Forty years ago Elvis Costello visited the West Coast with his band The Attractions to play the Pacific Coliseum (Nov. 17, 1978) and while they were here they shot a video for the Nick Lowe song “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding.”
The track was first released in 1974 on the album, The New Favourites of... Brinsley Schwarz, by Lowe’s band, Brinsley Schwarz. Lowe produced the Elvis Costello & the Attractions’ version of the song which was first issued as the B-side of Lowe’s own 1978 single for Radar Records, “American Squirm,” credited to “Nick Lowe and His Sound.” The song was added as the last track on the U.S. release of the Elvis Costello & The Attractions album, Armed Forces.
He’s playing “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” on his current tour. At least some nights. Elvis likes to mix things up.
Elvis Costello & The Imposters play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Dec. 4 on the closing date of their current coast-to-coast tour. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.
Brilliant Mistakes: Elvis Costello’s boundless career by Nick Paumgarten (New Yorker profile 2010).
