{"id":190674,"date":"2026-02-11T09:00:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T14:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=190674"},"modified":"2026-02-10T10:08:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T15:08:39","slug":"gene-vincent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=190674","title":{"rendered":"“Listen, I never meant to make money. I never wanted it. I\u2019m a singer, man.” — Gene Vincent"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

\nThe problem with Elvis is like the problem of, say, the sun. The sun blots out stars. The sun creates heat waves. The sun is a good thing but there’s a hell of a lot else going on besides the sun. There might be a star behind the sun we’d love to know more about but the damn sun gets in the way. It’s a stupid analogy but if you spend enough time hanging around in the weeds of 1953-1957, not just skipping alongside Elvis, but hanging out with ALL of them, then you definitely get a sense of how much was going on – before Elvis, and “after” Elvis – but it’s just hard to SEE because the light is so blinding. Kind of like other playwrights doing good work in late 1500s England. Like, who cares, right? History doesn’t care. Or how you have to bodily move James Joyce out of the way in order to see what other Irish writers were doing in the 1920s. It just is what it is. You can bemoan how unfair it is but you’re participating in the least interesting part of the conversation. <\/p>\n

\n\"\"<\/p>\n

\nGene Vincent was a HUGE figure in the first wave of rockabilly, and he was extremely important in influencing the next wave – the boys coming up right behind, particularly the British invasion boys, who were stunned by him. Everyone was stunned by Elvis, but Elvis was a little bit otherworldly. His rise was so unprecedented you couldn’t even really ASPIRE to it. But Vincent’s level seemed much more achievable. <\/p>\n

More after the jump!<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\n 
\n <\/p>\n

Vincent was, in a way, emblematic of the Elvis Effect. Elvis was inspired by old blues players he could name, specific gospel quartets, etc. Whereas people like Vincent were inspired by Elvis alone. A connecting thread to the source was lost really quickly. And this continues on down the line. The Beatles were hugely influenced by Vincent. When they sang “Hey Good Lookin'”, they probably weren’t covering Hank Williams, they heard Gene Vincent do it. <\/p>\n

\n