In a new interview, ’80s music icon Boy George shared his unexpected reaction to Elvis Presley’s passing. The event occurred in August 1977 when George was just a teenager.
The sudden loss of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll completely stunned the future “Karma Chameleon” hitmaker. It forced him to look at music and the legendary artist’s influence through a more adult lens, rather than the rebellious, punk persona he embodied at the time.
Boy George Said Elvis Presley’s Death Affected Him Differently Than His Peers
GettyIn an interview with PEOPLE, Boy George shared details of the moment he learned that Elvis Presley had passed.
“I remember being in the Roxy Club in London the night Elvis died, and people cheered, and I was really offended. I went outside, and I felt sad,” George explained.
He continued, “I was like, ‘Really? You take your clothes that seriously? You can’t be serious.'”
“As a punk, there was a lot to rebel against and a lot to feel about. I was interested because I was like a glam rock kid who got into punk but also loved Motown and soul. So I would never give up things I loved,” George concluded,
These musical influences would serve him well as the lead singer and songwriter for the hit ’80s band Culture Club. George was particularly captivated by soulful, emotionally charged vocals, a passion that ultimately defined his own distinctive singing style and set his group apart from their ’80s peers.
The entertainer added, “I love rock and roll. I love iconic things like Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and some [stars] you wouldn’t know, like Poly Styrene, Ari Up from the Slits, Siouxsie Sioux. But a lot of my heroes when I was a kid with girls, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, tough girls who would take a cigarette and put it out on a plate of prawns, no problem.”
Elvis Presley Continues to Influence Generations of Artists
It is almost impossible to think of a modern pop star who doesn’t owe a little something to Elvis Presley. He blended blues, country, and gospel together and created a blueprint for what a modern superstar looked like. Presley proved that a singer could completely change their style. They could star in movies and become a household name all over the world.
That influence never really went away. John Lennon famously said that the Beatles wouldn’t even exist without him.
You can see a bit of Elvis in modern stars like Boy George, Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, and Bruno Mars. No matter what genre, most of today’s music stars are all playing by the rulebook Presley wrote decades ago.
It’s easy to see why someone like a young Boy George would be so captivated by the King of Rock and Roll. He wasn’t just a singer. Presley was the ultimate rebel. He proved that music could break all the rules, blur genres, and totally change pop culture, just like George and his Culture Club bandmates did throughout the 1980s.
