Elvis Costello made his instant-classic debut, 1977’s My Aim Is True, in just over 24 hours, while he still had a day job as a computer operator. But as Costello discusses in the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, the music on the album only hinted at what he was up to in his earliest years as an artist — all of which is finally revealed on his just-released new box set, the five-disc My Aim Is True (49th Anniversary Edition). Alongside a remaster of the album, the set includes The Blue Print, acoustic recordings from 1975 and 1976; demos and outtakes, including the country songs he kept under wraps at the time; live recordings that trace the birth of the Attractions; and a 2007 San Francisco benefit concert where he’s backed by the musicians from the original sessions.
In the Rolling Stone Music Now interview, Costello breaks down the box’s long-buried early recordings, and goes deep on the making of My Aim Is True, including the real story behind “Alison,” and much more. To hear the whole episode, listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or just press play above. Here are some highlights from the discussion: Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century Costello started writing “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” on a train to his mother’s house, then ran upstairs to find a guitar before he could forget it.
So I had to make my way as swiftly as possible to my old house, and I said hello to my mum, kissed my mum on the cheek, and ran upstairs and found this old battered guitar that was on top of the wardrobe, and sat there for about an hour until I had it drilled into my brain and I wouldn’t lose it.” As for where the red shoes came from: “I have no clue. I just figured they were something that didn’t feature in my wardrobe, and those angels would definitely want them.” Costello almost released his earliest recordings 35 years ago, then backed off. Everybody has to start somewhere.
I would be delighted if some younger writers listened to those songs and it gave them any confidence in what they were doing, because you can hear the ambition to do something, and it isn’t quite formed.” When his label, Stiff Records, told Costello they were changing his name, he thought it was a prank. So I went along with it.” The label’s photo shoots, he says, “kinda played up my ordinariness, you know, my unfashionable clothes, and the glasses became Superman glasses, you know, Clark Kent glasses or Buddy Holly or Phil Silvers.” Costello never bought the “new wave” label. It was completely made up.
It was just journalists trying to explain bands that had energy and a little edge, but were something different than punk, which in itself was a term borrowed from another culture.” He also rejects what he calls “the big book of history version” of 1977, “that punk sort of swept everything in its path, and that just isn’t true.” “Most of the other great groups were struggling down there in the 30s and 40s,” he says, “because the charts were completely full of disco records or Fleetwood Mac or Rod Stewart singing a song from 10, 12 years ago already.” Once he and the Attractions started turning up on TV, the exposure didn’t always help. But that really wasn’t Linda’s singing. It was more the arrangement … seemed very, very much of its location, which was Los Angeles, and I was just allergic to that sound.
And I really feel embarrassed now that I was ever so rude about it, ’cause … that I would be chosen in the company of Lowell George and Warren Zevon and Smokey Robinson … and Buddy Holly, all the people that Linda chose, was a tremendous compliment, and I just didn’t know how to take it gracefully, frankly.” Asked whether he had more in common with the Ramones or the Muppets, Costello picks the latter. Around the time My Aim Is True came out, the Ramones and the Muppets were in the Top 20 at the same time.
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