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Friday, 23 August, 2002, 06:29 GMT 07:29 UK
Elvis: Who is fit to fill his blue suede shoes?
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On the 25th anniversary of the death of singing legend Elvis Presley, millions of his fans across the world meet to celebrate his life and work.
Elvis may have left the building but to his fans he is still and always will be The King. However that position is not necessarily so secure. Young pretenders are waiting in the wings. Jerry Lee Lewis was famously arrested for waving a gun around outside of Elvis' Graceland home shouting "I am the King" and Chuck D of Public Enemy has revealed that he believes Eminem is the new Elvis. Do you think Elvis was and remains the King? Or has he been usurped? Who do you think is the new King?
This Talking Point has now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.
I can't believe you're even asking the question. Shakin' Stevens is the new Elvis!
Interpretation is often as artistically important as creation and many songs were written with him in mind.
He was an important artist but his true value tends to be obscured sometimes by people with a hole to fill worshipping him as a demi-god.
Elvis definitely had something very special because as a result of the latest media coverage my six-year-old daughter has just become his latest fan and wants to buy his music!
Andrew, UK
No one else looks good in a rhinestone jumpsuit.
Elvis was the King. Then came the biggest ever King, Michael Jackson with the biggest albums, biggest tours, and greatest videos the world has ever seen. These days the throne is empty, and I see no potential King.
GC Jordahl, US
Who else is famous enough to have a no.1 hit 25 years later? Who else would have 40,000+ people paying tribute at Graceland? Those who want to knock such a marvellous person need to note this. I doubt if some of these funny little bands these days will be remembered after a year, let alone 25 years.
What's all this about him not writing his own songs?
Neither did Sinatra, Caruso, Callas or Bing Crosby, as far as I know: silly argument. What people are not mentioning enough is Elvis' extraordinary voice, which was not only expressive but had an exceptional range, from almost a bass to a tenor, and it was equally at home with ballads or rock. I can't think of anyone around today with the same vocal talent. Long Live the King!
Mark, UK
Elvis remains popular simply because his voice has a timeless quality about it. There has never, and will never, be anyone to be so universally enjoyed for their charisma and sheer talent. Tell me who else has such a long and loyal following across all the generations? And who will be remembered for so long by so many?
There is nobody to replace Elvis. I didn't appreciate him when I was young, but now with all of the shouting, whining and shrieking we get from pop stars and groups, I realise what a fantastic voice Elvis had. He could sing anything from Gospel to Rock and Roll. Pete compared the Beatles with Elvis. They could not hold a candle to the King. They were popular because they were four young lads. I was from that era, they were something new. They couldn't sing too well, but some of their songs were quite catchy.
One sees more clearly with hindsight.
Anon, UK
Elvis: the King of a particular beat generation, the Kerouac of rock music.
Elvis is more than the music, he inspired radical change in youth culture. He broke down racial bigotry in America (indeed the western world). To equal that is difficult today, perhaps the closest anyone could come to this today would be a gay/lesbian artist becoming the highest selling artist in the world due to the new music genre they have created! Elvis was a one off.
Dan Halford, New Zealand (ex-pat)
Elvis is still King as his recent chart hit implies. He was a fabulously one off gifted singer, only the Beatles could match him and there were four of them!
Tristan O'Dwyer, UK
The new King has to be Robbie Williams. And he should also be the new Bond.
The guy was unoriginal and stole the work of musical giants without once acknowledging it. The man quite definitely isn't and never was the king of rock and roll.
Dougal McKinnon, UK
I do a mean Suspicious Minds at my local karaoke so I'm guessing... me?
Elvis was in a lot of rubbish movies and made some other dubious decisions, but you can hardly blame him, then since he was the first star of that magnitude and didn't have anyone who looked after him, unlike today's pop hopefuls. I doubt whether anyone will still be talking about Darius in 25 years. The Louisiana Hayride albums and the movie King Creole is the kind of stuff that made him the King of rock and roll.
Edmor, I pledge to you today that I will be talking about Darius in 25 years (and I'll put a note in my diary to remind myself).
Catherine, UK
I think the new king will be Prince William.
I've never understood what people like about him. But then again, I've never understood what anyone likes about George Bush, either.
Kostia, Russia
If it was up to the critics, Elvis would have been history back in the 50s. The reason there will never be another Elvis is because he was a phenomenon made by ordinary people like me who fell in love with the honesty and emotion in his voice. That's the real reason why his legacy endures.
Debbie, USA It's not even that the King was that great, but all the kitsch, eccentricity and showmanship of his character make him accessible to cynics as well as blind followers. Robbie Williams desperately begs us to let him entertain us, Elvis did that with a little shake of the hips. I'd rather watch an Elvis impersonator in a pub in February than pay absurd amounts to watch Oasis in Finsbury Park in the summer.
If Elvis isn't the King, name me the entertainer who will still be able to attract 75,000 people to their burial site 25 years after their death!
I always found Buddy Holly's music a lot better. If I had to crown anyone King (which I wouldn't, because I'm not a royalist) it would be Tom Waits...
NB, Canada
Elvis opened the door to rock'n'roll. No one can change that. He is and always will be the King.
I always preferred George Formby.
Elvis was merely an early part of the continuing trend of manufactured bands and singers. He could hardly string a sentence together, couldn't act and certainly couldn't sing. I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Who would fill his shoes? Who would want to, more like?!
Andrew, USA
Those who categorise Elvis as overrated and not up to the standards of today's pop stars are the same people who would watch the classic film King Kong and complain that the monkey isn't very believable. Back in the thirties moviegoers were fainting in the aisles upon seeing Kong and back in the fifties young girls had never seen the likes of Elvis the Pelvis. Long Live the King.
His comeback on NBC in 1968 remains the template for all other live performances. His charisma and appeal still remains today.
That's a real silly question. Who could possibly fill his shoes? Elvis the King? Yes! Forever.
Amy, UK
He was and always will be the King - at a time when the throne was vacant. Now, as a result of his influence, we have a multitude of Princes and Pretenders (no disrespect to those two artists, but they haven't got his wiggle or his grin!)
Good vocal ability, poor enunciation, laughable wardrobe, abysmal actor. The King? Get a life!
The simple answer is that nobody could fill Elvis' shoes. He was the GREATEST singer/entertainer EVER. He broke down so many negative racial and cultural barriers in 1950's USA and we all owe him a debt for that alone.
When one throws out all the negative jibes it is TALENT that wins through in the end. He had it in abundance.
Long Live The King. May he rest in peace.
Elvis lives!! Therefore he must still be the King!!
Who is Elvis anyway? Elvis Costello?
I play his music, sing his songs, his style of music will never die; I have done since the 1960s. Keep on rocking. Long live the KING.
In the 25 years since he died, nobody has come even close to equalling him. I doubt anyone will.
Elvis was unique.
The only way someone could compete is if they cloned him....
Zero song writing ability, could just about strum a few chords on a guitar, and made some of the most hideous films of all-time. Made some decent stuff before he was drafted, but 95% of his stuff after that is utter bilge. Dominated/ripped off by his Manager and died on the toilet.
The King? nah!
Why should anybody try to fill his shoes? Any rock or pop star who had enough talent and presence to be able to do that should be strong enough to forge their own identity without having to try to copy anyone else.
Ed Karten, UK
There is only one, and will only ever be one Elvis Presley. Nobody will come close.
What a strange question. Love him or hate him, Elvis was unique.
Ian, UK
There will always be new rock legends but there will always be only one Elvis Presley.
Steve, UK,
Elvis is dead ?!?! But I saw him the other week working in my local chip shop.
Max, England
I wasn't even born when Elvis died but I have become a huge fan. He bought a certain spark to the world, just walking on stage and the whole place lit up! His voice and performances have been unsurpassed. No-one will ever be able to outshine Elvis. He gave of himself every step of the way and it killed him. To me there's only one ELVIS PRESLEY!
I am too young to remember Elvis, but from what I see and hear of him it is my opinion that he was overrated. Nowadays there really hasn't been anybody who has dominated the music scene as I imagine he did, but I would nominate Madonna for the Queen's position.
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