did elvis presley tour around the world

The Real Reason Why Elvis Never Toured Outside America

Elvis performed concerts in the US and Canada, but he never went international — and fans think they know why.

Elvis Presley’s life remains one of the world’s most captivating and heartbreaking stories. Though it all looked perfect from the outside, Elvis suffered from drug addiction and health problems, and was grossly mismanaged and taken advantaged of by the people around him. In fact, some fans even argue that he was cursed .

Despite being arguably the world’s most famous and beloved star, Elvis never performed outside North America. He did leave the United States for military service in Germany in his early 20s, and he did perform a selection of shows across the border in Canada. But he never toured internationally.

Given his popularity and the demand for him to perform outside of America, fans believe that there must have been some pressing reason stopping Elvis from leaving U.S. soil.

For decades since his 1977 death, rumors have circulated that Elvis had a fear of flying which kept him from touring overseas. And as it turns out, sources have confirmed that he did have negative feelings towards flying, at least early on in his career. But was this the reason he never toured abroad?

Was Elvis Afraid Of Flying?

According to Magic , Elvis’s fear of flying started in 1956 , when the flight he was taking from Amarillo to Nashville had engine trouble and had to make an emergency landing.

His ex-wife Priscilla confirmed the rumors to Larry King, saying, “He had a fear of flying, and his mother didn't really want him flying either. So he stopped for a while."

RELATED Priscilla Presley On How Elvis Would Have Reacted To The New Biopic

However, some fans have pointed out that Elvis did make frequent domestic flights. He even had his own plane named after his daughter Lisa-Marie.

Those that believe in the fear of flying theory argue that he became more spiritual after the death of his mother and looked at dying as a form of passing over to another life. Others say he naturally got over the fear, while some are convinced Elvis was never afraid to fly.

Whether he had a fear of flying or not, it appears there may have been another, more sinister reason why Elvis never left the country to tour.

The Alleged Real Reason Why Elvis Never Toured Outside America

It was never confirmed by Elvis or those around him why he never toured overseas. But fans and experts who have watched the star’s life closely are mostly united on the Colonel Tom Parker theory .

As Grunge points out, it’s been alleged that Elvis’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, talked him out of touring abroad because Parker himself was an illegal alien. He had no passport documentation, and he feared that if he left American soil, he wouldn’t be able to get back in.

RELATED: The Real Reason Why Harry Styles Got Rejected For The New Elvis Movie

Additionally, the Colonel was allegedly linked to a murder in his native Breda and feared traveling overseas as he didn’t want to face passport scrutiny.

It has been confirmed that Parker wasn’t really an American citizen, as he claimed. Despite telling people that he was from West Virginia, and passing off certain elements of his accent as being Southern, he was actually born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk in Breda, Netherlands.

He entered the United States illegally when he was 17, at a time when border security was much more relaxed.

In the Baz Luhrmann movie Elvis , this theory is put forward as the real reason why Elvis did not tour overseas. The film shows Elvis, played by Austin Butler , wanting to perform to his fans overseas, but the Colonel — played by Tom Parker — talking him out of it. In the movie, the Colonel tells Elvis that he shouldn’t travel abroad because of the security risk.

What Was Elvis’s Relationship Like With Colonel Tom Parker?

Since Elvis’s untimely death in 1977, his relationship with Colonel Tom Parker has been exposed as abusive and manipulative . Den of Geek reports that the Colonel took significant cuts of the star’s profits, sometimes even larger than Elvis’s own, tightly controlled his image and sound, and all but forced him into several movie roles that Elvis didn’t want to do.

RELATED: Austin Butler Risked His Health To Play Elvis

Between 1969 and Elvis’s death, the Mississippi-born star performed 600 times in Las Vegas, which he reportedly resented. Rather than honoring his client’s feelings, the Colonel kept Elvis performing at the International Hotel (now the Las Vegas Hilton) to pay off his own gambling debts.

In 1973, the Colonel sold Elvis’s back catalog to RCA for just $5.4 million, of which Elvis only received $2 million after taxes. As is shown in the movie, Elvis did finally fire the Colonel, but when the Colonel slammed him with an itemized bill for his services that was priced in the millions, Elvis and his father Vernon decided to take the Colonel back.

In 1980, an investigation was launched into the Colonel’s management of Elvis, which was found to be unethical and likely cost Elvis thousands.

The Alleged Reason Elvis Presley Never Toured Outside Of North America

There aren't many stars with whom millions around the world are on a first-name basis. That's a level almost beyond the upper echelons of celebrity. Madonna's full name, per Britannica , is Madonna Louise Ciconne, but as her renown expanded, she cast the rest of those affectations aside and became a popular culture powerhouse as simply Madonna.

Another of the most celebrated examples of this phenomenon is Elvis. Mr. Presley, Biography states, was born to a cash-strapped family in Tupelo, Mississippi, and the only early hints of his musical prowess were his enthusiasm for the music of the Assembly Of God Church. He was reportedly given a guitar when he turned 11, and the unassuming birthday present would surely go on to change the course of his life, not to mention the entire music industry.

His now-iconic debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in September of 1956 cemented his legend. According to History , it seized an 82.6% share of TV viewership, and the 21-year-old was watched by 60 million people as he performed while on the cusp of true superstardom. In short order, he had conquered the world. Curiously, though, he never toured outside of North America, and it seemed his manager had more than a little something to do with that.

Colonel Tom Parker seemed very averse to global tours

According to Graceland 's official website, Elvis met Colonel Tom Parker, the man who would steer him through the rest of his remarkable career, on February 6, 1955. The meeting was attended by representatives of Elvis' then-label, Sun Records, as well as the manager he had at the time, Bob Neal. Parker, it seems, wasted no time in making clear that he could take Elvis to the very top. By mid-March of the following year, Parker had assumed sole responsibility for managing Elvis.

Parker was there for much of Elvis' meteoric rise. According to Alanna Nash's "The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley," RCA Records' Chet Atkins deemed Parker to have been "the best manager I ever saw ... whatever he cost Elvis ... was worth it, because Elvis would've ... lost that luster in no time if it hadn't been for the Colonel." Literally and figuratively, it's difficult to say exactly how much Parker "cost" Elvis. With Parker's tremendous influence over the singer's career, though, he called a lot of the shots, and one decision he seemed to make was that his client wouldn't tour around the world.

In an interview with Noise11 , Jerry Schilling of Elvis' "Memphis Mafia" stated that Elvis, at the peak of his success, "wanted to tour overseas. He wanted to go to Australia. He wanted to go to Japan." He passed these ambitions on to the Colonel, per Schilling, who wouldn't hear of it.

The King and the Colonel collided

According to Schilling, per Noise11 , the Colonel insisted that if Elvis embarked on such a trip, he would do so without him. Elvis apparently told Parker that he was fired and attempted to do just that, but, per Schilling, "When Elvis tried to get a tour going no one would touch him because they were afraid of the Colonel ... They had the relationship with the Colonel. They respected the Colonel."

And so it was that such aspirations were not to be. According to Smithsonian Magazine , the icon would play only three shows outside of the United States, all of them in Canada in 1957. Along the way, Parker had reportedly refused all kinds of lucrative offers for tours worldwide, and it seems he did so because he had no choice. Parker was not Tom Parker at all, he was not a United States citizen, and he didn't have a passport .

Biography reports that Parker's true name was Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, and that he was born in the Netherlands. He pretended to have been born in West Virginia, later fought for the United States Army, and was given the title of colonel in 1948 (strictly honorary) by Louisiana's governor, whom he had helped campaign. Of these intriguing details, Schilling told Noise11, "We didn't know that while Elvis was alive ... That came out after Elvis passed away." Biography adds that relations from Parker's true native nation recognized him from press photos of himself with the King.

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34 trivia tidbits about tv and movie tropes, 12 trivia tidbits for wednesday, may 1, 2024, 30 of the funniest tweets from wednesday, may 1, 2024, ryan gosling and mikey day as ‘beavis and butt-head’ just won’t go away, the weirdo reason elvis couldn't tour outside the u.s..

Elvis Presley has to be the most famous singer in history, if not the most famous person of any kind in the entire inner solar system. You might imagine that he wowed people the world over by performing for huge sold-out crowds. Why, who can forget Elvis in Amsterdam, Elvis in Sydney, Elvis in Tokyo, and of course Elvis in London?

In reality, Elvis never toured internationally. He performed in over 240 cities, over 1,600 performances, but these were all in the United States. He did do three shows in Canada, all in 1957, but we're not going to count that as traveling internationally because at the time, you could travel freely between the U.S. and Canada without a passport.

We're not being arbitrary with that definition—freedom of travel is the crucial issue here and is the reason Elvis couldn't tour outside America. Elvis' manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker, believed that if he ever left the U.S., border authorities would forbid him (Parker) from ever coming back.

Parker, played by Tom Hanks in the new Elvis movie, was born in the Netherlands and was originally named Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. He worked on a ship to reach an American port and then leapt off the ship to enter the country illegally. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army, which meant he could have eventually become a citizen, but he never got around to it. He instead did his own form of naturalization. He called himself "the colonel" (just an honorary title), changed his name to Tom Parker (which sounded very American to him), and walked around in a cowboy hat (or occasionally some other hat he thought looked American, like in the above photo).

As Elvis' manager, the responsible thing for Parker to do (assuming he had no plans to sort out his immigration status) would be to send Elvis on fabulous world tours while he himself stayed behind back in the States. But Parker insisted on tight control over his client. We'll have to leave the full story of the Colonel and Elvis for a longer article, but let's just quickly mention that Parker would occasionally take over Elvis' home, he pushed Elvis into getting married, and he sometimes made more money off Elvis' career than Elvis himself did—though he then lost most of it gambling. The one good thing about Parker, though, is he had some skill at marketing. It was his idea to produce and sell buttons labeled "I Hate Elvis."

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For more on Elvis and the Colonel, check out:

6 Albums By Rock Legends That Were Thinly Veiled Insults

Elvis Presley Liked Schoolgirls, Pajama Parties ... and Dudes

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Top image via Wiki Commons

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When Elvis Said 'Aloha' From Hawaii, The World Watched

On January 14, 1973, Elvis Presley made history as the first solo entertainer to hold a live concert broadcast internationally via satellite. More than a billion people from more than 40 countries across Asia and Europe tuned in to watch "Aloha from Hawaii." Weekends on All Things Considered host Jacki Lyden talks to Elvis aficionados, including fans who witnessed the rock 'n' roll king when he took the crown to be a true worldwide phenomenon.

Copyright © 2013 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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The King’s last hurrah: Elvis Presley’s ‘Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite’ turns 50

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While Elvis Presley was an American icon, the rest of the world worshipped him too.

But Presley never experienced that global adulation in person. His manager Colonel Tom Parker, born in the Netherlands and residing illegally in the U.S., did not have a passport, which ultimately kept Presley from taking his wildly successful touring act of the early 1970s overseas.

“The Colonel couldn’t go and he didn’t trust anybody enough to take him over there,” said author Alanna Nash, who wrote Parker’s biography . “He was always afraid someone was going to steal Elvis from him.”

In 1972, Parker found a way to satisfy the pent-up demand of the worldwide audience — a live TV concert delivered to international broadcasters via satellite. He is said to have been inspired by the live TV images from China that viewers saw during President Nixon’s historic 1972 visit.

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On Friday, RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, releases a newly remastered version of that January 1973 show — “Elvis Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite” on CD, vinyl, digital download and a Blu-ray video disc — in honor of its 50th anniversary. It’s a throwback to a pop-culture landmark and an opportunity for younger fans who became acquainted with the King through Baz Luhrmann‘s Oscar-nominated “Elvis” to experience what turned out to be the final triumph of his career.

While not as heralded as the 1968 NBC show known as “The ’68 Comeback Special,” which thrust Presley back into the contemporary music scene after a lull while he made movies, “Aloha” stands as the last recorded live performance of Presley at the peak of his powers before the downward spiral that ended with his death on Aug. 16, 1977.

“It’s really his last big hurrah,” Nash said.

There was a bit of bluster in the promotion of the event, with claims by Parker and RCA that it reached an audience of 1 billion people. Still, Presley was the first artist to carry a satellite broadcast on his own (in 1967 the BBC aired “Our World,” a program that included multiple acts including the Beatles).

Presley’s concert, held Jan. 14, 1973, at the Honolulu International Center Arena, aired live only in Asia and Oceania. It was seen in Europe the following day and did not show up in the U.S. on NBC until April 4, 1973, where it was watched by a staggering 57% of homes using television that night, according to Nielsen.

(Executives at MGM begged for the delayed U.S. broadcast as they feared it would cannibalize the moviegoing audience for “Elvis on Tour,” a documentary that was still in theaters. The concert date also conflicted with the Super Bowl.)

The concert came at a time of personal turmoil for Presley. His marriage to Priscilla Presley was over and his dependence on drugs was deepening. One reason Parker proposed the concert was to get the King out of his funk.

NBC, under the same corporate ownership as RCA Records at the time, hired veteran producer Marty Pasetta to oversee the show. As preparation, Pasetta attended a Presley concert in Long Beach. He was not impressed; Presley was pale and puffy and his onstage movements were limited.

Pasetta knew how to handle big stars. He was a seasoned master at managing big events for the small screen, having produced Oscar telecasts and presidential inaugurations. Still, he was a bit unnerved at having to confront Presley, who was accompanied by two pistol-toting bodyguards at their first meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas.

“Marty told him, ‘You’ve got to lose weight — you’ve got to move more,’” Pasetta’s widow, Elise, recalled in a recent phone interview. “Elvis had his dark glasses on. He threw them off and he came over and hugged Marty and said, ‘You’re the first person that ever told me the truth.’”

Presley went on a crash diet, aided by injections of urine from a pregnant woman, in which he was limited to 500 calories a day of dried food. By the date of the show, he looked tan, rested and ready, a sleek figure in his bejeweled white jumpsuit and cape, although Nash noted he still needed an amphetamine-infused B-12 injection before going on.

Presley also caused a slight panic with his wardrobe handlers as he gave away the ruby-encrusted belt of his costume to the wife of “Hawaii Five-0” star Jack Lord , whom he met at a rehearsal. A new one had to be made and shipped in time for the show.

Pasetta sold Presley on a set design that included a lower stage and a long runway that allowed the star to get closer to female fans, who put leis around Elvis’ neck during the performance. They got a kiss, a scarf or a perspiration-filled hankie in return, keeping the crowd in a frenzy for the full hour.

Above the stage, “Elvis” was spelled out in different alphabets, and there were flashing lights that presented an image of him swiveling with a guitar.

In Japan, anticipation of the show was so intense, the broadcast showed the Hawaii audience filing into the auditorium for more than an hour before the concert began, Elise Pasetta recalled.

The music in “Aloha” is representative of Presley’s touring show of the era — he had been on the road during much of 1972 — and his personal taste at the time. Some of the performances of rock ’n’ roll classics — his own and covers such as “Johnny B. Goode” — feel a bit obligatory, perhaps a sign that he had outgrown the music of his youth.

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Presley is far more emotionally involved in the show’s heavily orchestrated ballads, such as “My Way,” “What Now My Love,” “It’s Over” and “You Gave Me a Mountain,” which were more in the ilk of middle-of-the-road pop singers Tom Jones or Engelbert Humperdinck. The drama is turned up to 11 on “An American Trilogy,” the Mickey Newbury-arranged medley of “Dixie,” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “All My Trials” that became a staple of Presley’s live show at a time when the country was weary of the Vietnam war.

Ernst Jorgensen, producer of the “Aloha” reissue and keeper of the Presley catalog for more than 30 years, acknowledged that the era is not a favorite among rock purists and critics. (“He strays into Caesar’s Palace territory,” Jon Landau wrote in Rolling Stone.)

“At that time, there was so many people who still wanted him to be rock ’n’ roll,” Jorgensen said. “He matured as an artist, and not necessarily the way that the rock generation thought you should mature.”

There are moments throughout the show that display Presley’s stylistic prowess, especially on “Steamroller Blues,” a song from James Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James” album that mocked the white boy blues bands of the 1960s.

Presley delivers it with a sly smile, showing he gets the joke. Even with its absurd lyrics (“I’m a napalm bomb, guaranteed to blow your mind”), he makes the song feel authentic. It became a top-20 single.

“Elvis was at his very core a blues singer,” said Nash. “It becomes an entirely different kind of song from Elvis.”

While Presley’s live show was a well-oiled machine by this point, Jorgensen sensed a slight nervousness on the singer’s part on the program.

“He might have been somewhat overwhelmed by the event,” he said. “And the musicians say later that it didn’t really dawn on them until after the show that they’d been part of music history.”

The concert and telecast went off without a hitch. Elise Pasetta, who was backstage at the show, remembers seeing a jubilant Presley afterward. “He came walking very quickly over to me, picks me up and spins me around and said that ‘this the best time I’ve ever had,’” she said.

The double-album soundtrack of “Elvis Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite” was rushed into stores on Feb. 4, 1973, three weeks after the concert and only seven months after RCA put out Presley’s “Elvis as Recorded Live at Madison Square Garden.”

The album jacket for “Aloha” — with its illustration of a satellite beaming an image of Presley to Earth — had to be printed before the concert, without a listing of track titles. A sticker with the set list was affixed to the cover after the vinyl was pressed.

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“Aloha” steadily climbed the Billboard 200 chart and hit No. 1 in early May, sales propelled by the concert’s airing on NBC. It marked Presley’s first time on top of the album chart since 1964 and went on to sell more than 5 million copies in the U.S., further validating the career transformation that began with his comeback special.

“You see in ‘Aloha,’ even more than the ‘Comeback Special,’ a real hunger to prove that he is a relevant artist, that he has survived the psychedelic period and has come back into his own,” Nash said.

Jorgensen is pleased that the reissue presented the opportunity to remaster the recording, which he felt sounded compressed and “a bit lackluster.” Matt Ross-Spang, a Grammy-winning Memphis-based audio engineer, went to work on it, bringing out more clarity in Presley’s voice.

The new “Aloha” will satisfy Presley completists, as it includes a recording of the dress rehearsal and tracks recorded after the show used to fill out the 90-minute version of the U.S. telecast.

There appears to be no end to the reservoir of Presley content. On Aug. 15, streaming platform Paramount+ debuts a new documentary, “Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback Special,” which explores the backstory of the groundbreaking show. Director Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” a theatrical film telling the story of Presley’s marriage, is scheduled for release in October.

But the line may be drawn at Presley’s final TV special, which aired on CBS less than two months after his death (a poignant performance of “Unchained Melody” on the program is re-created in Lurhmann’s “Elvis” and uses a brief clip of the actual footage shot in June 1977, when Presley appeared overweight and clearly in poor health). The entire show has never been given an authorized video release.

“There’s no decision made on that,” Jorgensen said. “There’s been various speculations on how Lisa Marie (Presley’s daughter, who died in January) felt about it and I don’t know if that has opened up for a discussion now. It was just total heartbreak.”

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The Tragic Reason Elvis Never Toured The UK

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis uncovers why the tale.

Following a spate of musical biopics in recent years with the releases of Bohemian Rhapsody , Rocketman , Judy , and Respect , Baz Luhrmann released his much-anticipated big-screen interpretation of the life and career of Elvis Presley . Starring Austin Butler as the “King of Rock and Roll” and Tom Hanks as his manager Colonel Tom Parker , Elvis devles into the history of one of the world’s most prolific musicians, who had an army of adoring fans all around the world. But, did Elvis ever tour the UK?

What may come as a surprise to many – given his international fame – Elvis never toured across the pond . As per the Daily Mail , the reason for this lies with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who was born in The Netherlands and arrived in the United States as an illegal immigrant. Because Colonel Parker did not possess an American passport, he feared that if he left the U.S. for any reason – including to go on an international tour with Presley – he might not be granted permission back into the United States. Therefore, Parker reportedly convinced the “Blue Suede Shoes” performer that it would be a security risk for him to tour internationally, and encouraged him to focus on the Las Vegas strip, instead.

Although, the singer did briefly visit the United Kingdom back in 1960, when the military plane flying him back to the U.S. from his army service in Europe (which was mandatory at the time) stopped over at Prestwick in Scotland.

As mentioned, the 2022 musical-biopic Elvis chronicles the life and career of the famed performer, depicting everything from his childhood in Mississippi to his rise to worldwide superstardom. Following the film’s release, critics have largely praised director Luhrmann’s efforts , with one positive review from Rolling Stone describing the big-screen drama as a “brash, overwhelming experience.”

Meanwhile, members of Presley’s own family have also given the biopic their seal of approval . Speaking to reporters, Elvis’ former wife, Priscilla Presley, revealed that she “loves” the film, which she thinks is “beautifully done.”

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Fans around the world remember Elvis

From Tokyo to Blackpool, Elvis Presley fans around the world were today celebrating the life of the king of rock'n'roll on the 25th anniversary of his death.

The focus of the tributes was his Graceland mansion, in Memphis, Tennessee, where between 50,000 and 75,000 devotees are expected to pay their respects later today.

Last night, a hardcore of 7,000 Elvis fans began a candlelight vigil that went on through the night despite a fierce rainstorm.

To the sound of Elvis' voice singing "Memories", the fans began wending their way up the driveway of his Graceland estate toward his gravesite yesterday, where they rekindled a flame that burned by the singer's grave.

A minister led the crowd in the Lord's Prayer before the vigil. Graceland manager Todd Morgan told fans: "Elvis had the greatest fans in the world and always will." He said the ceremony would have a worldwide audience on the internet with a live "vigilcast".

The British Elvis Presley fan club, founded in 1957, said more than 1,000 members had travelled to Graceland but those who stayed at home were also planning to celebrate his life.

Among these were Dani Leighton and Juliette Massey, who tied the knot at Blackpool's winter gardens after they won a competition called Elvis Wedding of the Century.

The couple, from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, had Elvis impersonators as the best men, and bridesmaids included lookalikes of Priscilla Presley and Marilyn Monroe.

The couple said the vows: "I promise that I am going to love you tender. I'll never put you through heartbreak hotel. So if you treat me nice and don't give me any suspicious minds I will love you from rags to riches. So love me forever my darling whether it's midnight or in the early morning rain. I want you, I need you, I love you because I just cannot help falling in love with you."

The newlyweds were then driven to the airport to fly to Las Vegas later today for their second wedding at the Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The event kick-started the Elvis Experience weekend in Blackpool, where thousands of fans will descend on the seaside town to pay tribute to Presley.

Meanwhile, another British Elvis Presley fanatic had big plans for the day and was to hold a "24-hour Elvis marathon".

Another Elvis Presley, who changed his name by deed poll from Glyn Nedrud about three years ago, was planning to listen to Elvis records from midnight to midnight to mark the 25th anniversary of his namesake's death.

Mr Presley, from Morganstown, Cardiff, had wanted to mark the big day by donning a full Elvis-style jumpsuit and parading through the city centre, but his plan was thwarted by the frozen shoulder he is suffering as the result of a recent accident.

He has no qualms about the potential consequences of his celebration: "I would be prepared to go to court if they want to send the police down - I've got to stand up for myself and for Elvis.

The 43-year-old, who has cats named Priscilla, Lisa, Elvis and Presley, said reactions to his name ranged from those who thought he was "crackers" to sheer disbelief. "I just do it to keep his name alive. My old name is dead," he said.

Japanese premier pays tribute

In central Tokyo, fans made a pilgrimage on to a life-sized bronze statue of Elvis Presley strumming a guitar to mark the 25th anniversary of his death.

Among the bouquets and cigarette packs left in homage at the statue's base, a famous name went mostly unnoticed on its engraved list of donors: Junichiro Koizumi, the Japanese prime minister and Elvis fan.

Meanwhile, for the really serious Elvis fans, bookmakers William Hill has reported that Britons are still placing bets on the King being discovered alive and well. "We have just taken a bet of £50 at odds of 1,000-1 that Elvis is still alive," William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said.

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Australia Letter

The deeper meaning of elvis in australia.

I went to the Parkes Elvis Festival thinking I’d learn something about what America used to be. I left thinking more about Australia.

By Damien Cave

The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email.

The first time I learned to love Elvis Presley, I was in my early 20s, and visiting Graceland during a cross-country trip with a few friends. I remember watching videos of his concerts in a dark theater there and being amazed at his energy and talent. Next, there was Baghdad Elvis.

When I covered the war in Iraq in 2007, a photographer we worked with happened to have mastered a near-perfect rendition of “Suspicious Minds.” At one point, in our heavily fortified compound on the Tigris River, he showed up wearing a bespoke white jumpsuit, circa 1973, leading us all in a night of raucous karaoke — loud enough to drown out the sound of bullets in the distance.

And then there was Parkes, the small town in rural New South Wales, which hosts the largest annual Elvis festival in the Southern Hemisphere (and possibly the world). I’d been hearing about it ever since I came to Australia but this year, I decided to go, and to bring my 11-year-old daughter with me.

I was looking for more than just spectacle, though there was plenty of that. I was looking for heart. Why do 25,000 people come out to celebrate a dead American rocker in the middle of a continent where Elvis never played a concert?

I thought maybe there was something to say about the America he seemed to represent, a country that had been more optimistic, carefree, effusive, and excessive than the more earnest and angry United States we’ve seen over the past few years. Perhaps Elvis nostalgia was also America nostalgia?

But what I found — as you can see in my article , with amazing photos from Abigail Varney —was simpler and more local, if no less profound. America was really not the point. Small town Australia and participatory “have a go” Australia was what animated the event.

According to Elvis tribute artists — and Elvis’s former tour manager, who made the trek from back home in the U.S. — Australians of all social classes, political persuasions and ages were more likely to dress up, sing, march in the parade, or play rugby, all while dressed up as Elvis, all while encouraging each other to get involved and have some fun.

The Australian festival was unique because the lines between serious and silly were blurred. While Americans listened and admired Elvis, Australians made him their own.

I’ve written a lot about that Australian penchant for pulling people into an activity — it’s a big part of the idea-driven memoir I published here, called “Into the Rip,” which will be out in the U.S. in the next few months with a different title. But in Parkes there was an extra layer of verve that only the combination of Elvis and small town Australia could possibly provide. My daughter loved it. So did I.

Now here are our stories of the week.

Australia and New Zealand

Meet Mouth Almighty, a Different Kind of Fish Dad . A study of Australian fish that care for offspring through mouthbrooding shows that things underwater are not always as monogamous as they seem.

Australian Gets 12 Years for Anti-Gay Killing of an American in 1988 . Scott Johnson, a U.S. graduate student, was pushed off a cliff, in a case that was first ruled a suicide but that his brother refused to let go of.

Helicopter Catches Booster Rocket Falling From Space . After sending a payload of 34 small satellites into orbit, the space company Rocket Lab used a helicopter to catch the 39-foot-long used-up booster stage of the rocket before it splashed into the Pacific Ocean.

How the King of Rock ’n’ Roll Still Makes Australia Sing. Elvis never played a concert “down under,” but that hasn’t stopped tens of thousands of Australians from making him their own at an annual festival.

Around the Times

Inside the Apocalyptic Worldview of ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ . A New York Times analysis of 1,150 episodes reveals how Tucker Carlson pushes extremist ideas and conspiracy theories into millions of households, five nights a week.

As Victory Day Looms in Russia, Guesswork Grows Over Putin’s Ukraine Goals . The Russian holiday celebrating the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany is viewed by Ukraine and NATO as a stage for the Russian president to proclaim a turn in the war.

Abortion Pills Stand to Become the Next Battleground in a Post-Roe America . Medication abortion allows patients to terminate early pregnancies at home. Some states are moving to limit it, while others are working to expand access.

Much Gilt, Little Guilt . The Met Gala 2022 celebrated themes of opulence, excess and fame.

Enjoying the Australia Letter? Sign up here or forward to a friend.

For more Australia coverage and discussion, start your day with your local Morning Briefing and join us in our Facebook group .

Damien Cave is the bureau chief in Sydney, Australia. He previously reported from Mexico City, Havana, Beirut and Baghdad. Since joining The Times in 2004, he has also been a deputy National editor, Miami bureau chief and a Metro reporter. More about Damien Cave

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Welcome to the Birthplace

The house where the legend was born.

In 1934, Vernon Presley borrowed $180 for materials to build a small frame house in East Tupelo. It was in this little house on January 8, 1935, that the King of Rock ‘n Roll was born.

Financially, times were hard on Vernon and Gladys. The family lived in the house about three years until the home was repossessed when Vernon could not repay the $180 loan.

The Presley family lived in other locations in Tupelo until Elvis was thirteen years old when they moved to Memphis. Vernon and Gladys worked various jobs while in Tupelo and moved several different times during the thirteen years they resided in Mississippi.

While in Tupelo, Elvis attended the Assembly of God Church with his family where he was first exposed to gospel music that influenced his musical style throughout his career.

It was in Tupelo that Elvis was exposed to bluesmen in the Shake Rag community where he lived for a time. His family also listened to country music radio programs from which Elvis drew influence.

Ticket Information

Since there is very little wait time when purchasing a ticket, tickets are sold only at the front desk at the Elvis Presley Birthplace Welcome Center.

Tour buses, please contact us for large group rates.

TICKET OFFICE CLOSES AT 4 PM

Our ticket prices for the BIRTHPLACE HOUSE, MUSEUM, and CHURCH

ADULT GRANDE

Adult single, seniors age 60+, children grand ages 7-12, children x2 ages 7-12, child single ages 7-12, child ages 7 and under.

Hours of Operation

Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m..

Sunday 1:00 p.m. to  4:00 p.m.

Walk-Through and Map

306 Elvis Presley Drive Tupelo, MS 38801

The grounds are open 24 hours.

After business hours, for information about individual venues please scan the QR code on the sign at each venue.

Walk the trails that Elvis might have walked.

More than 100,000 visitors from around the world tour the Elvis Presley Center each year which includes the Elvis Birthplace, the Elvis Presley Museum and Memorial Chapel, and Elvis Presley Park.

Take The Tour

Start Your Tour Here

Tickets available inside for Birthplace and museum.

Walk of Life

A scored concrete circle surrounding the Birthplace. Each granite block denotes each year of Elvis' life from 1935 to 1977.

Mississippi Historic Site

The Elvis Presley Birthplace is designated as a historic landmark by the State of Mississippi.

Vernon Presley, Elvis’ father, with help from Jessie, his father and Vester, his brother, built this home in 1934 with $180 that Vernon Borrowed from his employer. It was in this humble, two room house lit by a single light bulb in each room that Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935. Elvis was one of two children born to Vernon and Gladys. Elvis’ identical twin, Jessie Garon, was stillborn.

The city of Tupelo bought the home and surrounding property in 1957. Elvis wanted a park for the neighborhood children and donated the proceeds from a 1957 concert at the Tupelo Fairgrounds to further cause. The property stands in its original location and has been restored to its original condition, decorated with period furniture, and is open to the public for tour.

The Birthplace

It was in this little house on January 8, 1935 that the King of Rock ‘n Roll was born.

1948 Granite Block

The stone commemorates Elvis' 13th year and marks the walkway to the ``Elvis at 13`` Statue.

Elvis at 13 Statue

An impressionistic bronze likeness of Elvis at age 13 dedicated to fans worldwide in 2002.

“I took the guitar, and I watched people, and I learned to play a little bit. But I would never sing in public. I was very shy about it.”

Elvis Presley

Talking about the $7.95 guitar his mother Gladys bought from the Tupelo Hardware Store on January 8, 1946 when he 11 years old

Mississippi Music Markers

Mississippi Historical Site

Mississippi Country Music Trail

Mississippi Blues Commission

Elvis' Childhood Church

The Assembly of God Pentecostal Church - The actual building where the Presley family attended church services.

Elvis Presley Memorial Chapel

A place of meditation Elvis dreamed of having. A popular attraction and a venue for weddings and special services.

Vivid Portrayals of Elvis' life as a boy in Tupelo as told by some of his childhood friends.

Fountain of Life

Thirteen upper waterspouts representing the years Elvis lived in Tupelo and 29 lower spouts symbolizing Elvis' life in Memphis.

Elvis Presley Museum

The museum displays exhibits containing Tupelo artificats, large photomurals, graphics, and audiovisual presentations that focus on Elvis “The Boy.”

The theatre offers a full stage with lighting. Projection to the screen can be either front or rear.

Over 2,000 souvenir items for sale, you're sure to find just the right piece of Elvis memorabilia.

Memphis Bound

The 1939 green Plymouth sedan is a replica of the car that the Presley family drove when leaving Tupelo headed for Memphis.

Event Center

The Event Center offers a great hall, a theater, and a small meeting room.

"Visiting here makes our vacation complete."

Dawn, from Scotland

"I have no words. It's just beautiful."

Kacey, from New South Wales

"Great collection of his life."

Judith, from Georgia

Amphitheater

The perfect venue for an outdoor concert or a special gathering.

Picnic Pavillion

The picnic pavilion can be reserved for family reunions, church gatherings, organizational meetings, etc.

Reflections

A rustic, natural, serene place perfect for spending some quiet time.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Tucked away for peaceful reflections.

Becoming Statue

Standing atop the overlook for all to see, two statues known by one name - BECOMING.

Large RV/Bus Parking

Ample space and parking for large recreational vehicles as well as buses.

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Cher turned down dating Elvis Presley because she was 'nervous of his reputation'

Cher's current boyfriend is music executive alexander 'a.e.' edwards.

'The Five': Elvis Presley to be revived as an AI hologram

'The Five' reacts to the 'King of Rock ’n’ Roll' making a comeback as an AI hologram.

For the many decades she's been in the industry, Cher has certainly accumulated some juicy stories.

The singer recently revealed that she turned down another mega music star, blaming his reputation for why they never dated. 

Appearing on " The Jennifer Hudson Show ," Cher was asked to explain why she didn't date Elvis Presley, after previously revealing in a separate interview that their paths almost crossed.

CHER, 77, SAYS THAT BOYFRIEND ALEXANDER 'A.E.' EDWARDS, 37, DOESN'T UNDERSTAND 'MOST' OF HER REFERENCES

Music icon Cher explained why she turned down the legendary Elvis Presley. (Getty Images)

"It was because I just was — I was nervous and I knew of the people around him, and it wasn’t that they were bad people, it's just that I was kind of nervous of his reputation," the "Believe" singer revealed.

"I’m really shy when I’m not working and kind of shy around men," she expressed. "And the reason I go out with young men is because men my age or older — well, now they’re all dead — but before they just never, they were always terrified to approach me and younger men were the only ones that [did]."

Cher's boyfriend, music executive Alexander "A.E." Edwards , is 40 years younger than her. She'll turn 78 on May 20.

Cher is dating music executive Alexander "A.E." Edwards, who is 40 years her junior. (Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

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During a previous appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Cher said she had been a fan of Presley since she was a child. "When I was 10 years old, my mom took me to the Pan Pacific to see Elvis. I just — I really loved him," she said. "And then when I got older — not this old — but older, he invited me to Las Vegas."

"One of his people called and said ‘Would you like to come up for the weekend?’ And I was so terrified that I couldn't do it," she shared.

Later in his life, Presley struggled with substance abuse. (CBS via Getty Images)

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Defending her decision to reject the King of Rock and Roll , Cher said Presley was not at his best: "He was on the downside of himself… And I don't mean like handsome… He was on the downside of the drugs and stuff like that."

Later in his life, Presley had serious substance abuse problems. He passed away in 1977 after beng found unresponsive. The original report was that he had died from cardiac arrest, but following an autopsy, it was believed the litany of prescription drugs found in Presley's system contributed to his death.

Cher said when Presley invited her to Las Vegas, he was involved with drugs. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"You don't want to get involved with another musician who does drugs," Cher stated. "I did that," likely referring to an ex-lover of hers.

Caroline Thayer is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Follow Caroline Thayer on Twitter at @carolinejthayer. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

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Historic concert photos from Heritage Bank Center: Taylor Swift, Elvis, more

The Enlightened Mindset

Exploring the World of Knowledge and Understanding

Welcome to the world's first fully AI generated website!

Exploring Elvis Presley’s World Tours: How the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll Conquered the Globe

By Happy Sharer

Introduction

Elvis Presley is one of the most famous and beloved musicians of all time. He is widely considered the “King of Rock n’ Roll” for his innovative style and influential sound. Throughout his career, Elvis toured extensively throughout the United States and around the world. This article will explore Elvis’ world tours, from the countries he visited to the setlists he performed, and the impact these tours had on his career.

What Countries Did Elvis Presley Tour?

During his career, Elvis Presley performed in more than 30 countries across five continents. Some of the countries he visited include the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Australia, Japan, and Mexico. Elvis also performed in South Africa, making him one of the first major international artists to perform in the country after its apartheid regime ended. In addition to performing in major cities, Elvis also gave concerts in smaller towns and rural areas. For example, in 1958, he performed a show in the small town of Lubbock, Texas, that drew over 25,000 people.

Elvis’ performances were held in a variety of venues, from stadiums and arenas to theaters and even churches. One of his most iconic performances was at the Honolulu International Center Arena in Hawaii in 1973. This concert was recorded and released as the album Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite, making Elvis the first performer to broadcast a live concert to an international audience.

How Did the World Receive Elvis Presley on Tour?

Elvis’ performances were met with wild enthusiasm wherever he went. His fans, who were known as “Elvis Army”, would often flock to his shows and scream and cry during his performances. According to one fan, “At the end of every song, you could feel the love in the room…It was like a religious experience.”

Elvis was also well-received by different cultures around the world. In Japan, Elvis was welcomed with open arms and even received the honorific title of “King”. In Mexico, he was greeted by thousands of adoring fans, who sang along with him in Spanish. He even performed in Israel in 1957, becoming the first major rock star to do so.

What Are Some Highlights from Elvis’ Tours?

Elvis’ tours were filled with memorable moments. At a show in Las Vegas in 1956, Elvis famously shook his hips during a performance of “Hound Dog”, which caused an uproar among the audience. Elvis also made several surprise appearances on television shows, such as The Ed Sullivan Show, where he famously performed “That’s All Right (Mama)”.

In addition, Elvis performed two benefit concerts in 1971 and 1972. The first was a charity show in Memphis, Tennessee in support of the city’s financially struggling public school system. The second was a benefit concert in Hawaii, which raised money for local charities.

How Did Elvis’ Tours Impact His Career?

Elvis’ tours had a major impact on his career. His concerts generated millions of dollars in revenue, making him one of the highest-paid performers of his time. His tours also helped spread his music to a wider audience and increased his popularity around the world.

In addition, Elvis’ tours provided him with invaluable publicity. He was featured in magazines and newspapers around the world, and his performances were broadcast on television and radio. As a result, Elvis’ fame only grew as he continued to tour the world.

What Was the Setlist for Elvis’ World Tours?

Elvis’ setlists varied from tour to tour, but typically included a mix of his classic hits, such as “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Jailhouse Rock”, as well as covers of other artists’ songs. Elvis also performed a variety of genres, including rockabilly, blues, country, gospel, and pop. His performances often included costume changes and dance moves, making them visually stunning as well as musically entertaining.

What Was It Like to Attend an Elvis Presley Concert Tour?

Attending an Elvis Presley concert was an unforgettable experience. The atmosphere was electrifying, with fans singing along to every song and screaming for more. Many fans reported feeling an emotional connection with Elvis, as if they were sharing a special moment with him.

Elvis’ performances were also incredibly theatrical. He often wore extravagant costumes and used props, such as guitars and microphones, to engage the audience. These elements combined to create a unique and unforgettable experience that fans still recall fondly today.

Elvis Presley’s world tours were an integral part of his career, allowing him to share his music with fans around the world. From the United Kingdom to South Africa, Elvis was met with wild enthusiasm everywhere he went. His setlists consisted of a mix of his own songs, as well as covers of other artists, and his performances were always filled with energy and emotion. Although Elvis has been gone for more than four decades, his legacy lives on through his music and the memories of those who attended his concerts.

(Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? Do you have knowledge or insights to share? Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.)

Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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Past Factory

20 Rare Photos That Shed New Light On The Past

Posted: May 1, 2024 | Last updated: May 2, 2024

Sometimes, society has a way of looking at historical figures and moments in a boring fashion. However, these photos captured throughout time prove otherwise!

From Princess Diana running in a race (barefoot and wearing a dress!) to women saying goodbye to their loved ones before they go off to war, these photos are more than amazing.

Keep clicking through to see some rare, historic photos of the world's most famous figures and events.

Getting To Woodstock By Any Means Necessary

The summer of 1969 was a summer of love and the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair. People from all over the country made their way to Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York.

These two men were so eager to get to the festival they hitched a ride in the trunk of a car!

The First Women To Run The Boston Marathon: Katherine Switzer

With a love for running, Katherine Switzer did something no woman dared to do in 1967 -- she ran alongside the men in the Boston Marathon.

At first, no one realized she was a woman. Then, jock Semple noticed who she was and tried to rip her number off her shirt. It didn't work, and Switzer became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon.

Charlie Chaplin And Helen Keller

While filming the silent movie Deliverance in 1918, Helen Keller, along with her companion Polly Thomson and first teacher Anne Sullivan, met with famed movie comedian Charlie Chaplin.

Here, all four are photographed together, looking off into the distance as Chaplin points something out to the ladies on the film set.

Albert Einstein Sitting With A Young Opera Star

Albert Einstein is known for his brain and his contributions to both the fields of science and mathematics. However, he was also a connoisseur of the arts.

Here, the famed mathematician is seen sitting with a young up-and-coming opera singer, Hermann Jadlowker. The singer was a famous star of the Berlin State Opera for many years.

Marilyn Monroe Reading A Geat Well Card From Joe DiMaggio

From 1954 to 1955, actress and model Marilyn Monroe was connected to Yankee superstar Joe DiMaggio. They had a brief but epic romance which is seen here, even though DiMaggio isn't in the photo.

While lying in bed, Monroe is seen smiling as she reads a get-well card from the baseball player.

Steve Jobs In 1984, A Year Before The iPhone Patent

It is hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't know about the legendary Steve Jobs. This photo shows Jobs with his partner John Scully at the Apple Computer Show in 1984.

Amazingly, this show, which is now known as the MacWorld Show, was held just one year before Jobs' first patent for the iPhone was released.

Princess Diana Running Barefoot During A Race

Royals typically don't make it a habit of running barefoot across lawns at their children's schools, let alone wearing a dress! However, Princess Diana was not known to stick to the rules of the royal household.

Here, she is sprinting alongside the other mothers, hoping to win a race at her son, Prince Harry's, school function.

People Lining Up To Get Inside Studio 54

Open in 1927, the legendary Studio 54 in New York was first an entertainment club and theater before becoming a nightclub in the 1970s.

When that happened, Studio 54 attracted numerous big names in show business, including Elton John, Debbie Harry, Faye Dunaway, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and many more A-list actors and musicians.

Elvis Presley Looking Out A Train Window During His Deployment

Elvis Presley might be known as The King of Rock and Roll, but he was also a military man who served in the United States Army from 1958 until 1960.

While the war was over, Presley was still deployed to Frankfort, Germany, in 1958. Here, he is looking out a train window at the city, waving to some of his fans who gathered to see the star.

Pamela Anderson Lounging During A Charity Baseball Game

Known for her 1990s roles in Baywatch and Home Improvement , Pamela Anderson was one of the biggest stars of the decade.

Here is a rare photo of the actress lounging around. It just so happens that she is taking a break from playing in the Hollywood All-Stars Charity Baseball Game in 1992.

Women Saying Goodbye To Their Men Before Deployment

War is not an easy time, especially for those who see their loved ones off to fight on the front lines. Here, women are saying their final goodbyes as the men are deployed to foreign lands.

They are seen sitting on the dock as their men try their best to get their heads and hands through the windows of the ship.

The Cast Of Star Wars In 1977

The epic space opera Star Wars premiered in 1977. No one knew that it would pave the way for an entire franchise, one of the most beloved in the world.

The three stars, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, can be seen here doing an interview during their press tour in Denver, Colorado.

The World's Fair In 1939

From 1939 until 1940, New York hosted the World's Fair. The second-most expensive World's Fair to be held on American soil, the grounds covered 1,202 acres and saw 44 million people attend throughout the seasons.

The amazing aspect of this particular fair was it was the first one to showcase futuristic technology, bringing people into "the world of tomorrow."

Madonna Out Jogging With A Massive Entourage

In the 1980s, The Queen of Pop, Madonna, was one of the biggest stars in the world. With her eccentric stage presence and catchy songs, it was hard to find someone who didn't know her name.

Here, the legendary singer is seen jogging on the French Riviera with a whole lot of people following her on foot and in cars.

Queen Elizabeth As A Princess In The 1940s

Many people forget that Queen Elizabeth wasn't born as the Queen of England. Once upon a time, she was just the Princess.

Even so, she did many royal duties around Buckingham, including answering phone calls and writing important notes and messages at her desk, as seen in the above picture.

Muhammad Ali Getting Swarmed For Autographs In The 1980s

One of the greatest boxers of all time and a legendary pop culture figure in the 20th century was Muhammad Ali. Nicknamed "The Greatest," Ali won 56 of his 61 fights during his career, 37 of which he won by knockout.

As the greatest, it is no wonder people swarmed the legend in the hopes of getting an autograph.

Two Stars At The Grease Premiere Party

The musical Grease was released in theaters in 1978. Of course, a premier party followed the iconic film, starring Oliva Newton-John and John Travolta.

In Studio 54 in New York City, Newton-John and singer Elton John posed for a picture, both wearing brightly colored clothing and a huge smile on their face. Little did the actress know that the movie would become a classic.

Dean Martin And Frank Sinatra Goofing Around

Two members of the legendary Rat Pack, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, are seen goofing off on the variety television program The Dean Martin Show .

While they were both singers, their love of entertainment brought them in front of the camera and all the small and silver screen numerous times throughout their respective careers.

The Beatles After The British Invasion

In the mid-1960s, the British Invasion saw amazing bands such as The Beatles make their way to American soil. Here, Beatles guitarists John Lennon and George Harrison are seen in their tour bus, getting ready to film the Magical Mystery Tour.

While the film did not garner positive reviews, the soundtrack was met with critical acclaim.

Military Women Singing During World War II

Men weren't the only ones involved in the war effort. During World War II, women banded together to help in any way they could, including working in factories and as nurses.

Here, some women are seen taking a little time off working. They are standing together and singing from a musical score.

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“It takes $10,000 a day… the goal of getting on the road, playing in front of fans, outweighs the pain of losing the stuff”: Dweezil Zappa on sacrificing his out-there guitar collection, mixing Hendrix and building an immersive rig

The Zappa Plays Zappa tour is heading out this summer and Dweezil has funded it with an immense gear auction – the steep price, he says, is worth it

Dweezil Zappa can’t come to the Zoom right now. One of his dogs has just eaten a grape, and this canine emergency requires an urgent DIY veterinary intervention. 

Seriously, Zappa must make it puke up the grape before it gets ill, and from experience, it’s is not easy – not when evolution instructs these animals to fill their stomachs 24/7.

As it happens, “not easy” is a recurring theme in Zappa’s career, and over the next few months he’s about to raise the difficulty level again. He needs two minor miracles to make him ready for the Rox(Postrophy) tour before it opens on August 1 at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, AZ.

The first miracle is monetary: he has to raise the capital to tour. The costs are astronomical; and, having not been on the road in years, it’s a dead lift. That’s why he’s partnered with ANALOGr to sell an absolute ton of gear online , some of which you might catalog as peripherals (DI boxes, overdrive pedals , odds and sods) and some of it super-collectible – but all of it is useful.

Thomas Scriven founded ANALOGr to facilitate fully authenticated sales of pop-cultural memorabilia. Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit was a client ; there’s a Grateful Dead auction coming up. The last of Elvis Presley’s Harleys is going up for sale – the only one that’s not parked up at Graceland.

Scriven expects it to fetch over a million bucks. “We still have the original title for it bearing Elvis’ name,” he says. “It has never been registered out of Elvis’ name.” One owner, low mileage, rock ’n’ roll legend who drove it to church on Sundays.

ANALOGr has seven world records in the auction category for music. Scriven and Zappa are friends, so it’s a no-brainer to tie up together. 

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“With Dweezil we have what we call an Artist First Collection, where we work directly with the artist to sell their assets and go through this whole authentication program,” says Scriven.

“We put them on camera to tell the story about each item that they’re selling. We provide a safe space for artists to sell their stuff – where the fans know for sure it’s 100 per cent authentic – and to work on making these assets investment-grade.”

Some of the Zappa’s items might even be described as iconic. Take his ‘True Blue’ Jackson Custom Shop Dinky, as featured on the cover of 1988’s My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama ; it’s hand-signed by Madonna.

Zappa’s idea was that he’d show her the guitar and she’d be so impressed that she’d hire him to provide session rock guitar – just as Michael Jackson did with Eddie Van Halen. That was the plan, at least; the session invite never arrived. 

Nonetheless, Zappa came out of it with just about the coolest Superstrat ever. And Madonna is no fool; she thought it was cool too. “That guitar is a great guitar!” says Zappa – who is officially here now having saved the dog.

“I used it on a lot of things. If someone else has fun with it and it becomes an important thing in their life, it’s worth releasing into the wild and it serves a purpose. I want people to have interesting, fun tools and enjoy it.”

There’s also the matter of his one-of-one PRS, inspired by mandolin design and made by Mr Paul Reed Smith just for Zappa. There’s no other electric guitar like it. Zappa does not necessarily want to it go, but something has to give because he wants to tour.

“I’m trying to create an opportunity of goodwill for people to enjoy cool, fun gear,” he says, “but it’ll help me do what I need to do to play music and play the tour.”

Paying for the bus, getting insurance, hiring and rehearsing the band brings us to the second of Zappa’s minor miracles: being able to perform his father’s material.

My dad would play fan favorites, but he’d never play them like the record. He’d do something different so the audience got to hear something very fresh

“The rehearsal schedule is insane,” says Scriven, “because even Zappa had a hard time playing Zappa. This all an investment back into what Dweezil loves to do; the goal of getting on the road, playing in front of fans, outweighs the pain of losing the stuff.”

And so here at last is Dweezil Zappa, dog saved, ready to drop some financial truth bombs, tell us why this is a great opportunity to get some cool gear – including his Fractal with his exact settings on them – and what else is on his mind as he prepares to celebrate two of Frank Zappa’s most-loved albums, Roxy & Elsewhere and Apostrophe (’) .

Is it really necessary to do this, Dweezil? Has touring become that expensive?

“When you finish a tour, you usually have some money left over for the startup costs for the next tour. But I had not worked for four years, so there was no money left over. This is not the biggest tour in the world, but it has roughly $200,000 startup costs.

“People think, ‘Oh, you rehearse and then you go out there and you start making money.’ They don’t realize you don’t make money until the tour is almost finished. It’s over $10,000 a day that you’ve got to be dealing with. It’s quite an undertaking; rather than having to do everything out of pocket, I have to raise some money.”

Musically, this is going to be a heavy lift, too.

“I’ve played my dad’s music for many years and there is always challenges and surprises in it. But we have a new band, a couple of new members; we’re going to mix it up just by virtue of having new energy in the group.

“We’re going to be playing some music that we’ve played before, but not the way we’ve played it before – different arrangements – and there are going to be several new things that we’ve never played before at all. That’s the excitement of doing this.

“It’s what my dad did. He would play songs that could be well-known fan-favorites, but he’d never play them like the record. He’d do something new and different so the audience got to hear something very fresh. That was always very exciting for the band, and also for my dad to have new ideas to infuse into what he was doing at the time.”

Frank Zappa’s discography is like a high-wire act for the imagination. How has that influenced your guitar rig for these shows?

I want to expand my own vocabulary for improvisation and soloing. I’m looking into effects that I haven’t used before

“I haven’t actually built the rig yet! But a lot of the stuff we’re playing is based on material that was recorded or performed in the middle ‘70s. Some of it gets into the ‘80s.

“ Guitar tone -wise, my dad had very unique sounds, a lot of specialized midrange stuff, and he sometimes blended sounds with acoustic, or clean electric mixed in. I have specialized instruments.

“Sometimes a guitar will have a piezo pickup if I need an acoustic sound blended in. I’ve been using the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx because I can have multiple different kinds of distortion or fuzz mixed with clean, and then add the effects to taste. That’s the best way for me to recreate his guitar sounds.

“One of the things I want to do is expand my own vocabulary for improvisation and soloing. I’m looking into different kinds of effects that I haven’t really used before – looping and other things – so I can create other textures.

“I’m testing out a bunch of stuff from Chase Bliss. They have all kinds of bizarre delays and looping things, and there are a few other specialized things. In certain solos I might go off into a completely different atmosphere than I would have on previous tours. I’m looking to build a new voice within my own playing and have some places to expand on those ideas.

“But generally I do like to recreate many of the guitar sounds very specifically to what is known from the recorded versions that have been released, so it’s an apples-to-apples comparison.

“I also tend to learn a lot of phrases from my dad’s guitar solos and use them as guideposts. I might start with the way he opened the solo then fill in the blanks until the next road sign, something that is a known phrase.”

I had a Ripley, Ry Cooder had one, Edward Van Halen had one. If one broke, you had to call one of the three of us

Chase Bliss is one of those brands your dad might have loved. We live in a golden age as far as these devices go.

“For sure – there’s lots of cool textures and things that can be done with all kinds of different pedals, and my dad was at the forefront of layered guitar sound.

“He really liked having sounds where you could have one thing happening on the left, and one thing happening on the right, and you could have a clean guitar in the middle that’s just blended in, a DI.

“You could have a fuzz tone on the left, and a slightly distorted tone on the right, and the envelope of the sound would change. You might have a real strong transient on one side, with less gain, but the one that has more gain will swell up so you have this moving sound. He liked to do that kind of stuff.

“I can do that much easier with the Fractal than I could with a bunch of different amps. I’ve had a rig before where it was multiple amps and lots of effects – but because of all of the different connections and cables, it was very complicated.

“The rig would often not work; you’d travel from one place to another, cables would come loose, and you’d spend an hour trying to find out why you couldn’t get a signal. I was just like, ‘I can’t deal with that!’

“So we tried to compartmentalize and have a lot of the stuff being done inside patches in the Fractal. That makes it more repeatable and easier. But I still do use plenty of pedals with the Fractal – multiple fuzz pedals and overdrives, with different delays and things like that.”

You’re selling some Fractal gear. Are your settings still programmed on there?

“Yup! The ones that are for sale do have my presets in them. One of the Fractals, the smaller one, I used that for several European tours and it has a complete setlist of songs.”

Thomas says you’re not that sentimental – but maybe a few of these were hard to let go. You’re selling the Hot Rats replica Les Paul that Gibson’s Jim DeCola made for you. Was that painful?

I’m looking into building a guitar rig specifically for immersive sound. I want to hear stuff moving around and control it with my feet

“That one is a great instrument. I’m more of the mindset that I could pick up any guitar and have that guitar suddenly speak to me. I play that guitar plenty, but I’m not drawn to it to pick it up everyday, so if it could become a tool that other people could enjoy and get some creative use out of – and it helps me get the tour going.”

Do you still have the Ripley guitar?

“The Ripley is the very unique one that Edward Van Halen used to refer to as ‘the Super Pluto Guitar.’ There were three that were made and they all had these extra electronics, and a two-rack-space brain that went with it, and a 12-pin connector between the head and the guitar.

“I had one, Ry Cooder had one, Edward Van Halen had one. They were so specialized that if one of them broke, you had to call one of the three of us to borrow one. 

“Ry Cooder had been using the brain that went with my guitar for maybe 12 or 13 years – I finally got it back a year or two. He had it because his stopped working, and Steve Ripley passed away; so nobody knows how to work on these things.”

Incredible. Insane guitar. A very Zappa guitar.

“They do cool stuff! Part of what’s interesting about it is that you can take each individual string and  pan it, so in stereo you could have them pinging left and right.

“I’m doing a lot of stuff in my studio which is multichannel – Dolby Atmos and other immersive formats – so I can take that guitar, play something, and have it pan all the way around my head. That’s a really interesting thing to use it for. 

“I’m looking into building a specialized guitar rig that will specifically be for immersive sound. I want to be able to write and perform and create while hearing stuff moving around, and then control it with my feet, having a delay swell or something. 

“Besides the tour, that’s another thing that I’m going to be working on, and I.m specifically working with Chase Bliss on certain things that will be for that immersive guitar rig.”

Eddie Kramer was in a studio on the East Coast and we were in L.A. … there are very few studios that could actually manage the technological issue

You mentioned Atmos. A while back on The Vinyl Guide Podcast , Janie Hendrix said you were working on Jimi Hendrix Atmos mixes for them. What can you tell us about that?

“Yeah, I did work on the Electric Ladyland record. They were looking to do Atmos; they were looking for studios, and my studio had recently been complete. I’d done the Hendrix tour a few times, so I invited them over to check out stuff.

“But it wasn’t just me working on it – they had Eddie Kramer, who always does things whenever they update something from the Hendrix catalog. He’s the guy who’s twisting the knobs. 

“Eddie was in a studio on the East Coast, outside of Toronto, and then we were working in L.A. from my studio. We had to be able to link up between the two studios, send audio in real time so he could hear stuff, and then tell us, ‘Oh, no no. Change it to this.’” 

It must have felt like Close Encounters … communicating with sound across this higher plane.

“Me and Chandler Harrod – who works with Eddie as second engineer – we were here in my studio and we were doing all the knob-twisting, and Eddie was saying, ‘No, twist it this way.’ 

“He was in a room with a similar speaker setup to what I had, and we were able to make it all work. But there are very few studios that could actually manage the technological issue and make that happen.

“I did do a couple of things for them that solved a few problems, because many of the recordings are from a much older period, when you didn’t have multitrack. You’d have to record onto a single track.

“You might have drums, bass and guitars on one track – but then you don’t have access to those individually to pan them. There’s technology now where you can actually separate audio from a stereo or mono track, so I did a lot of that kind of stuff. That gave more flexibility for the mix in Atmos.”

Hendrix in Atmos is a totally different ballgame.

I recently remixed Deep Purple’s Machine Head… when you get the source material and you just wanna hear the guitar, it’s really cool

“That is a format he’d have loved. He knew what Atmos could do but he was trying to do it in stereo. The main thing about immersive mixing is it’s best heard in a room on speakers. Most people aren’t going to hear it that way, in a very finely tuned room.

“But the next highly advantageous step is that cars are coming out with Atmos systems. A bunch of cars already have it. Otherwise, most people are going to hear it on headphones, which is not really the same.”

You do a lot of mixing jobs on classic albums. What have you learned about guitar tone from that?

“I recently remixed the Machine Head record by Deep Purple, and I did it in stereo and Atmos, so that was another really cool, fun project. When you get the source material, the individual tracks, and you just wanna hear the guitar, it’s really cool.

“You start to learn what things really work or cut through, what parts of the sound may not be necessary, what you could cut out from the frequency range. That helps me figure out how to create sounds that will work within a recording, and won’t have to be tweaked majorly later on.

“It’s all informing everything I do. The fact that I have this studio and I’ve been doing mixing and doing these projects for the last four years, instead of touring, has really changed my perspective on how I might play and how I might use equipment.”

Guitar players often think linearly about tone, stacking drives and so on. But, like your dad’s work, all this layering becomes three-dimensional – something you can move through.

“It becomes more interesting when you have variations in the sound. A lot of people consider making stereo where it’s the same sound on either side, but slightly delayed, or with a different EQ.

I don’t think Joe Satriani is concerned about trying to recreate Edward Van Halen’s sound, or even playing note for note

“That’s an okay stereo sound – it’s not as interesting as if you have these layered things that swirl and move. When you get into the Atmos world, you have a lot more ways you can make that stuff come alive.

“You have more speakers, above you and behind you and around you, and so you can change what kind of ambience you want to control. You can have things move in the space to work with what’s emotionally happening in the music.”

Given you’re such a student of Eddie Van Halen’s tone, what advice would you give Joe Satriani for his tour with Sammy Hagar?

“I don’t think he’s concerned about trying to recreate the sound, or even playing note for note. He’s said as much. He’s got his own sound when he plays, and I think he is going to be comfortable continuing with that.

“It’ll be the same range; the songs will feel good – but he’s definitely a different player; a very different technique. So I don’t think he’s going to try anything to be like, ‘I’ve got to match this!’ He’s just going to be himself.”

• Check out Zappa’s auction at AnalogR and his 2024 tour dates .

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