Matt Trzcinski’s career in journalism began in high school when he started writing for local newspapers. He’s been a film critic since 2012 and joined the Showbiz Cheat Sheet team in 2019 where he specializes in classic rock and pop music. He loves the larger-than-life personalities in both genres, which provide ample fodder in books and interviews for behind-the-scenes information our readers want to know. Matt has expertise in acts such as The Beatles and The Monkees.
Matt is a Tufts University graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Film and Media Studies. In his free time, he participates in the Boston Horror Society, a group devoted to horror films. He also enjoys reading the work of critics including Roger Ebert and Chuck Klosterman and authors J.D. Salinger, Edgar Allen Poe, and Franz Kafka. See more of Matt’s work on Screen Rant, Cinema Axis, Taste of Cinema, American Songwriter, and his Muck Rack profile.
Elvis Presley inspired numerous songs and one of the most famous is Alannah Myles' "Black Velvet." The original version of the song was very different.
Elvis Presley's ghost is a character in Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis." Cohn said the tune is more about his feelings about religion than his feelings about Elvis.
The cover of John Lennon's 'Double Fantasy' depicts him kissing Yoko Ono. The record's title is not simply a reference to the two of them working together.
John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" has some odd lyrics, but its overall message seems pretty straightforward. Leave it to Yoko Ono to make things a little more avant-garde!
Elvis Presley's girlfriend said that he had some strong opinions on the afterlife. He was influenced by one denomination of Christianity in particular.
Elvis Presley's girlfriend revealed the King of Rock 'n' Roll had some interesting thoughts about this life and the next. Priscilla Presley shared some similar memories in a famous book.
Elvis Presley’s "Until It's Time for You to Go" was written by one of the most important protest singers of the 1960s: Buffy Saint-Marie. Many other artists recorded the song.
Elvis Presley's "Do the Clam" is one of the most infamous songs in his discography. While "Do the Clam" is easy to mock, it has redeeming qualities that go unnoticed.
The Beatles were more than just John Lennon or Paul McCartney. Despite this, some people like arguing some members of the group weren't integral to its success.
The sophisticated Beatles fan can sometimes tell which Beatle wrote which song just by listening to it. The Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" doesn't sound like John Lennon.
Elvis Presley's "Trouble" was a little bit of a joke except when Elvis sang it during the ''68 Comeback Special'. Elvis incorporated the tune into an amazing medley.
Paul McCartney said The Beatles' "Helter Skelter" used a metaphor to portray the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. He also said that The Who influenced the song indirectly.
Some of the Backstreet Boys' songs have the timeless quality of The Beatles. The writer of many Backstreet Boys tunes drew influence from The Beatles to write an odd line.