Elvis, Bill, & Tommy

We start our story with a look at the arrival of the early rock records in the UK. Also this issue, the latest Savage Young Beatles news, and an upcoming festival appearance.

Beatley News Updates

A lot’s been happening with new The Savage Young Beatles tribute band as things gear up for the band’s debut gigs in Liverpool during Eurovision week, starting at the historic Jacaranda Club on May 8th, to be followed by their initial US tour starting at the Abbey Road on the River Festival over Memorial Day weekend (May 25th to May 29th) and a sequence of gigs here in Austin, TX the following week.

The team has been getting the social media presence built and launched and the band now has an official website, as well as Instagram, FaceBook accounts, and a presence on YouTube

The Savage Young Beatles links

Website - https://www.thesavageyoungbeatles.com

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheSavageYoungBeatles-hz7se 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesavageyoungbeatles/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thesavageyoungbeatles 

One of the highlights has been the release of the first official video. Filmed at the aforementioned Jacaranda, The Savage Young Beatles perform the classic “Some Other Guy,” a staple of early Beatles performances at the clubs around Liverpool. 

The Savage Young Beatles US tour dates.

• Abbey Road on the River festival  - May 25 - 29

• Austin TX

  • The High Ball, S. Lamar, Blvd - Tuesday, May 30th at 7:00pm - FREE

  • Sour Duck Market - E. MLK Blvd - Wednesday, May 31st at 6:00pm - FREE

  • Carousel Lounge - E. 52nd St - Wednesday, May 31st at 8:00pm - FREE

  • The Little Darlin' - Circle S Rd - Thursday, June 1st at 7:00pm - FREE

  • The Pershing - E 5th St - Friday, June 2nd at 8:00pm 

Abbey Road on the River

I’m also delighted to be appearing at the Abbey Road on the River festival over Memorial Day weekend (May 25-29)  as a guest where I’ll be hosting daily discussions on the Beatles’ early years.

We will also have copies of the original Before They Were Beatles book on sale, as well as debuting some new sketch art cards,

The festival’s website with the full line-up and ticket information can be found  HERE

Podcast Update

Episode 23 of the  Before They Were Beatles podcast is now online. This episode is a special one entitled “I’m With The Band” and looks at what it takes to start a Beatles tribute band, with exclusive interviews with the folks behind The Savage Young Beatles and the organizers of the Abbey Road on the Road Festival.

Hints of things to come

We are also working on something Before They Were Beatles book related to coincide with The Savage Young Beatles gig at The Pershing in Austin TX on June 2nd. More details on that are to come as things firm up.

For information on the upcoming events, plus the latest happenings with The Before They Were Beatles podcast and The Savage Young Beatles tribute band check out the latest edition of my regular FREE weekly CAN’T SEE THE FOREST newsletter  -

 And now on to the good stuff…

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Early 1956 - Elvis, Bill, & Tommy

Every story has to start somewhere, and ours starts in January 1956, across the ocean from Liverpool.  In the United States Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel was released on January 27th, 1956 to coincide with Presley’s national television debut (1)  the following day.  Even though the TV producers wouldn’t allow him to actually play the song on the show.

It took three attempts, and pressure from the record company, before Elvis was allowed to perfom Heartbreak Hotel on TV

The result was less than hoped for with initially disappointing sales that had RCA executives wondering if they should have signed Elvis’ former Sun Records stable mate Carl Perkins instead. For Perkins, still under contract to the Memphis, Tennessee based Sun label, had become the first person to get a record simultaneously into the Billboard pop, country & western, and R&B charts with Blue Suede Shoes (2).