Elvis Costello & The Attractions

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Biography

London, United Kingdom (1977 – 1984, 1994 – 1996)

Elvis Costello & The Attractions was the band formed by Elvis Costello in 1977. It comprised Steve Nieve (ne Nason) on keyboards, Pete Thomas on drums and Bruce Thomas (no relation) on bass. He recorded and toured solidly with them until 1984, when he disbanded them to pursue solo projects.

He reconvened the band for one-off albums and tours over the following decade; in particular from 1994 through 1996. He has also enlisted Nieve - and to a lesser extent Pete Thomas - for other recordings and performances, and continues to do so to present day. Costello and Bruce Thomas had a notoriously stormy relationship, documented in Thomas’s autobiographical novel The Big Wheel in 1990. The original Attractions reunited for the Brutal Youth & All This Useless Beauty sessions despite Elvis and Bruce’s differences. Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve, along with Bruce Thomas’ replacement Davey Faragher, now form Costello’s current backing band, The Imposters.

Together, Costello and The Attractions, from London, UK, recorded 10 albums, most of which are critically regarded as among Costello’s finest. They are: This Year’s Model (1978); Armed Forces (1979); Get Happy (1980); Trust (1981); Almost Blue (1981); Imperial Bedroom (1982); Punch The Clock (1983); Goodbye Cruel World (1984); Blood and Chocolate (1986), and All This Useless Beauty (1996). The full band plays on some, but not all, tracks on the 1994 release Brutal Youth, which is credited to Costello alone.
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  • microkittycat

    @Findlaye yes, it's so hard to respect the fact that Elvis happened to fall in love with a strong-willed, funny, down-to-earth person who shares his passion for music. no, wait - turns out it's not. you're right though, it's irrelevant. he doesn't need your respect.

    29 Apr 5:41am Reply

  • Findlaye

    Utterly irrelevant really but I respect him a little less since he married Diana Krall. Costello had the musical wisdom to recognize the Bacharach potential ... How could he fall in love with that atonal sex kitten? Yep, should have married Burt :-)

    26 Apr 6:20pm Reply

  • JimmyCos

    Yeah i liked him a lot, maybe the best author of the new wave era

    2 Mar 7:01pm Reply

  • JimmyCos

    For some reason i have never listened to Costello... This will be my first time, in 12 more days i'll say if i liked him or not

    14 Feb 6:29am Reply

  • AledMCR

    Almost forgot how amazing Elvis and the Attractions are, currently on a Costello-binge...

    8 Dec 2012 Reply

  • cjkisaragi

    Rediscovering the genius GET HAPPY!!

    24 Nov 2012 Reply

  • DeadKinks

    My Aim is True is unique and still my favourite, but he really found himself with The Attractions. This Year's Model, Almost Blue and many of their live shows are just impeccable.

    11 May 2012 Reply

  • Nakkinak

    the greatness of the Attractions is the main reason why This Year's Girl is so much better than My Aim is True (in my opinion)

    30 Apr 2012 Reply

  • orianabella

    @RemoteRemote- "forever an influence and connection to my Dad." me too, me too.

    22 Apr 2012 Reply

  • raceofdoom

    <3 <3 ,3 <3<#m#,#m<# 3, #,# < <3

    9 Apr 2012 Reply

  • Anklevic

    What an underrated genius.

    16 Feb 2012 Reply

  • RemoteRemote

    forever an influence and connection to my Dad.

    11 Dec 2011 Reply

  • luchaboar

    Do you guys prefer Beyond Belief or The Land Of Give And Take? c:

    26 Nov 2011 Reply

  • westernmedicine

    Elvis costello>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>bowie

    11 Nov 2011 Reply

  • AledMCR

    I can't choose between Armed Forces and This Year's Model. Everything Costello did with both those albums was absolutely great.

    14 Oct 2011 Reply

  • promisedeyes

    'This Year's Girl' is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. End stop.

    31 Aug 2011 Reply

  • mylifeisought

    "Unlucky. The band would have been bigger if they started now with all the indie bands" Elvis Costello & The Attractions headlined amphitheaters and arenas for years, as well as headlining Glastonbury four times.

    26 Jul 2011 Reply

  • Druid66

    What's so funny about cutting lyrics, razor vocals, blistering guitars and piercing drums? Erm... nothing. These guys kick ass! And Elvis has turned, over time, into a truly epic musical explorer.

    20 Jul 2011 Reply

  • westernmedicine

    marry me elvis

    3 Jul 2011 Reply

  • Thedra

    So much ahead of their time.

    22 Jun 2011 Reply
    • All 149 shouts

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