Posted on 05/03/2023 1:26:10 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Elvis Presley’s stepbrother revealed what the King thought of Kiss when the pair listened to Alive! together.
The moment took place around 1975, soon after Billy Stanley had seen a Kiss show for the first time and bought the album, then played it in the basement of Graceland.
“I got it cranked up, playing air guitar,” Stanley told Artists on Record in a new interview. “Elvis comes down [and asks] ‘What are you listening to?’ ‘It’s a band called Kiss.’ … And I showed him the album cover and he said, ‘Uh … OK.’ He sat down on the couch, looking at it, and he said, ‘OK, I get it!’
“He said, ‘So play that song again that you was just playing.’ It was ‘Let Me Go Rock and Roll.’ I played it. I actually played it two times for him, and I was surprised when he said, ‘Play it again.’ I played it again. I said, ‘What do you think?’ He said, ‘Well, I understand the whole thing. You know, Kiss – keep it simple, stupid. And they got the makeup so they can walk around when they get off the stage. Nobody sees them and knows who they are or anything like that.’ He said, ‘Good idea.’”
Presley had more to say when Stanley asked what he thought of the track. “He said, ‘Billy, listen to it. All it is is a ‘50s groove. But that guitar player.’ I said, ‘That’s Ace [Frehley].’ He said, ‘That guy’s got some X-rated guitar licks. I really like him.' … Before he walked out of the room he said, ‘I get it – it’s three chords and a cloud of dust [and] that’s how you do it. And you leave them wanting more. I’m sure that’s how they do it in their live performances.”
Stanley revealed that Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie, quickly became a Kiss fan. “I’m surprised … she didn’t say something to Elvis,” he added. “Because Elvis would have had a meeting with them … ‘Let me introduce you guys to my daughter.’”
The King had a step brother?
Cool article, thanks
I dont think thats what it stood for...but cool story anyway.
It says his father had three sons with a wife, after Elvis’ mother died.
YW
Elvis had Kiss nailed - they would likely agree.
He even recognizes Ace’s talent. Kiss is glammy and kinda toy, but musicians and players repsect Ace’s licks.
Elvis’ mother was only 42 when she died. Elvis had a twin brother who died at birth.
Step brothers. 3 of them.
His Father Vernon remarried in 1960 to a woman named Dee Stanley. Dee had 3 sons from her 1st marriage (aged 7,6, and 4).
Elvis was not happy about his Father re-marrying so soon after after the death of Gladys, Elvis’ mother. And he saw Dee as a gold digger on top of that. He hated her.
Dee and Vernon started carrying on an affair while she was still married to her first husband, an Army Sargeant, which also only infuriated Elvis.
Not exactly. In 1960 his father remarried to a woman, Dee Stanley, who already had 3 boys from her first marriage (ages 7,6, and 4). So, they became Elvis’ step brothers.
Couldn’t he take his father’s allowance away?
He did kick Vernon and his new wife out of his house.
At first they were living with Elvis in the house at Graceland. After Elvis’ mother died, while he was still in the army, Elvis gave strict instructions to the household staff that NOTHING of his Mothers things were to be touched or moved.
After his discharge from the Army, he returned home, but soon had to travel to California to film his next movie, GI Blues. After filming, he returned home from California only to find that Dee took it upon herself to redecorate the interior of the Graceland house without Elvis’ knowledge or permission. It was his mother who previously decorated the house, and now all his mothers decorations were gone. Replaced by Dee’s decorations.
Elvis flew into an incredible rage. He ordered the household staff to stay where they were. They could hear him going through the house, ripping down and destroying all of Dee’s decorative touches with his bare hands. The very next day, a truck arrived at the house, Vernon’s and Dee’s things were piled into it, and they (and Dee’s kids) were moved to another house off the property.
Though Elvis still kept Vernon on his payroll.
Yes, but Vernon was his stepfather to begin with, not his biological father, so even if the kids had been his biologically, they still would have been stepsiblings to Elvis.
How come his employees didn’t warn him, like they were supposed to?
No idea. My best guess is that Vernon and Dee wanted to surprise Elvis and instructed the household staff not to say anything.
I’m sure one of Elvis’ men would have told Elvis if they were there at the house, but like always, they were all with Elvis in California.
“Yes, but Vernon was his stepfather to begin with”
Vernon was not Elvis’ stepfather. Vernon was his biological father.
If Vernon sired them they’d be half siblings.
Some pretty good songwriting. Gene (Chaim Witz) is no fool; his books are pretty inspirational ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’.
Wow I never knew that.
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