Quote
Koen
Did Elvis and the Stones ever cross paths?

Not in terms of meeting,

Apparently, John Lennon advised Mick to not meet Elvis, after being disappointed when doing so, himself, in 1965.

Didn’t Keith and Bobby pop into an Elvis show at some point? For some reason, that comes to mind. Maybe something Bobby said offhand??

I saw the Imax movie yesterday and I loved it. I love Elvis and his music and the movie is made for the fans. It is bombastic, very loud, fast and it shows the mischievous nature of Elvis. The king most of the time did not take himself seriously. The movie reminds us that he was a performer who played lot of shows the last 8 years of his live.Elvis mentions The Beatles at one point and he covers 1/2 jokingly 2 of their songs. Nothing on the Stones.
If you love Elvis you should go.

Although rock and rollers with long hair and wild/anti social attitudes snubbed older Elvis, Presley in 1970 was still influential as he was the first one to wear the jumpsuit, the "white Cossack" on stage on January 26 1970 at the International Hotel in Las Vegas; Jagger and others took notice of it.

“I rule now” — a throwaway line sung by Robert Plant in The Song Remains The Same (1973).

Led Zep members attended Elvis’ show, L.A.Forum, May 11, 1974, and The King recognized that from the stage, “Wait a minute. [… ]If we can start together, fellas, because we’ve got Led Zeppelin out there. […]Let’s try to look like we know what we’re doing, whether we do or not…”

[www.youtube.com]

In the U.S., TOMORROW, Thursday February 26, 2026, is EPiC'S LAST DAY in its one-week IMAX run.

Friday it will continue playing, but no longer in IMAX.

As a rock music fan, unless you're a dyed-in-the-wool Elvis hater, get out and see this damned documentary and in IMAX, it's phenomenal.

Previously my favorite Elvis documentary was Elvis '56, narrated by Levon Helm. That one just got bumped to #2.


Note to Mick:

Marty Scorsese's fine and all that, but now there's better at this kind of thing. Y'all are gonna want the full Baz Luhrmann treatment. Get him on the phone. And this process takes years, so have your people start getting rare video to him now. As a future viewer of that end product, Thank You!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026-03-03 18:53 by TheBluesHadaBaby.

Saw EPiC at the local cinema complex tonight (on Monday). Not imax but actually the visual and the sound were both excellent where I was sat, second row, dead center. The number of the watchers were 10 including me (I counted).

Great, great, GREAT film. One of the finest rock docs I have ever seen.
What’s wrong with being a Vegas act? Elvis’ Vegas band has tremendous power and drive (the drummer hits double bass drums) — I felt like shouting at the silver screen from time to time, struggling to resist the urge and barely refrained myself, during the magnificent Suspicious Mind in particular, not to speak of The King’s charisma, his presence and colossal talent as a singer and a performer. Epic indeed. EVERYBODY SHOULD GO AND WATCH.

The film ends with these captions in capital letters (from memory, not verbatim):

“FROM 1969 TO 1977, ELVIS PRESLEY PLAYED ABOUT 1,100 SHOWS, SOMETIMES 3 SHOWS A DAY.”
“ELVIS NEVER PLAYED OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA.”

That he was blocked from embarking on a world tour by the shady manager is a historical as well as cultural loss and a great tragedy, literally criminal.

Quote
TheflyingDutchman
Some Elvis fans will kill me for this, but I do think that his early Vegas years were the best, the gospel vocals , the band, timing, everything. Truly a maniac here. The best frontman, next to Jagger.

I think you are right.

ROCKMAN

Quote
RisingStone
Saw EPiC at the local cinema complex tonight (on Monday). Not imax but actually the visual and the sound were both excellent where I was sat, second row, dead center. The number of the watchers were 10 including me (I counted).

Great, great, GREAT film. One of the finest rock docs I have ever seen.
What’s wrong with being a Vegas act? Elvis’ Vegas band has tremendous power and drive (the drummer hits double bass drums) — I felt like shouting at the silver screen from time to time, struggling to resist the urge and barely refrained myself, during the magnificent Suspicious Mind in particular, not to speak of The King’s charisma, his presence and colossal talent as a singer and a performer. Epic indeed. EVERYBODY SHOULD GO AND WATCH.

The film ends with these captions in capital letters (from memory, not verbatim):

“FROM 1969 TO 1977, ELVIS PRESLEY PLAYED ABOUT 1,100 SHOWS, SOMETIMES 3 SHOWS A DAY.”
“ELVIS NEVER PLAYED OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA.”

That he was blocked from embarking on a world tour by the shady manager is a historical as well as cultural loss and a great tragedy, literally criminal.

Just saw it today and I have the same thoughts about it. I'll may be watching it again.

I am 70+ and I live in Norway. Sure I have heard about Elvis, and may be he performed live in UK, I don’t know. But… did he tour the world, like Japan, Australia, South America snd Europe several times? None of my friends talk about Elvis.

I would not discredit Elvis, but may be he was more of a Las Vegas act and a record disc performer, I just don’t know any Elvis fans. So how does he rule?

Bjornulf



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026-03-03 03:44 by bv.

Quote
bv
I am 70+ and I live in Norway. Sure I have heard about Elvis, and may be he performed live in UK, I don’t know. But… did he tour the world, like Japan, Australia, South America snd Europe several times? None of my friends talk about Elvis.

I would not discredit Elvis, but may be he was more of a Las Vegas act and a record disc performer, I just don’t know any Elvis fans. So how does he rule?

I am surprised that you "of all people" don't realize how amazing Elvis Presley was and still is, considering the quality of his music and his live shows, not to mention the high standards he set. Unfortunately he never toured outside of North America, those were decisions made by a management he sadly was fully dependent on. If you get a chance, watch the new movie "EPiC" in a proper IMAX theater, most likely you too will agree that "Elvis still rules" (no sense in taking this literally, it's just an American idiom).

Quote
bv
I am 70+ and I live in Norway. Sure I have heard about Elvis, and may be he performed live in UK, I don’t know. But… did he tour the world, like Japan, Australia, South America snd Europe several times? None of my friends talk about Elvis.

I would not discredit Elvis, but may be he was more of a Las Vegas act and a record disc performer, I just don’t know any Elvis fans. So how does he rule?

If it were not for the fact that Colonel Tom Parker was an illegal alien in the States, Elvis would’ve surely toured the globe.

Elvis toured Canada in 1957: Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

I just found the vinyl "Elvis A Canadian Tribute".

Quote
runaway
Elvis toured Canada in 1957: Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

I just found the vinyl "Elvis A Canadian Tribute".

Yes, he did. Perhaps his Dutch manager thought it less of a risk than anywhere else! Still, it was evidently a 'one-off', as Canada remained the only non-U.S.A. territory he performed in.

He ‘performed’ some while stationed in Germany, didn’t he?

Quote
Big Al

Quote
runaway
Elvis toured Canada in 1957: Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

I just found the vinyl "Elvis A Canadian Tribute".

Yes, he did. Perhaps his Dutch manager thought it less of a risk than anywhere else! Still, it was evidently a 'one-off', as Canada remained the only non-U.S.A. territory he performed in.

“Canada did not require a passport for American citizens at the time”

My vinyl does not have any Canadian recordings just some screams and an Elvis interview



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026-03-03 11:42 by runaway.

Quote
bv
I am 70+ and I live in Norway. Sure I have heard about Elvis, and may be he performed live in UK, I don’t know. But… did he tour the world, like Japan, Australia, South America snd Europe several times? None of my friends talk about Elvis.

I would not discredit Elvis, but may be he was more of a Las Vegas act and a record disc performer, I just don’t know any Elvis fans. So how does he rule?

It's playing in cinemas all over Europe right now. Maybe near where you live and you can go see yourself?

Quote
runaway

Quote
Big Al

Quote
runaway
Elvis toured Canada in 1957: Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

I just found the vinyl "Elvis A Canadian Tribute".

Yes, he did. Perhaps his Dutch manager thought it less of a risk than anywhere else! Still, it was evidently a 'one-off', as Canada remained the only non-U.S.A. territory he performed in.

“Canada did not require a passport for American citizens at the time”

My vinyl does not have any Canadian recordings just some screams and an Elvis interview

Thanks for that info, runaway. Well, that explains it, then.

Elvis was the king. Anyway you look at it. Whether you liked him or not. He is a phenomena. His voice and style was one of a kind. Sadly, he passed away too early (at 42).

Quote
Stoneage
Elvis was the king. Anyway you look at it. Whether you liked him or not. He is a phenomena. His voice and style was one of a kind. Sadly, he passed away too early (at 42).

Here, here!

'Before Elvis, there was nothing' - John Lennon

I am another, who live in Norway. I was slightly aware of Elvis before the arrival of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. But Elvis did not matter anything to me then. During part of that period I spent time with a boy in my neighbourhood. When his family moved to another part of my town, I visited him. I then listened to his Elvis singles as he was quite into Elvis. I found those OK, but nothing more. - Decades later I bought a compilation of Elvis, in order to have some music from him. In small doses, I found and find Elvis songs quite OK. Usually, however, I prefer to listen for instance to Fats Domino, even if that also is very seldom that I do.

I am aware of Elvis' importance for the development of rock music. In that respect for it also to grow into a mass phenomenen especially. But when I read the quote from John Lennon that before Elvis, there was nothlng, I am among those who will object to that. Even if I round 1960-62 did not know that indeed it were. As one, who in following years was to become a fan of the music of the Rolling Stones, I would learn that before Elvis there were scenes of blues music. By the way, that difference in outlook between John Lennon and Jagger and Richards is informative about a major distinction between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026-03-03 14:11 by Witness.

Quote
Witness


I am aware of Elvis' importance for the development of rock music. In that respect for it also to grow into a mass phenomenen especially. But when I read the quote from John Lennon that before Elvis, there was nothlng, I am among those who will object to that. Even if I round 1960-62 did not know that indeed it were. As one, who in following years was to become a fan of the music of the Rolling Stones, I would learn that before Elvis there were scenes of blues music. By the way, that difference in outlook between John Lennon and Jagger and Richards is informative about a major distinction between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

I don't think Lennon meant it in an entirely literal way; there the blues greats, and so on. I think he was just emphasising the undeniable fact that Elvis had such an unmatched seismic effect on youth culture globally. He was a cultural phenomenon quite like no other.

Yes, you may be right, Big Al, that Lennon did not necessarily think so in every respect. But I think much of the distinction still applies.

Elvis still rules because he is part the American popular musical heritage, a still noticeable part of it. Movies are still made about him, books written about him and new generations growing up can't avoid at one point to be aware of him,
You may like him or you may not; Elvis is big and will remain as long as rock and roll music interests people.

Quote
rollmops
Elvis still rules because he is part the American popular musical heritage, a still noticeable part of it. Movies are still made about him, books written about him and new generations growing up can't avoid at one point to be aware of him,
You may like him or you may not; Elvis is big and will remain as long as rock and roll music interests people.

My 16-year-old niece went through a huge 'Elvis phase' His streaming numbers show that the younger demographics are most definitely listening.

Quote
TIRED

Quote
bv
I am 70+ and I live in Norway. Sure I have heard about Elvis, and may be he performed live in UK, I don’t know. But… did he tour the world, like Japan, Australia, South America snd Europe several times? None of my friends talk about Elvis.

I would not discredit Elvis, but may be he was more of a Las Vegas act and a record disc performer, I just don’t know any Elvis fans. So how does he rule?

I am surprised that you "of all people" don't realize how amazing Elvis Presley was and still is, considering the quality of his music and his live shows, not to mention the high standards he set. Unfortunately he never toured outside of North America, those were decisions made by a management he sadly was fully dependent on. If you get a chance, watch the new movie "EPiC" in a proper IMAX theater, most likely you too will agree that "Elvis still rules" (no sense in taking this literally, it's just an American idiom).

The title of this thread is "Elvis Still Rules". I am aware of his Las Vegas days, about his movies, about Graceland, and so on, I have been to Memphis. Also, I have been to Liverpool, but I would not say that "The Beatles still rules". I have all Beatles albums from Revolver and on, but no Elvis.

Why should I, "of all people", have a particular taste for music? I am an individual. I love the Stones. I love a lot of other performing acts, past and present. I just expressed my personal view. In my part of the world, Elvis is history. He may have been great, he many be historic, but still, so are The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones, and many more.

Bjornulf

There are really 3 distinct phases of Elvis, the pre-draft (he was drafted during the Korean war) where most of his most distinctive songs came out, and then the post-draft Elvis where his manager led him into countless movies and soundtrack sales, then the Vegas years (which included taking that show in the road throughout America).

Anybody interested in getting to know more about Elvis's impact on music should focus on the pre-draft Elvis. Unfortunately much of the focus is on the 'jumpsuit' years (which he had an awesome band but so much was made of the suits, his hair, and gaining weight).

And yes his manager was in the country illegally and afraid to leave and not being allowed re-entry especially since he possibly had warrants for his arrest elsewhere for crimes including possible murder. This unfortunately made him limit Elvis's tours to areas he felt safe himself.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2026-03-03 18:28 by kovach.

I agree with bv's pre-edit observation that Elvis Rules is not the most respectful and appropriate wording for a thread on a Stones fan site.

I recommend changing the title, maybe to
"OT: Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley documentary"

...as that's what this is about. So somebody, dmay or bv or whoever, please change it.

And bv, I'm serious when I say that Rolling Stones, Inc. should right now be approaching Luhrmann about turning his amazing talents to our lads next. Musical taste is subjective, yours that Elvis isn't interesting is completely valid -- that's pretty much mine too for post-1957 Elvis, as mid 1954-early 1957 was when his re-interpretations and performances of other people's songs (he never wrote a song himself) changed popular music forever and introduced the very concept of the "rock star." Keith, Dylan, and others heard his early music on the radio (for Keith it was "Heartbreak Hotel") and experienced epiphanies that being such a thing was even a possibility, and realized that that's what they wanted to do, too.

What Yuri Gagarin was to "man in space" and Neil Armstrong was to "man on the moon," is what Elvis Presley was to "rock star." Such things didn't even exist before them... and then, suddenly, they did, and the world was different.

It's fine of course that you don't care for Elvis but you might want to see EPiC anyway just to see if you agree the Stones need to be Luhrmann's next subjects. Martin Scorsese has had his day. What Baz Luhrmann has done here is fresh and very, very impressive.

****
I'm down in Virginia
with your Cousin Lou



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2026-03-03 20:21 by TheBluesHadaBaby.

EPIC is an amazing movie. It really shows Elvis at the height of popularity having fun and entertaining the masses. No dirt, just greatness.

Elvis
Presley
In
Concert

The rehearsal footage is even better than the actual concert footage! Fun movie.