NME ELVIS SPECIAL EDITION US VERSION

LVIS FILM SPECIAL EDITION

“Before Elvis,
there was nothing...”
ALL THIS & MORE...
ELVIS SPEAKS
The only NME interview,
straight from our archive
SING IT, YOLA
Meet the Grammynominated
artist playing
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
GOLDEN BOY
Austin Butler on
snagging the role
of a lifetime
THE NEXT
GENERATION
Three shit-hot young
artists explain why we’re
still obsessed with Elvis
DEDICATED
FOLLOWER OF
FASHION
Memphis’ top tailor
gives us their retro
fashion tips
Those are the oft-repeated words of one John Lennon, who
knew a thing or two about being an icon. In honour of the
legendary singer, and director Baz Luhrmann’s besequinned,
big-screen biopic, we’ve cooked up this special print edition
of NME. In its pages we’ll roll back time to the birth of pop,
and bring you closer than ever to the one and only Elvis
Aaron Presley. Remember to pack those (blue suede)
dancing shoes, ’cos there’ll be a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on.
You’ll also meet the star of Elvis, Austin Butler – and hear
how music’s next generation is being inspired to follow in
the original rock rebel’s footsteps. Oh, and Baz himself
drops by to show us his ultimate playlist of songs that
spark his creative genius.
Thank you, thank you very much.
Alex Flood – Special Issue Editor
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ELVIS
Everything you need to know about
Elvis (the movie)
With a cinematic great directing, a breakout star
and a soundtrack to die for, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis
is not your grandparents’ Elvis – it’s the real life,
totally modern story of the guy who invented
teenage rebellion. Here are some reasons to watch
A SUPERSTAR
IS BORN...
…And he’s on the cover of this
very magazine. Austin Butler,
who plays Elvis Aaron Presley
himself – at each stage of life
– has been acting since his
teens, but this is his biggest
role yet. Not only does Butler
look like he was born to play
Elvis – thanks to a strong
jawline, intense eyes and a
killer pout – he sounds like it
too. Many of Elvis’s best-loved
tracks have been specially
re-recorded for the movie. Get
lost in Austin in our big
interview, beginning on p14.
IT’S GOT TOM HANKS
LIKE YOU’VE NEVER
SEEN HIM BEFORE
Hollywood’s Mr Nice plays
carnie-turned-talent manager
Colonel Tom Parker, the man
who discovered Elvis, made
him famous and duly exploited
him in every possible way. A
complicated character, Parker
was a Dutchman, born Andreas
van Kuijk, who travelled illegally
to the US at 20, reinvented
himself as a southern gent and
lived as an “illegal alien”,
possibly explaining his curious
reluctance to let Elvis perform
overseas. While he was
certainly instrumental in
helping Elvis achieve success,
the relationship – viewed
through a 2022 lens – was toxic
and coercive. It’s a rare baddie
for Hanks.
BAZ IS BACK
Baz Luhrmann is the cinematic
auteur who made Romeo &
Juliet sexy, Moulin Rouge!
modern and The Great Gatsby
blingy. Just his sixth movie (he
goes big or goes home), Elvis
fits perfectly alongside those
ambitious epics. There’s a
reason nobody’s attempted to
tell the life story of the most
popular performer of all time,
and it’s because only a
cinematic giant would dare.
IT FEATURES
NEW TUNES FROM
DOJA CAT, KACEY
MUSGRAVES
AND MORE
Alongside Austin Butler’s
versions of Elvis hits,
performed in-character, the
soundtrack boasts Elvisinspired
recordings from some
of today’s hottest names,
including the reigning queen of
Nashville, Kacey Musgraves,
and fearless pop-rapper Doja
Cat. What else would you
expect from the director who
brought us Moulin Rouge!’s
all-star R&B banger ‘Lady
Marmalade’ (Christina
Aguilera! Mýa! Lil’ Kim! P!nk!)
THE AMBITION
IS AUDACIOUS
Born into poverty in
Mississippi, Elvis Presley was a
rocker, a Vegas showman, a
movie star, a GI in the US Army,
a husband, a father, a big kid,
an embodiment of the
American Dream, a fallen
icon, a caricature, a
comeback king… and much
more. Rather than take the
easy route and focus in on
one part of Elvis’ remarkable
life, Luhrmann set himself the
challenge of telling the full
story – from blowing away
audiences as a fearless
youngster to meeting his
future wife Priscilla (played
here to perfection by Olivia
DeJonge). To top it off, he’s
managed to cram in an entire
festival line-up’s worth of
legends, including Little
Richard, BB King, Sister
Rosetta Tharpe and more.
THE FASHION
WILL INSPIRE YOUR
NEW WARDROBE
If Alex Turner’s mid-career
glow-up made you swoon,
then Luhrmann’s take on Elvis
will show you where he got
some of his ideas from. Think
slick quiffs, rock’n’roll stylings
and the way his clothes
hung on those hips. If
Elvis doesn’t inspire a
catwalk trend, we’ll eat
our Blue Suede Shoes.
NME.COM

FROM THE ARCHIVE
ELVIS IN EUROPE
In 1960, NME writer Derek Johnson jetted over to Germany for a chat with Sergeant Presley
PHOTOS: WARNER BROS PICTURES; GETTY; MOVIESTORE COLLECTION; ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
ELVIS PRESLEY
treated me to one
o f h i s
smouldering,
heavy-lidded
glances, and the
corner of his mouth curled into
a faint smile. “I don’t know if I
shall manage to get to the top
again,” he said. “I only wish I
did know. I hear that trends
have changed, so it might be
pretty difficult for me. But I’ll
tell you this – I’m gonna try
hard.”
I was talking to Elvis in the
Ray Barracks, Friedburg, some
30 miles north of Frankfurt, just
before the singing phenomenon
flew back to America this week
for his discharge from the Army.
This was the first time Elvis had
been able to speak freely since
his arrival in Europe – and I was
there on behalf of the NME.
When I asked him about the
future, he was extremely
cautious – and a little
apprehensive. “I’m completely
away from showbusiness,” he
told me. “I only have
newspaper clippings to keep
me up to date with what’s
going on. That’s where the
NME comes in very useful – I
get it regularly… read every
week.”
FRESH
OPPOSITION
It occurred to me that Elvis
might be particularly concerned
about the new crop of singers,
who sprung up into the limelight
in his absence. So I asked what
he thought of his new rivals, like
Fabian and Frankie Avalon.
“Well to start with, I don’t
consider them as rivals,” he
explained. “I’ve always
believed that there’s room for
everyone in show business –
and if other people can make
it, then good luck to them.
I’ve been down the same
road they’re walking on now,
and I don’t begrudge them
their success one bit.”
Presley’s immediate plans
on discharge are to go home
and take a short rest, before
starting work with Frank Sinatra
on the television spectacular he
is doing at the beginning of May
– and the fi lm ‘GI Blues’, which
he is scheduled to make.
He has no definite recording
plans, although he assumes
that making new discs will be
one of the first items on his
schedule.
“I haven’t had a new
record out for ten months,
and that’s taking a big risk,”
he said.
BACK TO
REALITY
Will it be diffi cult for Elvis to
settle down in civvy street?
“Well, I guess it won’t be too
difficult to adjust myself from
108 dollars per month to
about a million per year,” he
grinned. “But I suppose it
won’t be too easy readjusting
to the entire life.”
I was most anxious to know
if Elvis intended to go back onto
the rigid rock’n’roll path. Didn’t
he perhaps consider that
he was getting too old for
a rocker?
“Well, I don’t know – that’s
the first time I’ve ever been
asked that question. But I
don’t think so – I’m not an old
man yet!”
What about Elvis’
movements, which have come
in for a great deal of criticism in
the past?
“I know they shocked a lot
of people, but they were all
spontaneous, I just couldn’t
help the way I presented my
songs – I guess it was just a
part of me.”
And those celebrated
sideburns? “I’ll let them
grown again a little, but they
won’t be as long as they
were. I reckon I got over
that kick!”
Elvis confirmed to me that he
is definitely contemplating
visiting Britain next year, as part
of a lengthy tour of Europe.
“It’ll be completely new
territory for me, and I’m
really looking forward to it,”
he declared.
By now, Elvis Presley is back
in America. And he’s taken with
him the best wishes of all NME
readers, which I delivered on
your behalf.
What’s more, I can assure
you that he was genuinely
pleased to receive them.
GETTING PERSONAL
WITH PRESLEY
• Has he lost any
weight since he’s
been in the Army?
“Yes, about ten
pounds. I tip the scales
at about 170 now.”
• Any thoughts on
getting married?
“I don’t know yet. I
guess I’ll wait until the
bug bites – and it
hasn’t bitten yet.”
• Has he sung at all
while he’s been in
Germany? “Only for
the guys in my platoon.”
• Is he taking any
souvenirs back
to America?
“Two German guitars
and a camera.”
NME.COM

FROM THE ARCHIVE
Elvis meets
The Beatles
In 1965, NME’s Chris
Hutchins intro’d the
Fab Four to their idol
at his Bel-Air home.
Fun was had by all
Elvis Presley was playing bass
guitar, with the benefit of a little
instruction from Paul McCartney;
the record they were backing
was Cilla Black’s ‘You’re My
World’. Suddenly John
exclaimed: “This beats talking,
doesn’t it?” And that’s how it was
– the world’s No.1 solo star and
world’s No.1 group were meeting
for the first time and
communicating through music.
Presley gave the occasional hint
of his famous wiggle, even
though seated in his chair
strumming the bass part to each
record. Elvis’s companions kept
up a supply of drinks for the
Beatles, but the host himself
neither touched one nor
accepted any cigarettes. Even in
this relaxed atmosphere I never
heard him swear. Shortly before
2am someone decided it was
time to go. ‘Softly As I Leave You’
was on the record player as the
Beatles shook hands with Elvis.
They all agreed that the meeting
was a highlight of their lives.
Legends
only
Tom Hanks
is a pro at
bringing history
to life. As he
prepares to
play Presley’s
villainous
manager
Colonel Tom
Parker in Elvis,
we list his
greatest factbased
roles
JIM LOVELL
Apollo 13 (1995)
In a nail-biting drama
about the Apollo 13
space mission, Hanks
plays Commander Jim
Lovell, who tries to bring
his crew home when
their shuttle suffers
catastrophic damage.
Most Hanks moment:
“Houston, we have a
problem” – Lovell
tells mission control the
shuttle is malfunctioning,
remaining calm as
everyone else panics.
CAPTAIN RICHARD
PHILLIPS
Captain Phillips (2013)
An American cargo ship
is hijacked by Somali
pirates, who take the
ship’s captain, played
by Hanks, hostage for
five days.
Most Hanks moment:
When the ordeal is finally
over, Phillips is treated
by medics, breaking
down in tears in one of
the most powerful
scenes in the actor’s
garlanded career.
CAPTAIN CHESLEY
SULLENBERGER
Sully (2016)
When both engines of
a passenger plane are
damaged mid-flight, its
pilot (Hanks) makes the
risky decision to land
on water. Everyone
survives. But was he a
hero or needlessly
reckless?
Most Hanks moment:
In a heart-in-mouth
sequence, Sully coolly
pilots a plane full of
screaming passengers.
BEN BRADLEE
The Post (2017)
In 1971, leaked papers
showed the US
government was lying
about the Vietnam War.
The Washington Post,
edited by Ben Bradlee
(Hanks), risks everything
to publish them.
Most Hanks moment:
Bradlee confronts his
boss, insisting the truth
is worth any price.
COLONEL
TOM PARKER
Elvis (2022)
In a rare bad guy role,
Hanks plays Parker, the
man who discovered
Elvis, but then exploited
him ruthlessly.
Most Hanks moment:
Riding on a ferris wheel,
that Hanks charm is
employed to flatter Elvis
into signing with Parker.
NME.COM

PHOTOS: GETTY

Not into the hip-swinging thing or the Vegas torch song thing? Don’t worry, Elvis wore many hats. And
suits. And capes, occasionally. Check out these lesser-known tracks from the back of Elvis’ cupboard
IN THE GHETTO
1969
Recorded in the same
batch as mega-hit
‘Suspicious Minds’, Elvis
got his mojo back at the
tail end of the 1960s. This
self-penned tale of a
desolate life in the
Chicago ghettos is
redolent of Presley’s own
not-a-pot-to-piss-in
childhood. Anyone for
squirrel kebab?
THAT’S ALL RIGHT
(MAMA)
1954
Here’s where it all began:
the very first song
recorded by Elvis Presley
for Sun Records. A cover
of a track by Arthur
Crudup (who features,
along with the song, in
Elvis), ‘That’s All Right
(Mama)’ was the moment
of rock’n’roll’s nuclear
fusion. We’ve been
living in the fallout zone
ever since.
SEE SEE RIDER
(LIVE)
1972
It’s no secret that Elvis
took great inspiration
from the gospel and blues
singers he was fortunate
enough to see as a child.
Here, he covers the
signature song by
so-called “Mother of the
Blues” Ma Rainey, subject
of the Netflix film Ma
Rainey’s Black Bottom.
BLUE MOON
1956
Set to the gentle trotting
of a horse, the young
Elvis’ haunting rendition
of the 1934 Rodgers and
Hart standard is spooky
and high-pitched, evoking
a lonesome cowboy in a
moonlit ghost town.
TOO MUCH MONKEY
BUSINESS
1968
This riotously fun track
was a hit for legendary
rock’n’roll pioneer and
unrepentant bad boy
Chuck Berry when he
released it as his fifth
single in 1956. Elvis’s
great version, released 12
years later, is something
of a curio in need of a
hunka your love.
DON’T THINK
TWICE, IT’S
ALL RIGHT
1971
You mightn’t see much
common ground
between Elvis and Bob
Dylan, one a glowingly
beautiful All-American
demigod, the other a
scribble-haired folkie
with heavily antiestablishment
ideals. Yet
Elvis was fond of Dylan’s
music, recording both
‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ and
this breezy reading of
‘Don’t Think Twice…’,
initially released in edited
form on 1973’s ‘Elvis’
album but since reissued
as a freewheeling
11-minute version.
YOGA IS AS
YOGA DOES
1967
If ever there was an Elvis
song waiting in the wings
for a modern day remix,
a spiritual successor to
Junkie XL’s reworking of
‘A Little Less
Conversation’ that was a
smash in 2002, it’s this
bonkers oompah song
about yoga, which
– considering Elvis was
an early adopter and had
practised since 1964 – is
oddly dismissive of it all.
“You tell me just how I
can take this yoga
serious/When all it ever
gives to me is a pain in
my posteriors,” it says.
DO THE CLAM
1965
This slice of bongofuelled
teenbeat
tropicalia appears in the
movie Girl Happy, in
which Elvis teaches a
beach full of shaggyhaired
beatniks and
hipsters how to do his
hip new dance, the one
to straighten out The
Twist and bake The
Mashed Potato – The
Clam! Wonder why it
never caught on?
ONE-SIDED
LOVE AFFAIR
1956
The perfect example of a
B-side overshadowing its
opposite number (A-side
‘Money Honey’ only
reached 76 in the charts),
this short and sharp hit
of skiffle-indebted
romcom rock deserves
its place on many an
‘unheard gems’ playlist.
STUCK ON YOU
1960
What’s the first thing you
do after getting
discharged from the
Army? Well, if you’re
Elvis, you head straight
to the studio and lay
down a Jerry Lee
Lewis-style piano-led
belter. ‘Stuck on You’
was the ex-soldier’s first
hit single after two years
in Germany. It was like
he’d never been away.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
NME.COM

SOUNDTRACK
NEW
BANGERS
DOJA CAT
‘Vegas’
The all-conquering
pop-rapper joins the party
with a fiery, trap-flavoured
reworking of Big Mama
Thornton’s 1952 hit ‘Hound
Dog’, featuring vocals from
Shonka Dukureh (who
plays Willie Mae “Big
Mama” Thornton in the
film). Presley’s 1956 cover
of the song was a huge hit,
expect similar things for
Doja Cat’s stylish and
modern makeover.
KACEY MUSGRAVES
‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’
Where better place to
announce anything than at
the Met Gala? Country
queen Kacey Musgraves
unveiled her version of ‘
Can’t Help Falling In Love’
on the annual fashion
ball’s red carpet. She was
joined by the cast of Elvis,
director Baz Luhrmann
and Priscilla Presley.
MÅNESKIN
‘If I Can Dream’
Everyone’s fave Italian
glam rockers gave this
late ’60s ballad an initial
outing at Eurovision last
month. It went down a
treat, with singer Damiano
David’s husky vocals
adding a whole new
dimension to the
super-smooth ballad.
EMINEM
& CEELO GREEN
‘The King & I’
Marshall Mathers’ music
has always had a
cinematic flair, but now he
gets to write for
Hollywood’s biggest movie
of the summer too. His old
pal CeeLo Green supplies
the soulful licks to make
this ‘Jailhouse Rock’-
sampling groover a
must-listen.
NME.COM

ACT
SISTER
Yola is the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter playing rock pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Elvis
PHOTOS: WARNER BROS. PICTURES; JOSEPH ROSS SMITH

YOLA
YOLA’S
career is
something even
more stirring
than an overnight
success story:
it’s a triumph of
perseverance, self-belief and pure
talent. The Bristol-born artist has
toured as a member of Massive
Attack and written songs for Chase &
Status and Katy Perry, but now she’s
a star in her own right. With two
brilliant albums melding Americana,
soul, rock, doo-wop and disco, 2019’s
‘Walk Through Fire’ and 2021’s ‘Stand
for Myself’, this genre-fluid musician
has picked up six Grammy
nominations and established herself
as a major live draw who’s soon to
headline Glastonbury’s Leftfield
Stage. First up though she’s playing
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the trailblazing
singer-guitarist who invented
rock’n’roll, in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (as
well as contributing to the official
soundtrack). Here she discusses why
it’s such a pivotal role.
Hey Yola, how does Sister
Rosetta Tharpe feature in Elvis?
“Who she is in the film is who she was
in Elvis’ life: his raison d’être. He grew
up idolising her and would run home
from school to listen to her radio
show. He was drawn to music
because of his obsession with her, so
I come into the film as this incredible
point of inspiration. On the other side
of that, you have this person who
takes all of that inspiration, all of that
excitement, and destroys it: Colonel
Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks. He
and Sister Rosetta are almost the
antithesis of each other.”
Will we be shocked to see Tom
Hanks, who’s so universally
beloved, in such a villainous role?
“If there’s ever been a show of range
from Tom – and he’s had so many in
his career – it’s got to be this. I think it
stands to be an iconic moment in
cinematic history when we finally
meet a loathable Tom Hanks
character. I can’t wait for you to
see it; honestly, your mind’s going
to explode.”
Vocal point: Yola as Sister
Rosetta Tharpe in Elvis
Early in your career you were
told by a record exec that “no
one wants to see a Black woman
sing rock music”. Does it feel
amazing now to be playing the
Black woman who quite literally
invented rock’n’roll?
“It’s the ultimate ‘fuck you’. I grew up
listening to Sister Rosetta, so when I
heard that, I thought one thing: that
some people at the top of this
industry don’t necessarily know
about music. I realised you could be
an idiot and still be in a really high
position because of nepotism and
privilege. And from that point on,
I figured it was safe to assume that
this industry might not be a
meritocracy. You know, it took
everything for me to come from
nothing, from literally having lived on
the streets, to where I am today. And
it took a long time. So that moment
was just an early indicator of the way
it was going to be.”
You’re headlining Glastonbury’s
Leftfield stage on June 26.
Are you excited?
“For me, it feels like a real moment of
recognition without any kind of
asterisk or condition attached. You
know, I played Glastonbury in 2008
with Massive Attack. We headlined
the Other Stage and opened the set
with a song that I wrote (‘All I Want’).
And then I sang some songs they had
recorded with Shara Nelson and
Hope Sandoval. I was in this exalted
position, but I was attached to
someone else’s machine. So now, it
feels like a real uplift for me as an
artist to be headlining a stage like
this. And to be doing it with a record
that contains protest songs is
even sweeter.”
Finally, what do you want
people to think when they
hear the name Yola?
“I guess I’d like people to
recognise the unifying I’m doing in my
music. I like rock’n’roll, I like disco, I
like soul, I like Americana – and I find
myself in all those spaces. But those
spaces aren’t separate from one
another. Hopefully people will notice
that the connections I’m making
musically show that everything
is a lot more related than you
think. That’s the message I
want to spread.”
“Who she [Sister
Rosetta Tharpe] is
in the film is who
she was in real life:
Elvis’ raison d’être”

MEMPHIS
Fancy visiting the place that turned Elvis from skinny lad to legend?
Here’s a handy guide to the music of Memphis, from expert
Neil Cameron of The Elvis Travel Service
ILLUSTRATION: KAVEL RAFFERTY
1 2
3
4
NME.COM

1 4
THE FOODIE’S MECCA
ARCADE RESTAURANT
540 S Main St
“Opening in 1919, this is Memphis’
oldest restaurant and its authentic
1950s diner décor makes it feel like
stepping back in time. Try to sit at the
Elvis booth, where he would hang
with his friends (the venue was easily
escapable if mobbed by fans). It’s
been used as a location in countless
films and TV shows, such as Jim
Jarmusch’s Mystery Train, which
featured The Clash’s Joe Strummer.”
Insider tip: “Order the quintessential
Elvis dinner of fried peanut butter and
banana sandwich.”
THE MUST-VISIT MUSEUM
STAX MUSEUM OF
AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
926 E McLemore Ave
“Starting as a record store in an
abandoned cinema, this grew to
become a massive recording studio
where Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding,
Sam & Dave – and yes, Elvis – all
made iconic tracks. In the age of
segregation, it broke boundaries by
having black and white musicians
working together.”
Insider tip: “Check out Isaac Hayes’
vintage Cadillac, his fantastic
gold-trimmed 1970s Pimp Mobile
lined with white rabbit fur.”
5
2 5
THE AVENUE OF DREAMS
THE HISTORIC VENUE
6
BEALE STREET
“This is one of the best music streets
in the world. Every bar and restaurant
has live music playing. Elvis would
sneak out as a teenager to go there,
and now it’s a tourist hotspot,
featuring Jerry Lee Lewis’ Café &
Tonk and B.B. King’s Blues Club
among its venues. Commemorating
Memphis’ blues heritage is Handy
Park – named after The Father of
Blues WC Handy – and there’s a
statue in his honour.”
Insider tip: “Visit the Rum Boogie
Café for the tunes and Blues City
Café for the food – or just grab a beer
from outside, have a stroll and soak
up the live performances.”
3
THE BIRTHPLACE
OF ROCK’N’ROLL
OVERTON PARK SHELL
1928 Poplar Avenue
“This outdoor amphitheatre is a
Memphis institution and the location
of Elvis’ first ever public concert back
in 1954. It’s where he got his
trademark gyrations from. He was so
nervous stepping onstage that his
knees and hips started shaking, and
as he did it, the audience went
wild for it and he realised he was
onto something.”
Insider tip: “Visit one of their free
outdoor shows, bring a blanket and
picnic and sit outside.”
6
THE CRATEDIGGER’S
PARADISE
SHANGRI-LA RECORDS
1916 Madison Ave
Club Handy: a favourite hangout
for musicians in Memphis
SUN STUDIO
706 Union Avenue
“Sam Phillips’ famous recording
studio saw some things. Not only did
Elvis get his start here, but greats like
Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison cut
timeless records there. It’s now a
museum you can tour.”
Insider tip: “Stand on the exact spot,
marked on the floor, where Elvis
recorded his 1954 debut single
‘That’s All Right (Mama)’ and wonder
what he was thinking as he laid down
the foundations of rock’n’roll.”
“This independent record shop with a
30-plus year history behind it stocks
and promotes music from local
artists of every genre. A very
laid-back store with friendly
knowledgeable staff, it’s a great visit
for any music fan keen to discover
the latest sounds from the city. Their
spin-off label is responsible for
releasing many standout records of
the ’90s Memphis indie scene.”
Insider tip: “Their book, Playing For
A Piece Of the Door: A History of
Garage and Frat Bands in Memphis
1960-75, is an essential read.”
NME.COM

AUSTIN BUTLER
Austin Butler is a
Hollywood rock star in
waiting. He tells NME
why playing the most
famous musician ever
will put him over the top
NME.COM

NME.COM

AUSTIN BUTLER
THE FIRST TIME AUSTIN
Butler took to the stage
as Elvis Presley was one
of the most nervewracking
moments of his
life. “I was walking out in
that famous black leather outfit and I
was terrified,” says Butler, who exudes
the kind of laidback California cool that
makes it hard to imagine he’s ever been
nervous. “I’d done so much work, but in
that moment I thought, ‘If this doesn’t
go well the whole film could fall apart
and my career’s over. It’s make or
break.’”
Hundreds of extras were waiting for
him to perform and excite them into a
screaming frenzy. The scene was a
recreation of Elvis’ 1968 special, his
‘comeback’ show after seven years
away from the live stage focusing on
making movies. It was one of the
defining moments of Elvis’ career, a
show that proved he was still the most
exciting performer on the planet.
Standing on the edge of set, looking out
at the bright lights and expectant
audience, Butler took a huge breath.
“Then I realised, this is a moment that
was make or break for Elvis too.
Everything was on the line for him.” If
this show didn’t go right for Elvis, his
career was over. “I remember this thing
he once said: ‘I have this fear that I’m
going to go out there and they’re going
to throw rocks at me.’ Then he’d go out
there and after one or two songs the
nerves went away.” Butler strutted
out and launched into his first song,
‘Heartbreak Hotel’. The audience
screaming in genuine thrill. “Elvis
was right.”
ROCK AND ROLE
Austin Butler has become well practised
at embracing terrifying experiences.
Playing Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s
epic biopic has launched Butler, 30, into
the spotlight, the star of one of the
biggest films of 2022. It’s a huge,
incredibly challenging role to play.
Luhrmann’s film follows Elvis from his
teenage years – as a newcomer who
shook up the music industry and
terrified the establishment – to a global
sensation who couldn’t quite
understand his own success, to a
troubled man who died at just 42. Butler
plays them all. It’s a role that’s
consumed the actor’s life for almost
three years, through an intense audition
process that saw him beat a crowded
field to the role of a lifetime, to a shoot
that put him toe-to-toe with Oscarwinner
Tom Hanks, who plays Colonel
Tom Parker, the man who discovered
Elvis and ruthlessly exploited him. Butler
calls becoming Presley his “obsession”.
“I cannot quantify the amount of hours I
spent on every aspect of this,” he says,
with an enormous smile.
When Baz Luhrmann, the Oscarnominated
director of Moulin Rouge!,
Romeo + Juliet and The Great Gatsby,
decided that his first film in almost 10
years would tell the story of Elvis
Presley’s incredible life, he began a hunt
for the perfect actor who could
encompass everything about Elvis. It
would need someone who could dazzle
audiences in the film’s astonishing
concert scenes, but also convey the
private pain and insecurity inside Elvis.
It wouldn’t be enough to simply look or
sound like him. He needed someone
who could become him. In early 2019,
Luhrmann cast his net wide, auditioning
Hollywood stars and newcomers alike.
At the time, Butler was fresh off a
supporting role in Quentin Tarantino’s
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,
alongside Brad Pitt and Leonardo
DiCaprio. He was far from a newcomer
to acting. Butler had already had a long
and successful career as a child actor,
appearing in a large number of shows
across Nickelodeon and the Disney
Channel throughout the 2000s,
including Hannah Montana and Wizards
Of Waverly Place, then transitioning to
teen shows like The Carrie Diaries and
Arrow. He was now quietly and diligently
making the move into adult roles,
working to prove himself alongside the
best in the business. In 2018, he won
rave reviews for his Broadway debut in
The Iceman Cometh, opposite Denzel
Washington. His career was progressing
well but he knew that winning a role like
Elvis was a long shot.
BREAKING BAZ
“I sent in this tape of me singing
‘Unchained Melody’,” says Butler.
Where many actors might be tempted to
record a barnstorming show to
demonstrate they could match the
superstar performer, Butler recorded a
stripped back performance, just him
and a piano. Luhrmann had found his
guy. Not that Butler knew that yet. “Baz
doesn’t audition in a conventional way.
He doesn’t do many things in a
conventional way,” he laughs. “I flew to
New York and spoke to Baz for about
three hours. He asked me to come back
the next day and read the script with
him. So I came in and read some
scenes, then he asked me to come
back the next day and sing a
couple of songs. We did that day
after day for about five months…
NME.COM

AUSTIN BUTLER
“I cannot
quantify the
amount of
hours I spent
on every
aspect of this”
MOVIE STILL PHOTOS: DICK CLARK PRODUCTIONS/SILVERSCREEN PICTURES; ANIMAL KINGDOM
BUTLER’S
BEST BITS
Perfectly played
parts in mustwatch
movies
THE BLING RING
2011
This TV flick gave
Butler a juicy role as
Zack Garvey, based
on a leader of the
teenage looting
gang who targeted
LA celebs.
THE INTRUDERS
2015
In this creepy haunted
house movie, Butler
plays Nick, a local kid
who shows an interest
in a new neighbour
despite her increasingly
strange behaviour.
ONCE UPON
A TIME… IN
HOLLYWOOD
2019
Butler impresses as
Tex Watson, a member
of the Manson Family’s
murderous cult. A brief
but eye-catching turn.
THE DEAD DON’T DIE
2019
Butler again shows his
versatility playing Jack,
a traveller caught up in
the sudden zombie
invasion in Jim
Jarmusch’s quirky
comedy-horror movie.
NME.COM

AUSTIN BUTLER
“It was all
about ‘how
do I let my
soul meet
his soul?’”
and I didn’t know if I had the job yet.”
Those five months of work proved to be
invaluable when Butler finally learned he
had the part, in July 2019. “We already
had all those months of exploring this
together and asking all the questions
about what we thought was possible.
And I had all that time to ask myself the
question of whether it was possible.”
Butler threw himself into preparation,
but it was actually a journey that started
decades before. Butler grew up in
Anaheim, California, which is where he
was first introduced to Elvis. “My
grandmother loved Elvis,” he
remembers. “I remember she would
always have Elvis films on in the house.
Both my grandmothers loved Elvis, in
fact. The other one would have a lot of
his ’50s music playing, because that
was when she was in high school.” Elvis
was part of the soundtrack of his
earliest days, but he hadn’t given much
thought to the man behind the icon.
“I didn’t know much about his personal
life. I didn’t know much about how he
grew up. I wanted to find out everything
I could.”
BLOND AMBITION
Today, Butler looks very different from
Elvis. His hair, which was dyed a deep
brown and slicked back for filming, is
back to its natural blond, scruffily held in
place with sunglasses on top of his
head. He looks tanned and relaxed. But
in his voice there is still a trace of Elvis’
Mississippi twang, his vowels long and
his speaking pace unhurried. It’s a mark
of how deeply he embedded himself in
the process. Even when shooting was
paused during the pandemic, Butler
remained on location in Australia and
continued exploring who Elvis was,
watching every interview he could,
reading every book, and minutely
examining every track. Playing any
real-life person is tricky but there’s
WHO’S
WHO?
The supporting
cast in Elvis
LITTLE RICHARD
Alton Mason
Flamboyant rock’n’roll
pioneer who inspired Elvis
and was once referred to by
him as ‘the greatest’.
PRISCILLA
PRESLEY
Olivia DeJonge
Elvis’s wife from 1967 to
1973, and to this day a
protector of his legacy.
GLADYS &
VERNON PRESLEY
Helen Thomson,
Richard Roxburgh
Mom and Pops, who raised
Elvis on country music in
Tupelo, rural Mississippi.
BB KING
Kelvin Harrison Jr
An iconic blues musician
who met Elvis in Memphis
before he became famous.
something especially tough about Elvis.
He’s one of the most impersonated
celebrities in history. There are so many
Elvis impersonators in the world there’s
even a world record for the most Elvis
impersonators in one building (895, set
in 2014, since you ask). Butler needed to
learn how to be Elvis without looking like
he was just another impersonator.
“We’re talking about finding the
depth of a human being. I
had to break it into
pieces,” he says. “I would
spend hours of the day
just working on his voice.
That was finding how his
voice changed over years
– it changed a lot from
where the film starts,
in ’54/55, to ’77. His
spirituality changes. His
relationships. The way he
moves. I would have to
break each one of those
things down.” He dug and
dug, always looking to
unearth more secrets
about his subject. “I’d
hear a vocal mannerism
and become obsessed
with it. I’d listen to it 1,000
times and record it and
work until I sounded the
same.” He even learned
karate, because Elvis
learned karate. “It was all
about ‘how do I become
identical and not just a
copy. How do I let my
soul meet his soul?’”
Audiences will see the
results of Butler’s
immense commitment
when Elvis arrives in
cinemas on June 24. For
Butler, it will be the
culmination of three of the
most challenging and
rewarding years of his life.
“It just is truly the most
immense privilege,” says
Butler of the experience.
“Getting to collaborate
with Baz and Tom and
Olivia (DeJonge, who
plays Priscilla, Elvis’ wife)
and… be part of Elvis’
legacy, it’s so special.
Being at this place in my
career where I’m able to
work with other artists,
actors and directors that
I’ve admired for so long
and get to make stories
that really excite me, I just
truly feel blessed.”
And if he has any
nerves about his big moment, he
doesn’t show them. Because that’s
not what Elvis would do. He’d just
get out there and give the people a
show, get them all shook up.
AUSTIN BUTLER PHOTOSHOOT: PHOTOGRAPHER: ERIC RAY DAVIDSON, PRODUCERS: AVENUE B., STYLIST: JON TIETZ, GROOMER: JILLIAN HALOUSKA. MOVIE STILL PHOTOS: KANE SKENNAR, HUGH STEWART, COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES
NME.COM

ELVIS & ME
His influence stretches from music to fashion and beyond. Here are three
of our fave young artists explaining why Elvis is always on their mind
PHOTOS: FIONA GARDEN
MAT T
THOMSON
The Amazons singer and
big-time Elvis stan
As frontman of Reading-based rock
band The Amazons, Matt Thomson has
scored two UK top ten albums: 2017’s
self-titled debut and 2019’s ‘Future
Dust’. Here, he discusses his obsession
with Elvis Presley and the band’s
post-pandemic return to playing live – on
a huge arena tour with Royal Blood.
Why do you think we’re still so
fascinated by Elvis?
“I would say it’s similar to the Beatles:
because you can trace so much back to
him. His story is like a seed that rock
and roll, celebrity and all of those things
grew from. I would also say he’s similar
to Bob Dylan in the sense that you can
see a picture of him a million times but
still not know who he is. And I’d say
that’s increasing as we move further
away from him in time.”
Can you remember when you first
became aware of Elvis?
“I can definitely remember watching a
countdown of the top 50 rock videos
ever on a music channel. Number two
was ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ by Nirvana
and then ‘Suspicious Minds’ by Elvis
was number one. He’s wearing the white
suit and has five backing singers and
this insane band on stage with him. The
energy is just crazy, especially when he
keeps the refrain going at the end.”
How would you describe his
influence on your music and
sense of style?
“I think he encapsulates certain things
that we now see as staples of American
culture, like jeans and t-shirts. I see him
as the musical embodiment of that
time. He’s almost so zeitgeist-y that he
was harnessing the changes of that
time, so now he’s the person we look to
for that slicked-back hair look. The
further we get away from the ’50s, the
fewer touchpoints we have, so Elvis
has become the ultimate touchpoint
for that era.”

Could you write a song about Elvis?
“Yeah, I’d like to. I think it would
probably be a song celebrating the
burst of colour he brought into a black
and white world, that kind of epiphany
for millions of people. Or maybe the
song could be about how someone can
turn from a flesh and blood human
being like you and me into something
that transcends all of that, like Elvis.”
STYLIST: BEN JAMES ADAMS. STYLING ASSISTANT: LINDA HOUTSONEN. LEFT PAGE:JACKET: GUCCI, SHIRT: THE KOOPLES, TROUSERS: GIVENCHY,
SHOES: UNDERGROUND. RIGHT PAGE: JACKET : THE KOOPLES, JUMPER : H&M, TROUSERS: ALL SAINTS, SOCKS: MICHAEL KORS, SHOES: UNDERGROUND
Are you excited to see Baz
Luhrmann’s Elvis movie?
“I’ve devoured music biopics ever since
[Johnny Cash film] Walk the Line. And
from what I’ve seen, this one looks
pretty amazing. It’s telling the story that I
want to see told: Elvis’ origin story, that
lightning-in-a-bottle thing. I’m sure there
are lots of interesting stories to tell, but I
find that first era the most explosive and
interesting. And I’m looking forward to
seeing Austin Butler as Elvis. He was
amazing in Once Upon A Time In...
Hollywood.”
What are your band’s aims
for 2022?
“We’ve been writing a new record that’s
out in September, and it’s the anchor
that everything is based around. We’re
going on tour in October in support of
that album, and we’re playing festivals
leading up to it over the summer. We’re
just thankful, I think, and have a
newfound appreciation for everything.”
To what extent has the album been
shaped by the last couple of years?
“It was cathartic to make because I
wasn’t able to see someone I love for six
or seven months – it gave me some sense
of control. I use songs on the record as a
way of communicating with her.”
As a band, do you feel a bit like a
coiled spring?
“I feel like a rusty coiled spring that kind
of uncoiled too fast! We just went on
tour with Royal Blood, which was an
amazing and at times overwhelming
experience. But we had to relearn how
to tour [and get used to] the intense joy
of playing live, but also the lack of sleep,
bad diet and drink. There was a
moment where we were like,
‘We’re not drinking tonight, we
have to look after ourselves.’”
NME.COM

ELVIS & ME
WALLICE
LA’s alt-pop hero loves old
Hollywood glamour
Rising artist Wallice just released her
second EP, ‘90s American Superstar’, a
glistening set of songs that namechecks
classic movies including Clueless and
10 Things I Hate About You. Here, the
LA native talks about Elvis’s unique
dress sense and smashing her first ever
UK headline show.
What words would you use to
describe Elvis’ style?
“Gaudy and I guess quite camp, now
that we’ve seen what that looks like at
the Met Gala [in 2019, the annual event’s
theme was ​‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’].
His dress sense was very flashy and it
doesn’t seem like other male artists or
celebrities at that time took those risks. I
guess that’s why he really made a
splash in the fashion world.”
You’re an LA artist and draw a lot
from Hollywood in your songwriting.
Does Elvis feel like a classic
Hollywood figure to you?
“Yeah, he’s a larger-than-life celebrity, a
bit like Marilyn Monroe. I’m a big fan of
Lana Del Rey and she always talks a lot
about Elvis and Priscilla Presley in terms
of that old Hollywood glamour, so I think
I became even more aware of Elvis
through her.”
Which Elvis song would you like
to cover?
“I actually have a Spotify playlist of
songs I’d love to cover, and ‘Can’t Help
Falling In Love’ has been on there for a
while. I know there have been a few
covers of that song lately – it’s on a car
commercial at the moment I think. It’s
just such a beautiful song and one of
those classics that comes back
every so often.”
Are you excited to see Baz
Luhrmann’s Elvis movie?
“Oh yes, especially since I saw the
trailer at the movie theatre. I actually
grew up watching Austin Butler on
Nickelodeon. And I saw that when he
went to the Met Gala [in May], it was
almost like he was still in character as
Elvis. So I’m definitely excited to see
his performance.”
You’ve just played your first UK
headline show at The Lexington in
London. How did it go?
“It was the best show I’ve ever done. It
was only my third headline show ever,
but I’ve also done some support shows
in LA and New York. My second EP
[‘90s American Superstar’] just came
out, so it was the first time I’ve played
live where the fans knew all the music.
To see them singing along to the new
songs was amazing and I honestly
didn’t expect that. There were even
some fans who’d flown in from Spain to
be there!”
What has the reaction to the new
EP been like?
“Well, because my first EP [2021’s ‘Off
The Rails’] was very well received, I was
worried that this one might not be so
much. My manager tells me not to read
the YouTube comments but of course I
still do. So far, there’s only been one
bad comment and the rest are really
sweet. I just have to remember that at
the show everyone was singing those
songs back to me.”
What kind of DMs do you get
from fans?
“Often they’ll tell me how much a
particular song helped them get through
something in their life like a breakup. I
read every message but I can’t reply to
all of them because it would get
overwhelming. There’s just so much
content on Instagram.”
What are your main aims for the
rest of the year?
“I’d really like a support slot on another
artist’s European tour, which is
ambitious I guess! And I’m working on
another EP. My plan is to release three
EPs and then an album because I really
want to build a foundation first. I have so
many friends who’ve released albums
that are amazing bodies of work – like,
art pieces – and they don’t get the
recognition they deserve because
people don’t know their music is out
there. I think their music will be
found eventually, but for me, I want
to have that slow build before I put
out an album.”
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NME.COM

“He’s a larger than life
celebrity, a bit like
Marilyn Monroe”

ELVIS & ME
“He was so out there.
Not many people
have that confidence
and that finesse”

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RIGHT: SUIT JACKET: HELEN ANTHONY, VEST: DOLCE & GABBANA, SHIRT: THE KOOPLES, LEATHER TROUSERS: NANUSHKA, SHOES: DR. MARTENS
MASTER
PEACE
Punk-rap rock star who
wrote his own song called
‘Heartbreak Hotel’
South London singer-rapper Master
Peace marked himself out as one to
watch with 2020’s ‘Love Bites’ EP, a
dazzling debut that drew cleverly from
early noughties indie. More recently, he
teamed up with The Streets for the
emotional banger ‘Wrong Answers
Only’. Here, he discusses his Britpopinspired
music and appreciation for
Elvis’s “out there” style.
How would you describe your
Elvis look today?
“It’s very out there and creative. It
definitely gives a bit of personality and I
like that about it; it’s something I’d wear
as Master Peace. You know, Elvis is very
much a sex symbol. I’ve seen videos of
him wearing looks like this back in the
day, but without the T-shirt, and I feel
like people would have been so excited
to see that. They would have looked at
him and thought: ‘Oh my God, I wanna
be like you.’
Why do you think Elvis is still
talked about today?
“Because he has so much charisma. I’m
not sure we have anyone like that in the
current generation of music [stars], but
maybe that’s because times were
different back then. Like, I’ve seen
videos of him walking into a room and
people are just fainting. And I ain’t seen
that happen to anyone else, do you
know what I mean?”
Why do you think he had that
effect on people?
“Again, I think it was because he was
very out there. A lot of people are
scared of what people think: they don’t
want to be ‘too much’ or show who they
really are. But when you see Elvis
dancing, you know he’s not like that at
all. Not many people have that
confidence and that finesse. It’s all very
well looking at something, but do you
believe it? With Elvis, you believe it and
you think: ‘Yeah, he’s the guy.’”
Which current artist would you like
to see collaborating with Elvis?
“I’d say Harry Styles because he’s kind
of got that Elvis vibe about him anyway.
He’s very fluid and picky: he wears what
he wants but it suits him. And I know I’m
cheating here, but I’d also say The
Weeknd because he’s just a superstar.”
Is there an Elvis song you’d
like to cover?
“‘Heartbreak Hotel’. I love the fact it’s
very slow and intimate. And I love the
alliteration of the title and also that
juxtaposition. A hotel is somewhere I
think of as very relaxing – like, you go
there to chill at the spa. But heartbreak
is obviously not like that at all, so it’s a
very interesting title. I actually wrote my
own song called ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ a
few years back.”
What are your plans for this year?
“Well, it’s funny because people know
who Master Peace is now, but they
haven’t seen all of me. I’ve got an
EP coming and then an album. I’m
really hunkering down on who I am
as an artist.”
What’s the overall vibe of the EP?
“Britpop. It’s got a very early 2000s
Gorillaz kind of vibe, but with elements
of Oasis, Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party.
No one’s really doing that sound
anymore and I want to bring it back
because it means a lot to me. I’ve always
prided myself on singing in my own
accent when a lot of other artists sing in
an American accent. When you hear the
EP, you’re gonna be like: ‘Yeah, he’s a
straight up indie-Britpop kind of artist.’”
How will you know when the
EP is finished?
“You know, sometimes I feel like you
can never beat the first take [of a vocal].
It’s good to hear the little breaths and
fuck-ups rather than doing 100 takes
and trying to make it perfect. Like, I love
it when you can hear a door slamming
or someone swearing in the
background. There’s a song on the EP
that’s almost like gibberish: even I can’t
make out what I’m saying in places. But
it’s one of my favourite songs I’ve ever
made because it’s just so free.”
And how far along with the
album are you?
“I’d say about 20 per cent. I’ve got one
song I’m really confident about. We’ve
made a few other songs but I feel like
they’re not really hitting the way the first
one hits. So right now it’s about taking
that first song and using it as a
signpost for where I want to go with
the rest of the album. I’ve gotta say,
I’m pretty excited about it.”
NME.COM

FASHION
Looking for a rock’n’roll
makeover? Elvis’ personal tailor,
Lanskys of Memphis, have
some must-read style hints
FROM ALEX TURNER’S GREASEDback
hair to the louche cool of Harry
Styles, Elvis’ impact on fashion is
undeniable. He was first styled in the
1950s by Bernard Lansky, owner of
Lansky Bros – the Beale Street
clothier to Johnny Cash, BB King and
Jerry Lee Lewis – and it was a close
creative relationship that continued
for three decades. Bernard’s son, Hal,
now carries the torch for the Lanskys
(their shop is currently located in
Memphis’ Peabody Hotel), so we got
him to talk us through some of Elvis’
most memorable looks (and offer tips
on how to nail each outfit).
THE BOUNDARY-
BREAKING ROCKER
1950s
“Elvis looked his best when he was
young, innocent and a rising star. He
loved black and pink colour
combinations. At that time, men didn’t
wear pink, and we take credit for
putting him in that colour. One of the
most famous examples of that is
when Elvis performed ‘Hound Dog’
on The Milton Berle Show
in a
bubble-gum jacket.”
HOW TO PULL IT OFF: “Add some
black and white spectator shoes.
You’ll be looking sharp.”

THE HOLLYWOOD
HEARTTHROB
1957
“In the 1950s, Elvis wore a lot of
tapered pants which were wider at the
top and went down to a peg; his shirts
had camp collars. One of his iconic
looks was the Hollywood Coat that he
wore in the movie Jailhouse Rock,
striped with a black velvet collar.”
HOW TO PULL IT OFF: “You gotta be
in your best shape, because those
clothes are all about tight fits.”
STYLE
SUCCESSORS
Modern mavericks who
borrow from Elvis
THE DAPPER MOD
1960s
“In his ’60s phase, Elvis wore a lot of
Continental Suits – with skinnier lapels,
narrower ties. He looked real trim and
good-looking. In the late ’60s, he
mainly sported looks that came out of
Carnaby Street in London: loosesleeved
shirts with high collars,
bell-bottom pants and shirts with
beautiful paisley patterns.”
HOW TO PULL IT OFF: “A lot of people
keep their shirts hanging out which
looks terrible. If Elvis was here today,
he would never wear his shirt tail out, it
would always be tucked in!”
ALEX TURNER
The quiff? The leather
jackets? The early 2010s
rockabilly reinvention?
100 per cent Presley.
THE CAPED CRUSADER
1976
“One of my favourite photos of Elvis
from the ‘70s is where he’s wearing one
of our leather coats with a cape on it,
and he stopped at a traffic accident to
see if he could help the victim. We
introduced Elvis to caped shirts early
on – we called them our Batman shirts.”
HOW TO PULL IT OFF: “Keep the
colour combinations plain so you
don’t end up looking like his Vegas
years style!”
THE LEATHER LOTHARIO
1968
“We did a lot of leather for Elvis.
We didn’t actually do his famous ’68
Comeback Special leather suit,
which was by a costumier, but he
still looked sensational in it!”
HOW TO PULL IT OFF: “It’s a
head-to-toe look. You’ve got to have
all the details perfect: from the hair
and eyebrows to your belt matching
your shoes.”
PHOTOS: GETTY; SCREENPROD/ PHOTONONSTOP/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; PICTURELUX/THE HOLLYWOOD ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
HARRY STYLES
Hazza’s hot-pink jumpsuits
were only possible because
Elvis spearheaded gender-
fluidity before it was a thing.
BRUNO MARS
Remember Mars’ gold jacket
at the Grammys in 2012?
Well, our man did it all the
way back in 1957, blinging up
for the cover of his album
50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t
be Wrong.
NME.COM

WHAT’S NEXT
A little more
conversation...
Can’t get enough Elvis after the movie? Here are
a few Presley-aligned books, films, podcasts,
albums and events to curl a lip along to. Uh-huh
THE ALBUMS
PET SHOP BOYS
‘Introspective’ (1988)
After a post-punk decade in
which Elvis was largely
considered a throwback, Pet
Shop Boys rehabilitated his
memory with their electropop
rampage through ‘Always On My
Mind’, from their remix-centric
third album.
SHAPING
ELVIS
Recorded in
Elvis’s hometown of
Tupelo, Mississippi,
this series sees
producer Josh Ward
speak to people who
knew Elvis before he
was famous in order
to get to the crux of
the man who would,
eventually, change
the world.
NICK CAVE
AND THE BAD SEEDS
‘Let Love In’ (1994)
Nick Cave’s Devil Presley
persona came of age here with
crooner noir melodies such as
‘Nobody’s Baby Now’, ‘Red Right
Hand’ and ‘Do You Love Me?’
sounding like Elvis had turned
the wrong way out of limbo.
THE PODCASTS
ELVIS HAS LEFT
THE MOVIES
Focussing on
Presley’s cinematic
legacy, episode by
episode, two fans
named Matt and
Morgan dissect each
of Elvis’ 31 feature
films, illuminating
the wider cultural
shifts of the ’50s
and ’60s going on
around them.
RICHARD HAWLEY
‘Standing At The Sky’s Edge’
(2012)
Sheffield’s own king of rock’n’roll
– and the man who inducted
Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner into
the ways of the curled lip and
leopard skin collar – ended up
making songs about Yorkshire
feel like dusky canyon anthems.
WE DIDN’T START
THE FIRE
Katie Puckrick and
Tom Fordyce work
through the
historical lyrics of
Billy Joel’s ‘We
Didn’t Start The
Fire’, dissecting the
people and events
therein. Across two
episodes, they
tackle the biggest
Presley myths.
DANZIG
‘Danzig Sings Elvis’ (2020)
Few have tackled the Presley
canon with such glower as metal
icon Glenn Danzig. No speed
metal ‘Jailhouse Rock’, but a
cool selection of Elvis deep cuts
(‘Is It So Strange’, ‘Lonely Boy
Blue’, ‘Pocket Full Of Rainbows’)
given no little intensity.
OLD TIME
ROCK-N-ROLL
Simply for the
music. Tune in to
hear host Lee
Douglas spin
selections from his
120,000-song
collection of golden
oldies – it’s the ideal
place to hear Elvis in
the context in which
his early fans would
have first found him.
PHOTOS: HUGH STEWART / COURTESY OF WARNER BROS PICTURES; ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; GETTY IMAGES
NME.COM

THE EVENTS
ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS
Every Monday
The Stag’s Head,
Hoxton, London
Hoxton’s premiere jive and
rock’n’roll dance classes give
you the chance to jitterbug your
way back to Elvis’s golden era.
THIS IS SPINAL TAP
(1984)
On tour in America, the Tap
stop off at Graceland to pay
their respects at Elvis’ grave
to perform a “barbershop
raga” rendition of
‘Heartbreak Hotel’ and get
“too much fucking
perspective”.
THE FILMS
JAILHOUSE ROCK
(1957)
The first leg of any selfrespecting
Elvis movie
marathon, and arguably his
most iconic screen
appearance. Probably the
reason that so many death
row inmates get marriage
proposals, and should come
with a public health warning
about hypnotic hips.
ELVIS WEEK 2022
August 9-17
Graceland Estate, Memphis
This year’s Elvis Week features
tribute concerts, conversations
with his backing musicians, a
candlelit vigil and a
performance of Elvis Presley In
Concert, a live band backing
Elvis on the big screen.
WILD AT HEART
(1990)
Nicolas Cage is such an Elvis
fanatic that he married Lisa
Marie and has referenced
him in many of his movies.
His most memorable
homage was in David
Lynch’s Wild At Heart,
soundtracked by Chris
Isaak’s Elvis-inspired
classic ‘Wicked Game’.
ELVIS PRESLEY:
THE SEARCHER
(2018)
HBO’s three-hour two-parter
can lay claim to being the
ultimate Elvis documentary,
following his career with
appearances from friends,
family and devotees to
present him as an artist
rather than a phenomenon.
MÅNESKIN
August 26-28
Reading + Leeds Festivals
There’s no guarantee that
Måneskin will play ‘If I Can
Dream’ – their cover from the
Elvis soundtrack – at this riteof-passage
weekender, but
even if not it’s bound to
be a blast.
ELVIS: THE LEGEND
By Gillian G Gaar
Delving into the Graceland
archives for over 150
photographs and personal
artefacts, this authorised,
illustrated biography marking
the 40th anniversary of Elvis’
death is packed with insight
and memorabilia: letters,
publicity material and
copious bling.
THE BOOKS
LAST TRAIN TO
MEMPHIS/CARELESS
LOVE
By Peter Guralnick
Across two major
biographies, Guralnick
produced the definitive
dive into the man behind
the myths. “Elvis steps
from the page,” Bob Dylan
said of the books. “You
can feel him breathe.”
FOLLOW THAT
DREAM
2023, Date TBC
Location TBC
No mere Presley convention
overflowing with sideburns and
sequinned beer bellies, Follow
That Dream is the UK’s only Elvis
Tribute Artist championship.
ELVIS AND ME
By Priscilla Beaulieu
Presley
As ‘insider’ as you can get,
Priscilla Presley’s 1985
account of her marriage to
Elvis pulls no punches in
detailing his drug-taking,
womanising, occult
fascinations, divorce and
descent. A TV movie of the
book emerged in 1988.
HOW THE BEATLES
DESTROYED
ROCK ’N’ ROLL
By Elijah Wald
Following American
pop from the earliest
recordings through to the
impact of the Fabs, Wald
places Elvis in cultural
and historical context, not
just as a hip-shaking
blast from nowhere.
NME.COM

Baz Luhrmann
Elvis director,
maker of epic films
THE SONG
THAT CHANGED
MY LIFE
DAVID BOWIE
‘Changes’
“From the moment I first
heard this song, I was a
huge Bowie fan. I
eventually worked with
him [on the Moulin
Rouge! soundtrack] and
then towards the end of
his life, he became a very
good friend. He used to
come round and we’d
walk the dogs. We were
talking about going to
Berlin at one point to do
something together. I
must have been so
stupid, why didn’t I just
say yes?”
THE SONG I
CAN NO LONGER
LISTEN TO
PRINCE
‘Sign O’ The Times’
“It’s a great song, but
when I was younger I
used it in a show that was
an absolute catastrophe.
Every time I hear it now, it
takes me back to that.”
THE SONG I WISH
I’D WRITTEN
HARRY STYLES
‘Watermelon Sugar’
“I remember saying to
him: ‘“Watermelon Sugar”
is a classic. People are
going to be playing it
every summer.’ I don’t
know if Harry saw the
song like that, but it’s
hard to be objective when
it’s your own song.”
THE SONG
THAT REMINDS
ME OF HOME
JOHN FARNHAM
‘You’re the Voice’
“I still go clubbing
because I intend to grow
old disgracefully: it’s kind
of my motto. I was in a
nightclub recently and all
the kids were singing
along to this.”
THE FIRST GIG
I WENT TO
THE POLICE
Sydney, 1980
“I thought: ‘Wow, this is
what it means to see a
live show!’ It was just
fantastic. Some years
later I saw Sting at his
birthday party and I told
him it was the first show
I’d ever been to.”
THE SONG I
CAN’T GET OUT
OF MY HEAD
DOJA CAT
‘Vegas’
“She made this song for
the Elvis soundtrack and
it’s already blowing up.
I’ve worked with
Madonna and Beyoncé
and I see something
similar in Doja Cat: she’s
just a really, really hard
worker. And when you
see her on stage, my god
she’s a good dancer.”
THE SONG THAT
MAKES ME WANT
TO DANCE
MADONNA
‘Like A Virgin’
“I think of Madonna like
Marlene Dietrich: like
Marlene, nothing will stop
her from being a
provocative artist. I think
the younger generation is
rediscovering her.”
The wisdom of
the NME archives
THIS WEEK
ELVIS PRESLEY
March 4, 1960
“I’ve always believed
that there’s room for
everyone in show
business – and if
other people can
make it, then good
luck to them”
PHOTOS: GETTY, TRENT MITCHELL
NME.COM