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Steve Nieve was the longtime keyboardist/pianist/organist for Elvis Costello's backing band the Attractions, and his versatility and extensive training made him an excellent fit for much of Costello's increasingly ambitious post-Attractions music. Born Steven Nason, Nieve attended the Royal College of Music and successfully auditioned for the Attractions in 1977 when he was 19. In 1980, Nieve released his first solo venture, the EP Theme Music From Outline of a Hairdo, which appeared on Jake Riviera's F-Beat label (to which Costello was signed at the time). Nieve went on to release two proper full-length solo albums, 1983's Keyboard Jungle and 1987's Playboy, both for the U.K. Demon label. In between touring and recording commitments with the Attractions (which grew less and less by the latter half of the decade), Nieve did session work with numerous other fellow new-wavers, including Nick Lowe, Kirsty MacColl, Madness, the Damned, Tim Finn, Nick Heyward, Hothouse Flowers, Graham Parke...