Elvis Presley: Eight and Eighty at Sixty Sixty
A UNIQUE LIVE MUSIC CELEBRATION FOR THE BIRTHDAY OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL
On Sunday, January 8th 2023, London’s Denmark Street will play host to a special series of events to not only honour the eternal memory of Memphis’ favourite son but also to pay tribute to the iconic music that was conceived and recorded in this vibrant hub of the UK music industry.
The celebration is the culmination of the long-held ambition of acclaimed Memphis musician Robert A. Johnson, whose own creative journey started as a hometown session guitar hero at Stax and Sun studios and in-demand touring musician with Isaac Hayes, John Entwistle and many more. Alongside Jeff Beck and Rory Gallagher, he was shortlisted and auditioned with the Rolling Stones during the ‘Black and Blue’ sessions, before Ronnie Wood won the golden ticket. His subsequent career as producer, songwriter and musical director includes collaborations with artists from The Judds and Leo Sayer to Alice Cooper, ZZ Top and Meat Loaf.
Sunday’s events also pay homage to the music created in this iconic street of musical dreams, where Elton John sat on roof and kicked off the moss and the Sex Pistols lived in acerbic squalor. At its epicentre stood Regent Sound Studio B, at Number 4 Denmark Street, which for over four decades hosted artists from Bowie and Black Sabbath to Bananarama and The Bee Gees. Its legacy lives on today as the widely respected ‘Regent Sounds’ guitar store and workshop.
Most notably, it was here where early career landmark recordings by The Stones (‘The Rolling Stones’ – 1964; ‘No. 2’ – 1965) and The Who (‘A Quick One’ - 1966) were captured. Having recorded with members of both bands, during his own career, it’s fitting that Robert Johnson (RJ) is the catalyst for the event on Sunday 8th January. Even more so, given his Memphis roots, when as a child, he would regularly see the King’s cavalcade drive-by his family home and then, as a respected local musician, he would meet the man on many occasions. The most auspicious was when RJ was invited to perform at Presley’s New Year’s Eve party in 1969, as a recent recruit to Isaac Hayes’ band and whose first gig as a Hot Buttered Soul man was opening for Led Zeppelin at Bill Graham’s Winterland on 6th November 1969.
As an avowed Anglophile, RJ has expanded his horizons in recent years as a producer and musical director in the UK, including current recording projects with the retro garage rock of ‘The Priscillas’ and the intoxicating power pop of ‘The Molotovs’.
RJ is delighted to confirm that both bands are performing, as part of the event on Sunday 8th January 2023, at ‘Sixty Sixty Sounds’, which is just along the street from Regent Sounds.
This is an open-house party, hosted by renowned live music promoter and singer/songwriter Tony Moore. Priority access is available on request for press/music media and evening will be recorded and filmed for subsequent release.
Doors open at Sixty Sixty at six, with Tony introducing short sets by the two bands, followed by an extended jam session.
Following their respective live sets at Sixty Sixty, each band will cross the street to Regent Sounds, for what will be the first professional recording session on Denmark Street since 1982.
In the spirit of King’s birthday, The Priscillas are recording their take on the Elvis classic “I Can’t Help Falling in Love”, while The Molotovs will fire-up their version of “Burning Love”, Presley’s last top 10 hit in the US charts.
The two bands will also honour the legacy of Regent Sounds Studio by recording songs originally tracked in the same room back in its 60s heyday with The Priscillas covering The Rolling Stones song “Off the Hook” (from their 1964 debut album) and The Molotovs toasting The Who’s “Whiskey Man” (from their 1966 second album “A Quick One”)
“Whisky Man” was John Entwistle’s first writing credit with The Who and became a set-list staple when he toured with his solo band ‘Ox’, with RJ as lead guitarist.
RJ recorded an amped-up version of ‘Burning Love’ as his own tribute to Elvis, a few months after his passing in 1977. A significant airplay hit at the time, its popularity endures as a playlist fixture on Sirius XM’s Elvis Radio “The only all Elvis all-the-time radio station, broadcasting live from Graceland.”
EVENT DETAILS:
Location: Sixty Sixty Sounds, 28 Denmark Street, London WC2H 8NJ (open session - priority access for press/music media)
6:00pm - Doors open
6:30pm - The Molotovs (2 songs)
7:00pm - The Priscillas (2 songs)
8:00pm – Sixty Sixty band (jam session)
10:30pm – Event closes
Location: Regent Sounds, 4 Denmark Street, London WC2H 8LP (closed session – access by special invitation only)
7:15pm – Recording session starts