VOLUME 3 Knocking On Nick Lowe’s Door

This volume charts Elvis’ transition from amateur to professional recording artist, from 1975 to 1978. The title comes from the Dylan track, (a Flip City demo) and the Nick Lowe association. Elvis reportedly followed Nick around as he sought that elusive recording deal. Lowe would later produce Elvis’ first 5 albums.

1. Knocking On Heaven’s Door - Bob Dylan & The Band
2. Third Rate Romance - Amazing Rhythm Aces
3. Packin' Up - Chris Kenner
4. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - Tommy Hunt
5. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll - Ian Dury & The Blockheads
6. Roadette Song - Kilburn & The High Roads
7. Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric
8. Love Comes In Spurts - Richard Hell
9. You Gotta Lose - Johnny Thunder's Heartbreakers
10. Shattered - The Rolling Stones
11. The Price Of Love - The Everly Brothers
12. Neat Neat Neat - The Damned
13. Heart Of The City - Nick Lowe
14. Nutted By Reality - Nick Lowe
15. Music For Money - Nick Lowe
16. Shake´n Pop - Nick Lowe
17. The Sound Of Breaking Glass - Nick Lowe
18. Peace, Love And Understanding? - Brinsley Schwarz
19. Really Mystified - The Merseybeats
20. Honky Tonk Blues - Hank Williams
21. Honky Tonkin' - Hank Williams
22. You Win Again - The Grateful Dead
23. I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
24. Mustang Sally - Wilson Pickett
25. Route 66 - Nat King Cole
26. Endless Sleep - Nick Lowe

27.  + I Wish You A Merry Christmas – Bing Crosby

RUNNING TIME 79:50

Track Notes

1-3 – These tracks were recorded by Flip City in 1975. This alternative Live version of ‘ Knocking On Heaven’s Door’ is included as it contains an extra verse, sung by EC on the Flip City demo.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Bootleg:_Aim_To_Please
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Knockin%27_On_Heaven%27s_Door http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Packin%27_Up

4 – First played by The Attractions on The Live Stiffs tour ‘77. The Tommy Hunt original is included here, Dusty Springfield’s version can be found on the Bacharach collaboration (vol 21)
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/I_Just_Don%27t_Know_What_To_Do_With_Myself

5-7 The Live Stiffs tour of 1977 is now the stuff of legend. The Attractions covered songs of their labelmates to show solidarity(?) and joined The Blockheads on stage in an ensemble (Chaos) version of ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Sex_%26_Drugs_%26_Rock_%26_Roll_%26_Chaos
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Roadette_Song http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Whole_Wide_World

8-10 Elvis also had an eye on the New York punk scene and forged allegiances with Richard Hell. Joining him on stage at CBGB’s to jam on ‘You Gotta Lose’ & ‘Shattered’ in Oct 1978.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Love_Comes_In_Spurts
http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/You_Gotta_Lose http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Concert_1978-10-18_New_York

11- The Attractions sound checked with this number in 1977. A decent live version exists, but has yet to be released.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/The_Price_Of_Love

12-Released as a live B side in 1978 together with ‘Roadette Song’.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Neat_Neat_Neat

13-17 The Attractions would regularly feature as Nick Lowe’s backing band in 1978, sometimes without Elvis’ involvement. Heart of The City has recently been revisited on recent songbook shows.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Heart_Of_The_City http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Concert_1978-03-04_Buffalo_%28early%29

18 –Nick Lowe classic that has become a regular part of Elvis’ live set.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/%28What%27s_So_Funny_%27Bout%29_Peace%2C_Love_And_Understanding%3F

19 –Played live in 1977/78 and on a 1978 Peel Session, it was later re-recorded in 1982.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Really_Mystified

20-21 Hearing Tulsa was a ‘country town’, The Attractions debuted these songs to a bemused audience in May 1978.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Honky_Tonk_Blues http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Honky_Tonkin%27

22- This other Hank Williams classic has been performed regularly throughout Elvis’ career. However, earlier performances were more based on this Grateful Dead arrangement.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/You_Win_Again

23-25 Played at a guest appearance with The Skunks on May 1978 in Austin,TX

26-This laid back ballad was performed by Elvis at Liverpool Aug 1977, one of his earliest professional performances.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Concert_1977-08-02_Liverpool

 27 Performed (as a teaser/snippet) at Christmas Eve concert in London 1978. New to this edition.

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Concert_1978-12-24_London

* different version to compilation

 + New to this edition.