Elvis: Is he the King of Rock & Roll ?

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I know a lot of people have views on this. Many consider the Beatles, Cash or other singers In the 50's and 60's as the real Kings. But Elvis has seemingly been given the Throne and has had It for 40 years to the general public.

So Is he the King of Rock and Roll to you ? If so name your favorite Elvis tune and It could be any style.

[Saint Nightwalker]

Cash??!!

As in Johnny The Man In Black Cash??!!

Please. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Johnny Cash may indeed be The King Of Several Things but The King Of Rock 'N Roll sure as fuck isn't among them.

He isn't even in the fucking solar system.

Elvis Presley is The King Of Rock N' Roll. However, he gets over 100,000,000,000,000,000 points knocked off for never ever doing a single concert outside of the United States of America.

The Beatles are The Emperors Of Rock 'N Roll, and since unlike Elvis, they went out when they were still relevant and still the "It" Act and still the most popular act in the world, and still at the top of their musical form, and still at the top and since there were four of them, they beat Elvis like a stolen fucking mule.

In other words, The Beatles RULE.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Cash??!!

As in Johnny The Man In Black Cash??!!

Please. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Johnny Cash may indeed be The King Of Several Things but The King Of Rock 'N Roll sure as fuck isn't among them.

He isn't even in the fucking solar system.

Elvis Presley is The King Of Rock N' Roll. However, he gets over 100,000,000,000,000,000 points knocked off for never ever doing a single concert outside of the United States of America.

The Beatles are The Emperors Of Rock 'N Roll, and since unlike Elvis, they went out when they were still relevant and still the "It" Act and still the most popular act in the world, and still at the top of their musical form, and still at the top and since there were four of them, they beat Elvis like a stolen fucking mule.

In other words, The Beatles RULE.



Well Cash early In his career was a Rock singer. He drifted towards country after a lot of success for Sun. Then theres Buddy Holly , Roy Orbinson ( Elvis felt he was the toughest challenger to him ), and Carl Perkins.

The Beatles were great and were able to travel all over. Something Elvis sadly couldn't do to Tom Parker's Visa problems. Its been said by Priscella Presely that Elvis really wanted to Tour Europe and Asia. He wanted to see those countries.

But heres a testament to Presley. If ya remember Elvis gets visiters from all over the Globe and the entire world mourned him. And most never saw him set foot In thier country. Thats some Impact.

[howyadoin]

Elvis Presley is The King Of Rock N' Roll. However, he gets over 100,000,000,000,000,000 points knocked off for never ever doing a single concert outside of the United States of America.Not true. He played 3 shows in Canada in 1957.

[Ilash]

Even if we're just talking 50s rock and roll, there is NO WAY Elvis is the King, Chuck Berry owns that position. Post-50s things get more complicated as it gets harder to find a single person who fills this roll. Keith Richards? Pete Townshend? Jimi Hendrix? Chuck Berry still? Who the hell knows. The Beatles always seemed to BIG to simply be called a rock and roll band so I would leave them out of this, incidentally.

[Valmore]

Most experts and people would say Elvis was the first true "rock star."

And they're probably right.

That alone, combined with the fact that he was very talented, justifies the "King" title.

[Neil]

Of course he is. No question.

[KenK]

Of course he is. No question.

You're kidding, right?

[Dreadstar]

You're kidding, right?

Why?


Which is to say, I agree with Neil.


Elvis was King.

He might not have been the best, nor the most representative, nor even "definitive."

But he still was, and shall be forevermore, The King. Amen.

[Rob Imes]

Most experts and people would say Elvis was the first true "rock star."

And they're probably right.


I've been thinking about buying Elvis' Golden Records, from 1958, which was the first "greatest-hits" album by any rock & roll artist. If he wasn't the King, I can't think of another who really compares in capturing the public's imagination like Elvis still does (even after death).

Having said that, my favorite artist is The Beatles. They set the standard for everybody else.

[Royal]

To quote Chuck D...

"Elvis was a hero to some..."

[Adam Crocker]

Well Cash early In his career was a Rock singer. He drifted towards country after a lot of success for Sun.

Did he? From what I know about his life he started out playing in a country trio before signing to Sun Records.

That said I think that Cash's claim is to "King of Rock'n'Roll" is pretty slight even though he's a rather influential musical figure. I know he played some rock'n'roll while at the Sun label, but he's mainly remembered as a country singer and is influential more in his spare, gut-bucket approach to the genre and as a singer/songwriter who sang of outsiders and outlaws than a rock musician in the way that Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and Elvis were.

Post-50s things get more complicated as it gets harder to find a single person who fills this roll. Keith Richards? Pete Townshend? Jimi Hendrix? Chuck Berry still? Who the hell knows.

Maybe, though I've always read that the "King of Rock'n'Roll" title as going to the performer/musician that had the most defining influence on rock'n'roll.

And as anyone who knows me well enough could guess, I'm going with Chuck Berry on this one. Yes Elvis popularized rock music and captured the public imagination, but Chuck best defined the form and its spirit. His guitar was the defining guitar of early rock music and laid down the DNA for much of rock guitar, while his songwriting defined rock lyrics' obsessive wordplay. (Not to mention it's spirit - taking a page from Mark since I agree with the arguments he made on this point here. Berry's focus of the lives of American youth set the tone for rock's youthful obsessions, from the Beatles to sex-and-mythology-laden anthems of Led Zeppelin in the late 60s and early 70s to the social-angst of the Sex Pistols and the Clash for British youth in the late 70s to the youthful alienation expressed by Nirvana in the early 90s. (Yes, I guess I am massively overgeneralizing, especially as many rockers age and their fans age, but it seems to make sense with each successive way of new artists from Brit invasion to pysch to hard rock to glam to punk to alternative, etc.)

The Beatles always seemed to BIG to simply be called a rock and roll band so I would leave them out of this, incidentally.

How so? And is this based on a distinction between "rock'n'roll" in particular and "rock" in general?

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Chuck Berry was a pretty top guy. The man was awesome with that Guitar. By what about Jerry Lee Lewis who for awhile seemed to blow people away. Til his own personal demons sank him ?

Lewis really Introduced that wild antics on stage by setting his paino on fire at shows , playing with feet and doing other crazy acts. I always loved that scene In " Great Balls of Fire " with Quaid playing Lewis and this guy playing Chuck Berry.


Chuck Berry's Manager: " Chuck always closes. Thats the deal Sam and Jerry. ( This was to Sam Phillips and Lewis backstage.)


Jerry Lee: ( Lookin a bit shocked. ) " Mr.Phillips no problem there. Even though I have the 1# Record In the Country I understand. "


Lewis proceedes to do a wild show, sets the panio on fire as fans go completely crazy as Lewis plays like a madman.


Jerry Lee Lewis: " Ok Chuck.....close the show. " ( walks off as Berry argues on how he'll be able to close after that .)

[Hiromi]

I'm currently in a Thin Lizzy craze(again) and as Phil Lynott was inspired by the swinging Pelvis guy to form Thin Lizzy I must also go with Elvis.