Early September 2004
- Tarantino leads the charge for B-getting more recognition
By Stephen Schaefer
(Boston Herald, September 7, 2004)
Anyone who thought the Venice Film Festival existed on some kind of artistic plateau doesn't know Quentin Tarantino. Echoing the old Elvis Presley ``Hound Dog'' refrain, ``They said you was high class, but that was just a lie,'' Venice has mounted a semicontroversial retrospective, ``The Secret Life of Italian B Movies,'' celebrating what was once dismissed as cheesy trash. ...
- Beach cleanup set for Sept. 18
By Michael Baker
(The Facts, September 7, 2004)
Beach cleanups have uncovered unusual treasure over the years: toilet seats, a statue of Elvis Presley, a rubber chicken, and for one Sargent boy, a pen-pal from the Cayman Islands. ...
- Frank's lines up tributes, teases of icons
By Warren Gerds
(Green Bay Press-Gazette, September 5, 2004)
Look out, Glen Campbell. Frank's Dinner Theatre's next show, starting Thursday, will play with famous folks, and you're on the lineup, so to speak. ... The premise is everybody is at the fictional "The Icons Awards Show." ... Some of the icons in the show are Elvis Presley, Madonna, Lucille Ball, Ronald Reagan, Elton John, Garth Brooks, The Brady Bunch and Marilyn Monroe.
- You're never too old to learn
By Lyn Mills
(Canberra Sunday Times, September 5, 2004, p. 22)
The most important thing learnt at the launch of Adult Learners' Week at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre last Wednesday is that David Kilby can never be Elvis. Despite the perfect attitude, make-up, hair style and slinky costume there's just a little something missing - he's obviously a bit thinner and the "thank you very much" sounded spot on, so it must be the singing! ... Tony Evans had created the Elvis Kilby and his theatre make-up course is a chance to learn the secrets of the craft. ...
- Consider This: Hero worship nothing new
By Michael Clements
(Texas City Sun, September 5, 2004)
I understand that some people engage in hero worship, but this is just a tad extreme. I saw in the news that people are bidding in online auctions for what is purported to be Britney Spears used chewing gum. I'm tempted to ask what's next, but I'm also afraid to think about what might be next.
According to the story I read, several people have posted wads of used gum on the popular auction site eBay. They claim that the gum was spit out by Spears at various concerts and public events. While most of the bids are less than $100, at least one auction recorded a bid of up to $14,000. One of the sellers tells prospective bidders they can "take a DNA test" to prove that his gum is genuine. If you are in a position to get a sample of Ms. Spears' DNA for comparison to the seller's gum, do you really want to buy that gum? I mean, if you're already that close to her she would surely give you some used gum for free, wouldn't she?
This isn't the first time people have gone wild over some celebrity's refuse. You can find people who claim to have chewed food, used tissues, cigarettes and all manner of trash from the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Evel Knievel, and just about any other cultural icon you can imagine.
A psychologist quoted in the story said the reason people react this way is that they want to be close. The psychologist said it is like trying to grab the celebrity's "halo." ...
It seems to me that there is something wrong with someone who is willing to pay for someone else's body waste. ...
- Elvis's Bible: From the bedroom at Graceland, to the office at Graceland, to Patsy Presley's home, to a private collector and now up for grabs on ebay
By Gordon Dixon
(PR Web, September 5, 2004)
The Tupelo, Mississippi gentleman that owns this Bible has decided to go in other directions with his collecting so it's up for grabs although he will still have several other Elvis items left, signatures and so forth, but nothing else of such a personal nature. We have heard several different versions of how the bible came into the "King's" possession. The most interesting two and that ones we like best are:
1. It was a presentation Bible from an admirer.
2. It was a gift from a family member.
This is such a unique item, if you stop to realize that this may not have been just something that he had in his wardrobe or that maybe he wore once or twice, maybe never even had on, but it was something picked up, read, perhaps pondered on and prayed about in his search for GOD. Many folks don't know that Mr. Presley was a "GOD CHASER". That is to say, he chased after GOD'S own heart all of his life. Also most of his adult life was also a practicing martial artist. Many years ago I had the opportunity to train with and under the direction of some folks that were in the same martial arts school, training or hanging around at the same time as he was. They all told me what a super nice guy he was and that he expected no favors his training. Just wanted to work as hard as anyone else for what he received. Did you know that he was one of the very first to use martial arts in a movie? ...
- 409,000 CDs: some hits, some misses, but no Elvis
By Paul Bourgeois
(STAR-TELEGRAM, September 5, 2004)
Thousands of music CDs -- some good, some not so good -- are headed this way. As part of a antitrust lawsuit settlement with recording companies, Texas and other states are receiving 5.7 million CDs valued at $75.7 million. Overall, they offer something for everyone. For the older crowd there are the likes of Sinatra, Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick, Coltrane, Chuck Berry, Barry White, Celine Dion and Art Blakey, and hundreds of others. Tens of thousands are classical offerings. All are there, from Bach to Vivaldi. Likewise there are tens of thousands of up-to-date pop, rap and hip-hop CDs. Strangely, there's no Elvis. The closest we get is Wow Flash by Elvis Crespo. ...
- Cities celebrate hearts, orcas
By Mike Cleary
(Monterey Herald, September 5, 2004)
Chicago had a rollicking good time with "Cows on Parade." Toronto played host to "Moose in the City" and Saskatoon had fun with "Pigs in the City." All three were highly successful community art projects that, besides accomplishing all their local goals, served as role models for other cities including San Francisco, Vancouver and Victoria. Now "Hearts in San Francisco" and "Orcas in the City" are almost at the end of their five-month runs. These public art installations close at the end of September. It's late notice, I know, but if you have the opportunity to be in any of these visitor-friendly cities before then, you're in for a treat. ... The artists in Canada, I think, took a less serious approach in decorating the whales. I'd love to check out that online auction, but I don't know if Mary Ann would go for an 8-foot killer whale dressed like Elvis Presley taking up space in the living room.
- Perfect vehicle for Jim's Elvis act
By John McGurk
(Belfast Telegraph, September 5, 2004)
LONG Live 'The King' of Ulster Elvis impersonators, Jim Brown, who's all revved up with some place to go in 2004. For the north Belfast man, who has stepped into those Blue Suede Shoes with the long established Elvis Spectacular Show, has revealed another starring role, as the voice behind an award-winning car advertisement! Jim sang the country classic, King Of The Road, in a worldwide cinema and TV Audi campaign, featuring a swivel-hipped Elvis car window doll! And Jim, who hooked up with Elvis Spectacular Show mastermind, Mervyn Boyd earlier this month, is hoping for a merry pre-Christmas present! He explained: "I had recorded King Of The Road for my second album, and Audi decided to use it as the theme tune to this ad campaign. "But, funnily enough, I have never seen it. I'm due royalties from it. I think that there is a cheque due in December, which will make a very nice Christmas present."
Now, the ex-Belfast postman is crooning Return To Sender, Suspicious Minds and other Presley favourites in his leading role with Ulster's best-known Elvis tribute show. For the past seven years Jim made his name performing bizarre Elvis-style versions of rock songs by Nirvana, John Lennon, T-Rex and others dead artists, which featured on his cult album, Gravelands. In spite of major solo success in Europe as 'The King', the doting dad has decided to concentrate on more work back home. He said: "I have been amazingly busy in Germany, Switzerland and Austria for the past seven years, but I need a change. ...
- Elvis Fans Push Rename Helsinki Street
(Travel Channel / AFP, September 3, 2004)
A group of Elvis fans have started a campaign to rename one of the Finnish capital's main streets, Bulevardi, Elvis Boulevard in honor of the late king of rock and roll, a supporter told AFP on Friday. "We have had this idea for a long time, and some of us have called it Elvis Boulevard for years already," said Antti Salo, a 37-year-old sales executive and die-hard Elvis fan. "Next year will be Elvis' 70th birth anniversary. What would be better than to rename the Bulevardi in his honor then?" he asked. Since the street has until now just been called "the boulevard" in Finnish, it should be easy to change its name to "Elvis Boulevard," Salo insisted.
According to Finnish media however, there is little chance that the cobblestone, tree-lined Bulevardi, home to several embassies and posh galleries, would see a name change any time soon. But that has not deterred Salo and his fellow campaigners. "Many, many people have signed our petition already, because Elvis was so important and changed so much in the world, and soon we will hand the list over to the City Hall," he said, refusing to say how many people had put their name to the request. Only few people in the past have been honored by having a Helsinki street named after them, and if Elvis, who was born on Jan. 8, 1935, received such a tribute, he would be in good company.
The Finnish capital's two other main streets are named after Czar Alexander II, who granted Finns wide autonomy when they were under Russian rule, and C.G.E. Mannerheim, commander of the Finnish forces during World War II.
- A fond farewell to Oldsmobile
JERRY GARRETT
(Seattle Post-Intelligencer / New York Times, September 3, 2004)
In 1951, [the Oldsmobile] was strong enough to inspire Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm to immortalize Olds' amazing new V-8 engine. They arguably created rock 'n' roll in the process. "Rocket 88" was the first hit for Sam Phillips, and the producer used money from its sales to start Sun Records, which would go on to discover Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Johnny Cash and others. " 'Rocket 88' was where it all started," Phillips would say years later. "It was the first true rock 'n' roll record -- the first hit record, anyway." This was not the first time an Oldsmobile inspired a song. Vincent Bryan wrote the lyrics of "In My Merry Oldsmobile" in 1905 to pay tribute to the toast of the fledgling American auto industry, the Curved Dash runabout from the Olds Motor Works. ...
- Rockers, bikers and rebellion
By Frank Devlin
(Bradenton Herald, September 3, 2004)
In the classic film "The Wild One" a biker gang terrorizes a small town. Their leader, Johnny, is played by a young and mean Marlon Brando. In the movie's most famous scene, Johnny and his gang are guzzling beers at the bar when a woman approaches him. "Hey, Johnny, what are you rebelling against?" "What've you got?" Brando snarls. Rebellion had never looked so cool on film before "The Wild One" hit theatres in 1953. Brando's Johnny rode his Triumph motorcycle across the country with reckless abandonment. His anti-authoritarian sneer was completely at odds with the "Leave it to Beaver" sensibilities of the Eisenhower era. Restless youths had a new hero - and more were on the way.
The same year the "Wild One" was released a young truck driver named Elvis Presley entered Sun Studios in Memphis, Tenn. Label owner Sam Phillips teamed Presley with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. Presley dug into an old blues tune. Black's slapping bass propelled it while Moore injected the song with sharp, twangy guitar hooks. The result was "That's All Right Mama" and the birth of rock 'n' roll.
For the next four years Sun Studios' "Million Dollar Quartet" ruled the music world. Carl Perkins climbed the charts with "Blue Suede Shoes," Jerry Lee Lewis killed 'em with "Great Balls of Fire" and Johnny Cash sang "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" on "Folsom Prison Blues."
Without "The Wild One" and the hillbilly geniuses of Sun Studios we might never have enjoyed a hippie movement, classic rock or "Easy Rider." The "Wild One" and that explosive fusion of country and blues that poured out of Sun Studios spelled FREEDOM. It still does today. ...
- Battle of the Bands: Performers promote the party line
By Frank Devlin
(Morning Call, September 3, 2004)
In the movie ''School of Rock,'' guitarist/teacher Dewey Finn laments that rock 'n' roll has lost its way because it's no longer about ''sticking it to the man.'' It might not be about sticking it to the man anymore, if it ever really was. But it certainly seems as if, at least this election season, it's about sticking it to a man. And that man is President George W. Bush. ... In an election where the personality clashes between incumbent and the challenger are clear - Bush is personable, Kerry is stiff; Bush's speeches are sabotaged by malapropisms, Kerry's by long-windedness - here's another one: Bush is a little bit country, Kerry is a little bit rock 'n' roll.
And that should be no surprise, one rock historian says. After all, rock 'n' roll, which arguably turned 50 this summer with the anniversary of Elvis Presley's recording of ''That's All Right,'' was once an anti-establishment soundtrack. ''In the early days of rock 'n' roll, in the '50s, many rock 'n' rollers were apolitical,'' says Glenn Altschuler, an American Studies professor at Cornell University and author of ''All Shook Up: How Rock 'N' Roll Changed America. But as rock emerged in the 1950s and especially the 1960s, it was associated with a cultural rebelliousness,'' he says. ...
- Johnny Bragg, 79, a Prisonaires Singer, Dies
By PHIL SWEETLAND
(New York Times, September 3, 2004)
Johnny Bragg, the leader of the Prisonaires, a singing group of Tennessee State Penitentiary inmates whose R & B music helped start Sam Phillips's Sun Records and influenced Elvis Presley, died here on Wednesday. He was 79. ...
- Classics Rock:
Which Greek god is your favorite musician?
BY JOHN NOVA LOMAX
(odt.co.nz, September 2, 2004)
... Zeus
Description: Lord of the gods, king of kings, master of the universe. Had his pick of the women, and liked to hurl lightning bolts from above at the foolish mortals below.
Pop manifestations: All big boss men: Muddy Waters, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Ray Charles, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson -- you get the picture.
- Georgia Music Hall to Honor Charles
(Yahoo! News / Associated Press, September 1, 2004)
The late Ray Charles and Bill Lowery will be honored by the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Sept. 18 during a ceremony when the hall also will induct four new members. ... A group that includes radio pioneer Hugh Jarrett, keyboardist Chuck Leavell, composer Mary Lou Williams and opera singer Mattiwilda Dobbs will receive the GEORGY Award for their contributions to Georgia's music heritage. Jarrett started in the music industry in the 1950s with a group known as the Jordanaires, the back group for Elvis Presley. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999. ...
- One for the money . . . Lotto promise kept: The "King" is back in Milton . . . John Cavanagh has just returned from a trip to the home of Elvis Presley in Memphis, courtesy of an old friend and an old promise.
By Glenn Conway
(odt.co.nz, September 1, 2004)
Milton: One day they may well write a song about it. How Lady Luck, a long-standing promise and the King of rock 'n roll combined to give a Milton man the musical trip of a lifetime. John Cavanagh (56) returned recently from a 10-day trip to Memphis, Tennessee, where he visited Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. This was not an adventure he scrimped and saved for but the fairy-tale end of a story that began nearly 20 years ago. Mr Cavanagh loves his music. He has met jazz great Louis Armstrong and former Beatle John Lennon and enjoys a blues gig as much as a barnstorming rock 'n roll jam. He is more of an Elvis fan than a fanatic, but has long enjoyed Presley's music and had hoped to visit his famous home.
The story began 15 years ago when Mr Cavanagh was working at Fletcher Fisheries in Dunedin, now Sealords. A young woman was put under his control. As he recalled yesterday, she was "a bit of a handful, but harmless". Mr Cavanagh persevered with her, occasionally offering advice about work and her future. One day, she thanked him and promised to buy him a trip to Graceland if she ever won Lotto. He appreciated the offer but thought nothing more of it. After all, how many people ever win the big one?
A few months ago, he heard a whisper this woman had, indeed, won the Lotto jackpot. He was thrilled for her but nothing could have prepared him for one afternoon a few months ago when she tracked him down at the Bruce Country Club. "She said, `Remember my promise. Well, you're on your way to Graceland.' I just remember losing it and bursting into tears." Mr Cavanagh had been through some rough personal times and the gift and the gesture were overwhelming. He would not reveal the woman's identity but said this story should be more about her generosity and a promise long kept. "She's the star of this show, not me. She'll kill me when she reads this, but she deserves all the praise."
- Presley born in May '45
(Northwest Herald, September 1, 2004)
Q. What is Priscilla Presley's maiden name? When and where was she born? - L.J., El Paso, Texas
A: Priscilla Wagner was born May 24, 1945, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Shortly after her birth, her father, James Wagner, was killed in a plane crash. Her mother, Ann, later married Paul Beaulieu, who was an officer in the U.S. Air Force. While her family was stationed in West Germany, and at the tender age of 14, Priscilla met Elvis. Eight years later, on May 1, 1967, the two were married; they divorced on Oct. 9, 1973. ...
- PRESLEY DEATH TOPS SHOCK ROCK DEMISES
By PETER HOLMES
(contactmusic.com, September 1, 2004)
Rock legend ELVIS PRESLEY's demise from a heart failure has been named the most shocking moment in music history. The King was found slumped on the toilet in his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee on 16 August 1977. Over 2500 listeners took part in the poll by British radio station VIRGIN to vote for the most shocking moment in rock 'n' roll. The suicide of NIRVANA frontman KURT COBAIN in April 1994 and the disappearance of MANIC STREET PREACHERS singer RICHEY EDWARDS in early 1995 also featured. Another figure in the survey was American rocker JERRY LEE LEWIS, who caused a media storm when he married his 13-year-old cousin MYRA.
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