Vincent Vega Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 (edited) People have been comparing Axl to "Fat Elvis" lately because of the Vegas gigs....Comparing him to Elvis in a negative way, as an insult. A couple of questions....What's so bad about "Fat Elvis" that it'd be used as an insult to compare Axl to him? Even when he was fat, even near death, Elvis' voice was in prime shape and he was doing all sorts of music. He was incredibly active and out and about. He released 12 studio albums between 1970 and 1977 alone. In 1973 alone he did over 100 concerts. Outside of his weight, I never understand why the "Fat Elvis" era of his career is treated as such a joke. The jumpsuits? Tons of rockstars wore them in the 70s--Mick Jagger and David Bowie being two prime examples. And Vegas? I don't think playing in Vegas had the same negative thing it does now. The Vegas of the 70s was nothing like today's gentified cheesy Vegas. Also, Elvis was in prime condition--even better condition than in the 60s--until around 1974. He didn't get fat until around '75/76.Watch Elvis on Tour sometime. It's from '72.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AgLtRlVUSIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Evr6p_SeBE&feature=relatedSomeone explain why, please? I think the hate or mockery of "Fat Elvis" should stop really. Yeah the guy got fat. But he still treated his fans and family and friends awesomely, he was no prima donna, he still remained very down to Earth, and even though he was heavy, he could still sing, perhaps even more powerfully than in his youth. Comparing Axl now to Elvis in the late 70s is kinda insulting to Elvis. Edited August 17, 2012 by Vincent Vega Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 His voice sounded lame, he wore gay cloths, and he had no stage presence or charisma.Fat Elvis is the original washed up super star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Nothing wrong with 70's Elvis, I just prefer 50s Elvis........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 His voice sounded lame, he wore gay cloths, and he had no stage presence or charisma.Fat Elvis is the original washed up super star.Elvis had no stage presence or charisma? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 His voice sounded lame, he wore gay cloths, and he had no stage presence or charisma.Fat Elvis is the original washed up super star.Elvis had no stage presence or charisma?Fat Elvis?No. He did not.Early Elvis? Absolutely. But that's not what this topic is about, is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 You see Miser. Elvis was a hack. He didn't even write his own songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 People are superficial and relate weight gain to decadence and that's why people don't like fat Elvis, fat John Travolta, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 You see Miser. Elvis was a hack. He didn't even write his own songs.cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 You see Miser. Elvis was a hack. He didn't even write his own songs.coolNo. It's really not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 50's Elvis was am amazing performer..who cares if he did not write his own songs..he was truly the King back then........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 50's Elvis was am amazing performer..who cares if he did not write his own songs..he was truly the King back then...........I care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 50's Elvis was am amazing performer..who cares if he did not write his own songs..he was truly the King back then...........I care.Well Elvis influenced a fuck ton of people to pick up music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 50's Elvis was am amazing performer..who cares if he did not write his own songs..he was truly the King back then...........I care.Well Elvis influenced a fuck ton of people to pick up music.Or was it the people who wrote Elvis's songs that influenced people to pick up music. He may be the best cover musician ever, but he is no way different than DJ Ashba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 50's Elvis was am amazing performer..who cares if he did not write his own songs..he was truly the King back then...........I care.But you don't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 50's Elvis was am amazing performer..who cares if he did not write his own songs..he was truly the King back then...........I care.But you don't matter.Oh boo hoo. Maybe I'll take your opinion more seriously when you gain some credibility. LOL religion... dumbass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 How can you be creative if you don't write your own music? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 50's Elvis was am amazing performer..who cares if he did not write his own songs..he was truly the King back then...........I care.But you don't matter.Oh boo hoo. Maybe I'll take your opinion more seriously when you gain some credibility. LOL religion... dumbass.I need to gain credibility? LOL Nirvana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Yeah you laugh at a first ballot hall of fame band. Try harder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Yeah you laugh at a first ballot hall of fame band. Try harder.If I tried harder it would mean I was actually trying. We all know the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame is garbage.People have been comparing Axl to "Fat Elvis" lately because of the Vegas gigs....Comparing him to Elvis in a negative way, as an insult. A couple of questions....What's so bad about "Fat Elvis" that it'd be used as an insult to compare Axl to him? Even when he was fat, even near death, Elvis' voice was in prime shape and he was doing all sorts of music. He was incredibly active and out and about. He released 12 studio albums between 1970 and 1977 alone. In 1973 alone he did over 100 concerts. Outside of his weight, I never understand why the "Fat Elvis" era of his career is treated as such a joke. The jumpsuits? Tons of rockstars wore them in the 70s--Mick Jagger and David Bowie being two prime examples. And Vegas? I don't think playing in Vegas had the same negative thing it does now. The Vegas of the 70s was nothing like today's gentified cheesy Vegas. Also, Elvis was in prime condition--even better condition than in the 60s--until around 1974. He didn't get fat until around '75/76.Watch Elvis on Tour sometime. It's from '72.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AgLtRlVUSIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Evr6p_SeBE&feature=relatedSomeone explain why, please? I think the hate or mockery of "Fat Elvis" should stop really. Yeah the guy got fat. But he still treated his fans and family and friends awesomely, he was no prima donna, he still remained very down to Earth, and even though he was heavy, he could still sing, perhaps even more powerfully than in his youth. Comparing Axl now to Elvis in the late 70s is kinda insulting to Elvis.I don't see a problem with him. I've never been a huge Elvis fan, but even the media portrays 70s Elvis as a joke.So he got fat, who cares? Meat Loaf is fat and millions of people still love him. Meat Loaf didn't write his material either, so that argument is moot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 How can you be creative if you don't write your own music? Anyone who's ever covered a song, had a different arrangement put on it, and made it theirs, is being creative. In the hands of a great singer, that song can take on new heights, or a new life if it's an old one. Some singers can't write songs. Some songwriters can't sing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SONOFABITCH Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Miser - The Youtube video you posted of Elvis doing Unchained Melody is one of the greatest performance I have been introduced to in a long time. Anyone who says his "voice was lame" obviously didn't take the time to watch. Absolutely incredible almost opera like vocals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Miser - The Youtube video you posted of Elvis doing Unchained Melody is one of the greatest performance I have been introduced to in a long time. Anyone who says his "voice was lame" obviously didn't take the time to watch. Absolutely incredible almost opera like vocals.His voice was great in that video. I'd never seen it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bran Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 How can you be creative if you don't write your own music? it was a much different era. performers performed, and songwriters wrote. im not even the slightest elvis fan but singing is no different than playing a guitar, drums, bass etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Len B'stard Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) You see Miser. Elvis was a hack. He didn't even write his own songs.You are viewing the situation through Album Rock era-on glasses. Not writing your own songs did not make you a hack in any way, shape, or form for most of music history. In fact, it still doesn't make you a hack. There is writing and there is performing. They are separate. Don't be an idiot.In my opinion Elvis hit his creative peak in the late '60s and into the '70s. He stretched out and did an astonishing array of material. I simply listen to it more than any other period.THE King.You're wasting your fuckin' time man, you think he's even heard any of that shit...in fact i bet you most people in this thread ain't And also, the whole topic is a little silly, everybody knows why the fat Elvis era is considered bad, it's like people wanted Elvis to be a symbol of rebellion forever, like thats what he was all about, like he was some kinda counter-culture thing which he wasn't, he was a good American boy, the controversy around Elvis was just a happy accident, i don't think he had the wherewithal or the inclination to be that way, it's just this dream in peoples head about what they wanted Elvis to be as opposed to what he really was.The boy stumbled merrily and accidentally into being this symbol of rebellion but alls he ever appeared to wanna do is be a good singer, as well as rich and famous, it's just a case of people pinning their dreams and aspirations on someone.The only way you're gonna come to some kind of equilibrium with Fat Elvis is by deconstructing the "Elvis the Rebel" myth. Because when you deconstruct that (as it deserves deconstructing, cuz it's bullshit) then Fat sellout Elvis never exists cuz hey, whats to sell out? And you're left with what, just a really really really good singer in my eyes...but people don't wanna know about that, people want heros and icons and rebellion...even when it ain't there sometimes. Edited August 18, 2012 by sugaraylen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 I've always said on this forum a million times that performance of Unchained Melody blows me away and gets me teary everytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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