Elvis Presley would have turned 75 years old today (Jan. 8). Incredible as that sounds, it seems nearly as remarkable that David Bowie, who shares the King's birthday, is turning 63.
On the surface, the two rock legends couldn't be more dissimilar -- with regard to both musical substance and personal style. But as the following details demonstrate, they have more common than first meets the eye.
Both Had Contracts Bought Out By The Same Record Label
Elvis recorded for RCA Records from 1956 until his death in 1977. Bowie signed to RCA in 1971 and remained with the label until 1980. More significantly, when RCA bought the rights to Bowie's recordings for a previous label (specifically, Mercury Records), it marked the first instance in which the company had negotiated such a deal it bought Elvis's contract from Sun Records 15 years earlier.
Both Had Controversial, Dictatorial Managers
In the persons of Colonel Tom Parker and Tony DeFries, respectively, Presley and Bowie employed managers who guided their careers with an iron fist. Parker was instrumental in nearly decision made about Elvis's career - although, fortunately, he failed in his effort to persuade Presley to dress up as Santa Claus and sing Christmas songs for the career-reviving "'68 Comeback Special."
DeFries spearheaded the would-be entertainment empire MainMan Productions in the early '70s, with Bowie as his lynchpin artist. In 1975, in a bitter lawsuit, Bowie managed to extricate himself from DeFries's clutches.
Hollywood!
Both Bowie and Presley forged successful film careers - Elvis, in a commercial sense; Bowie, in a critical sense. Elvis's movie-making years coincided with a downturn in the quality of his music. Conversely, Bowie's film work - from The Man Who Fell to Earth to Just a Gigolo to The Hunger - often dovetailed with the making of some of his finest albums.
Great Backing Guitarists
In his first phase, Elvis Presley was fortunate to have Scotty Moore to give a six-string wallop to his groundbreaking rock and roll. Afterwards, James Burton filled that role with style and finesse. Likewise, Bowie's best work has been graced by some of rock's most magnificent players -- including Mick Ronson, Robert Fripp, Earl Slick, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Jumpsuits and Glitter!
In the '70s, one was rail thin; the other . umm, not. Body mass aside, however, each had a taste for eye-catching jumpsuits. Moreover, during Elvis's "Vegas" period and Bowie's "Ziggy" period, each was known to embellish his stage show with spectacularly gaudy glitter attire (an understatement, if ever there was one).
American TV Specials
Both men were granted lavishly-produced single-episode TV specials for American television - a rarity for rock performers in the '60s and '70s. Elvis's wildly successful "Comeback Special" (officially titled, simply, "Elvis") aired on December 3, 1968. Bowie's "1980 Floor Show" (which marked his final performance in "Ziggy" regalia) was broadcast on Nov. 16, 1973 as a special episode of the "Midnight Special."
Golden Years
It's often been asserted - but never confirmed - that Bowie wrote "Golden Years" with the intention that Presley record a cover of the song. In her 1993 autobiography, "Backstage Passes," Bowie's ex-wife Angela writes that Elvis did indeed want to record one of Bowie's compositions, and that in 1976 she delivered a Bowie demo track to the King for that purpose. She didn't indicate, however, if that demo contained "Golden Years."