"Oh, I just don't know where to begin …"
Elvis Costello and The Attractions were one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time, and ever since 1977, when Steven Nason and Bruce Thomas answered an ad placed in Melody Maker promising...
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"Oh, I just don't know where to begin …"
Elvis Costello and The Attractions were one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time, and ever since 1977, when Steven Nason and Bruce Thomas answered an ad placed in Melody Maker promising "Funexcitementtravel", the music world hasn't been the same. Much as the original British Invasion woke up rock and roll from the sleepy payola world which preceded it, Elvis and the boys jack-hammered rock and roll out of its soporific indifference, one adrenaline triggering, fist pumping track at a time.

With one of the best rhythm sections since The Rolling Stones, one of the greatest keyboard accompanists ever, one of the most expressive singer-songwriters since Lennon & McCartney, and the best damn lyricist this side of Bob Dylan - Elvis and The Attractions were destined for greatness. The reason great artists from the sixties are mentioned for comparison is because that's the tradition Elvis Costello and The Attractions carried on. They picked up the torch of well-crafted, well-written, sonically advanced creative music-making, left rotting at the side of the road by lame old farts and lazy, craft-less punk-thrasher junkies, kick-starting the heart of rock and roll into a frenzy all over again.

Over the years, from This Year's Model (1978) and Armed Forces (1979) thru Imperial Bedroom (1982), Blood And Chocolate (1986) and All This Useless Beauty (1996) - and with so many major and minor gems in between - Elvis Costello reinvented himself time and time again, making absolutely certain that he and The Attractions never repeated past glories as they continued to scale new heights. Along the way - from Allison to Radio, Radio and from Man Out Of Time to Next Time Round - Elvis, Steve, Pete and Bruce played their asses off and never compromised. And they never asked their fans to compromise either. On March 10, 2003, Elvis Costello and The Attractions were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding", indeed.