China All Shook Up Over Elvis’ Debut : Music: His 1958 album ‘Golden Hits’ was the first to be released. ‘The King’ has won a cult following.

China may be the last place on Earth where no one claims to have seen Elvis since his death.

Until last month, it was also one of the few places where the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s records had not been released.

That changed Jan. 22 when Elvis Presley’s records appeared in shops in Beijing and Shanghai for the first time.

The Western promoters of the record release said their aim in bringing Elvis to China was to have an impact on the future face of music in the world’s most populous country.

Elvis is not entirely unknown in Beijing. The U.S. singer, known to his Chinese fans as “King of the Cats,” has won a cult following despite decades of ideological bans, record burnings and anti-Western purges.

“Everybody knows ‘Love Me Tender,’ ” one aficionado said. “Elvis is amazing.”

Elvis’ 1958 classic, “Golden Hits,” was the first of his albums released in China. It includes “Jailhouse Rock,” “All Shook Up” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”

In the 1950s and ‘60s, when Elvis was at his peak, China was in the throes of anti-Western campaigns. During the xenophobic 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, Elvis fans who managed to obtain his records often saw them set ablaze by Red Guards.

“China is one of the only places in the world Elvis hasn’t been released,” said Anders Nelsson, managing director of BMG Pacific Ltd., the Hong Kong company that released Elvis in China.

Since Elvis died in 1977, fans from all over the world have made the pilgrimage to his Memphis mansion, Graceland. Some refuse to believe he is dead.

Hundreds of Elvis “sightings” have been reported around the world, and now that Elvis is big in China, local wits predict that it is only a matter of time before someone claims to have seen him alive and well in Manchuria.

Nelsson persuaded Elvis’ widow, Priscilla, and Elvis’ executors to permit the China release.

“She was very enthusiastic that I was working on getting Elvis into China,” Nelsson said. “I was impressed that she wanted the ‘Legend’ presented in the right light rather than just for bucks.”

Nelsson said he chose “Golden Hits” as the debut because the young, handsome Elvis was at his best then.

Selling Elvis has been easy because he is already widely known, he said.

The first run of 20,000 tapes sold out in six days and a second scheduled run of 30,000 is pre-sold, said Kenny Bloom, president of BMG’s China licensee, KB Communications.

“You’ve got to sell 40,000 to 50,000 to make it worthwhile,” he said. “We’ve already broken even. The rest is gravy.”

Bloom is less forthcoming about total receipts. “Anybody who thinks they can come to China and make a quick buck is in Disneyland,” he said.

The Elvis tape, manufactured in China, sells for 9 yuan ($1.73). Elvis collectors from all over the world have telephoned BMG clamoring for tapes with the Chinese packaging, Nelsson said.

Other BMG artists whose tapes are appearing in China include Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston.

Nelsson said he feels he has a mission to distribute Elvis in China. He grew up in Hong Kong after his parents, Swedish missionaries, were expelled from China in 1949. He always wanted the Chinese to rock to Elvis’ music, he said.

“Releasing Elvis and other foreign artists will have a tremendous musical influence in China,” Bloom said. “There are a lot of kids coming up, many of them classically trained.

“We’re releasing the best of the best here. When you’re only releasing a dozen (foreign) albums a year, you have to be careful what you pick.”