Music Maps Podcast

We welcome legendary music writer Peter Guralnick as we take a deep dive into the fascinating relationship between Elvis Presley & his manager Colonel Tom Parker.

Peter first gained access to Parker’s archives in the mid 1990s & what he found may change your view of Tom Parker & his relationship with Elvis.

Parker was born in Breda, Holland in 1909 & came to the US in 1926, renaming himself Tom Parker, he creates an origin story about his life in the US & never returns to Europe.

In his early years in the United States he travels as a hobo, works on travelling carnivals before beginning to manage musical artists. Scoring huge success with country stars Eddy Arnold & Hank Snow.

In early 1955 Parker first hears about a singer from Tupelo, Mississippi named Elvis Presley after he draws 800 people to a nearby show. Bowled over by what he finds & the hysterical crowd reactions, Parker begins to promote Presley immediately.

Parker gets Elvis off Sun Records for a more lucrative deal with RCA, after RCA meet Sun founder Sam Phillips $35,000 number to agree to the deal. His first new recording for RCA is Heartbreak Hotel.

We also debunk numerous parts of the relationship between The Colonel & The King including Parker’s part in Presley’s acting career, the lack of foreign touring, the famous 50/50 revenue split & the sale of his master recordings to RCA.

Parker never worked with another artist following Presley’s death, turned down a million dollar deal to write a memoir, didn’t give interviews & rarely spoke in public.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An episode we have wanted to bring you since before we recorded our first episode - the birth of British rock & roll with 2 legendary drummers, Brian Bennett from The Shadows & Clem Cattini of The Tornados.

It starts at the 2i’s Coffee Bar at 59 Old Compton Street, Soho in London.

Opened by 2 Iranian brothers (hence the name) the coffee bar is taken over by 2 professional wrestlers - Dr Death Paul Lincoln & Rebel Ray Hunter in April of 1956.

Rock & roll bands begin to lay in the dark, sweaty basement, coming together from skiffle bands & word of mouth.

For a time it was the only venue to hear original rock & roll in London & Tommy Steele is discovered there shortly after.

As word gets around people begin to travel to play at the club including Bruce Welch & Hank Marvin who travel all the way from Newcastle for the chance to play.

Brian & Clem go onto play with other bands including Marty Wilde, Joe Meek, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran & Billy Fury.

Brian Bennett joins The Shadows & co-writes Summer Holiday while Clem Cattini is part of the first band to score a US number 1 single with Telstar, The Tornados.

Adam Faith, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Sheridan, Kris Kristofferson & Georgie Fame, Marc Bolan amongst many more attended or played at the 2i’s during its lifespan, closing in the late 60s.

We also hear stories about Ginger Baker, Lulu, Keith Moon, The Beatles & Clem nearly playing with the Fab Four on their Australian tour instead of Jimmie Nicol.

Clem also nearly joined Led Zeppelin & Wings but didn’t fancy either, for differing reasons.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We turn our attention to one of the most influential bands of all time, The Velvet Underground for the first time with biographer Richie Unterberger.

Lou Reed grew up in suburban Freeport, Long Island listening to the first wave of rock & roll.

Later at Syracuse University Reed began to write future Velvet Underground tracks including Heroin & I’m Waiting For The Man, while there he also met future Velvets guitarist Sterling Morrison.

Meanwhile in Garnant, Wales a young John Cale was a musical child prodigy, later moving to Goldsmiths College in London & on to New York on a music scholarship.

After graduating Lou Reeds ends up at budget record label Pickwick Records writing songs on demand for immediate release.

Through Pickwick, Lou Reed & John Cale meet & Lou begins to visit John in his Ludlow Street apartment in Manhattan.

Also in New York, Lou coincidentally bumps into Sterling Morrison & he joins them in what becomes The Velvet Underground, all living together in Ludlow Street.

The band take their name from a pulp novel by Michael Leigh & drummer Moe Tucker replaces Angus MacLise to complete the classic lineup.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us & Paul Morley to hear all about Yoko Ono & the Avant-Garde Diaspora.

We hear about her early years in Tokyo, born into an almost aristocratic background via her banker father, before her eventual relocation to New York to enter the art world.

Once in New York Yoko goes on to create numerous significant works of art including Cut Piece & Grapefruit before meeting John Lennon in late 1966.

Paul also gives us an overview of the avant-garde world prior to Yoko Ono, including The Incoherents, Marcel Duchamp, Fluxus & John Cage.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a deep dive into an iconic gig venue, the legendary Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom.

The building was first opened by Maggie McIver on Christmas Eve 1934 & hosts dances for the East End of Glasgow for decades, however once the big band era passes the venue begins to decline & loses popularity following the infamous Bible John murders in the late 1960s.

After a brief period as a Roller Disco the venue is revived following Simple Minds filming their Waterfront video in 1983.

In 1985 the famous neon sign goes up on the exterior of the building & the venue is still family ran to this day.

We hear about what makes the venue so famous from its legendary acoustics, to the ceiling stars & original features & also the famous Barrowlands atmosphere.

Some of the famous performances at the Barrowlands include The Pogues debuting Fairytale of New York with Joe Strummer on guitar, Noel Gallagher finishing an Oasis gig solo after Liam Gallagher walks off stage, debuting Whatever on acoustic guitar.

Unknown local acts Lewis Capaldi & Rianne Downeyt play early gigs at the venue while Scottish band The Saw Doctors hold the record for the most appearances at the Barrowlands.

Others to play the venue include Bob Dylan, David Bowie & dozens more.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell
Music by Andy Maxwell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.