Jerry Scheff and Glenn D Hardin at Mablethorpe,
England
18 September 2001
Todd Slaughter introduces Jerry & Glenn D. He opens
up by asking a few questions, then hands over to the audience.
Todd asks Jerry for a quick resumé on how he got involved in the music
business, and then how he got involved with Elvis
Presley.
Jerry
Well, I never got a proper job. I have been gainfully unemployed as a musician
since I was about 15 and I started out as a jazz musician, jazz string bass
player, believe it or not. Then I started playing electric bass. I was doing
studio work at Los Angeles and James Burton called me up and he said he was
putting together a band for Elvis Presley, and I didn't like Elvis Presley!
Anyhow, I told my wife, I'm going to down and check this out, but I don't
think I'm going to do it. So the next day I went down and they were auditioning
drummers as well that night. I was auditioning, there weren't any other bass
players there but me.
I met Elvis, he was sitting there and he smiled, introduced himself, said
(imitating Elvis) "What would you like to play, Jerry". We started playing
and he suggested songs that he thought we, the musicians, would like and
I just had a ball with him. He was really a lot of fun and he was just laughing
and kidding around, then I heard him sing. I thought maybe I had wrong thoughts
about this man. The next night I went down, took my wife who was very sceptical,
and she heard him, and we both walked away as fans from that moment, that
second night of rehearsals. I just loved him from that time on. That's how
I got started.
Todd Introducing Glenn D ....
He's been in the music business almost since the birth of rock'n'roll, which
is amazing since he only looks about 24!
Glenn D
Thank you very much Todd. Let's see, where shall I start. Maybe I should
tell you that I didn't have much of a job either. I wanted to be a tree surgeon
but I couldn't do that because I fainted at the sight of sap! So anyway,
I took up the violin, I'm really a violin player, but I took up piano because
my drink kept falling off of my violin! Seriously, I learned to play (the
piano) since I was about 8 years old. I just kinda picked it up and learned
to play it by ear and got a job in a night club while I was in the Navy in
California. I'd never given a thought to playing professionally, but it was
real nice place and a good job, so when I got out of the Navy I decided that
was for me. So I went back up to Los Angeles in '62, I got lucky and found
myself a job in another night club. Worked there for about 3 years and started
playing record sessions, television and things like that. So I just made
a wrong left turn on Gower Street and found an audition. The boys wanted
me in the band, I joined them, and being in the band at the time, in 1969,
…. I had been real busy at that time and couldn't break away from what
I was doing, so I had no idea it was a big deal.
When they went back to Las Vegas in 1970, Larry Mahoberac, who played there
the first time, didn't want to go, he didn't want to travel any more, so
the boys in the band leaned on me to come and join them, so I did. I went
down and auditioned for Elvis and there were actually some other young players
in there to audition, but we sat down, he just ran through a few of his old
songs. It was real easy and real simple and he was very nice, and we played
just about 15 or 20 minutes it seems like, and he said "Well I really like
how you play", he said "Let's step out here in the hall and see if we can
make a deal". I said OK. We stepped out in the hall and he just said "What
does it take, what do you need". So in one short sentence I told him how
much, I think I told him I didn't ever want to wear a monkey suit or a chicken
suit or anything like that. He agreed, we shook hands and that was that,
it was that easy. And I worked with him for a little over 6 years and enjoyed
every minute of it.
Todd
In the British Isles in particular, over the last 12 months, it's been a
really interesting time for Elvis Presley fans. Elvis's profile has been
raised here amongst both fans and the general public because we've had some
tremendous promotions. Of course we've had the tour with you guys, we've
had the re-release, a nationwide release of the movie "Elvis, That's The
Way It Is". The tour, I'm told, has now been seen worldwide by over a million
people and I guess, had Elvis been on that stage as well, it would have been
seen by 10 million people. But it's astonishing, having said that, that still
a million people have turned out to see what is film footage and your incredible
live work. I hear through the grapevine that, although that show might end
eventually, that there are plans for another one. Can either of you tell
me what plans there might be in the pipeline in that
connection?
Glenn D
I'm not sure all what the plans are, but Jack Soden at Graceland told us
just a couple of weeks ago, he made a very firm point of the fact that they're
not ready to end the show and they figured out that if they don't get on
the ball and promote it, they're going to lose it, and so they're going to
dedicate themselves to saving the show. And I think … as you know it
hasn't been as successful in America as it has been over here, and that's
a shame. But I think they're going to sit down and decide what they're going
to do, television advertising, and I think they'll add some new songs and
do some things to it. There's talk about going back to Hawaii in 2003 and
do the Aloha Special on the big screen like the show we do now, on the 30th
Anniversary of when they did that, and I sure hope that happens, I thought
that was a great show. So that's all I know about the plans. But it's not
going to end.
Jerry
The only thing I know about it is that …… we've been trying to
get a hold of Elvis to try and put a big show together, but there's only
so much footage out there of Elvis. That's the main
problem.
Todd
Do you think, if that show was toured outside the United States, that you
guys would be willing to do it. Because obviously to tour extensively, as
you have been doing throughout Europe and throughout Australia, is not easy
work. It is quite hard work. Would you guys consider doing that if the
opportunity arose, say in 2003? To do it outside of Hawaii and take it around
the world?
Glenn D
I'd love to see that happen, and I'm sure that if we did Hawaii we'd probably
go further with it. They better hurry up and do this because some of us are
growing old!
Todd
The Elvis Presley Estate have done some quite remarkable things with regard
to the live entertainment, and not only when you guys appear at the Mid South
or similar venues in Memphis during Elvis Week, you also take time out to
play smaller venues such as Elvis Presley's Memphis this year, when you played
with Terry Mike. That was quite an interesting experience wasn't it, for
more reasons than one. What happened when the little guy came
on?
Glenn D
He was quite a good singer, it was a shock to see this little guy up there
with such a big voice. He sang very
well.
Todd
So, for those who don't know Terry Mike Jeffrey, he has a friend called Duke
who works, I think, for one of the (country music) attractions in Branson,
Missouri, he's a midget, but he's got this huge voice. When he came on stage,
you really didn't know what was going to happen. I think he surprised you
didn't he?
Glenn D
He certainly did, he was very good, and the audience loved him very much.
Todd
What are your plans for Europe in the future because I know that you're
travelling, obviously, back to the States when you can get back to the States,
which we think probably won't be for 2 or 3 days? Are you coming back to
Europe later in the year?
Glenn D
I don't think we'll be back with the Elvis Show. We're coming back in October
and into November. We have 6 or 8 dates with Jensen Bloomer's band in Belgium,
Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Vienna.
Todd
We're trying to put a couple of buses together to join you all in Belgium.
You've played the Casino I'm told?
Glenn D
I've heard it's really great and the food is really good. That's James, Glenn
D and myself. Ronnie's not doing it.
Todd
He's (Ronnie) still working with Neil Diamond? I saw a documentary on VH1
in the States recently, and he's sort of classed as the Jewish Elvis, which
I thought was a wonderful description. Did either of you work at around the
same time with Ronnie, outside of Elvis?
Glenn D
We've always done records together, sometimes 2 of us, sometimes 3, and other
projects from time to time together. Elvis used to be real interested when
we'd come back to Las Vegas or after a break and he'd always get us together
and say, "what have you guys been doing, can't wait to hear about it". He
actually was proud of us that we worked with lots of other people, recording
and all of that.
Todd
When you recorded with other people, and they knew your Elvis connection,
did they bombard you with questions themselves? Of all the people you worked
with, who was the most interested about your work with Elvis
Presley.
Glenn D
Usually always, yeah.
I don't know, that would be hard to say. Maybe Kenny Rogers …. I don't
know, I'd have to think about that. Everyone's interested in
Elvis!
Todd
There are no people more interested in those who worked with Elvis than these
people here, so I would like to throw the floor open to you guys and put
your hand up …. (over to the audience)
Audience
What do you think Elvis's reaction would be to today's music scene, particularly
rap artists like Eminem?
Glenn D
I think he might feel a whole lot like I do! I think rap music's for people
who can't sing.
Audience
Jerry, did you play with Bob Dylan on the "Street Legal"
tour?
Jerry
I did play with Bob Dylan as a matter of fact, in 1978 I went to work with
him. I worked with him for a little over a year. We played 9 straight shows
at Earls Court in London and we came back to London after the European tour
and played at Black Bush for, I think, about 150,000 people. It was quite
amazing. I enjoyed playing with him a
lot.
Audience
There's rumours going round now that it was a wax Elvis in his
coffin?
Glenn D
I'd buy a ticket to see that, if you find anything about it! Sorry, I don't
know anything about that.
Audience
Elvis's CBS Special concert in 1977. Were you there?
Glenn D
The last show I did with him was the last day of 1975 at New Years Eve in
the Pontiac Stadium, Michigan. I did go to Graceland in March after that
and worked on the last 2 albums at Graceland, but I was working with a lovely
lady called Emmylou Harris and I done the Elvis thing for 6 years and I just
felt like it was time to move on and do something different, and I did
that.
Jerry
A lot of people are curious about that last concert. You have to understand
that when we did that concert, we didn't know it was the last concert. When
we actually did it, it wasn't that much different from the concerts we'd
been doing, so I personally don't remember a whole lot about that
concert.
Jane Boyce (representing the Elvis Touch, Glasgow)
We want to thank you very much for giving an excellent concert up there (Glasgow)
and being very supportive of The Elvis Touch. I also would like to say, on
the subject of the last concert ….. this wasn't a question I was going
go ask you, but since you brought it up, did you rehearse with Elvis before
that last concert was screened, and what did you feel about his health and
the state he was in when you did see him? Why was he allowed to get into
that state? Were you shocked at the shape he was in, his appearance, his
illnesses, did anybody try to help him?
Glenn D
I don't think there's much that I can add to what's been written about that
time. He just got out of shape and he didn't take care of himself, certainly
didn't eat properly, he ate what the hell he wanted to. And that was meat
loaf, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, scrambled eggs, pork chops, good old
southern diet. But I don't know why he didn't take better care of himself
and I wish he had. I'm not sure why his people didn't do anything about it.
I never felt like I could have had any influence on that and also, as a
professional, I didn't want to give him advice about anything unless he consulted
me about a harmony part or something like that. So, I hope that answers your
question.
Jerry
I always felt that he was depressed during that time. I myself have suffered
depression and - looking back on his life - he was a man, he was a middle
aged American man who ……. I get really upset when people talk about
him being this and that. He could do whatever he wanted, and I have been
in that place myself where I lost control and I can really understand what
he went through.
Audience
We all know a lot of Elvis's friends have written books about the bad times.
In Memphis in January, you said that a reporter or a writer who followed
you round when you were doing concerts in Australia, doing interviews with
you to do a book about the good times, what's happening with that? Is that
book going to come out?
Glenn D
I don't know. I think the book has been put into someone's hands. I think
Joe Guercio has found us a guy in Las Vegas who needs to sit down and edit
all that material and turn it into a book. Stig Edgren, the producer of the
big screen show, has spent his own money putting that together, so I suppose
when he gets to wanting to see his money back he'll turn the heat up and
get that guy to finish it so he can put it out there and sell it. I wish
he'd hurry it up, because I want to make a down payment on a small
island!
Todd
Talking about projects in the future, when you came over here last time,
the host of the show was a guy called Jeff Hanlon, I don't know whether you
know about him or not, he used to be Gary Glitter's manager who is a sort
of fallen-from-grace pop star from the 70s. What Jeff Hanlon would like to
do, he's already put feelers out with regard to an (Elvis) tribute television
programme next year to be made in Britain using contemporary artists, and
hopefully using you guys. Would you be up for that?
Glenn D
Yes.
Todd
There's few ways of introducing new people to Elvis Presley's music. It's
very hard to get people to become aware of the vast amount of music that
Elvis Presley recorded in his life because, particularly in this country,
oldies stations don't start their music until about 1975, and really the
oldies from 1955-1965 but not the 70s. I would really like that to happen
because I think if you could get some contemporary acts playing with some
of the world's greatest musicians, like yourselves, and that you worked with
Elvis and you could cement a legitimacy to the project. I think it would
be hugely successful and I am always surprised that Graceland don't do this.
I know they had a hard loss to take when they did the Pyramid concert but
I think, as big as it got, it was sort of Wet Wet Wet and Dwight Yoakam.
I think it needed much more powerful stars than that. But if you're willing
to do that, I really wish you well with it because I hope it
works.
Audience
We loved having you over in Ireland and my question actually is for you
(addressing Jerry). I absolutely love your bass playing and I was very interested
in your putting lyrics to "Fire Down Below". I wondered why you took such
a long time to do it? You just put those lyrics together, have I got that
right?
Jerry
That song, there was 2 songs, there was another song - a ballad - called
"That's Where Your Real Love Begins". For those of you who don't know about
this, "Fire Down Below" was a song I wrote for Elvis. I was sitting with
Elvis, in the Lisa Marie as a matter of fact, and I said to Elvis, "How can't
you do any new rock'n'roll songs", this was about 1976 I guess, and he said
"I can't find any good ones", and so I thought, well I'm going to go home
and write one for him. So I wrote that song and I wrote a ballad, "That's
Where The Real Love Begins", and I took them to Felton Jarvis who was Elvis's
record producer and he thought that "That's Where The Real Love Begins" was,
believe it or not, a little bit suggestive for Elvis! But - he liked "Fire
Down Below", in fact he thought it would be a hit.
So the last time we were at Graceland recording, we did a few songs, recorded
a few songs, and then we started on "Fire Down Below" and we worked on it,
the musicians, the singers and everybody for about an hour, and he came over
and he said he wasn't feeling well and wanted to go upstairs. So we waited
about an hour, and Charlie (Hodge) came over and said Elvis wants to see
you in his bedroom, so I went up to his bedroom and he said "Jerry, I can't
go on recording right now", he said "you guys do a track and I promise you
I'll put my vocal on it".
As far as I know, that's the last time he was ever in front of a microphone
in a studio/recording setting to record new material, and he never got his
voice on "Fire Down Below". So that's where it came from. The reason that
it's taken me so long is because - who do you get to take Elvis Presley's
place to sing the vocal on a song? And for years I just couldn't hear anybody
singing that but Elvis so I decided not to do it, and I just sat on it for
all those years. I thought about getting a woman to sing it, but it's not
really a woman's song, then an album was released called "The Jungle Room
Sessions" which was all the things we had recorded at Graceland and without
asking me, BMG put the track to "Fire Down Below" on that album and people
heard that track and I started getting emails and phone calls and everything
else saying you got to put that out, so Glenn D and I got together and -
he's my executive producer - we got together and figured out how we could
do it and so we did that and we did "That's Where Your Real Love Begins",
we did another song, and put them all on a CD. That's why I never got anybody
to do it.
Audience
How did the routines to songs like "Polk Salad Annie" and "Suspicious Minds"
come about. Did Elvis say to you "I've got a great idea for this", or did
it just evolve out of rehearsals?
Jerry
We would have a demo recording somebody had done somewhere, and they would
play us that and Elvis would have been learning the song, listening to it,
and he'd get together with us - the TCB Band. We would start playing and
working it out, and everybody would have some suggestions. Elvis had certain
things he wanted and we'd start doing it in concert. And when you're working
a song out like that, there are certain ideas that come out while you're
working it out. When you play it on stage for people, you get a better idea
what really moves the people, what words, and so things start changing a
little bit and also, working with Elvis, you could do anything you want.
I've done like "Polk Salad Annie" I just started playing more and stuff like
that. If he heard you were doing it, he'd just stand back and say "Yeah,
go ahead". And it was that loose you know, that's how it all evolved over
the years.
Todd
But it wasn't generally that loose was it. Unlike many performers, Elvis
didn't have what you would call a musical director, he worked on most of
the songs himself and planned the arrangements. Was he a good musician? I
know he could play the piano, but did he understand music?
Glenn D
He didn't read music or anything like that. He just had a real good feel
for music, especially in his heart, not with his hands. He was a good rhythm
guitar player, I think he played rhythm guitar on some of his early records.
On "Don't Be Cruel" he slapped on the back of an acoustic guitar. That feels
real good if you listen to that record closely. Yeah, I'd say he was a good
musician.
Jerry
He could take things so far, we'd all add little bits and stuff. If he didn't
like them he'd say so, but he never said that very often. Generally, after
the arrangements with the TCB Band were all worked out, then we'd take it
over to Glenn D. And Glenn D would write the orchestra arrangements for the
whole thing. Glenn D's arrangements were a bit part of that
too.
Todd
You contributed and appeared in almost 1000 shows with Elvis Presley. The
logistics of doing 1000 shows must be incredible. Did anything ever go wrong?
Did you nearly not get to the theatre or the stadium, or did it all fall
into place? Can you remember any
disaster?
Jerry
You know something, I have heard from other musicians that were working on
the shows. There were 2 years that I wasn't there and that was in 1973 thru'
1975, so I wouldn't know about those years but I heard things from other
musicians that I just don't remember. I don't remember anything ever being
that bad personally. I was pretty messed up myself at the time, but I have
to say that I don't remember anything really bad. I don't remember the audience
ever getting upset about anything.
Todd
What was the funniest thing you can remember happening when you were working
with Elvis?
Glenn D
The funniest thing is how unpredictable he was all the time! I mean, it was
a whole new show every time we went out there. We always had the set list
we worked from, but in the beginning you could be sure that's not what the
show is going to be, so you had to watch him very closely or you'd miss
something. Funny thing was, if you did watch him closely, he was very easy
to "read" so, I don't know, it's hard to say, there were so many funny things
that went on and he just loved to be silly and play games. He played Stump
The Band all the time and I don't think he ever stumped us!
Jerry
He never got us! He'd sing songs we never played together on stage, I mean
songs we never rehearsed, he'd just start singing. And always one of us knew
the song. Usually me or James, and we'd all listen to the other and pick
up on it.
Glenn D
We were in Los Angeles one time in the middle of summer and played at the
Forum, which is a huge place, holds about 20-22,000 people. I think we played
there 5 days in a row. But anyway, I was watching him. He was just as far
away from me as could be, on the far side of the stage. He was kissing the
girls and all that, he was leaning way over. Some girl whispered in his ear
to sing "Blue Christmas". This is in July! And I was watching him, and just
as he came up from kissing her, he just started singing "Blue Christmas"!
We all came right in with him.
Jerry
I have a story to tell. My favourite thing that ever happened on stage with
Elvis was, he loved to play practical jokes. But he didn't like to have them
played on him! So Ronnie Tutt and I were talking backstage one night and
I said "What was the song we did that big ending on". It was "(You've Lost
That) Loving Feeling" with all the karate chops and stuff, well Ronnie and
I were talking about that. And I said "You know that ending where he does
all the karate chops and stuff and you play louder". Then comes the big loud
finish. I said, "Wouldn't it be funny if when we did that he goes like this"
- Jerry demonstrates Elvis doing his karate moves - and nobody played anything"
! And he just went ..…silence…… We told Joe Guercio and the
guys about it, so anyhow we get out there - Jerry gets out of his seat to
demonstrate - Then he goes like this ………nobody plays …
nothing…… It seemed like an eternity. All of a sudden he turned
around and he looked at us like, "If you don't hit the biggest damn chord
there ever was I'm gonna kill you"! He did the karate chops again, Ronnie
started to play the drums and stuff, and he got his big ending. We hit the
biggest chord there ever was!
Glenn D
It was kinda funny at times like that, because the look he gave us…..
removed all doubt of what's going on here. You don't play that big chord
I'll kill you. But the funny thing about him was, after a show was over,
he wouldn't even discuss anything like that. He didn't care. If you said
something like "I'm sorry, I played the wrong intro" or something like that,
he'd say "Aw, to hell with it, it doesn't matter, it's history, we've got
your money"!
Todd
As we draw this interview to a close, I would just like to look around and
see if there are any final questions from
anybody.
Audience
In 1972, when Elvis did "Elvis on Tour" there were so many concerts in so
many different cities, how did it affect you physically?
Glenn D
It's hard to do, but it can be done if you drink a lot and enjoy yourself!
Stretch out and have a good
time.
Todd
Gentleman, once again, it's been an honour. We think we've interrupted your
drinking for long enough! (the interview was followed by autograph signing).