Keith Richards on who are the greatest 5 rock bands: Elvis, Scotty, Bill & D.J.

Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones answers the question "Other than the Stones, who are the greatest 5 rock bands of all time?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNKckhYqNBk


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnnh4imjNbA

Very interesting, thank you. He had some wonderful things to say about Elvis in the second video.
"from black & white to technicolor" - about Elvis
"turned everybody into everybody" - (color didn't seem so important anymore, again referring to Elvis.)

I have heard in the last few years that Keith has a good heart and is willing to help young artists with their careers. These videos were very good, thank you!

Enjoyed that.Great to hear someone who has had his share of success speak so highly of Elvis. I think he got it spot-on about the relationship between Elvis,Scotty,Bill and Sam Philips and the magic that they made together. I know I`ve probably said it all before somewhere but I think that Sam Philips understood Elvis..and the importance of Elvis..like few others every did. I think if they had spent more time working together we could have heard things from Elvis that would possibly have even surpassed the great music that they did make.
Thanks for posting this.(y)(y)(y)

Glad to know he has an appreciation for Elvis, never heard him talk much about Elvis before.

Wow! All the artitsts of all kinds of music always mention Elvis in a good way. Aw Elvis such a Sweet Inspiration!forever

Somebody asks the man about who are the greatest 5 rock bands of all time and the first thing coming out of his mouth is: Elvis, Scotty & Bill and D.J.

How about that?

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Originally Posted by SleepyJack

Enjoyed that.Great to hear someone who has had his share of success speak so highly of Elvis. I think he got it spot-on about the relationship between Elvis,Scotty,Bill and Sam Philips and the magic that they made together. I know I`ve probably said it all before somewhere but I think that Sam Philips understood Elvis..and the importance of Elvis..like few others every did. I think if they had spent more time working together we could have heard things from Elvis that would possibly have even surpassed the great music that they did make.
Thanks for posting this.(y)(y)(y)

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I would have love Sam Philips to produce Elvis Presley once again somewhere in '75, that was one thing above all that could have refreshed Elvis passion for making records beyond all expectations.

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I'm saying '75 cause the Today sessions, where the first since Jan '69 that produced to me, no classic tracks, not one magical moment on record, even Stax two years before or the Jungle room sessions a year after had they share of that. Those '75 sessions, after a whole year of not recording, and Elvis having a bad time trying to find any inspiration or motivations, where a good chance to come out with something good, and Sam was the man for that. Yet the session became below than ordinary, despite of the fact Elvis was in top shape vocally, and the band was hot sounding, yet somehow the magic didn't happened.

I think sam has passed,, don't quote me but I think I read it in our paper here in Tennessee,,, its been a while.

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Originally Posted by yisagirl1

I think sam has passed,, don't quote me but I think I read it in our paper here in Tennessee,,, its been a while.

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Yes, Sam Phillips died of respiratory failure at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee on July 30, 2003, only one day before the original Sun Studio was designated a National Historic Landmark. He is interred in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis.

I think nobody understood Elvis better musically than Sam, not even Binder, Moman or Felton Jarvis, not, I dare to say ,even Elvis himself. Its a shame they never got to work together again.

I agree, I think Sam Phillips was very good for Elvis. It is a shame he couldn't continue to guide his career.

Totally agree

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Originally Posted by Raised on Rock

Somebody asks the man about who are the greatest 5 rock bands of all time and the first thing coming out of his mouth is: Elvis, Scotty & Bill and D.J.

How about that?

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No doubt. Keef nailed it on the head.

Great videos! The second one is part of the Classic Albums series which I think is very good.

Keith nailed it on the head when he said....

...the sound and the attitude were just so pure, so unforced, so anyway joyous...

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Originally Posted by Raised on Rock

I would have love Sam Philips to produce Elvis Presley once again somewhere in '75, that was one thing above all that could have refreshed Elvis passion for making records beyond all expectations.

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I'm saying '75 cause the Today sessions, where the first since Jan '69 that produced to me, no classic tracks, not one magical moment on record, even Stax two years before or the Jungle room sessions a year after had they share of that. Those '75 sessions, after a whole year of not recording, and Elvis having a bad time trying to find any inspiration or motivations, where a good chance to come out with something good, and Sam was the man for that. Yet the session became below than ordinary, despite of the fact Elvis was in top shape vocally, and the band was hot sounding, yet somehow the magic didn't happened.

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For me I think it would be even sooner.In those little perfect worlds of the imagination I`d love to see Elvis turn the whole thing on its` head right after the "Aloha" adventure,fire the colonel..hang up the jumpsuits..quit Vegas.Then he could go back to basics and work with Sam Philips..I`m pretty sure Sam could have given Elvis a perspective that would get him excited about recording again,in an involved way..and not just to fulfill contractual obligations,something to put the spark back in Elvis.Sadly that is all just fantasy now.

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Originally Posted by SleepyJack

For me I think it would be even sooner.In those little perfect worlds of the imagination I`d love to see Elvis turn the whole thing on its` head right after the "Aloha" adventure,fire the colonel..hang up the jumpsuits..quit Vegas.Then he could go back to basics and work with Sam Philips..I`m pretty sure Sam could have given Elvis a perspective that would get him excited about recording again,in an involved way..and not just to fulfill contractual obligations,something to put the spark back in Elvis.Sadly that is all just fantasy now.

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Agree, Aloha From Hawaii, right after the MSG gigs, Burning Love on the No.1 spot, and being Elvis on Tour awarded with a golden globe, was the perfect timing for a new direction. Back to basics sounds the right one to me. Drop the jumpsuits and the big orquesta. I'm sure a few weeks of Elvis working back under the direction of Mr. Sam Philips, could have cooked something mighty good.

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Originally Posted by SleepyJack

I know I`ve probably said it all before somewhere but I think that Sam Philips understood Elvis..and the importance of Elvis..like few others every did. I think if they had spent more time working together we could have heard things from Elvis that would possibly have even surpassed the great music that they did make.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
Thanks for posting this.(y)(y)(y)

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I agree to an extent. I think he knew how to get the best out of Elvis when it came to rock 'n' roll. That said, if he really understood Elvis he should have appreciated how importance ballads were to him. Instead, he tolerated Elvis' ambitions in that area and released none of the ballads that Elvis recorded. Would this have persisted if Elvis had stayed at Sun? Would we have got such a mix of great material? The likes of "Love Me" likely wouldn't have been encouraged. It's the same mentality that ultimately stifled Roy Orbison at Sun. There was much more to Roy and to Elvis than the rock cuts, as the world found out later.

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Originally Posted by T_J

I agree to an extent. I think he knew how to get the best out of Elvis when it came to rock 'n' roll. That said, if he really understood Elvis he should have appreciated how importance ballads were to him. Instead, he tolerated Elvis' ambitions in that area and released none of the ballads that Elvis recorded. Would this have persisted if Elvis had stayed at Sun? Would we have got such a mix of great material? The likes of "Love Me" likely wouldn't have been encouraged. It's the same mentality that ultimately stifled Roy Orbison at Sun. There was much more to Roy and to Elvis than the rock cuts, as the world found out later.

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I think the reason Sam pushed over the rockabilly material and edged out the ballads had more to do that he was thinking only of SINGLE records back in '55. Blue Moon was a master piece, but there was no way it could have been a hit single. I think if latter on an Elvis album on sun was to happen, Sam may had let the ballads live there.

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Originally Posted by T_J

I agree to an extent. There was much more to Roy and to Elvis than the rock cuts, as the world found out later.

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I agree with what you are saying, but I wonder at times what would have happened if Sam was there later. Bear in mind that in the sixties R & B had taken a less edgy sound. Sam obviously had an ear for good blues. Think about if Elvis would have been recording stuff in the 1960's that was similar to what Marvin Gaye and David Ruffin were doing at Motown instead of the movie stuff. Sam could have brought that out in Elvis again. I respect Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis for what they did for Elvis, but I dont think that they ever truly caught the "Elvis" sound like Sam did.

Who is to say that Sam Philips wouldn`t have changed as well though?....He never struck me as someone who would just stifle an artist for the sake of it or just record what he thought was right at the time regardless of what the singer/musician wanted to do.I`m sure that both Elvis and Sam Philips would have learned from each other as they went along, the important thing,I think,would be that they were passionate and involved in the music.I think Elvis had a lot more to offer,in a musical sense,than he ever really delivered...apart from the moments of greatness that we know and love so well.I definitely see the post-aloha time as ideal for those two men to re-unite and get Elvis enjoying himself again.