This month Rolling Stone decided they didn't have anything good to talk about. Out of all of the amazing new music being produced in the world today, there wasn't anything important to introduce to the millions of people who for some reason still read their crappy rag. So they did a 100 best singer/songwriter issue with various over-discussed and overrated stars of the past. Among them Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and, of course, Elvis Presley.
In an article written by Robert Plant, of all people, more undeserving praise is lavished upon the King. Speaking of him in that way that makes him sound like some sort of otherworldly angel. I just got really disgusted reading it in a waiting room, and thought it would be a good time to introduce some people to the idea that Elvis Presley was one of the biggest scam-artists the world never saw coming or going.
This track by Stan Freberg is probably the best possible interpretation of what I hear when I hear an Elvis Presley song. It came out in 1956, amazingly, the same year as the release of "Heart Break Hotel."
Listen, I know what you may be thinking, "This guy just doesn't appreciate Elvis," or, "He's just trying to be 'controversial,'" or whatever. But really, the reason I don't like Elvis is that he so blatantly ripped off the black artists who created rock and roll. People like Jackie Brenston, Big Joe Turner, and Big Mama Thronton, and even earlier folks like Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Roy Brown.
People are/were always claiming that Elvis invented rock and roll. For instance, in a recent story on VOAnews.com, someone in Memphis had this to say:
Sun Studios tour guide Jane White, 25, had not even been born yet when Elvis died, but she knows his role in creating the music she and her friends love. "My generation looks at it as the guy who started it all, pretty much… There would not be any American music at all if it were not for Rhythm and Blues and Country music."
Before Elvis came along, rock and roll was relegated to what they called "the race charts," perhaps for lack of a better word, or perhaps because they were just racists (I'm gonna go with the latter). That's why Elvis had so much appeal so fast. Because, you know, it's okay to listen to that kind of music long as it's a white guy singing. And then there was the hip-shaking and all of that sex-symbol nonsense, which was obviously totally fabricated. Seriously, who snarls their lip naturally? - give me a break. Rumor has it, Presley went so far as to use a toilet paper roll to enhance his sexual presence - I'm sure it's probably true.
In Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino famously suggests that there are only two types of people in the world: Elvis people and Beatles people. First of all, this is of course extremely culturally arrogant, because the Beatles ripped off R&B and Ike Turner and the rest just as much as Elvis - so really, what's the difference? But at least the Beatles gave them props for it in interviews and such, whereas Elvis took credit as being "the King of Rock and Roll," without protest. He could've said something like, "Listen, I don't deserve that title. Little Richard is the 'Queen of Rock and Roll.' I'm just a white dude singing some of their songs." Instead, he became an egotistical, drug-addled maniac, which eventually led to his demise.
Anyway, as Chuck D said, Motha fuck him and John Wayne. Happy Turkey Day - this was the King's favorite holiday, I'm sure.
Pyrite Radio
This is for all the twee kids out there, especially those who don't know they are.
1. Tiger Trap // Eight Wheels
2. Orange Juice // Blokes on 45
3. Half Man Half Biscuit // I Hate Nerys Hughes
4. The Chefs // Records and Tea
5. Heavenly // Three Star Compartment
6. Shop Assistants // It's Up to You
7. Tully Craft // Dracula Screams of Tiger Style (Part II)
8. Another Sunny Day // Anorak City
9. Jean On Jean // Tonight
10. The Go-Betweens // Lee Remick
11. Aztec Camera // Oblivious
12. Josef K // Sorry for Laughing
13. The Tartans // Cats of Camerford
14. The Springfields // Sunflower
15. The Field Mice // By Degrees
16. Comet Gain // Ripped Up Suit
17. Primal Scream // Velocity Girl
18. Rocketship // I Love You Like the Way that I Used to Do
19. Voxtrot // The Start Of Something
No comments:
Post a Comment