Elvis Introduced The Beatles to ‘Amazing’ New Technology That Had Nothing to Do With Music
The Beatles idolized Elvis Presley and were thrilled to get the chance to meet him. The band was heavily influenced by his music and had earned the chance to meet the king of rock at his Beverly Hills mansion. However, Paul McCartney says the most fantastic thing that Elvis showed him had nothing to do with music.
The Beatles were eager to meet Elvis, who was their rock hero
The Beatles met Elvis Presley in 1965 at his home in Beverly Hills. The night consisted of zero press, so much of what we know about this night is based on the accounts of those who were there. The band idolized Elvis and considered him one of the main influences behind their music. In an interview with Wired, Paul McCartney discussed his excitement before meeting one of his heroes.
“He was in Hollywood, and he was renting a house while he was doing movies, and we wanted to meet him for years. We were massive fans of Elvis. Even though the sad thing is, we kind of knocked him off his perch. We didn’t mean to. He was the star, and we became the stars and is era sort of ended, and we never liked that. So, we were so keen to meet him…He came to the door, looking great, looking really cool. Wearing slacks, and I think it was like a red jumper. It was amazing. It was just like a dream really.”
According to BBC, Tony Barrow, The Beatles’ press officer between 1962 and 1968, recalled the meeting starting awkwardly. Still, it got more intriguing once the five of them began playing music with one another. Barrow said John Lennon believed Elvis to be stoned during the meeting to which George Harrison responded, saying, “Aren’t we all?”
Paul McCartney was amazed by the new technology Elvis possessed
McCartney recalls having a conversation with Elvis about bass since the two were familiar with the instrument. However, he was particularly impressed with the new form of technology Elvis had. While it’s something that is commonplace today, it was remarkable for the time.
“The most amazing thing, besides actually just meeting him, was he had the first remote television channel changer that we had ever seen,” McCartney shared. “You know, it was that year when they came out. And he was just aiming it at the TV, and the channels would change, and we would go, ‘Woah! He is indeed the mighty god. He can turn the channels without approaching this television set.’ So, we were all very impressed.”
Elvis didn’t want to meet the band
While The Beatles were elated to meet their idol, Elvis didn’t share the same enthusiasm. According to Priscilla Presley in Elvis by the Presleys, he respected the band but wasn’t eager to meet them due to the band being his biggest competition.
“Elvis, like all iconic entertainers, was conscious of competitors,” Priscilla said. “He understood that generational idols come and go, and that, for this new generation, the Beatles were the new idols.”
However, The Beatles and Elvis began to bond once they played music together. McCartney still looks upon this meeting fondly, even if Elvis was hesitant to meet them.
