TCBCast: An Unofficial Elvis Presley Fan Podcast

Ryan, Bec and Justin get together this week to review Elvis' 1961 film "Follow That Dream." Based on Richard Powell's book "Pioneer Go Home," Follow That Dream tells the story of Toby Kwimper (Elvis), his Pop (Arthur O'Connell), their live-in babysitter Holly (Anne Helm) and their band of adopted orphans claiming a homestead and building a business on land set aside in Florida as a nature preserve...

Justin and Gurdip take some time this week to spotlight some notable or interesting versions of songs associated with Elvis that have been covered by other acts, both during and after Elvis' lifetime. For Song of the Week, while Gurdip hops aboard the "Frankfort Special," from the 1960 flick "G.I.  Blues," Justin relaxes with the more mellow but sweetly performed ballad "All That I Am" from "Spino...

This week, Justin and Bec cover an extensive main topic discussion selected by our TCBCast Patreon supporters, Elvis' time at Shreveport's Louisiana Hayride! From his iconic, albeit nervous first performance in October 1954, to his rip-roaring YMCA benefit concert in December 1956 and everywhere in between, we discuss Elvis and the Blue Moon Boys' evolution over the duration of their contract with...

Just a brief technical note: this episode was edited from a backup, so our apologies if there are any audio quality issues. We've "Patched It Up, Baby" as best we can. This week's TCBCast is structured a little differently, Gurdip does his Song of the Week first while discussing legendary Canadian folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot's recent passing at age 84, digging into Elvis' version of Li...

Was there ever a more brainless, incoherent, intelligence-insulting cash grab of a music album released during Elvis' lifetime than Elvis Sings Hits From His Movies, Volume 1?  As Gurdip and Bec discuss this week, at least many of the other Camden releases prior to this bothered compiling material fans might not have otherwise had from EPs, singles and unreleased studio cuts. But 1972's "Hits From...

Gurdip sits down with returning guest and longtime friend of the show Jaime Kay to review one of her all-time favorite collections of Elvis music, the 2010 CD release of the soundtrack for MGM's "Viva Las Vegas." In its time, VLV never had a proper soundtrack LP, only a single and an EP, due to disagreements between Colonel Parker and the movie studio largely over Ann-Margret's prominence in the f...

Author, "Talking Elvis" co-host and past TCBCast guest Vince Wright returns to the show to discuss his latest effort, "8MM Elvis," with Gurdip. "8MM Elvis" is a book cataloguing and documenting the long-forgotten and neglected history of home 8MM releases of Elvis footage in the pre-VHS era. After catching up on what Vince has been up to in the last couple years since his previous TCBCast appearan...

Gurdip and Bec get together for a rollicking TCBCast featuring listener feedback, trivia and a brief discussion on Riley Keough's latest hit show, Amazon's "Daisy Jones and the Six" before digging into their main topic: what Elvis "deep cuts" they would suggest to new fans! Rest assured, though, even longtime fans might enjoy hearing what picks they spotlight!  No Song of the Week this week as thi...

In this mini-TCBCast, Gurdip sits down for a short interview with Brandon Yip, author of the book "Elvis: All Shook Up In Canada," a thorough history of Elvis's only concerts outside the United States in Toronto, Ottowa and Vancouver. As Vancouver locals, Gurdip and Brandon share memories of growing up there as Elvis fans in the 80s, discuss some of Brandon's thoughts as a fan on Baz Luhrmann's El...

Justin had the opportunity to sit down with Ewan Shand (OurEwan on YouTube) who recently produced an extensive 90+ minute video essay on all 31 of Elvis' narrative feature films, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aloGdnDx8Y Justin and Ewan unpack his essay's findings, Elvis' overall filmography, responses (good and bad) from Elvis fans, Elvis' search for his own identity,...

Yes, you're seeing this correctly - it's a weekend TCBCast! Gurdip and Justin get together for their initial impressions of the first three episodes of Netflix's "Agent Elvis" starring Matthew McConaughy, Kaitlin Olson, Don Cheadle, Johnny Knoxville, Tom Kenny and Priscilla Presley. As Gurdip had not had a chance to catch up on the whole season as of recording, discussion is mostly limited to the...

Justin and Bec wrap their extensive exploration of Elvis' time at Chips Moman's American Sound Studio by covering the material recorded there in February 1969, from "Power of My Love" to "Kentucky Rain" and more, before pondering the many reasons, good and bad, why Elvis never returned to American. For Song of the Week, 1960's the year to focus on, as Justin picks "I'm Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs...

This week, Gurdip and Justin sit down with a handful of their favorite Elvis country recordings. For Song of the Week, Gurdip picks the traditional Mexican song "Guadalajara," an ode to the city of the same name, which Elvis recorded for a 1963 film set in Acapulco, a city over 500 miles away... oops! Then, Justin bites the bullet and makes the case that "Barefoot Ballad" from Kissin Cousins was a...

Gurdip's back! This week we're visiting the 1983 overdub project "I Was the One" which paired Elvis' original recordings with new backing by Scotty, DJ, Emery Gordy, Dale Sellers and the Jordanaires, overseen by two of Elvis's own concert pianists, David Briggs and Tony Brown, as well as the medley they oversaw the production of. Is the album a lost classic, or was its flop status merited? Then, f...

This week, Justin and Bec go deep into the first portion of Elvis's iconic 1969 sessions at Chips Moman's American Sound studio in Memphis, starting from Long Black Limousine and concluding with what would become his first #1 hit since 1965. They also discuss what was so remarkable about Chips as producer, several of American Sound's other hit recordings, and the brilliance of the American house b...

Previously recorded in February 2022 as an exclusive bonus episode for Patreon backers, Gurdip and Justin sat down with iconic-but-deeply-underrated soul singer Chuck Jackson's 1966 Elvis tribute album "Dedicated to the King" and briefly discuss Chuck's lengthy entertainment career as well, including his biggest hit, "Any Day Now." Sadly, Chuck Jackson passed away at the age of 85 on February 15,...

Continuing on from TCBCast 255, Justin and Bec give an overview of some of their favorite songwriters for Elvis, how their material shaped Elvis's career, and why their work resonates with us, along with spotlighting some of the songs they wrote for other acts as well, whether they were solo singer-songwriters, regular collaborators, or Brill Building coworkers.  For Song of the Week, we're tackli...

This week's episode became an unexpected two-parter! After Justin's major misunderstanding the assignment from the Patreon-voted main topic, this first portion will cover not just the usual news, trivia and listener feedback but also the topic as suggested: some of the comments and perspectives from famous 70s-era singer-songwriters, offering their thoughts on Elvis' versions of their songs and a...

Due to extenuating circumstances, we've had to push our previously scheduled topic back one week, and so at the last minute, Justin and Bec just decided to have a very fun, very laid back Elvis chat. Beyond reacting to the new clips from Elliott Wheeler's "Elvis" score released this week in WB's "The Story of the Score", the hosts debate which approach to experiencing Elvis's music the first time...

This week, we're taking a look back at Elvis's March 1975 recording sessions that produced the heavily country-tinged album "Today" - his very last session in a proper recording studio. Can Gurdip overcome his longstanding beef with country music to give the material a fair shake or is that just a great big "Fairytale"? Do producer Felton Jarvis' heavy overdubs work or do they lead to "T-R-O-U-B-L...

Justin and Bec return this week to sit down with the shooting script for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis biopic, now confirmed for 8 Oscar noms, to bring to light some of the many differences big and small between what was written and what made it into the final film. From full deleted scenes we've known about ("In The Ghetto") to ones we didn't (DID Colonel Parker kill someone?) to many notable minor dialog...

Rest in Peace - Lisa Marie Presley February 1, 1968 - January 12, 2023 It is okay to grieve. We all do it differently. But it's important to talk about it. Lisa Marie told us to. Gurdip, Justin, Ryan and Bec are all here to talk openly through our raw feelings and thoughts. Read Lisa's full essay on grief here: https://people.com/music/lisa-marie-presley-was-destroyed-by-son-benjamins-death-grief-...

Happy birthday, Elvis! This week, we're taking a look back at the 1966 soundtrack for the movie "Spinout," one of the first Elvis albums Gurdip ever owned and therefore one he holds with great affection. Has it been wrongly maligned and lumped in with other movie soundtracks? Or has it earned a place as forgettable 60s fluff? And what to make of the bonus tracks? All that and more, but before that...

Gurdip and Justin look back at 2022 and the last 5 years of TCBCast before digging into a stuffed-to-the-brim inbox of listener and patron feedback and comments. Don't forget - this coming Sunday is Elvis's birthday! For Song of the Week, Justin gets his soul rocked in the "Bosom of Abraham" learning about the history of Elvis' 70s cover of an old, subversive gospel song, while Gurdip takes a list...

For the first time since Baz Luhrmann's Elvis dropped, Ryan returns to TCBCast for an extensive discussion on Elvis's final two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 28, 1956 and January 6, 1957, with the latter being the infamous "filmed from the waist up" program. Are these performances truly as legendary as the myth around them? We'll find out together! Then, Ryan finally get to put fo...