There are few bands instrumentally better than The Who, and The Attractions are one of them according to frontman Elvis Costello.
The Pump It Up hitmaker suggested that, during their prime, the band were able to match the pace and quality of the Roger Daltrey-fronted group. Costello would use The Attractions for some of his best studio albums, including Armed Forces, before opting for a change in personnel. He has since used The Imposters for recent studio works like Hey Clockface and on his tours. Davey Faragher was singled out for praise by Costello when he was promoting his 2004 album, The Delivery Man.
Speaking with fellow rock legend Elton John, Costello would explain that both Faragher and long-serving drummer, Pete Thomas, had been crucial to nailing the sound he wanted for his Johnny Cash-influenced studio album, which was recorded at Sweet Tea studios.
Costello told Elton John back in 2004: “Both Davey Faragher, our bassist, and our drummer, Pete Thomas, really knew the studio [Sweet Tea] well, so we were able to get that ferocious bass sound when it was appropriate. It obviously wouldn’t work for a ballad like Country Darkness, but on up-tempo tracks like Button My Lip or Bedlam, it’s great. Being American, Davey also has a different approach to rhythm.”
It was during this interview that Costello would claim both Thomas and Faragher were, in their prime, as good as Daltrey, Keith Moon, and Pete Townshend. The Shipbuilding songwriter explained: “I think my old band, The Attractions, in its prime was as good as any rock ‘n’ roll band that ever came out of England.
“Like The Who and other great English bands of the time, it was a lot of people doing their own thing. But Americans tend to work differently, really supporting each other — The Band, of course, being the prime example, where everybody’s playing a part that on its own would sound like nonsense, but together sounds like music, and everything is interlocking. So Davey added a lot of colour to the songs, just doing the right thing all the time.”
The Attractions were active from 1977 to 1986 before briefly reforming between 1994 and 1996. Band member Bruce Thomas and Costello’s falling out would never heal, with the Blood and Chocolate mastermind once slamming The Attractions’ guitarist saying he only worked with professionals.
During The Attractions’ reformation at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their induction in 2003, Costello was asked why Thomas was not present for the band’s induction. He replied: “I only work with professional musicians.” Despite this, Thomas was a huge part of The Attractions’ sound, serving the group during both their runs.
Despite Costello and Thomas reuniting on-stage to capture that sound that was as good as The Who, old habits resurfaced. Costello alleged Thomas had sabotaged songs during a handful of The Attractions’ shows, with the band splitting from Costello once more in 1996.
Discover more from Cult Following
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
