for Elvis Costello. Should be a good one.

I lose track of time. But I still always find it amazing when I do see how much time has passed. Elvis Costello has been at it a LONG TIME.

I believe the first time I ever saw him play was on the infamous Saturday Night Live episode.  It was 1977 and I was in the 9th grade at the time, and was over at one of my school friends' house where we watched it. Costello was supposed to have not played this song, but did so anyway... in dramatic fashion... and it got him banned from the show for nearly 12 years.

So, let's see.... 1977... hmmm... (counting fingers and toes...).... man... that is right about 47 years ago. Think about that.. nearing FIFTY years ago! Yikes.

(01-30-2024, 02:32 PM)Replying to RockmartDawg I lose track of time. But I still always find it amazing when I do see how much time has passed. Elvis Costello has been at it a LONG TIME.

I believe the first time I ever saw him play was on the infamous Saturday Night Live episode.  It was 1977 and I was in the 9th grade at the time, and was over at one of my school friends' house where we watched it. Costello was supposed to have not played this song, but did so anyway... in dramatic fashion... and it got him banned from the show for nearly 12 years.

So, let's see.... 1977... hmmm... (counting fingers and toes...).... man... that is right about 47 years ago. Think about that.. nearing FIFTY years ago! Yikes.

Why was he not supposed to play it?

(01-30-2024, 02:37 PM)Replying to Toasty B

(01-30-2024, 02:32 PM)Replying to RockmartDawg I lose track of time. But I still always find it amazing when I do see how much time has passed. Elvis Costello has been at it a LONG TIME.

I believe the first time I ever saw him play was on the infamous Saturday Night Live episode.  It was 1977 and I was in the 9th grade at the time, and was over at one of my school friends' house where we watched it. Costello was supposed to have not played this song, but did so anyway... in dramatic fashion... and it got him banned from the show for nearly 12 years.

So, let's see.... 1977... hmmm... (counting fingers and toes...).... man... that is right about 47 years ago. Think about that.. nearing FIFTY years ago! Yikes.

Why was he not supposed to play it?

This is what the poster of the video says about it, below. I've listened to him talk about it in a separate video, and he/Elvis Costello only mentions the fact that the record company and producer wanted him to play a different song in order to promote it. But he, instead, chose to go with "Radio, Radio", which takes a shot at corporate-controlled broadcasting:

Elvis Costello and the Attractions were supposed to play ‘Less Than Zero' but only a few bars into the song, Costello put a stop to it. “I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “but there’s no reason to do this song here.” At that point he and the band launched into “Radio Radio,” a song that takes a jab at corporate-controlled broadcasting. Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels was furious. According to some reports, he raised his middle finger at Costello and kept it up until the unapproved song was over. Costello was banned from the show for nearly 12 years. Elvis admits that he was copying Jimi Hendrix, who  had done the same thing on the Lulu Show, when he went into an unscheduled rendition of the Cream song 'Sunshine Of Your Love'. The full recording of this piece is unavailable on youtube due to SNL or Lorne Michaels or somebody. This first portion of the song is the max allowed so far, although how long this will remain up is anyone’s guess.

This is a video talking about the event. What is also interesting is that the original band who was supposed to have been that night was the Sex Pistols. That would have been historic.

Cool, enjoy.

(01-30-2024, 03:06 PM)Replying to RockmartDawg

(01-30-2024, 02:37 PM)Replying to Toasty B

(01-30-2024, 02:32 PM)Replying to RockmartDawg I lose track of time. But I still always find it amazing when I do see how much time has passed. Elvis Costello has been at it a LONG TIME.

I believe the first time I ever saw him play was on the infamous Saturday Night Live episode.  It was 1977 and I was in the 9th grade at the time, and was over at one of my school friends' house where we watched it. Costello was supposed to have not played this song, but did so anyway... in dramatic fashion... and it got him banned from the show for nearly 12 years.

So, let's see.... 1977... hmmm... (counting fingers and toes...).... man... that is right about 47 years ago. Think about that.. nearing FIFTY years ago! Yikes.

Why was he not supposed to play it?

This is what the poster of the video says about it, below. I've listened to him talk about it in a separate video, and he/Elvis Costello only mentions the fact that the record company and producer wanted him to play a different song in order to promote it. But he, instead, chose to go with "Radio, Radio", which takes a shot at corporate-controlled broadcasting:

Elvis Costello and the Attractions were supposed to play ‘Less Than Zero' but only a few bars into the song, Costello put a stop to it. “I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “but there’s no reason to do this song here.” At that point he and the band launched into “Radio Radio,” a song that takes a jab at corporate-controlled broadcasting. Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels was furious. According to some reports, he raised his middle finger at Costello and kept it up until the unapproved song was over. Costello was banned from the show for nearly 12 years. Elvis admits that he was copying Jimi Hendrix, who  had done the same thing on the Lulu Show, when he went into an unscheduled rendition of the Cream song 'Sunshine Of Your Love'. The full recording of this piece is unavailable on youtube due to SNL or Lorne Michaels or somebody. This first portion of the song is the max allowed so far, although how long this will remain up is anyone’s guess.

This is a video talking about the event. What is also interesting is that the original band who was supposed to have been that night was the Sex Pistols. That would have been historic.

Very cool. Thanks.