Watching “alternative” bands like The Cure, R.E.M., and U2 punch through to mainstream success, I had high hopes that Robyn Hitchcock would break through with Queen Elvis.
Released in March 1989, Hitchcock was opening for R.E.M. on the Green tour. Queen Elvis, by Robyn Hitchcock ‘n the Egyptians, was on a major label and they were putting money into videos for MTV. It seemed to me that the rest of the world would surely notice what they’d been missing so far.
By rights, Queen Elvis should have garnered more attention than it did. Musically, it’s phenomenal, and it’s one of Hitchcock’s most accessible (read: there are no songs about “furry green atom bowls,” or men with lightbulb heads) albums.
Continue reading ““Queen Elvis” by Robyn Hitchcock ‘n’ The Egyptians (No. 21)”