It Was 40 Years Ago Today

Forty years ago today, Elvis Costello & the Attractions were in the middle of their first tour of the USA.  It began in San Francisco on November 15, 1977 and on the 18 and 19th landed at the Whisky A GoGo. On the 20th, the lads were guests on KROQ's Rodney on the ROQ with Mayor of the Sunset Strip, DJ Rodney Bingenheimer.

I've been taking a long, long time to read Elvis's memoir, and I highly recommend it.  He writes thoroughly about his songwriting and band-crafting, as well as his experiences in the studio and on the road.  I don't want the story to end, so I read a couple pages a day.

My roommate, the famous Joanna Spock Dean was in a band called Backstage Pass back then.  They opened for Elvis at The Whisky.  She has kept in touch with the whole Attractions crew over the years, and we still have the great good fortune to see Elvis play whenever he tours the US and has a Nashville date.  A couple years ago, Elvis & the Imposters opened for Steely Dan at the Ascend Amphitheatre in Nashville, where we both now live.  His closing song, the Nick Lowe-penned "Peace, Love & Understanding" was most poignant, as it was the beginning of when the current occupant of the White House was making noise about running for that office.  Nick and Elvis's message still sings in my head and heart as the anthem keeping me alive in these scary times.