ELVIS MEETS THE BEATLES (ROOM 222)
ELVIS MEETS THE BEATLES (ROOM 222)
John idolized Elvis. His cat was even named Elvis! He dreamt of becoming “Bigger than Elvis.” The meeting of The Fabs and The King should have been a momentous occasion...but it wasn’t.
On August 27th 1965, Elvis, at his home in Bel Air, hosted a visit by The Beatles, Brian Epstein, Alf Bicknell (The Beatles chauffeur), and Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans (their trusted roadies). The meeting lasted three hours and although the guitars came out and there was an impromptu jam, the atmosphere was somewhat strained. John made a remark about Elvis should get out of films and return to make a rock n roll album, which didn’t go down well. Elvis presented the Beatles with gifts, including a stagecoach table lamp. The Beatles left somewhat disillusioned “Where was Elvis?” asked John when they got back into the limousine. “It was more like meeting Englebert Humperdink!”
The Beatles were invited to drop by Graceland if they ever got to Memphis. They did the following year, but Elvis’ stepbrother David Stanley vividly remembers his mother slamming the door in their faces saying they were no longer welcome. This was of course at the height of “The Beatles bigger than Christ” furore and The Presleys were a God-fearing family. David, a huge Lennon fan, lamented his mother’s reaction and recalls that Elvis perceived The Beatles as a huge threat to his career. Elvis even offered to get drug evidence for Richard Nixon in his attempt to deny Lennon his green card. Lennon in turn ,on hearing of Elvis’ death cruelly retorted, “Elvis died when he went in the army!”
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
ELVIS MEETS THE BEATLES (ROOM 222)
John idolized Elvis. His cat was even named Elvis! He dreamt of becoming “Bigger than Elvis.” The meeting of The Fabs and The King should have been a momentous occasion...but it wasn’t.
On August 27th 1965, Elvis, at his home in Bel Air, hosted a visit by The Beatles, Brian Epstein, Alf Bicknell (The Beatles chauffeur), and Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans (their trusted roadies). The meeting lasted three hours and although the guitars came out and there was an impromptu jam, the atmosphere was somewhat strained. John made a remark about Elvis should get out of films and return to make a rock n roll album, which didn’t go down well. Elvis presented the Beatles with gifts, including a stagecoach table lamp. The Beatles left somewhat disillusioned “Where was Elvis?” asked John when they got back into the limousine. “It was more like meeting Englebert Humperdink!”
The Beatles were invited to drop by Graceland if they ever got to Memphis. They did the following year, but Elvis’ stepbrother David Stanley vividly remembers his mother slamming the door in their faces saying they were no longer welcome. This was of course at the height of “The Beatles bigger than Christ” furore and The Presleys were a God-fearing family. David, a huge Lennon fan, lamented his mother’s reaction and recalls that Elvis perceived The Beatles as a huge threat to his career. Elvis even offered to get drug evidence for Richard Nixon in his attempt to deny Lennon his green card. Lennon in turn ,on hearing of Elvis’ death cruelly retorted, “Elvis died when he went in the army!”
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
ELVIS MEETS THE BEATLES (ROOM 222)
John idolized Elvis. His cat was even named Elvis! He dreamt of becoming “Bigger than Elvis.” The meeting of The Fabs and The King should have been a momentous occasion...but it wasn’t.
On August 27th 1965, Elvis, at his home in Bel Air, hosted a visit by The Beatles, Brian Epstein, Alf Bicknell (The Beatles chauffeur), and Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans (their trusted roadies). The meeting lasted three hours and although the guitars came out and there was an impromptu jam, the atmosphere was somewhat strained. John made a remark about Elvis should get out of films and return to make a rock n roll album, which didn’t go down well. Elvis presented the Beatles with gifts, including a stagecoach table lamp. The Beatles left somewhat disillusioned “Where was Elvis?” asked John when they got back into the limousine. “It was more like meeting Englebert Humperdink!”
The Beatles were invited to drop by Graceland if they ever got to Memphis. They did the following year, but Elvis’ stepbrother David Stanley vividly remembers his mother slamming the door in their faces saying they were no longer welcome. This was of course at the height of “The Beatles bigger than Christ” furore and The Presleys were a God-fearing family. David, a huge Lennon fan, lamented his mother’s reaction and recalls that Elvis perceived The Beatles as a huge threat to his career. Elvis even offered to get drug evidence for Richard Nixon in his attempt to deny Lennon his green card. Lennon in turn ,on hearing of Elvis’ death cruelly retorted, “Elvis died when he went in the army!”
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON