Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

7500 wow a veteran

1 against 4? An unfair duel...

Was it an Elvis movie that John Lennon saw and then decided that "ah that's a good job"? I think Elvis would have rocked the UK had he toured in 63, would he have knocked the Beatles off? No I don't think so. I'd bet Brian Epstein would have fought like hell to get the Beatles on the same bill with Elvis. The Beatles covered other artist's songs but they also wrote their own and I think that would have kept them rocketing to the top churning out hit after hit, don't think Elvis could have kept it up quality wise anyways.

Good points Brian. I think you are right about Epstein. A lead in song for Elvis' early 1963 tour would have been Love Me Tender and while a fine song it would have paled in comparison to the Fab Four.

With regard to movies, it may be a toss-up as to who had the least desirable themes. The Beatles did win out, at least in my estimation, when it comes to "movie songs."

As a nine year old when the Beatles hit (here in the states, '63) I was aware, vaguely, of some rock and roll, not of Elvis. The Beatles were a bolt of lightening, opening up a world beyond my neighborhood.

When I did get a sample of Elvis (a pal liked him and had his early-mid '60's stuff) I thought he looked passe, more my parents style. His hair was up, fer goodness sake. And the records he had were these goofy ones from his movies, the picture sleeves had Elvis dressed up like a carnival barkers and Arabian Knights and such. Not cool like the black and white, mysterious fabs.
For all his fame, perhaps the British at that point might have started rooting for the home team. It was about time they had international Rock Stars!

As far as songs, well in retrospect, to me his good one's were the 1-4-5 blues based tunes of the '50's. The fabs were already breaking this pattern in Rock And Roll. To me, little kid that I was, Chuck-Berry derived rock sounded dated.

Now of course I appreciate more of Elvis' early '60's work. My band even covers "His Latest Flame" occasionally.

Basically I think the Beatles' target audience (at least in Brian Epstein's plan) of pre-and post pubescent girls and boys might not have given Elvis the chance to fairly compete with the Beatles. And this audience was emerging as perhaps the biggest rock and roll merchandise money spending bloc up to that point in history.

Though outside the U.S. there must have been a pent-up market to see Elvis in the Flesh. The story goes, as far as I know, that the colonel was an illegal U.S. immigrant, and thus could not leave the country. And refused to let Elvis out without him. Therefore, Elvis never toured outside the U.S. Strange!

Jerry: I don't think Colonel Parker was even a real colonel either, unlike Colonel Sanders...

Whether Elvis hit the shores of the UK with an original or extra-crispy tour, I consider that Jerry is right. He may have sparked some interest but it is unlikely that he would have been the full-meal deal. A drop in the bucket at that point I am afraid.

Of course we'll never know but I still suspect that had he toured here in late 63/64 he would, certainly in UK, have stolen some of their thunder as we say.

He would without a doubt have sold out everywhere he had gone and would no doubt even had The Beatles singing his praises at period in time.

A good take on it Roy. With the Fabs singing his praises, he may have indeed had more of a boost. That is a factor that I had not considered.

An Elvis UK tour in 63/64 would have ben a shrewd tactical move. No doubt would have been extremely high profile. Could it have changed history?

Elvis probably needed a 8-10 piece band to reproduce some of the material he was singing by then. The Beatles had emerged as a stripped down solid backing band with four singers and two of those singers were incredible. How can you compete with that?

That alone gave every musician hope that they too could play in a band. It also added to the "boy next door" image that Epstein had cultured so carefully. The target audience quite obviously loved that aspect of the Beatles. I think an Elvis tour would have been a minor sensation in England. That's all.

Have to disagree there Brian and I am not a Elvis fan,but that is what debate is about differing viewpoints and in this instance no right or wrong answers only views. I believe that had it been at the start of Beatlemania it would have effected them.

Surely The Shadows also gave hope that every musician could play in a band, groups were formed in early 60's to imitate them.

I sort of see your point about the Shadows Roy, but to be honest at the time I was more interested in music that had a back beat to it.

When the Beatles emerged (for me at least) they were like a breath of fresh air. It was almost like hearing music for the first time. Obviously it was music that I could really relate to. I admit that is subjective but there again that's what debates are all about.

The only Shadows music that I briefly messed around with was "Apache". I was not into playing instrumentals at all.

My older cousins were all into Cliff Richard and Elvis, so they would probably be able to speak to this topic better than I.

Didn't the Shadows move in unison on stage? That kind of stuff turned me off as a kid and kinda put a wedge (for me) between the old and the new rockers. It still turns me off when I see singers with big dance troupes. Just freaking sing or play. Save the rehearsed stage show for Vegas. I can't believe teens actually enjoy these choreographed spectacles. Rock, kids, rock! The Disney all-stars do not represent reality!!!!!
Ahem. Sorry.

No not really Jerry they put the odd move together for some instros but the picture you paint is certainly nothing like they were.