#rock n roll history

[rocknrollflames]

Reminds me a little of E.T. in the closet with all the stuffed animals.

#slash #guns n roses #gnr #guns n' roses #slash gnr #patience #gnr lies #rock n roll #rock and roll #axl rose #guns n roses fans #duff mckagan #izzy stradlin #steven adler #slash's snake #rock n' roll #video vixens #rock n roll history #rock n' roll history #saul hudson

[malinastharlock]

Happy Women's History Month and International Women's day. Here's a little bit of women's history.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe aka "The Godmother of Rock and Roll". She was born in 1915 in Arkansas and started performing gospel music with her mother at a young age. She later became famous for her electric guitar playing and her fusion of gospel, blues, jazz and swing. She influenced many rock and roll artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

#history #historical #history facts #arts #moment #women's history month #international women's day #sister rosetta tharpe #rock n roll history

[elvismentions]

#elvismentions #elvismentions 1 year anniversay music event #elvis #elvis presley #bob dylan #american pie #don mclean #rock n roll history #rock n roll #music #music lyrics

[valkaryah]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELVIS! january 8th, 1935 - august 16th, 1977

#happy birthday darling elvis!!! we love you so so so much! #gone but never forgotten because stars keep shining long after their death and light isn't matter that can be corrupted #elvis presley #elvis #elvis aaron presley #the king of rock n roll #born on this day #botd #elvisedit #presleyedit #vintage #retro #uservintage #rock n roll history #music icons #e #elvis presley gifs #my gifs

[alienelvisobsession]

The Jack White Connection

In January 2015, Elvis’ very first recording, an unassuming simple acetate dating back to 1953, was sold at an auction to an undisclosed buyer for $300,000. It featured two sentimental ballads sung by Elvis, then a shy 18-year-old kid with a ducktail haircut: on the A-side was “My Happiness”, a tune from the 1940s that would be later made famous by Connie Francis, and on the flip side “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”, which Elvis would later re-record and release as a B-side to “All Shook Up”. Back in 1953, Elvis had paid $3.98 for this service offered by Sam Phillips at Memphis Recording Service, either to hear how he sounded on record, or as a present for his mum, as he would later claim in interviews. Some would go so far as to say that he hoped Sam would hear his voice and sign him up at Sun Studios. Whatever the reason, Elvis took the record to his high-school friend Ed Leek, who, in his recollection, had given him the money ($3.98 amount to about $45 adjusted for inflation) and owned a record player. Elvis played the songs there, and then for some reason left the record at his house. It’s funny how in later years some articles would claim that Gladys played the record over and over, while Elvis admitted in the Million Dollar Quartet recordings that he had lost it. In 1988 Ed Leek let RCA transfer the songs to digital to be released, but he kept the original acetate until his death in 2010.

In March 2015, a couple of months after the record was sold at an auction by Leek’s niece, it was disclosed that the buyer was a fellow rock ‘n roll musican, Jack White. The Detroit native planned to reissue the precious artifact on vinyl in a limited edition for Record Store Day. For this, he faithfully recreated the 10-inch, 78-rpm record in every detail, including the yellowish aging paper of the plain sleeve and the typewritten labels. Alan Stoker, the son of Gordon Stoker from the Jordanaires, the background singers in many of Elvis’ hits, did the transfer at the Country Music Hall of Fame. He ensured that the sound would be as clean as possible while maintaining the old haunting feeling of what many consider to be the Holy Grail of rock ‘n roll.

From this, you may have gathered that Jack White, who has won 13 Grammies in his career and is credited for writing the most distinctive guitar riff of the early 2000s with “Seven Nation Army”, is an Elvis fan. Not only did he embark in the project of bringing Elvis’ first record to the public with a precise replica, but he also played Elvis in a cameo for the comedy “Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story” (2007), which is a parody of music biopics. In the now iconic scene, Dewey, played by John C. Reilly, is terrified because he has to go on stage after Elvis, who’s hungry and wants to get out of there early. When Elvis approaches Dewey Cox, he speaks in an unintelligible Southern drawl, and anachronistically attempts a karate chop in the 1950s, before he even started to study it! This is a spoof of music biopics, after all, where these “artistic liberties” are plentiful (Baz Luhrmann’s movie has Elvis sing “Trouble” at Russwood Park, for instance). Then Jack White’s Elvis hilariously explains karate: “It’s called karate, man. Only two kinds of people know it, The Chinese and The King.” This unflattering and stereotyped portrayal of Elvis purposefully misses everything about Elvis’ personality, especially his humility and his Southern accent, focusing on some unimportant stereotypes instead: the sweating, the love of junk food, and the mumbling.

But, aside from playing him in a now famous gag, Jack White payed homage to Elvis as a musician as well. His 2014 Grammy-winning single “Lazaretto” features a cover of “Power of My Love” on the B side. The single holds the record of being the world’s fastest released record. It was recorded live in Nashville in front of an audience, pressed and released in under 4 hours. The B-side is according to The Tennessean “a thunderous version of Elvis Presley's ‘Power of My Love,’ — a faithful rendition, aside from cranking up the tempo and piling on the guitar overdrive.” In 2022, as we know, he had the honor of recording a duet of the same song alongside Elvis’ voice. The song is featured in the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann’s movie.

And finally, Jack speaks about his love for Elvis Presley in a 2018 episode of the podcast “Revisionist History” by Malcolm Gladwell. In an episode called “Analysis, Parapraxis, Elvis”, the author tries to understand why Elvis never seemed to get a particular part of “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” quite right. Jack, accompanied by his guitar, sings the song in full, including the slightly corny spoken bridge where the singer feels vulnerable, deceived and rejected, which is the emotional part that Elvis couldn’t face to sing. He says there are a lot of minor chords in the song that can get you in that melancholy vibe. The singer is lonesome and he doesn’t really care if his ex lover is lonesome: “it’s a McGuffin to pretend he’s worried about her”, Jack explains.

I’m sure there will be more occasions to hear Jack White paying homage to his idol in the future. After all, he has an Elvis shrine at home, as Gladwell reveals!

This is part of a series of posts about Elvis’ influence on the artists who followed him. You can read the other Elvis connections I wrote about here. So far I’ve written about people as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, Quentin Tarantino and Andy Warhol.

#elvis presley #elvis #jack white #rock n roll history #elvis presley history #1950s music #rock and roll #vinyl records #vinyl #walk hard: the dewey cox story #Youtube #power of my love #lazaretto #are you lonesome tonight?

[presleypictures]

“When I spent time with them one summer and they were living at the Hillcrest home, I slept in the room Lisa was in. Elvis would tip-toe in and check on her. And even though he was really quiet, he would keep patting her, checking on her and tucking her in until she would finally wake up. It was like he wanted her to wake up so he could pick her up and hold her.” – Michelle Beaulieu.

– Elvis photographed with baby Lisa Marie, Paul Beaulieu and Michelle Beaulieu, 1968.

#elvis presley #elvis #elvis presley history #elvis history #elvis presley photos #elvis photos #elvis presley pictures #elvis pictures #rock n roll #rock n roll history #music history #the king #king of rock n roll #lisa marie presley #1960s #1968

[theogbubblesnake]

finding out that Moz got the ultimate revenge on marr by kicking him out and replacing him with a new guitarist(Ivor Perry) while finishing The Smiths last album is just the cherry on top of the cake

Steven and Ivor in September 1987

+funny how karma works, stupid marr threatened he would replace Moz with a "better singer", Moz got revenge on him by kicking him out and not letting him finish the album/replaced him with a better guitarist lol

#Morrissey #The Smiths #Steven Morrissey #I feel better lol #ask me anything #anti johnny marr #Rock N Roll History #Moz cut off a narcissistic buttface #Ivor Perry

[sarcasmic-skies]

not enough people know abt & appreciate johnnie ray (AKA “mr. emotion”, “the prince of wails”, “the nabob of sob”, “the cry guy”, “the atomic ray”, etc.) it makes me unreasonably upset. do yourself a favor and give his 1951 breakthrough hit a listen right now:

#yes this is the johnnie ray they’re singing about in ‘come on eileen’ #his significance in the history of rock n roll is overlooked and i am tired of it #bisexual half-deaf singer known for his wailing #and emotional vocals and theatrical performances and effeminate nature/style #for a man to be that emotional that publicly at the time was. offensive! but opened doors for male emotional expression in music #he wore his hearing aid onstage often as well which was kinda a big deal for deaf/hard of hearing visibility at the time #he also publicly attributed his success and style of music to the black community he grew up with on a radio interview at the time #which was. a real big deal at the time #i will not stop screaming abt johnnie ray i will not #much of elvis’ stage antics he borrowed from johnnie ray as well #ty posts!!!!!! #ty posts #what ty’s listening to #johnnie ray #Spotify #50s music #rock n roll history #rock n roll #1950s history #1950s #1950s music #music history #come on eileen

[globalriseofblackpeople]

Black history

#Elvis #black power #knowledge #Roy Hamilton #culture vultures #black knowledge #black music #rock n roll #hidden gems #hidden history

[tygerland]

John Coltrane 1963, by Jim Marshall.

#john coltrane #retro #rock n roll #1960s #jazz #beats #art history #music #culture #nyc #musicians #black history #60s #black tumblr #urban #soul #r&b #vintage #photos #black excellence #jim marshall #📸

[wronghands1]

#planets #gods #rock n roll #music #astonomy #science #history #musicians #music history #wrong hands #john atkinson #webcomic #humor

[rocknrollflames]

GNR News

Who will attend?

#guns n roses #gnr #guns n' roses #izzy stradlin #slash #steven adler #axl rose #duff mckagan #gilby clarke #rock and roll #rock and roll legends #rock n roll #rock n roll history #rock and roll history #appetite for destruction #grammy hall of fame #izzy stradlin is the death of me

[odinsblog]

Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” Live at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967

#jimi hendrix #music #hey joe #rock n roll #black history #black culture #monterey pop festival #guitar

[elvismentions]

Rocketman (2019) dir. Dexter Fletcher

#elvismentions #elvis presley #elvis #elton john #rocketman #elvis presley debut album #elvis presley 1956 album #elvis the pelvis #rock n roll #rock n roll history #dexter fletcher #movie #year: 2019 #2010s #screencaps

[valkaryah]

Elvis Presley attending the aftershow party shown in the end credits of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is (1970)

#elvis presley #elvis #cary grant #elvis: that's the way it is #70s #seventies #1970s #rock n roll history #uservintage #vintage #retro #e #elvis presley gifs #my gifs #( was listening to a live recording of polk salad annie on repeat while editing this <3 hm HIM i love him in this hairstyle and black #leather suit sooooo much sexy vampire rock star hunk god of music mf elvissssssssssssssssssssssss GOD)

[alienelvisobsession]

The Led Zeppelin Connection

When Robert Plant was about 10 years old, in 1958, he used to do an Elvis impersonation behind the curtains in his living room, arguably looking for a certain ambience that Elvis’ early records had. He used to have a quiff and spent hours in front of the mirror trying to emulate Elvis’ moves. Both him and Jimmy Page used to listen to Radio Luxembourg, a foreign radio station that at the time was the only way to listen to rock ‘n’ roll music in the UK. It couldn’t always be tuned in and it was staticky, but in their homes with ears to the speakers they would pick up fragments of Fats Domino, Buddy Holly or Elvis Presley. Robert’s parents were worried about the influence rock ‘n’ roll had on their son and one day, while he was listening to his favorite music, even pulled the plug off the radio. He didn’t desist of course and it was through Elvis that he learned about the Delta Blues. Rock ‘n’ roll and R&B records were only found in second-hand shops in the UK back then, left behind by Americans or discarded from jukeboxes, so that’s what Page and Plant focused on separately while Elvis was drafted into the army.

What sparked Jimmy Page musically, however, even before discovering Chuck Berry in 1956, was Elvis’ rockabilly classic “Baby, Let’s Play House”, which he heard first on that staticky radio. Even though the allusion in the lyrics about living in sin didn’t hit him until years later, that song, he confessed in an interview, turned him on and sent shivers up his spine, so much so that he decided to take up a guitar left behind at his house and learn to play it. Soon enough, he formed a skiffle band and started to emulate solos from guitarists he liked, especially James Burton (who played guitar in Ricky Nelson’s hits and would later play his famous pink Telecaster in Elvis’ TCB band). Like Elvis, Jimmy would bring his guitar to school and sometimes it got confiscated for the day. He bought a record player in 1960 and got the early Elvis records he liked, such as “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “Tryin’ to Get to You”. “That music was refreshing”, observed Page many years later, “when all you heard before was Rosemary Clooney”.

It was only in 1968 however that Page and Plant joined forces and with John Bonham and John Paul Jones formed Led Zeppelin. Rock music had evolved a lot from ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll to 70s hard rock, but Elvis’ influence can be heard everywhere in Robert Plant’s delivery, in some of his stage moves and in the lyrics too (“It's been a long time, been a long time / Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time” - “Rock and Roll” from Led Zeppelin IV). Having watched Elvis for years, Led Zeppelin also learned how to use their bodies on stage to emphasize the feel of the music – striking poses, shaking their hips, thrusting their pelvis and so on. In order to pay homage to how it all started for them, they semi-regularly included Elvis songs in their sets, especially in the long “Whole Lotta Love” medley. It included “That’s Alright, Mama”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “A Mess of Blues” and others.

The members of Led Zeppelin went to see Elvis live several times over the years, including in 1972 at Madison Square Garden, but it was only in May 1974 that Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Bonham were invited to meet him after a concert. Elvis was not a fan of hard rock, but he knew about Led Zeppelin, as they were topping the charts at the time. He would say to his own entourage, “Well, I may not be Led Zeppelin but I can still pack 'em in”. He was actually amused that his step-brother Ricky was really excited that they were in the audience. During the concert that night in Los Angeles he acknowledged them before launching into “Funny How Time Slips Away” with his signature self-deprecating humor, stopping his TCB band and saying that they should all play as if they knew what they were doing because Led Zeppelin was in the audience.

After the concert they were invited to see Elvis and led into a room full of girls – all copies of Ann Margret, as Robert Plant humorously recalls. They were told by Elvis’ entourage not to discuss music with him, so initially they were starstruck and tongue tied. Elvis, who apparently only knew one of their songs, Stairway to Heaven, didn’t talk to them for a little while, until his interest was sparked by Bonzo mentioning his classic car collection. Elvis knew the band members were famous for the groupies and their libertine behavior on tour, so he asked about that and they hilariously denied everything. Jimmy joked that they rarely did sound checks, but if they did all Robert wanted to sing was Elvis’ songs. Elvis was amused by that and asked him which songs he liked and Robert said that he liked the ones with all the moods, like “Love Me”: “Treat me like a fool / Treat me mean and cruel / But love me”. When they were about to leave, Elvis swung around the door frame, looking quite pleased with himself, and started singing that song to them: “Treat me like a fool…” and Robert promptly replied “Treat me mean and cruel…But love me”. They actually talked and had fun for about 90 minutes together. Members of his Memphis Mafia even checked with him several times because Elvis usually saw people for only 10 minutes.

Another memorable meeting took place in his Monovale house, also in LA, this time involving John Paul Jones, the bassist of the band, and Richard Cole, the band’s tour manager, who was a friend of Jerry Schilling. When the two arrived with a bottle of Dom Pérignon, they were surprised to find Elvis in his pajamas and slippers watching TV with the MM. Cole, apparently a bit drunk, started to swear in front of everyone and Elvis didn’t approve, especially since his girlfriend Sheila Ryan was present. Accounts differ but one story says that Elvis jumped up in a karate stance and knocked off his watch and another that Elvis simply asked to see Cole’s expensive watch. What happened for sure is that they all started to swap watches, John getting a jewel-encrusted watch from Elvis in exchange for his Mickey Mouse wristwatch. The evening went on pleasantly, with Elvis quoting several Monty Python routines to his new English friends. Towards the end of the evening, Elvis suggested another exchange. He eyed John, who had been the quiet one all night, lowered his pajama pants beneath his robe and in perfect Monty Python fashion said “Let’s swap pants!”. According to Jerry, the more eccentric Cole was shocked into silence, while John and Sheila bursted into laughter.

The last time Elvis Presley and Led Zep crossed paths is bittersweet, as it happened shortly before Elvis’ death in 1977 when their jets met on the runway at the airport. His other step brother, David Stanley, asked Elvis if he could go with the band that night for their concert. Elvis just looked at him and said, “No.” When he asked Elvis why, he said, “Look at the bottom of your paycheck.” As he entered the limo with Elvis David said they sure have a nice jet. Elvis leaned over and reminded him, “They lease their jet from Caesar’s Palace, I own mine.”

Robert Plant kept singing Elvis’ songs on stage throughout his career. Here he’s singing “Little Sister” in 1979 with Rockpile.

Here he’s sitting on the floor with some records. Note Elvis’ first album is there (thanks Lucy for this).

You can find my other posts on Elvis connections with artists who followed him at this link. So far I’ve written about Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan/Andy Warhol, the Clash, Jim Morrison and Quentin Tarantino.

#elvis #elvis presley #led zeppelin #robert plant #jimmy page #rock n roll #rock n roll history #1950s rock n roll #1970s rock #hard rock #john Paul jones #john bonham