04.19.2020
WATCH THE FIRST KNOWN RECORDING OF ELVIS COSTELLO PERFORMING LIVE, 1974
Far Out Magazine: Lee Thomas-Mason: April 17th 2020.
Delving back into the Far Out Vault, we have unearthed some rare footage of Elvis Costello’s first-ever recorded performance which dates back to the summer of 1974. See the music man churn out a host of reasons he was set to be a star.
Costello began his career as part of London’s pub rock scene in the early 1970s and started to build momentum. He was soon swept up as part of the punk and new wave movement in the mid-to-late ’70s, despite being stylistically very unique.
A few years building a cult following resulted in Costello releasing his debut album, My Aim Is True, to critical acclaim. While the record only achieved moderate commercial success, Costello’s style and approach to music had earned him a cult following and his esteem began to grow evermore healthily. Following the success of his debut record, Costello followed it up with his second album, This Year’s Model, which was released a year later and is widely credited as being of the best record’s of that particular era.
Rock and roll acts of rebellion on mainstream American TV would follow, as would majestic performances for the President of the United States amid music royalty at the White House, but Costello always remained grounded after his struggles to reach the top.