Bowie Produces Elvis?

[brian]

I don't think Bowie's poor relationship with RCA would have prevented him from producing Elvis. The thing that would have prevented it would have been Tom Parker wanting Bowie to give up a percentage of his publishing. Elvis may have found Bowie's presentation weird with him wearing makeup on stage and all that. He may have also found some of Bowie's music weird.

[King Volcano]

I don't think Bowie's poor relationship with RCA would have prevented him from producing Elvis. The thing that would have prevented it would have been Tom Parker wanting Bowie to give up a percentage of his publishing. Elvis may have found Bowie's presentation weird with him wearing makeup on stage and all that. He may have also found some of Bowie's music weird.

Yeah, there was so many potential problems, it really is hard to imagine it ever getting off the ground even if contact had been made.

[King Volcano]

The thing to remember about Bowie is that there is a misconception by some Elvis fans that his 1970's era work was too alternative and experimental to be a good fit for Elvis, yet Bowie had the ability to create a musical showcase for Elvis went well-beyond the avant-garde and Ziggy Stardust. Bowie's 1975 "Young Americans" LP presents what could have been an intriguing, contemporary, commercial sound for Elvis ("Fame" being the exception) that contained hybrid arrangements of rock, R&B and Philly soul. I can hear Elvis on tracks like "Can You Hear Me," "Win," "Fascination," "Right," and "Somebody Up There Likes Me." Elvis certainly could have pulled off an album of those types of arrangements and overall production standards. It would have been a departure from the MOR schmaltz and country-pop of the 1970-1973 period of his work, but nothing too outrageous or unconventional. If Bowie would have approached session work with Elvis with the "Young Americans" sound and associated-material in mind, it could have worked.

I was replying to brian’s post about “the late 70s”, not 1975. Bowie was very prolific, so you have to address each period very specifically, and 1975 isn’t the “the late 70s”. I’m totally with your words on 1975 though, and have written as much on the forum at earlier times in other posts.

Which might have been erased by the person in charge of the spotlight..

...meant to add, what do you think about the poor relationship between Bowie and RCA and how it might have affected things on top of the Colonel. This is all further hypothesis of course, but kind of interesting. I believe from memory he presented Low to them in 1975, which RCA were appalled by. And by the late 1970s Bowie was intensely working on ridding himself of both RCA and his horrific managerial situation. So even if in some way a “collaboration” had got on the cards, Presley would have been sadly long dead by the time the RCA situation was solved for Bowie..

Ah well I did a quick check and it was 1975 when Bowie’s avant-garde soundtrack to his starring role movie The Man Who Fell to Earth was rejected. He continued that work into Low, which RCA rejected / hated, but did release.
_____

Thinking about it, maybe all this 1975/6/7/9 hypothesis is missing the main hypothesis.... 1972. Bowie’s unconventional musical and sexual image, as brian says, could have been an unbreakable barrier against a connection with Presley / Colonel. But it was 1972 that Bowie single-handedly reinvented Lou Reed, demanded RCA sign him, which they did, and with his musical partner Mick Ronson, made the very successful Transformer LP. I’m not comparing Reed to Presley, but the restart of an important artist at a crossroads, a highly successful album which utilised Bowie’s skills, power and profile but RETAINED the other artist’s identity and core..... makes you wonder doesn’t it. Presley produced by Bowie and arranged by Bowie / Ronson in 1972. Tantalising. And Ronson was a superb arranger, his fantastic arrangements are often cited as one of the most under-appreciated aspects of Bowie’s 1972/3 era when he hit the bigtime.....

[drjohncarpenter]

David Bowie's ex-wife Angie wrote a book several years ago and in it she said she went to Las Vegas with the intention of giving Elvis a song by David Bowie called the Prettiest star. I thought this story was untrue and that Angie Bowie was just name dropping Elvis. However about ten years ago Lamar Fike had finished writing a book with Mark Bego and he said the story about Angie giving Elvis the Bowie song was true. Lamar said that Elvis almost recorded it. Lamar's book was never published so I didn't get to read exactly why Elvis never recorded it or what he thought about the song.

The story is almost certainly false. I've replied to you before about this.

As I wrote then:

-----

Here's so-called Fike confirmation, from a press release:

According to the Memphis Mafia's LAMAR FIKE, in his forthcoming memoir, AN UNCOMMON JOURNEY: ON ELVIS PRESLEY BOULEVARD (co-written with celebrity-bio man MARK BEGO), "In 1976, David's then-wife Angela Bowie, visited us all at the now-defunct International in Las Vegas, and she brought with her a song David had written especially for Elvis, 'The Prettiest Star'. She was a bit under the weather so she didn't get to stay for the show, but gave me the song to give to Elvis. We were terrifically excited to get something from one of the new emerging acts on the music scene. Elvis was always very much aware of the next thing, and, at that point it was Bowie." Fike has also written a film treatment to accompany the book entitled '57-60: One of the Boys.' "The screenplay is out to a several film companies in N. Y. and L. A. I expect we'll be able to announce a deal in 90 days."

http://www.theinsider.com/news/1004207_WHEN_ELVIS_PRESLEY_ALMOST_DID_A_BOWIE

Problems:

1 - "The Prettiest Star" was not "written especially for Elvis" -->
It was issued by Bowie on a Mercury single in 1970, then rerecorded for RCA's Aladdin Sane in 1973

2 - Both "The Prettiest Star" and "Golden Years" may have actually been inspired by David's wife, Angela

3 - By December 1976, the International had been called the Las Vegas Hilton for over 5 years

The time frame for Lamar's meeting with Mrs. Bowie has to be connected with David's signing to RCA in 1971. "Changes" almost broke the top 40 in early 1972, and Aladdin Sane cracked the top 20 in the summer of 1973.

This is when Bowie got noticed by people like Lamar Fike as a "new emerging act." David's attendance at Elvis' Sunday, June 11, 1972 Madison Square Garden show might have also left an impression with some of the more aware members of the Presley entourage.

Thus, if the Angela Bowie story is true, she probably visited the Hilton and offered the song during Presley's August 1973 engagement. It's kind of a stretch, though, to imagine Elvis taking to the tune's unusual music hall melody and somewhat obscure lyrics.

The Prettiest Star
David Bowie
© Faber / EMI, Screen Gems / EMI Music

Cold fire, you've got everything but cold fire
You will be my rest and peace, child
I moved up to take the place, near you

So tired, it's the sky that makes you feel tried
Its a trick to make you see wide
It can all but break your heart, in pieces

Staying back in your memory
Are the movies in the past
How you moved is all it takes
To sing a song of when I loved
The prettiest star

One day, though it might as well be someday
You and I will rise up all the way
All because of what you are
The prettiest star

Staying back in your memory
Are the movies in the past
How you moved is all it takes
To sing a song of when I loved
The prettiest star

One day, though it might as well be someday
You and I will rise up all the way
All because of what you are
Prettiest star

[brian]

Lamar Fike was probably not the biggest Bowie fan and likely didn't know that it was a song he had previously recorded. It's plausible he assumed that David Browie wrote the song for Elvis. We have both Angie Bowie and Lamar saying she brought a David Bowie song to Elvis. If Lamar's a little off on the years it's likely because it was so long ago.

[King Volcano]

Lennon was not always known for his tact, but one suspects that his admiration for Elvis and respect for Elvis' talent along with Elvis' respect for Lennon as songwriter and recording artist would have been conducive to a positive and productive working environment. However, the bigger issue would have been material. Would Lennon have written material for Elvis? Would they have had to rely on Elvis' publishing channels? Because if Lennon had to deal with Elvis' publishing constraints, that is where he likely would have been blunt and intolerant of the second-rate material.

I would think that if Elvis and Lennon had worked together it be without the publishing restraints. Otherwise there'd be no point to work together if that was in place. I would say yeah Lennon would write a few songs for the album. The songs would be in Lennon's style at that time.

Clearly. Hard to imagine Lennon proclaiming “It’s a gas!” during a recording of “It’s Midnight.” Lennon never would have involved himself with Elvis’ 1970’s era publishing constraints.

Bowie’s friend Marc Bolan wrote a famous song called “Life’s a Gas” though....

[midnightx]

Lennon was not always known for his tact, but one suspects that his admiration for Elvis and respect for Elvis' talent along with Elvis' respect for Lennon as songwriter and recording artist would have been conducive to a positive and productive working environment. However, the bigger issue would have been material. Would Lennon have written material for Elvis? Would they have had to rely on Elvis' publishing channels? Because if Lennon had to deal with Elvis' publishing constraints, that is where he likely would have been blunt and intolerant of the second-rate material.

I would think that if Elvis and Lennon had worked together it be without the publishing restraints. Otherwise there'd be no point to work together if that was in place. I would say yeah Lennon would write a few songs for the album. The songs would be in Lennon's style at that time.

Clearly. Hard to imagine Lennon proclaiming “It’s a gas!” during a recording of “It’s Midnight.” Lennon never would have involved himself with Elvis’ 1970’s era publishing constraints.

Bowie’s friend Marc Bolan wrote a famous song called “Life’s a Gas” though....

Life is not a "gas" when one is recording "It's Midnight."

[midnightx]

To be clear, Angela's story is bogus and Lamar clearly had his timeline/facts wrong. It is highly unlikely that Bowie ever wrote a song for Elvis, let along planned to submit one to the Presley camp for consideration. But all of that is beside the point. The hypothetical scenario of Bowie producing Elvis was raised and upon closer examination, under the right circumstances, both Bowie and Elvis could have pulled it off, as strange as that may seem on the surface.

[midnightx]

I don't think Bowie's poor relationship with RCA would have prevented him from producing Elvis. The thing that would have prevented it would have been Tom Parker wanting Bowie to give up a percentage of his publishing. Elvis may have found Bowie's presentation weird with him wearing makeup on stage and all that. He may have also found some of Bowie's music weird.

RCA likely would not have been an issue. There is absolutely no way Elvis ever would have collaborated with David Bowie with Tom Parker in his management role. This is really more of a hypothetical discussion -- could Bowie and Elvis have pulled it off during the 1970's?

[King Volcano]

Lennon was not always known for his tact, but one suspects that his admiration for Elvis and respect for Elvis' talent along with Elvis' respect for Lennon as songwriter and recording artist would have been conducive to a positive and productive working environment. However, the bigger issue would have been material. Would Lennon have written material for Elvis? Would they have had to rely on Elvis' publishing channels? Because if Lennon had to deal with Elvis' publishing constraints, that is where he likely would have been blunt and intolerant of the second-rate material.

I would think that if Elvis and Lennon had worked together it be without the publishing restraints. Otherwise there'd be no point to work together if that was in place. I would say yeah Lennon would write a few songs for the album. The songs would be in Lennon's style at that time.

Clearly. Hard to imagine Lennon proclaiming “It’s a gas!” during a recording of “It’s Midnight.” Lennon never would have involved himself with Elvis’ 1970’s era publishing constraints.

Bowie’s friend Marc Bolan wrote a famous song called “Life’s a Gas” though....

Life is not a "gas" when one is recording "It's Midnight."

Eh?

[brian]

RCA likely would not have been an issue. There is absolutely no way Elvis ever would have collaborated with David Bowie with Tom Parker in his management role. This is really more of a hypothetical discussion -- could Bowie and Elvis have pulled it off during the 1970's?

Yes. They wouldn't have been separating siameze twins.

[MRM]

Even if Parker wasn't his manager, I can't imagine Elvis working with Bowie, who was a chameleon as a performer, and I'm skeptical he was really up on Bowie musically as the next big thing.

Elvis didn't really keep up on current rock artists by the time this meeting allegedly took place, did he?

I do enjoy Bowie's many of Bowie's more radio friendly singles.

[midnightx]

Elvis’ familiarity with David Bowie would not have mattered if he had a supportive manager who could have sold him on the artistic and commercial benefits of the collaboration.

[King Volcano]

Even if Parker wasn't his manager, I can't imagine Elvis working with Bowie, who was a chameleon as a performer..

In a way though, that could have helped, not hindered. EG In 1975 he did a lengthy TV medley duet with Cher on her TV show. Bowie at that time had a serious drug problem, had by his own admission mental health problems, and was listening to German electronic and experimental music such as Kraftwerk and Neu in the buildup to making the avant garde Man Who Fell to Earth soundtrack and Low album. Yet on the Cher show he presented a suave, vampiric but TV friendly MOR figure, snuggling up to Cher in a showbizzy smiley performance of mainstream songs.

Although, as I wrote above, for me the potential was in production, writing, arrangement for Presley, not performing.

[drjohncarpenter]

Even if Parker wasn't his manager, I can't imagine Elvis working with Bowie, who was a chameleon as a performer, and I'm skeptical he was really up on Bowie musically as the next big thing.

Elvis didn't really keep up on current rock artists by the time this meeting allegedly took place, did he?

I do enjoy Bowie's many of Bowie's more radio friendly singles.

Sure he did. He included more than one Olivia Newton-John song in his set, did a cut from Three Dog Night for a while, had Plant and Page back to his Inglewood suite for a visit, welcomed Alice Cooper at the Hilton after a show, and even greeted Elton John backstage in 1976.

[jurasic1968]

Marc Bolan was also a great artist, maybe forgotten today, but he was a real talent.

[MRM]

Even if Parker wasn't his manager, I can't imagine Elvis working with Bowie, who was a chameleon as a performer, and I'm skeptical he was really up on Bowie musically as the next big thing.

Elvis didn't really keep up on current rock artists by the time this meeting allegedly took place, did he?

I do enjoy Bowie's many of Bowie's more radio friendly singles.

Sure he did. He included more than one Olivia Newton-John song in his set, did a cut from Three Dog Night for a while, had Plant and Page back to his Inglewood suite for a visit, welcomed Alice Cooper at the Hilton after a show, and even greeted Elton John backstage in 1976.

Are you sure? Newton John was mostly doing country-pop in the 1970s (not rock), and the story I read about Led Zeppelin said Elvis didn't care much about the meeting (younger Memphis Mafia members were more excited) until Robert Plant started doing an impression of him. I know Elvis later acknowledged them from the stage.

I've also heard Elvis mention Elton John on stage (Dec. 1975).

But I just haven't read much about what if any, current pop and rock (or R&B) Elvis listened to in the 70s. I know he liked contemporary country, since that's where his song choices were moving (hence the ONJ covers). Any insight?

[King Volcano]

Newton John was mostly doing country-pop in the 1970s (not rock), and the story I read about Led Zeppelin said Elvis didn't care much about the meeting (younger Memphis Mafia members were more excited) until Robert Plant started doing an impression of him. I know Elvis later acknowledged them from the stage.

I've also heard Elvis mention Elton John on stage (Dec. 1975).

But I just haven't read much about what if any, current pop and rock (or R&B) Elvis listened to in the 70s. I know he liked contemporary country, since that's where his song choices were moving (hence the ONJ covers). Any insight?

Does that mean Plant took the piss out of Presley? That’s rather irritating to learn. Although at least it presumably means he isn’t in the queue of tight-jeaned male white stadium rockers waiting to narrate the next Presley documentary.

Phew.

[brian]

Are you sure? Newton John was mostly doing country-pop in the 1970s (not rock), and the story I read about Led Zeppelin said Elvis didn't care much about the meeting (younger Memphis Mafia members were more excited) until Robert Plant started doing an impression of him. I know Elvis later acknowledged them from the stage.

I've also heard Elvis mention Elton John on stage (Dec. 1975).

But I just haven't read much about what if any, current pop and rock (or R&B) Elvis listened to in the 70s. I know he liked contemporary country, since that's where his song choices were moving (hence the ONJ covers). Any insight?

Yes. He did know who Elton John was before he met him. Elton John was all over the radio then. Elvis had a little bit of an awareness of Led Zeppelin and Kiss because of the Stanley brothers apparently. Regarding David Bowie Elvis could have heard the song Fame because it was a #1 hit.

[MRM]

Are you sure? Newton John was mostly doing country-pop in the 1970s (not rock), and the story I read about Led Zeppelin said Elvis didn't care much about the meeting (younger Memphis Mafia members were more excited) until Robert Plant started doing an impression of him. I know Elvis later acknowledged them from the stage.

I've also heard Elvis mention Elton John on stage (Dec. 1975).

But I just haven't read much about what if any, current pop and rock (or R&B) Elvis listened to in the 70s. I know he liked contemporary country, since that's where his song choices were moving (hence the ONJ covers). Any insight?

Yes. He did know who Elton John was before he met him. Elton John was all over the radio then. Elvis had a little bit of an awareness of Led Zeppelin and Kiss because of the Stanley brothers apparently. Regarding David Bowie Elvis could have heard the song Fame because it was a #1 hit.

He met Kiss? Gene Simmons? Everyone?

[brian]

No. He never met Kiss. David Stanley wore a Kiss t-shirt on tour with Elvis. Elvis saw it and told David if he heard about Kiss having a new album out. David said he hadn't heard anything about it and what it was called. Elvis said it was called Kiss my ass.

[MRM]

No. He never met Kiss. David Stanley wore a Kiss t-shirt on tour with Elvis. Elvis saw it and told David if he heard about Kiss having a new album out. David said he hadn't heard anything about it and what it was called. Elvis said it was called Kiss my ass.

Ba-dum-bum.

Yeah, can't see Elvis as a fan.

[brian]

I've often wondered if Elvis ever heard Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' and if so what he thought of it. I seem to remember Ginger saying in her book that she and Lisa used to listen to it together, so it's maybe possible. I think he would have liked it. I know I do.

That would be a good question to ask Ginger on facebook.

[drjohncarpenter]

Are you sure? Newton John was mostly doing country-pop in the 1970s (not rock), and the story I read about Led Zeppelin said Elvis didn't care much about the meeting (younger Memphis Mafia members were more excited) until Robert Plant started doing an impression of him. I know Elvis later acknowledged them from the stage.

I've also heard Elvis mention Elton John on stage (Dec. 1975).

But I just haven't read much about what if any, current pop and rock (or R&B) Elvis listened to in the 70s. I know he liked contemporary country, since that's where his song choices were moving (hence the ONJ covers). Any insight?

Yes. He did know who Elton John was before he met him. Elton John was all over the radio then. Elvis had a little bit of an awareness of Led Zeppelin and Kiss because of the Stanley brothers apparently. Regarding David Bowie Elvis could have heard the song Fame because it was a #1 hit.

He met Kiss? Gene Simmons? Everyone?

Sadly, Elvis never met the Kings of costume rock.

But one time on tour, it might have been May 1977, he saw step-brother David Stanley wearing a Kiss t-shirt, and he joked their next LP was going to be called Kiss My Ass. Step-brother Billy Stanley has told a story about cranking Alive!, the band's fourth LP released in September 1975, in the Graceland den. Elvis came upon him playing air guitar to "Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll" and asked him to turn it down. Billy claimed that Elvis kind of liked the retro guitar sound, and requested that he play the song several times in a row. That's a little far-fetched.

Elton John was a HUGE artist starting no later than early 1973, when "Crocodile Rock" hit #1. He'd have several chart-toppers to follow. And Presley daughter Lisa was besotted with him. Elvis introduced the three members of Led Zeppelin who attended the Inglewood Forum late show in May 1974, then had them over to his hotel suite afterwards. The Plant duet on "Love Me" was all in good fun, and done as he was leaving and walking down the hall to the elevator. He sung a line, then Presley sung the next one back.

In general the meeting went well. The only misstep was when rotund manager Peter Grant accidentally sat on Vernon. The following year Elvis would complete the circle by having John Paul Jones over to his L.A. house.

[midnightx]

I've often wondered if Elvis ever heard Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' and if so what he thought of it. I seem to remember Ginger saying in her book that she and Lisa used to listen to it together, so it's maybe possible. I think he would have liked it. I know I do.

That would be a good question to ask Ginger on facebook.

If Elvis was paying attention to top 40 radio, he most certainly would have been familiar with Rumours' "Dreams," which hit number one during June 1977. That said, I suspect he did not give the entire Rumours album a spin at any point during 1977. The other major 1977 album (technically released in late 1976), "Hotel California" by The Eagles, is something Elvis may have found more appealing, had he explored its contents, particularly "Wasted Time," "Try And Love Again" and "New Kid In Town" (a number one hit in its own right).