TCBCast: An Unofficial Elvis Presley Fan Podcast

TCBCast takes a (not-even-remotely comprehensive) look at the history of Elvis box sets, from early favorites like A Golden Celebration to the RCA Albums Collection. For Song of the Week, Gurdip picks the most doo-wop of all of Elvis' doo-wop ballads and Justin highlights one of Elvis' last country-rockers. Featured Songs of the Week: Gurdip: I Want You, I Need You, I Love You Justin: For The Hear...

Viva Elvis! Viva Ann-Margret! Viva TCBCast! The conclusion of our review of 1964's Viva Las Vegas is here, featuring Ryan Droste! We discuss our takes on director George Sidney, Col. Parker's interference with production, and muses before diving into Song of the Week, in which all three decades of Elvis' career are featured as Ryan heads down the bayou to find some "crawfish," Gurdip "slowly but s...

Justin & Gurdip are joined by Ryan Droste for a lively discussion of 1964's MGM film "Viva Las Vegas." Does the fiery chemistry between its leads and traditional musical lineage with director George Sidney help it hold up as one of Elvis' better films, or has the dated acting and weak plotting been overlooked for too many years? This episode's discussion (including Songs of the Week) will be concl...

What's the opposite of Viva? This week, Justin & Gurdip take a look at where the ironically short-lived 2010 Cirque production "Viva Elvis" went awry and where it succeeded. Justin makes an important correction regarding the newly discovered army home recordings, and for Song of the Week, Gurdip highlights an obscure but upbeat 60s movie tune while Justin quits his job down at the car wash and lea...

This week, Gurdip & Justin examine the musical career of Elvis' colleague Jerry Lee Lewis. From his days at SUN to his later country shift, could he ever shake his traditional rock roots to cross-genre success? During Song of the Week, Justin highlights a lengthy R&B answer record history behind one of Elvis' SUN singles, while Gurdip hones in on a rare Sun-era live recording with deep doo-wop roo...

Huge news for Elvis fans as a fellow Elvis fan makes a massive discovery of home recordings public, then Justin & Gurdip sit down with the collection of records Elvis left with Scotty Moore for an enlightening peek into the influence of these early records on Elvis' performing style. Out of pure coincidence, both of the guys mark the big news this week by featuring home recordings as Songs of the...

Justin & Gurdip continue to progress through Elvis' studio sessions with the January & February 1956 sessions that mostly comprised his first LP and singles for RCA. Then, for Song of the Week, Justin tackles a Bobby Darin tune Elvis covered in 1969, while Gurdip highlights a pleasant, underrated doo-wop gem from 1960's Elvis is Back! Featured Songs of the Week: Gurdip: Thrill of Your Love Justin:...

While Gurdip is out, Justin sits down with Ryan Droste of the TopRopeNation podcast to swap stories of discovering Elvis' music, collecting Elvis records, and even discuss Ryan's thesis paper, which was about Elvis. For Song of the Week, Ryan brings an early 60s soundtrack tune that challenged Elvis vocally, while Justin highlights a minor 70s hit with a surprising history behind it. Listen to mor...

Gurdip's goin' to Disney! So with limited recording time this week, Gurdip gives his brief thoughts on Alan Hanson's "Elvis '57" book and highlights Elvis' Vancouver performance. Meanwhile, Justin has an Elvis sighting on Reddit with the 1977 video of "Unchained Melody," and then most of this episode is spent covering two genuinely obscure songs, one upbeat tune cut from an early 60s film, and ano...

Gurdip & Justin sit down with the latest reimagining of Elvis' music, Sony's "Where No One Stands Alone" to see how it stands up to scrutiny. Then, for Song of the Week, Justin feels the burn of another could-have-been TCB Band-recorded tune Elvis never cut, while Gurdip highlights one of Elvis' excellent early 60s film hits. Also highly recommended this week is Episode 221 of Bobby Owsinski's Inn...

This week, Justin & Gurdip sit down to discuss Elvis-inspired films as well as react to early previews of "Where No One Stands Alone" ahead of next week's full album review. Then, for Song of the Week, Gurdip wears his love for a late 50s pop track around his neck, but it hurts Justin how underrated "It Hurts Me" is. Featured Songs of the Week: Gurdip: Wear My Ring Around Your Neck Justin: It Hurt...

Sync up your DVD or digital copy of King Creole and watch along with Gurdip & Justin! From Michael Curtiz's direction to Elvis' co-stars like Carolyn Jones, Walter Matthau and Delores Hart, from the heavily Leiber/Stoller soundtrack to whether it really qualifies as film noir, this is a unique TCBCast episode for a truly unique highlight in Elvis' filmography. Please note: due to some editing issu...

This week, Justin & Gurdip read some listener emails, then explore the fascinating recording careers of Elvis's guitarist Scotty Moore and his bassist Bill Black in the 1960s, including the Bill Black Combo, Scotty Moore's solo album, and even their work with early tribute act Vince Everett! Then, Song of the Week features a cute pop tune from "King Creole" and a foot-stomping gospel number warnin...

Every artist has a few clunkers to go with their most innovative, emotional and resonant hits, and with a catalogue as big as Elvis', both Gurdip & Justin have a handful they skip over. We're bracing for the angry emails as we highlight the songs that aren't likely to be featured as Songs of the Week. Then Gurdip digs into the history behind Elvis's 1958 hit cover of a Hank Snow tune while Elvis'...

After a week off, Justin & Gurdip return to explore Elvis' benefit concert supporting the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, discussing not only the recorded concert itself but its place in the greater context of Elvis' live career. Then, for Song of the Week, two obscure 60s tunes of very different genres are featured as Gurdip goes for a pop tune from "Something for Everybody" while J...

After 6 months of TCBCast, Justin & Gurdip take a one-week break but never fear: Songs of the Week are here! That's right, this week we're featuring updated, re-edited and expanded Songs of the Week from our first five episodes. If you've just started listening to TCBCast, missed an early episode, or just want our weekly deep dives into Elvis' discography and influences, this is the episode for yo...

Justin & Gurdip reflect on the life and work of DJ Fontana, then sit down to spend more time and energy analyzing Elvis' 1965 beach musical Girl Happy than anyone before! For Song of the Week, Gurdip pledges his love for Elvis' latter-day cover of a 50s doo-wop ballad while Justin, acknowledging some out-of-date lyrical content, highlights a slick country rocker written by Jerry Reed that was the...

This week, Justin & Gurdip dig up a topic from a previously unfinished episode of Justin's webseries Blue Suede Reviews, exploring the best and oddest Elvis-related TV commercials. For Song of the Week, Gurdip's "Bringing it Back" with an album cut from the "Today" album, while Justin thinks people should revisit the funky "Just A Little Bit" from the "Raised on Rock" album. Unfortunately, our rec...

In one of our most in-depth episodes yet, Gurdip & Justin explore Elvis' seminal period at SUN under the tutelage of producer Sam Phillips. From My Happiness to When It Rains, It Really Pours, this episode features a deep dive into perhaps the most formative years of Elvis' career. Then, when Justin accidentally ruins Gurdip's gospel-tinged Song of the Week Gurdip makes sure it's "Saved", but Just...

This week, Justin & Gurdip are talk about Elvis covers. No, not album cover art. Nor Elvis-themed blankets. That's right, this episode is all about other artists doing Elvis's material and highlighting some of our favorites. Song of the Week this week highlights "Fairytale," an underrated country track from the "Today" album and Elvis' fiery "Ready Teddy", both of which are - not entirely coincide...

Our 2-part interview with musician & Elvis expert Jamie Kelley concludes with continued discussion about Tribute Artists, the challenges and successes of Jamie's Just Awesome Karaoke project, Elvis' art as a vocal interpreter, and finally we round out the show with three Songs of the Week from across the 1960s. Be sure to check out Jamie's work at jamiekelleymusic.com as well as his projects justa...

This week, Justin & Gurdip sit down with Jamie Kelley, singer-songwriter-actor-producer-historian-entrepreneur-comic book fan-and self professed "Elvis Geek" to talk all things Elvis. From Jamie's indie music to his work as an Elvis historian, his former career as a tribute performer, his unique interpretations of Elvis' music, and even (to Gurdip's delight) Marvel vs DC, Jamie brings so much to t...

Justin & Gurdip are joined by Gurdip's nephew Roman for a discussion on becoming a young Elvis fan in 2018, then all three tackle the 1964 rom-com Elvis movie Kissin' Cousins and even Justin, ever the optimist, struggles to maintain a level head when up against soundtrack tunes like "Barefoot Ballad." Then, all three Song of the Week selections coincidentally hail from the excellent 1968-69 period...

This week, Justin & Gurdip are highlighting their most-used and most helpful Elvis websites. Among some of the sites featured are*: keithflynn.com - Discographical Information reddit.com/r/Elvis - Elvis subreddit elvis-history-blog.com - Alan Hanson's Elvis History Blog elvis-collectors.com/forum - For Elvis CD Collectors Forum elvisechoesofthepast.com elvisconcerts.com - Elvis concert information...

Justin & Gurdip wrap up their in-depth coverage of HBO's Elvis Presley: The Searcher, then sit down with UMD student journalist Allison O'Reilly to tackle tough topics surrounding her critical review of the film, including cultural appropriation, the media's role in depicting Elvis and his influences, and the unfair toxic comments she received from some Elvis fans. For Song of the Week, Justin hig...