Elvis Presley

[nesquick]

I really discover the artist (a show he made in 1968) a few weeks ago and I'm very impressed! I understand now why he is called The King. I really think he is the best. I would say even better than all the Beattles reunited.
That guy is the incarnation of Rock n' Roll for me. I think I'm becoming a fan?
Thanks to the internet, I would have never really discovered Elvis by myself without downloading. Sometimes downloads can make you discover great artists.

[Kujo]

Whats funny is that by todays standard he would be considered another  pop artist, with alot of talent and personality but in his day he was considered outrageous and dangerous by the parents of that period.

He was a great performer musically but his movies were a bit lacking

[Mattman]

Shouldn't this be in Bad Obsession?

Anyway, I think that Elvis is sort of the musical crossroads of the 20th century, because he represented a link between the old guard and the new rock movement.? On the one hand, he didn't write his own songs, and he starred in a lot of movies that were really old-fashion Hollywood in spirit.? But on the other hand, he had more edge than any mainstream white performer had ever shown before.? His hair was long for the time, he had the moves, the fast bluesy singing.? Basically, he's the missing link between Tin Pan Alley and hard rock.

While I can't say that Elvis is one of my favourite artists, I do have a few CDs by him, and I love watching his movies.? Well, not all of them.? I love Jailhouse Rock, but some of his other movies are so lame that I just have to turn them off.? Everybody says Viva Las Vegas was pretty good, but the only thing it had going for it in my mind was Elvis's charisma and the fact that Ann-Margret was so mind-blowingly hot in that movie.? The main problem with Elvis's music in the 60s is that he lost most of his rock persona.? The songs in those movies are mostly overwrought ballads, castrated "rock 'n' roll" tunes, and cheesy novelty songs.

I don't think Elvis is anywhere near as influential as the Beatles; his music sounds a little more dated.? But I don't think that rock 'n' roll would have become as huge as it did without him.? A lot of what he did was just black rhythm 'n' blues done for a white audience, yet he wasn't just ripping it off.? He had a lot about him that was original, like the voice, the look, and above all, the stage moves.? I don't think anybody had moved on stage like he did before then.

Also, Elvis's Christmas Album is my favourite Christmas record EVER.  Every December I put it on and it barely leaves my CD player.  Brings back a lot of memories.

[nesquick]

I don't think Elvis is anywhere near as influential as the Beatles

what? he is the best selling artist of all time. He sold more records than the beattles.

[Axls Locomotive]

I don't think Elvis is anywhere near as influential as the Beatles; his music sounds a little more dated.

mattman, funnily enough i agree with most of what you say...but i have to disagree with that...Elvis influenced, amongst others, the Beatles, the Stones, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, ACDC,Aerosmith, the Sex Pistols, the Clash and even that hermit called Axl Rose...his influence is felt across many genres of music including country, blues, rock,soul and pop... the Beatles certainly dont have such a diversity of influences and its certainly far easier to copy the Beatles style of music...you will certainly find that many Elvis songs are unique...for example you would be hard pressed to make another song in the style of Heartbreak Hotel or Viva Las Vegas...while everyone else of the late 60's was doing the trendy thing of recording a psychedelic album, Elvis just did what he wanted to do...

nesquick, plug the 68 special into a set of good quality speakers and turn it up...its real and original RNR and should be played loud

[ppbebe]

As far as I know, the Beatles is the best album selling artist of all time in US. Led Zeppelin comes the second.

I never get into the sort of music from the dawn of Rock. 
Elvis might have been a good singer but I think Eddie Cochran rocked better than his fellows.

[Axls Locomotive]

As far as I know, the Beatles is the best album selling artist of all time in US. Led Zeppelin comes the second.

if you take into account RIAA awardsonly, then Elvis is actually 2nd and is the biggest selling solo artist
http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topartists.asp

Elvis has many uncounted album sales because they dont meet the RIAA's criteria,more than 30 million...and because of Col Parkers dodgy deals and practices, many sales figures were lost and a year ago Elvis had more than 15 million worth of sales added to his figure...these audits are continuing and it has been estimated there are more than 60 million worth of sales alone that were lost..itll just take time to compile it all

worldwide, Elvis has sold over a billion records, the Beatles dont even come close

[Allman]

Elvis could sing the phonebook and still make a good song out of it, he was that good.
There will never, ever be any artist who could sing so many different type of songs, not just one type of songs, e.g rock.
He expanded the musical boundaries and changed the face of popular music forever.

[Mattman]

Elvis could sing the phonebook and still make a good song out of it, he was that good.

Just because Elvis was an amazing singer didn't mean that anything he sang was good.  Most people will admit that a lot of songs from his later movies were seriously weak.  Come on...when was the last time you heard "Yoga Is As Yoga Does"?

[kupirock]

How many songs did Elvis wrote?

[Axls Locomotive]

How many songs Elvis wrote?

you know i have a problem with people who claim that people who write their own songs are more talented that those who dont...how many bands can you see, especially in the last decade where they have written their own music and, lets face its, its pure bollocks because they couldnt write a song to save themselves...ive seen dozens of albums that have 3 average songs and the rest of the album is shite...its become the case where everybody writes their own songs but they are incapable of putting a tune to a lyric...its like asking your postman to build your house...leave the writing of songs to people who can write songs and the leave the singing to the ones who can sing them...

Elvis was an interpreter and producer of songs, and apart from the film music he chose and produced all his own songs from early 1956 until his last session...I should know, Ive been an Elvis fan since the 80's

And Mattman, yes plenty of cheesy film music to choose from, unfortunately Elvis was locked into a contract where the quality of the music wasnt defined at all...the upshot is that the studios went for the quick buck option rather than develop Elvis's film career since they were in control and Elvis was not...Elvis couldnt do anything about it...so he bit his tongue and made the films and enjoyed it as much as he could...and even if you take his film music out of the equation then you are still left with an impressive 500 songs over 23 years...

[patienceforaxl]

i just want to hear your thoughts on the king

[St.heathen]

For years growing up i was like what the hell?  Really didn't get what the fuss was about.  But since i bought the DVD's that came out last year - i totally get it.  He earnt my respect.  I won't go mad and  buy everything by him, but i appriciate what he did.

[nesquick]

I saw a show on DivX he made in may (or march) 1968 when I went to a friend, it's a very famous show: I was blown away. His voice, his stage presence, his class, his look I mean everything. Elvis was class. He is the Number 1 of all time for me.
I didn't know he was jew. His real name was Elvis Aaron Prestley. I didn't know that.

[metallex78]

My mother is a big Elvis fan, and I never really liked him or appreciated what contribution to music he had made. But recently I bought the two Elvis compilations and I was surprised to find that I knew so many of his songs, and how many great songs he has sang.

He truly was the king of rock n roll.

[the dirt]

Who's ELVIS PRESLEY? 

[Captain Obvious]

Who's ELVIS PRESLEY?

I think its that actor from that Beverly Hills 90210 show. I might be wrong though...

[journey]

I like Elvis, but I'm not a crazed fan. My father has a friend who lives in a private residential area and they're very strict about lawn displays. Well, he had a statue of Elvis on his lawn, and some of the neighbors asked him to get rid of it, because they said it looked tacky. He told them to kiss his big white ass.?

My favorite songs are: Suspicious Minds, Jailhouse Rock, In The Ghetto, Hound Dog, Can't Help Falling In Love, All Shook Up, Loving You.

[Axls Locomotive]

he broke the mould...he is the one and only...

"When I first heard Elvis' voice, I just knew that I wasn't going to work for anybody, and nobody was going to be my boss.  He is the deity supreme of rock and roll religion as it exists in today's form.  Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.---I thank God for Elvis Presley." Bob Dylan

[GeorgeSteele]

Gotta love the King.  Favorite songs:

Young Elvis - Forgot to Remember to Forget, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Treat Me Nice, I Need Your Love Tonight, Little Sister, Big Hunk of Love, Mess of Blues, Stuck on You

Old Elvis - Suspicious Minds, American Trilogy, If I Can Dream, Moody Blue

... TCB in a flash...