Radio and music are heavy on my mind this week, as an earlier post indicates, and somehow I tripped upon this on a site called Rock Town Hall.
I'm totally familiar with the first instance of Radio, Radio being played as contraband on Saturday Night Live. Costello and the band had been booked in December 1977 as a last minute replacement for the Sex Pistols. I saw it live on TV, and it made me a fan of Elvis Costello forever. History reveals that the moment was not as spontaneous as it seemed, but plotted by Costello and band ahead of time. It did piss off Lorne Michaels, who vowed never to have Costello back. It's the kind of performance that can make or break a career. Costello's talent insisted that it be a monumental push forward and not a stumbling block. He was invited back to play in 1989 and 1991, likely after Michaels decided the memorable moment was one of the reasons early Saturday Night Live was great.
Today, I saw for the first time, this reprise on a 1999 anniversary special of the show which featured the Beastie Boys.
BTW, Elvis Costello opens solo/acoustic for Dylan when he plays the the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport on Sept. 30.
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