beatle penned single, Veronica, saw him revisit the show. Inevitably as the show celebrated it’s 25th anniversary of the show’s waxing and waning success, the incident was parodied by the man himself with the help of The Beastie Boys.
Elvis would return to the USA in January 1978 and play ‘Less Than Zero’ most nights but with a freshly penned lyric that changed the focus from Mosley to a more infamous Oswald in the shape of John F Kennedy’s alleged assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Perhaps spurred on by the SNL incident, he wanted to make it clear that his decision was based on simple artistic freedom and belief rather than some Spirit of ’77 snotty punk stunt.
The other Elvis may have panicked studio executives with his hips but this one took them on with a thousand yard stare.
Excuse the slightly doctored clip but people try every trick to keep the clip online for free
DogFacedBoy says
Elvis sabotaged the Beasties
Moose the Mooche says
Now I want to hear the Imposters doing Shake Your Rump.
Genuinely!
Carl says
It was all pre-planned, Elvis revealed in Unfaithful Music.
As an admirer of Hendrix’s performance of Hey Joe/Sunshine of Your Love on Lulu, he wanted to make a similar statement.
It doesn’t have quite the same level of fame.
DogFacedBoy says
Yeah I wrote all that rubbish before his book came out
Rufus T Firefly says
Elvis has many qualities. Acting isn’t one of them.
Tiggerlion says
Bloody hell! Forty years!!
At this point in time, Elvis ruled my world. I thought he was the best thing ever on the Stiff Tour. My Aim Is True blew my mind and, then, he put together The Attractions.
In The US, Spike went gold but didn’t quite crack the top thirty. This Year’s Model and Armed Forces (why it has a different ‘paint splatter’ sleeve in the US, I don’t know) also sold over half a million units. Get Happy!! got to number eleven but didn’t have legs. His best seller in the US, going platinum, was My Aim Is True. After all, it did include Watching The Detectives.
Veronica was his big hit single, though.
Thanks for the memories, dfb.
Mousey says
According to Bruce Thomas (Attractions bass player) in his book “Rough Notes” (which is a great read btw, much better than the previous one whose names escapes me – no it doesn’t, The Big Wheel I think) the whole idea was of course Jake Rivera’s (of course). And John Belushi loved it
Moose the Mooche says
The Big Wheel was very funny in places but dispiritingly sour. I wound up thinking, “If it was so bloody awful why didn’t you just pack it in?”
Fantastic musician mind.
Mousey says
Yes I agree, but as I said the new one is better in all ways. Rather than just a bitter account of life on the road with EC it begins at the beginning with his childhood. He’s a bit self-promotional and slightly up himself but writes so well, is often hilarious, and anyway if I was that good on my instrument I’d be pretty proud of it too.
SteveT says
Agree with you @Mousey – Rough Notes is excellent. Costello has provided me with some of my best moments in live and recorded music. I have a fervent hope that he will release something great in the near future but sadly it appears it might be blind optimism.
Junior Wells says
Enjoyed that Dave.
Loved watching Bruce Thomas in that clip.
fatima Xberg says
By the way & in case anybody’s curious – the show described above was called “Saturday Night Live”, and the Elvis clip is on their “Best Of” CD.