The 1970s band Elvis Presley immediately fell in love with: “I understand the whole thing”
Elvis Presley reportedly became an immediate fan of KISS after hearing the band’s music at Graceland in the mid-1970s. The story matters because it highlights Presley’s appreciation for a newer, theatrical rock act whose approach differed markedly from his own image.
According to his stepbrother Billy Stanley, Presley listened repeatedly to KISS’s ‘Let Me Go, Rock and Roll’ and praised its simple rock-and-roll foundation. He reportedly understood the commercial value of the band’s make-up, which allowed members anonymity offstage, and singled out guitarist Ace Frehley’s playing for particular praise.
- Elvis Presley reportedly admired KISS’s direct, theatrical rock formula.
- He listened repeatedly to ‘Let Me Go, Rock and Roll’.
- Presley particularly praised Ace Frehley’s guitar playing.
New here? Start with this
Elvis Presley was one of the biggest figures in popular music, first becoming famous in the 1950s by mixing country, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll. By the mid-1970s, he was performing regular concerts in Las Vegas and living at Graceland, his home in Memphis, Tennessee.
KISS emerged in New York in the early 1970s with loud hard-rock songs, elaborate costumes and black-and-white face paint. The original line-up included singer Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons, drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley, whose stage character was known as the Spaceman.
The band’s image made them especially recognisable on stage while helping them keep a lower profile away from performances. Their success showed how rock groups were increasingly using both music and visual presentation to build large audiences.