The “most important force” in rock history, according to Paul Simon
While music is a game of opinions, certain opinions carry more weight than others, like Paul Simon.
Simon’s the first to admit he’s not exactly the poster boy for rock ‘n’ roll – more folk than full throttle – but the rise of the genre brought a real spark to his world. Growing up in the 1950s, he was naturally swept up by the riotous, inventive sounds blasting through the radio. He found it all completely electric.
At this point in his life, hearing these records was more than entertainment on the radio; it was a portal into an exciting world that was captivating. During this era of music, Little Richard and Chuck Berry were pioneering innovators who woke America up to rock ‘n’ roll, draping it in their own DNA. While both men created the blueprint, it wasn’t until Elvis Presley adopted their style with his unique edge that rock ‘n’ roll became mainstream.
Presley had every corner of America humming along to his songs, and quickly became the most famous face in music. His talent gripped everybody of a certain age, and like millions of impressionable youngsters across the land, Simon idolised ‘The King’.
During an interview with Spin in 1987, the New Yorker shared of his earliest influence, “Elvis was there. He was the most important force in rock ‘n’ roll, no question about it. Nobody even close. It was his invention, he blended black and white music, and that’s the single most powerful idea that’s emerged from rock ‘n’ roll. Plus he had the voice, a great investment.”
Simon’s discovery of Elvis proved to be a musical awakening, which put him on the trajectory to become an era-defining artist himself.
As it was for many of his generation, hearing Presley on the radio for the first time is a memory he’ll never forget, later recalling in an episode of Omnibus: “I remember in that parking lot being in the backseat of my parents’ car when they went shopping, and hearing Elvis Presley for the first time on the radio, ‘That’s Alright, Mama’. The announcer said, ‘Now here’s a singer named Elvis Presley, every time he performs in the south, there’s riot every time he sings.’”
Following the death of Presley, Simon paid tribute to the musical icon. However, rather than delivering a cover at a concert, he took a voyage to Graceland, which inspired his next album of the same name. While a large part of the trip was similar to any other tourist experience, his emotions spiralled out of control once the singer-songwriter laid eyes on Elvis’ grave.
During the same Spin interview, he sombrely reflected on the trip, which wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. He began, “Graceland itself was just a business. Big parking lots, you buy your ticket, get on a bus, and wait in line. There’s a tour, guides, and they take you through the house and show you Elvis’s this and Elvis’s that.”
However, it did have a profound effect, adding, “It’s a very common experience, but nevertheless, at the end, you come out onto the grounds and there are the graves of his mother, his father, and him.”
The singer-songwriter admitted it was “so commercial” that “you could even feel it offensive to your taste”.
Simon continued, “Then, on the plaque on Presley’s grave, it says he was given the gift of this incredible voice that has touched millions of people all around the world. And that’s just what it is. A gift.”
While the experience at Graceland was similar to taking a trip round Universal Studios for the most part, that all changed when he visited Presley’s grave. In that moment, Simon instantly reverted to the child within him who heard ‘That’s Alright’ on the radio all those years prior and life was changed forever.
