Led Zeppelin meets Elvis

[Just_Jenn]

Does anyone know where I can find this story or does anyone know about it. All I know is they visted Elvis at Graceland because Lisa Marie was a big Zeppelin fan. I wonder if there are any pictures or music from this visit?? I saw pictures offered on ebay of Led Zeppelin sitting in the audience of an Elvis concert. Pretty cool.. My brother is a huge Zeppelin fan and I am a huge Elvis fan so kinda brings us even closer together

Thanks,
Jenn

[Blue-Gypsy]

I have heard about this meeting and there is more to it than this here, something about Elvis and a gun....this is all I could find at the moment.
I have never heard of them going to Graceland (although that means it didn't happen)

Led Zeppelin Band: May 11, 1974. The Led Zeppelin Band was sitting in the front row during the show in Los Angeles on May 11 and after they went to the Hotel to met the king. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page were huge Elvis' fans. Elvis did a great show that
night and later he said: I guess I showed those boys how to rock...

Tony

[administrator]

It was May 11, 1974.

FECC Team

[Blue-Gypsy]

Thanks Administration

[Gregory Nolan Jr.]

I don't think (and highly doubt) it was young Lisa Marie who was a Zep fan back then (she was a David Cassidy fan during Zep's original heyday). I thought I read that it was Elvis' cousin Billy Smith (?) who was a fan of Zep fan and somehow worked out their meeting one time. It sounds kind of bogus, but supposedly they harmonized on some of E's early fifties tunes.

The stories of Elvis meeting Elton John, the Beatles, and Eric Clapton as well as Fats Domino, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Muhammed Ali, Bobby "Blue"Bland, BB King, President Nixon, Cary Grant, etc. and others have always been interesting to me.

[Graceland Gardener]

It was the stepbrothers, Rick and Dave Stanley who were big Zeppelin fans (not Lisa Marie! She was a little girl)

Rick and Dave had Elvis sit down one day in '71 or 72 and listen to "Stairway To heaven" and according to them, Elvis said he liked it. There is a lengthy account of the Zep-Elvis connection in the 1986 Zep bio Hammer Of The Gods.

GG

[Khmm]

They were not in the front row. Stars did not get vip seating when they went to Elvis shows on the road. Elvis and Robert Plant sang a little bit of "Love Me" too each other as Plant was leaving because Plant told Elvis that was one of his favorites. Elvis apparently got along really well with them.

[Joe Car]

From what I read Elvis got along much better with Zeppelin than the Beatles. It's amazing that these huge stars in their own right were in such awe of Elvis, that was the power and charisma of that man.

[Rich_TCB]

I have footage of Led Zeppelin performing "Party" in Australia - and it rocks! They did that song very well.

They also do a killer version of "A Mess Of Blues" on the "BBC Sessions" 2 CD set.

Rich

[Alfredo]

Hello Rich,
you're right men, that version is 200% rock, in fact it was of the mean reason with I bought that cd (excellent one).

After hear that, I wished why didn't Elvis sang that song on stage.
Another great cover version of another Elvis tune is the one we can find in the B&W Night of Roy Orbison, but I can't recall the title song right now.


Bye,
ALFREDO.

[Khmm]

That's what I have read to. The meeting with Zep went better than the Beatles meeting. Elvis got along with them better. I can picture the beatles personalities rubbing the wrong way. They were all pretty much smartasses with big egos.

[Graceland Gardener]

I've often told people that Elvis' favorite hard rock group was Led Zeppelin. I believe that to be true.

I think his coming outside in his silk pajamas to personally open the limo door for them when they left his Bel Air house is a profound act.
(1972 incident - Hammer of the Gods biography)


Zoso Presley

[Stephen Butler]

In which case Elvis met Page and Plant twice. The first was the already mentioned May 1974 occasion, and the second in May 1977 on the tarmac of Largo airport. This is the famous "I own my plane" incident.

[Graceland Gardener]

In which case Elvis met Page and Plant twice. The first was the already mentioned May 1974 occasion, and the second in May 1977 on the tarmac of Largo airport. This is the famous "I own my plane" incident.

Wait a minute. I've read that the first meeting was in New York 1972 while E was there playing sold-out at MSG. Mutual promoter Jerry Weintraub arranged for Plant, Jones and Richard Cole to go to E's Hilton suite. This was when Richard Cole provoked Elvis to do some karate moves. John Paul Jones and Elvis traded wristwatches. Elvis got Jone's mickey mouse watch - and Jones got an expensive jeweled watch inscribed by Linda Thompson.

Then later that year, at Elvis' Bel-Air house, Elvis heard Zep were in town playing the L.A. Forum and he invited them to his house. That was the opening-the-limo-door night.

My resource is the 1986 bio Hammer Of The Gods.

So all total, Zeppelin members and Elvis met 4 times? 72-72-74-77.

[Khmm]

Everyone is getting the stories mixed up now.

The group saw him in Vegas in 1969. Never met him at the time and were not introduced to the crowd.

They met him in May 1974 which is what we have been talking about.

In 1975 a couple of them met him again at one of his California homes. That is where there was a little bit of a confrontation because Richard Cole was loaded and was swearing. That's when Elvis went into a karate stance. Things turned out fine though and they exchanged watches and Elvis walked them out to their car.

There was also the time where they met on the tarmac at some airport where one of them were arriving and the other leaving. Don't know what the date or year that happened though.

[drjohncarpenter]

That's what I have read to [sic]. The meeting with Zep went better than the Beatles meeting. Elvis got along with them better. I can picture the beatles [sic] personalities rubbing the wrong way. They were all pretty much smartasses with big egos.

Actually, you must be describing yourself, as you clearly know absolutely <u>nothing</u> about the Beatles, Led Zeppelin or Elvis Presley.

Have a nice day.

[nforan]

though this is the all Elvis section ,since this subject is up,
the new definitive led zep double dvd is out here on may the 25th <for those intrested> release dates may differ in other countries.
regards nick

[hounddawgs6499]

From what I read Elvis got along much better with Zeppelin than the Beatles. It's amazing that these huge stars in their own right were in such awe of Elvis, that was the power and charisma of that man.

Joe, when I was in Memphis during Elvis Week (last August), I attended the "Conversations On Elvis" event. One of the panelists was Patti Parry (the only female member of the 'Memphis Mafia').
Someone asked a question about Elvis and the Beatles. Patti mentioned that Elvis was on more friendlier terms with the members of Led Zeppelin.

Tom (from Ohio)

[Khmm]

You are just an upset beatles fan who think the Liverpool lads can do no wrong. So called expert. Anyone who blows their own horn like you has an inferiority complex. Keep blowing.

[Memphis_Male]

Thought this one would fit here when it’s kind of a Elvis and hard rock topic. A couple of years ago there was a tv program here in Sweden with Alice Cooper and a Swedish reporter interviewing him at a amusement park. Cooper said he met Elvis once in the 70’s,( I don’t remember when or where). Elvis had seen Alice Cooper on tv and referred him as the guy with the snake.
Alice also told the reporter that Elvis was disappointed with the “off-stage version” of him and thought he was a wimp.

[PEP]

What would you board members feelings have been if Elvis would have recorded some of their songs,.....like "Stairway To Heaven" or "Whole Lotta Of Love" for Example?

Do you think Elvis would have given these songs the Rock justice that Zeppelin gave these songs?

I for One think Elvis could have pulled it off, especially the late 60's or early 70's Elvis, if his mind frame would have went in that direction.

Dread Zeppelin as some of you may know or not care to know ,LOL .... has done covers of Led Zeppelin songs with a joke atmosphere Elvis Style type of voice and a fellow who goes by the name the "King" out of Germany tried to record the Zeppelin song "Whole Lotta Love" a little more serious than Dread in the Elvis style voice.......

These poor imitation acts gave us not necessary great performances here,....but maybe gave who ever wanted to listen, a little better idea if the songs could have worked for Elvis in an Elvis style voice.

However the sad part for both Dread who is more or less a joke band anyway along with the King fellow still did do a cover version of "Whole Lotta Love" King gave a very cool and up-dated arrangement for the song,.......but the sad part here, is his voice SUCKED big time.....yet with Dread or the King guy if only for only a moment with them recording the songs I could have a slightly better picture whether or not the songs could have worked for Elvis or not and I think they would have.......

But then again Elvis could have made anything better!

PEP

[Guest]

This photo was apparently taken at the May 11, 1974 concert. It looks like them to me. Anyone recognize the seats? LOL
If you can't view it I guess you can just "save target as" to download it.
http://www.geocities.com/papamueller2000au/11May1974.bmp
Thanks to Adam for providing me with the picture.

[Graceland Gardener]

Evan,

that is Page and Plant.

[Guest]

That's what I have read to. The meeting with Zep went better than the Beatles meeting. Elvis got along with them better. I can picture the beatles personalities rubbing the wrong way. They were all pretty much smartasses with big egos.

Gotta agree with you,the beatles
did some great music,but they were obviosly full of themselves.
Especially Lennon.Sorry,Dr. John.

[Graceland Gardener]

Lennon insulted Elvis at that August '65 meeting. He asked, "Elvis, when are you gonna go back to doing the good songs like you used to do?"

Liverpudlian @ssho!e.

I guarantee you Elvis The King never opened a car door for the Fab 4.

Elvis dug Zeppelin. That's cool.