Double Espresso, please: 
– Elvis Costello and The Attractions -Live At Hope and Anchor – 1980 – BBC 6 Music –
Diving back to the 80s this week – Elvis Costello from 1980.
When I first heard Elvis Costello it was when Watching The Detectives was just released. It was different than anything else going on at the time. The 70s were a real roller-coaster as far as music went. And by the end of the decade things were still in the process of shaking out and refining.
Elvis Costello was, to me, the next logical step in what would eventually be considered New Wave. Well crafted songs with socially relevant lyrics, a new Elvis Costello album or single was always an event which required a sit-down and serious listen. It was music to dance to, sure. But more than that, an Elvis Costello song had a lot more going for it than the beat and the riffs. There was the potent message to consider. And that was why so much of his early material made such an indelible impression on fans – it was music that demanded to be listened to, not at.
And in 1980 Elvis Costello was still in the evolution stage and his appearance in this 1980 broadcast from The Hope and Anchor Pub in London gives some idea of his huge early-on popularity with fans.
Recorded by the venerable BBC and broadcast over BBC6 Music, here is a 25 minute extended excerpt of what was a much longer concert.
Maybe we should stick around the 80s this week . . . could be fun.
Can’t believe it’s almost February already. Here it is, a new year and Past Daily is still trudging along, looking for your support. We don’t run ads so we need contributors to keep us up and running. Costs even more now than it did this time last year. But we’re still offering you the best of what’s in the archive – yes, this is all from our Collection (except the sessions and concerts – gotta give credit where credit is due – BBC 6 Music and Radio X in London and RNE In Madrid are essential sources of finding new music) but everything is the result of yours truly digging into boxes, climbing over shelves, falling into dumpsters. It’s history, it’s important and it’s yours if you want it. All you have to do, if you’re up for it, is please subscribe via Patreon (that little box at the bottom of this post) – click on it and you’ll be taken to their site where you can subscribe to Past Daily, let them know how much you want to donate – or check us out for free, test drive our site, as it were, and decide to become part of the Past Daily experience. Simple, painless and we’ll love you for it. Do it if you can and you’ll be able to download your own copy of all our posts and new ones as they appear. Kind of cool, don’t you think? But you have to become a Patron in order to do it. Think about it – no pressure – honest – really . . no pressure. But there’s this landlord . . . .