howardrobardhughes
11-17-2004, 11:16 AM
From my research..I've found that Led Zep and Elvis met at least once..possibly twice...(I'm kinda leary about the second account..but here's what I've found)
The first meeting was held in May of 1974 in LA.
The meeting with Elvis took place in a hotel suite across from the Forum,
where Elvis was appearing. Led Zeppelin had been at one of the shows when
Elvis turned to his band, which included Jimmy Page's early idol James
Burton on guitar, and told them that they'd better play their best because
Led Zeppelin was in the audience. Since Elvis shared a promoter, Jerry
Weintraub with Led Zeppelin, Elvis knew that the English band was outselling
him. He would say to his own entourage, "Well, I may not be Led Zeppelin,
but I can still pack 'em in". Before Led Zeppelin was allowed into the
presence of the King, they were sternly warned not to speak to Elvis about
music. After they were introduced and had been given drinks, John Bonham
got into a converstation with Elvis about cars. After half an hour, Elvis'
bodyguards motioned that it was time to go. As they were leaving Robert
Plant gushed, "Elvis, your're my idol. Thanks for letting us come". The
King responded by singing the beginning of "Love Me"...Treat Me Like a Fool"..... Plant sang the second line: "Treat me mean and cruel". Together Elvis and Robert
Plant sang the last line: "But love me". For Led Zeppelin, the best part of
the visit had been when Elvis asked for their autographs. He said they were
for his daughter, Lisa Marie.
The second visit occured in 1975 during Led Zep's tour of America.
Richard Cole (Zep's tour manager) had become friendly with one of Elvis'
bodyguards, Jerry Schilling. The year before, while Led Zeppelin didn't
tour, Cole had road managed Eric Clapton and had taken Clapton to visit
Elvis in Memphis. Cole decided to visit Elvis again and arranged to take
John Paul Jones up to Elvis' mansion in Bel Air. So they took one of the
limos and when they got to the house they were told not to discuss music
with the King and to leave after twenty minutes. Cole walked into Elvis'
living room with a bottle of cold Dom Perignon in each hand. They found
Elvis sprawled over a couch, wearing pajamas and house slippers, watching
television with his entourage. Cole was a little drunk. "Wot the
hell is goin on here?" he asked good naturedly. Elvis didn't like people to
curse in his house. "Man,", the King said, " what's with all this cussing
and swearing?" But Cole started to kid Elvis, " You're sittin' there in
your carpet slippers and CHarlie Hodge is twiddling a
a **** pencil over here, what kind of %$#@ party is this?"
Elvis could take no more. He jumped up in a karate pose and whacked wrists
with Cole, who had also gone into a fighting stance. On contact, Cole's
gold Tiffany watch clattered to the floor. Elvis picked it up. He liked
watches, so he put it on. "That's nice.", the King said. "Ahh, #$%#&
keep it!", said Cole. But giving Elvis a watch set off the King's automatic
gifting mechanisms. Elvis ran out of the room and returned with another
watch. "Here", he said, handing it to Cole. "You #$%$@ keep this!" It was
a gold watch decorated with thirty-two diamonds. Then Elvis looked at John
Paul Jones and said, "Whaddaya got? Gimmie your watch." Jones handed the
King his Mickey Mouse watch. Elvis exited and returned with a double-dial
Baume and Mercier watch set in lapis lazuli. Elvis wasn't through. "What
else you got?" he asked. Cole gave him his Brazilian amethyst ring. Elvis
took a ring off his hand and said, "You can #%*& have this," throwing
Cole a two-karat diamond ring engraved with "love, Linda". Elvis finally
let Cole and Jones leave three hours later. He walked them to their limo in
his pajamas and opened the car door for them. The drivers and the other
retainers almost dropped dead. Elvis hardly ever came out of the house, let
alone open limo doors for his guests.
TCB
Wade
The first meeting was held in May of 1974 in LA.
The meeting with Elvis took place in a hotel suite across from the Forum,
where Elvis was appearing. Led Zeppelin had been at one of the shows when
Elvis turned to his band, which included Jimmy Page's early idol James
Burton on guitar, and told them that they'd better play their best because
Led Zeppelin was in the audience. Since Elvis shared a promoter, Jerry
Weintraub with Led Zeppelin, Elvis knew that the English band was outselling
him. He would say to his own entourage, "Well, I may not be Led Zeppelin,
but I can still pack 'em in". Before Led Zeppelin was allowed into the
presence of the King, they were sternly warned not to speak to Elvis about
music. After they were introduced and had been given drinks, John Bonham
got into a converstation with Elvis about cars. After half an hour, Elvis'
bodyguards motioned that it was time to go. As they were leaving Robert
Plant gushed, "Elvis, your're my idol. Thanks for letting us come". The
King responded by singing the beginning of "Love Me"...Treat Me Like a Fool"..... Plant sang the second line: "Treat me mean and cruel". Together Elvis and Robert
Plant sang the last line: "But love me". For Led Zeppelin, the best part of
the visit had been when Elvis asked for their autographs. He said they were
for his daughter, Lisa Marie.
The second visit occured in 1975 during Led Zep's tour of America.
Richard Cole (Zep's tour manager) had become friendly with one of Elvis'
bodyguards, Jerry Schilling. The year before, while Led Zeppelin didn't
tour, Cole had road managed Eric Clapton and had taken Clapton to visit
Elvis in Memphis. Cole decided to visit Elvis again and arranged to take
John Paul Jones up to Elvis' mansion in Bel Air. So they took one of the
limos and when they got to the house they were told not to discuss music
with the King and to leave after twenty minutes. Cole walked into Elvis'
living room with a bottle of cold Dom Perignon in each hand. They found
Elvis sprawled over a couch, wearing pajamas and house slippers, watching
television with his entourage. Cole was a little drunk. "Wot the
hell is goin on here?" he asked good naturedly. Elvis didn't like people to
curse in his house. "Man,", the King said, " what's with all this cussing
and swearing?" But Cole started to kid Elvis, " You're sittin' there in
your carpet slippers and CHarlie Hodge is twiddling a
a **** pencil over here, what kind of %$#@ party is this?"
Elvis could take no more. He jumped up in a karate pose and whacked wrists
with Cole, who had also gone into a fighting stance. On contact, Cole's
gold Tiffany watch clattered to the floor. Elvis picked it up. He liked
watches, so he put it on. "That's nice.", the King said. "Ahh, #$%#&
keep it!", said Cole. But giving Elvis a watch set off the King's automatic
gifting mechanisms. Elvis ran out of the room and returned with another
watch. "Here", he said, handing it to Cole. "You #$%$@ keep this!" It was
a gold watch decorated with thirty-two diamonds. Then Elvis looked at John
Paul Jones and said, "Whaddaya got? Gimmie your watch." Jones handed the
King his Mickey Mouse watch. Elvis exited and returned with a double-dial
Baume and Mercier watch set in lapis lazuli. Elvis wasn't through. "What
else you got?" he asked. Cole gave him his Brazilian amethyst ring. Elvis
took a ring off his hand and said, "You can #%*& have this," throwing
Cole a two-karat diamond ring engraved with "love, Linda". Elvis finally
let Cole and Jones leave three hours later. He walked them to their limo in
his pajamas and opened the car door for them. The drivers and the other
retainers almost dropped dead. Elvis hardly ever came out of the house, let
alone open limo doors for his guests.
TCB
Wade