This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/14/2024
Elvis Costello Played & Signed White Fender Squire Stratocaster.
Elvis Costello has signed this White Fender Squire Stratocaster in a gold sharpie.
The guitar was played by Costello backstage at one of his concerts.
The story behind the signature of the guitar is as follows, per our consignor: “I was a huge fan of Elvis Costello in his “angry young man” stage when he was introducing the world to “New Wave” music. It was well known that he had an attitude. In a widely reported incident, he played Saturday Night Live with his band. He was told by producer Lorne Michaels not to play the song “Radio, Radio” because it was critical of the media. He got about 15 seconds into a different song, threw up his arms and told the band to play “Radio, Radio.” Lorne Michaels famously stood behind a camera and flipped him off during his entire performance. I loved his bad boy persona. I knew his manager, Jake Riviera, and asked Jake if he could arrange for me to see the show and meet Elvis. After an amazing performance, I went backstage, noting that I was the only one with a backstage pass. I knocked on the dressing room door and was greeted by the road manager, who was expecting me. The band was changing, so I turned my back to them to speak to the road manager and to not make the band uncomfortable. As I was talking, I heard a voice and turned around. Elvis was standing there pointing at me. “Who the fook is this,” he asked the road manager. He’s a friend of Jake’s and Jake wanted you to meet him. “I don’t care who he is, get him the fook out of here!” And with that proclamation and an apology from the road manager, I was shown the door. Years later, Elvis had been told by his label that if he didn’t “play nice” to his record company and guests, they would drop him. It was apparently all an act, because when Jake once again set it up for me to see the show and meet Elvis backstage, he was absolutely charming. I told him about the first time I had met him when he threw me out of the dressing room. He blushed and said he was very sorry. I said, no, you don’t understand, that was probably my all time favorite moment in Rock N Roll. I told him that I stood outside of that dressing room for a few minutes with a big grin on my face, saying to myself, it doesn’t get any better than this. Elvis broke into a big smile and said, well in that case, you’re very welcome. We spoke for about 20 minutes and he signed this guitar and played it during our chat. It was a nice visit, but definitely not as memorable as our first meeting.”
Provenance: From the collection of a former Music Executive. Lots 76 to 100 and Lots 499 to 803 in this auction are consigned by one vendor, who worked with and met various artists from 1985-1992. All the items were personally obtained by the vendor. This is the best in-person collection we have ever handled as an auction company.
Good condition.
Authentication: Gotta Have Rock and Roll Certificate of Authenticity.