During the early 1970s, Elvis Presley was rehearsing at RCA Studios in Hollywood while The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson was working next door. The pair had never met before, but when they did it proved pretty awkward and hilarious at the same time. Speaking at Elvis’ 85th birthday celebration at Graceland, TCB bandleader James Burton revealed how he introduced the pair.
Burton said: “I walked into the big studio and Brian Wilson was in there mixing a record that I played on. And he said, ‘Whatcha doing here man?’ [I said,] ‘I’m in the next room with Elvis rehearsing.’ He said, ‘Oh! Please, please take me to meet Elvis.’ I took him in and he walked up to Elvis and was just looking at him. And Elvis stuck his hand out to shake hands and he couldn’t move.”
Memphis Mafia member Jerry Schilling reminisced about the scene another time saying: “Elvis always prided himself on our security. There was security at the studio as well. This big, overweight, bearded guy came into the studio and went right up to Elvis and went, ‘Hi Elvis, I’m Brian’. And Elvis was very upset with us thinking, ‘How did this guy get in here and who is he?’ So Brian said, ‘I’m recording next door. Would you come over and listen?’ And Elvis looked at us; it’s almost in spite of us since this guy had gotten through. He said, ‘Yeah, I’ll go over’.”
While Wilson himself told the rest of the story on Jimmy Fallon once, adding how he made Elvis walk out of the studio. The Beach Boy said: “I said Elvis, could you come across the way and listen to what we’re doing, and he goes ‘sure’. “Then I went like this! [mimics karate chop from him on Elvis’ arm and then from Elvis on his] ‘Karate chop!’. I knew he knew karate and he karate chopped my arm so hard and goes ‘I’m leaving! I’m leaving!’ And that was it.”