I fucks with elvis a little. Oh and before people start up on some hoity toity shit, his sun period was inarguably not greatly superior to the later work for which he became famed. Save that for the chin strokers convention.
I rented "Jailhouse Rock" when I was little and played with my slot racers instead. I'd imagine one had to see Elvis to fully appreciate him -- isn't Little Richard the one who says Elvis was the most electrifying performer he had ever seen black or white?
I think rock music is better off for him having been a part of it, even, as some people maintain, he co-opted. Sometimes his music can sound great to me; other times I don't get much from it. Put me in a '57 Chevy and I'm sure it would sound good!
He meant something to me when I was 7 years old and, I got this album and it was my first vinyl ever, or maybe it was that "Snoopy's White Christmas", that album was so fresh!!
Elvis was great, but wildly uneven. For every classic there were two genuine turds, and that's the stuff you gotta watch. The man could sing, he just had a distinct lack of direction, discretion and taste as far as selecting songs to record.
And for the record - the Sun stuff IS superior to the RCA stuff, but that's only because he wasn't at Sun long enough to start sucking.
Elvis was great, but wildly uneven. For every classic there were two genuine turds, and that's the stuff you gotta watch. The man could sing, he just had a distinct lack of direction, discretion and taste as far as selecting songs to record.
And for the record - the Sun stuff IS superior to the RCA stuff, but that's only because he wasn't at Sun long enough to start sucking.
I think the more accurate assessment would be Pre-'60 Elvis is far superior than post-'60 Elvis although some of his much later stuff like Suspicious Minds and The Ghetto were great.
Had a gig lst night, and for the 30th anniversary of his death I had to spin a tune of his...so I chose "A Stranger in my Own Hometown", great fuckin tune...the American studio shit from '69 is the Queen's tits for me. Yeah the Sun shit is important and great, but for me its the black leather wearing and speed pill popping Elvis that kick ass...
Elvis was great, but wildly uneven. For every classic there were two genuine turds, and that's the stuff you gotta watch. The man could sing, he just had a distinct lack of direction, discretion and taste as far as selecting songs to record.
And for the record - the Sun stuff IS superior to the RCA stuff, but that's only because he wasn't at Sun long enough to start sucking.
I think the more accurate assessment would be Pre-'60 Elvis is far superior than post-'60 Elvis although some of his much later stuff like Suspicious Minds and The Ghetto were great.
Yeah, you're right - I think that's more to the point. RCA did get some good sides out of him before the turn of the decade.
As far as Hookup's comment about the later, black-leather, pill-poppin' Elvis that recorded "Stranger In My Own Home Town"...the only problem there is that he really only worked that angle part of the time. The rest of the time, he was doing these flaky, Bobby Goldsboro-ish country-pop ballads (no way in hell I can defend "Don't Cry Daddy"). Had he stayed on the "Suspicious Minds"/"Burning Love" train of thought, he'd be easier to ride for.
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What's up Supergood!!?
I think rock music is better off for him having been a part of it, even, as some people maintain, he co-opted. Sometimes his music can sound great to me; other times I don't get much from it. Put me in a '57 Chevy and I'm sure it would sound good!
I do acknowledge, though.
- spidey
WASSUP BAPT!
And for the record - the Sun stuff IS superior to the RCA stuff, but that's only because he wasn't at Sun long enough to start sucking.
I think the more accurate assessment would be Pre-'60 Elvis is far superior than post-'60 Elvis although some of his much later stuff like Suspicious Minds and The Ghetto were great.
Yeah, you're right - I think that's more to the point. RCA did get some good sides out of him before the turn of the decade.
As far as Hookup's comment about the later, black-leather, pill-poppin' Elvis that recorded "Stranger In My Own Home Town"...the only problem there is that he really only worked that angle part of the time. The rest of the time, he was doing these flaky, Bobby Goldsboro-ish country-pop ballads (no way in hell I can defend "Don't Cry Daddy"). Had he stayed on the "Suspicious Minds"/"Burning Love" train of thought, he'd be easier to ride for.