Ken Sharp: So, why didn't Elvis work again with Steve Binder or Chips?
Jerry Schilling: I think in the later years the people that he had great successes with were creative challenges to the business atmosphere that was around. I think it made those business people nervous. Most of these things come back to monetary issues.
When you've got Chips Moman, you're gonna pay a producer what you're gonna pay a producer regarding the material that comes in. George Klein told Chips how to get along with Elvis. 'Don't tell him things in front of people. If you want to talk to Elvis, do it one on one'. Chips said, 'Elvis, can I talk to you for a minute?'
Chips said, 'I have a stack of records here that your publishers brought in, and none of them are hits. I have a stack of records over here that you don't own the publishing on, but they're hit records. Which pile do you want to do?' Elvis said, 'Look, I wanna go back on the road. I want hit records'. If that doesn't tell the story, I can't explain it any better.
en Sharp: Discuss how the material Elvis chose to record in the '70s took on an autobiographical slant with songs like 'Separate Ways'. 'Always On My Mind'. 'It's Over' and 'Pieces Of My Life'.
Jerry Schilling: He was going through a really rough period on a lot of fronts. The road had taken a toll on all of us and our marriages. That bothered Elvis. Basically, he was a one-on-one relationship guy. He was a family guy — of course, with every temptation in the world.
He always thought that at age 40 it was gonna be all over for him. He didn't want to be 40. So, here he was approaching 40. Creatively speaking, he hadn't had a hit record in a few years. He was doing songs like 'Softly As I Leave You'. a narrative thing by Charles Boyer. Red West wrote 'Separate Ways' (Ed note: the song was co-written by Richard Mainegra). Joe Esposito, myself and Elvis were all going through a divorce at pretty much exactly the same time. I'll never forget that after Elvis recorded 'Separate Ways' he brought Joe and I in, and we listened to the song for three hours in the studio. He'd just looked up and shake his head. 'You guys wanna hear it again?' And we'd play it and play it. It was a real sad time. Songs like 'Separate Ways' and 'You Gave Me A Mountain' were very reflective of his life. He wasn't getting any hit material anyway. I think he just kind of sang about his life.
Ken Sharp: Not much has ever been reported about Elvis meeting one of rock's greatest guitar players, Eric Clapton.
Jerry Schilling: That happened through my friend, Richard Cole, who was Led Zeppelin's road manager. After Zeppelin met Elvis, I became pretty good friends with Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Richard Cole. I hung out a lot with all of them. I hadn't seen Richard in a year or so, and he called me and said he was doing the 'I Shot The Sheriff' tour with Eric Clapton.
Richard said, 'We're doing this big show at the Mid-South Coliseum, and we're supposed to fly in and fly out, but Eric will come in the night before if he can meet Elvis'. I said, 'Richard, Elvis doesn't really meet many people'. I really felt bad because when I went to a Led Zeppelin concert I'd sit on the side of the stage with Peter Grant bringing me Dom Perignon champagne. I said, 'We go to movies quite a bit, so let me see if it's okay with Elvis if he comes to one of the movies'. I said to Elvis, 'You remember Richard Cole?' And he said, 'Crazy Richard'. I told him he was the tour manager for this tour and that Eric Clapton was this great guitar player. Is it okay if we go to the movies that I bring him by and introduce him?' He said, 'Yeah, that would be okay'.
We were down at the Circle G Ranch in cowboy boots and cowboy hats driving our trucks. As we're going to the movie theater, I reminded Elvis that Eric Clapton was gonna be there. We drove up, and there's two limousines, and there's Elvis in a truck wearing a cowboy hat. He goes, 'Who in the f**k is Eric Clapton? Goddamn limousines! Why does he have to bring a fuckin' limousine to a movie theater?' I said, 'Oh my God, what am I gonna do?' Then, to top it, Elvis always sits in a certain place in the theater, and Eric's sitting there (laughs). It's like rubbing salt in the injury.
I made the introductions, and Eric was just his wonderful self, and he said everything right. Elvis liked him immediately. We stood and talked for about 15 minutes, and then it was time to start the movie. Elvis invited him and his wife, Pattie, to stay and watch the film. Then he went out to the bathroom, and someone would always go with him. When we go out there, he said, 'Hey, you know that Eric is a pretty nice guy' (laughs). I told Eric that story years later when Scotty Moore was being inducted at The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. I went up to him and introduced myself, and he said, 'I know you, Jerry. You introduced me to Elvis'. I said, 'Well, could I introduce you to Scotty Moore?' and he said, 'Where is he?' So I got to make that introduction.
en Sharp: What's your take on Elvis' producer, Felton Jarvis?
Jerry Schilling: He did really good in bringing in the right musicians. Felton Javis really tried hard when it was difficult to get good material to Elvis through all the politics. Felton recognized that Elvis was his own producer. He didn't get in the way of that, and he complemented that.
Insbesondere der Satz zu Felton zeigt au, wie schwer es war, Elvis gute Songs zu liefern.
