TCBCast: An Unofficial Elvis Presley Fan Podcast

After almost two months of research- & thematically-heavy topics (including this week's chapter of our TCBCast Book Club), Justin & Gurdip go for something a little more lighthearted and set about "scientifically" ranking all the scenes from Elvis movies where Elvis is driving/piloting and singing while doing it! The totally scientific ranking system utilized means this list's order is both a ton...

This week, Justin & Gurdip are doing a topic selected by the TCBCast Patreon community, examining the time between Elvis' 1956 and 1969 Vegas engagements, what other acts (including the Rat Pack) were up to through the 60s, and how Elvis' show at the International was different in tone and audience from what had come before. For Song of the Week, both this week were voted on by Patreon supporters...

This week, Justin & Gurdip are joined by Joe Shooman, author of "An A-Z of Elvis: Infrequently Asked Questions," a new short book highlighting trivia ranging from conspiracy theories to Elvis' genealogy, from ETAs to collectors and producers. Fittingly, our chapter of "Elvis What Happened" to cover this week as part of our TCBCast Book Club segment tackled some of Elvis' own interests in the unusu...

Ryan Droste makes his return to TCBCast to join Justin & Gurdip in reviewing the 1960 TV Special "The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: It's Nice to Go Traveling or, Welcome Home Elvis." Packed with celebrity cameos, then-contemporary pop culture references and musical performances, this program served as Elvis' first major appearance after his return from the US Army. We all know the Elvis performances h...

Justin continues the discussion with Tony Plews, author of "Walk A Lonely Street: Elvis Presley, Country Music and the True Story of Heartbreak Hotel," digging deep not only into the foundations of "Heartbreak Hotel" as written by Mae Boren Axton & Tommy Durden, but the genesis of the song itself: the tragic life, and end, of criminal Alvin Krolik. Amazing connections and tales uncovered by Tony a...

After Justin & Gurdip discuss the official release of the Peloton Elvis remixes, Gurdip sets Justin loose with author Tony Plews to talk about his new book "Walk A Lonely Street: Elvis Presley, Country Music, & The True Story of Heartbreak Hotel." Tony's book is a sweeping, nearly 700-page epic, spanning from just after the US Civil War through the 20th Century, with a cast of real life-characters...

This week we're joined by Elvis researcher Giacomo "Jay" Viviano to discuss his and his colleagues' work uncovering stories, interviews and other research relating to Elvis's connections with people of color.  For Song of the Week, Justin takes Mark Potter's Patreon request song "I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water" and tries to show how Elvis and others slowly moved it from its fairly restrictive co...

This week, Justin & Gurdip highlight five songs apiece that Elvis recorded written by Black songwriters - whether they have interesting stories behind them, are iconic tunes of Elvis' musical career, or the guys just happen to like the songs a whole hell of a lot. Then, for Song of the Week, Gurdip is all pooped out after picking the fiery "Dixieland Rock" from 1958's "King Creole" soundtrack. Jus...

Justin & Gurdip explore the life and music of pianist Dudley Brooks, the jazz pianist who came into Elvis' life through his feature films, and put his own distinctive stamp on Elvis' sound in the 50s and early 60s. We also explore Dudley's a few non-Elvis cuts from his career as a songwriter, most famously the holiday hit "Everybody's Waiting for the Man with the Bag." Then, for Song of the Week,...

This week, Justin & Gurdip dig into a little bit of information on Elvis' attendance at a Juneteenth celebration night at Libertyland in Memphis on June 19, 1956, and then look at his chart placement with "Heartbreak Hotel" and "I Want You I Need You I Love You" among his peers on the R&B best sellers chart from three days earlier, June 16. Gurdip's right at home listening to classics by Little Ri...

This week marks the third anniversary of TCBCast, and we start off wrapping up our in-depth discussion about Elvis & the Beatles with Antony Rotunno from Glass Onion: On John Lennon. We finally dig into all the various songs Elvis did that were originally written & recorded by the Beatles, some of the Elvis-related songs The Beatles performed, and compare their feature film acting performances bef...

Just in time for our big 150th episode and third anniversary of TCBCast, we're thrilled to have Antony Rotunno, from the podcast Glass Onion: On John Lennon, join us for our first-ever big two-part discussion about Elvis and The Beatles. We cover a lot of ground in this first half, from the Quarrymen's Elvis-inspired demo, to Elvis' sole attempt at serious songwriting, and the Beatles' open desire...

Justin & Gurdip are joined this week by radio personality and longtime TCBCast listener David "Ghosty" Wills to discuss one of the most underrated and misunderstood eras of Elvis' career: the two years leading up to the famous NBC TV Special. Beneath the formulaic movies, poorly constructed soundtrack albums, and a generally well-received gospel album, those who look deeper can find an artist redi...

Justin & Gurdip start off 2021 and Season 4 of TCBCast reacting to Peloton's new exclusive Elvis remixes, then examining the first five chapters of the infamous 1977 book "Elvis: What Happened" by Steve Dunleavy, Dave Hebler and Red & Sonny West, as selected by TCBCast listeners. Justin points out the importance of context; particularly Dunleavy's long history in the right-wing tabloid media spher...

As 2020 winds down, Ryan joins Gurdip & Justin for an absolute whopper of an episode: our first-ever in-depth discussion of one of Elvis' 1970s concerts. Since its bootleg release the year Elvis died, the Pittsburgh New Year's Eve show from 1976 has claimed in some circles as perhaps the last great Elvis Presley concert. Armed with the "New Year's Eve" FTD and the "Final Countdown to Midnight" boo...

In 1971, Elvis laid down his second holiday-themed album, full of both traditional hymns and then-contemporary originals. The question is whether, despite the classic "Merry Christmas Baby," does the rest of the album hold up if you don't grade it on the Christmas Curve? In the news, the guys discuss the recent passing of country artist Charley Pride, Justin provides his in-depth review of the new...

For a bit of holiday fun, join Justin & Gurdip as they discuss topics from across the fields of TV, film, games and music. Gurdip fills us in on his recent viewings of Fargo, Justin discusses why The Mandalorian connects so well to all three Star Wars trilogies, and both examine the effect of subscription services on the increasingly fractured audiences. Justin dives into Cyberpunk 2077's problema...

Justin & Gurdip are busy toodling away at something different for a bonus episode you'll get later this week, but never fear! Golden Songs of the Week are here! Whether you're revisiting these or hadn't gone back and listened to them yet, here are the Songs of the Week from Episodes 26-30. Normally, we wouldn't have a compilation be this long but since #30 ends with "I'm Leavin'" and we discuss Jo...

Justin & Gurdip find that Santa has delivered them another gift of Elvis-themed novelty songs. From tracks poking fun at obsessive Elvis fans to a calypso-styled defense of Elvis' hip-shaking, the world of Elvis novelty records has some surprises in store! Then, for Song of the Week, Gurdip discusses the one-off live version of Bo Diddley's "Hey Bo Diddley" Elvis did in 1976 while Justin points ou...

This week Justin & Gurdip are joined by musician, songwriter and Elvis enthusiast Joe Var Veri, who's known on YouTube for his unique covers of Elvis and other classic rock acts as well as original material. Hailing originally from Melbourne, Australia, Joe deep dives Elvis' creative process as a musician, the value of live performing as an artist, and highlights some of his most memorable recordi...

While catching up with the hot new Sony Legacy release "From Elvis in Nashville," Justin & Gurdip are inspired to take a look at the first album comprised of material from those June 1970 sessions: That's The Way It Is. Blending live and studio cuts and bearing perhaps the most prominent influence of the 70s adult contemporary style (reflecting artists like BJ Thomas and Tom Jones), does the not-s...

Justin, Gurdip & Hugh continue their review of 1988's "Heartbreak Hotel." The fantasy of Elvis living the domestic life in small town Ohio wears thin as Gurdip laughs off the horrible impersonations and Hugh draws more comparisons between the film and other 80s classics. Justin, meanwhile, goes apoplectic from the leaps in logic and culturally problematic plot points. Then, to cool everything off,...

Justin & Gurdip are joined by movie buff and longtime listener of the show Hugh McKenna to review the 1988 film "Heartbreak Hotel." Written & Directed by Chris Columbus, who was right between two massive hits, Adventures in Babysitting and Home Alone, and with shades of John Hughes teen comedies and Back to the Future all over it, this flop of an Elvis flick should be right up our alley... yet ove...

After nearly a year and a half, Gurdip & Justin return to an early TCBCast topic to discuss some of the Elvis tracks that don't quite inspire them. Gurdip gets Justin riled up picking one of Justin's country favorites, while Justin not only backpedals hard on his previously even-handed thoughts on a glacially slow 50s ballad off Elvis' second album, but also very nearly retracts his position on "G...

To celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year, Gurdip & Justin meet up at a haunted mansion to explore novelty recordings from throughout Elvis' lifetime, including several with Elvis connections. Just before Song of the Week, something wicked this way comes... and gets Justin! Gurdip reminds us to "Never Say Yes" to those who write off the Spinoff soundtrack, while Justin the Friendly Ghost come...