late October, 2006
- Elvis tunes in musical still fresh, writer says
Deborah Martin
(Express-News, October 26, 2006)
When Joe DiPietro started sifting through the Elvis Presley songbook looking for tunes for a jukebox musical, he thought he would find a fair amount of ... well, not-so-great stuff. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised. "With many artists of any generation, there's a lot of crap," he said. "I thought I would find a lot of that stuff with him, but he really knew what he was doing. When you listen to that music (from his era) now, much of it sounds archival and dated. His stuff sounds fresh; 'Jailhouse Rock' could be recorded today."
DiPietro wrote the book for "All Shook Up," the Elvis musical that pops into the Majestic Theatre next week for a six-day stand. The show strings together more than 20 Elvis tunes and tells the story of a small-town gal whose world is turned upside down by the arrival of a handsome rebel. "It's all the Shakespeare comedies sort of combined with every Elvis movie you ever saw," DiPietro said. He got involved with the show through sheer happenstance.
'All Shook Up'
Where: Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St.
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday-Nov. 3, 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 4 and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5.
Tickets: $19.50-$65.50 at all Ticketmaster outlets; information, (210) 224-9600
- Small Screen: Elvis vs. Pope in New York TV vote
(Yahoo! News, October 26, 2006)
It's a battle of some of the greatest U.S. and international stars, with Marilyn Monroe up against Elvis Presley, boxer Muhammad Ali, former President Bill Clinton and even
Pope John Paul II. U.S. television viewers are being asked to vote on the greatest moment at one of the world's most famous arenas, New York's Madison Square Garden, which has played host to a list of sports stars, musicians, politicians and religious leaders in its 127-year history.
Everybody who has been anybody has had a magical moment at Madison Square Garden, according to producers of a new TV series, "The 50 Greatest Moments at Madison Square Garden," that will be broadcast next week. ... Madison Square Garden has been the name of four arenas in New York City, with the first opening in 1879 and the most recent in 1968 with the capacity to hold 20,000 people.
Throughout its history it has been a top venue for major stars and events. These include Marilyn Monroe's 1962 birthday serenade to President John F. Kennedy on his 45th birthday, the 1971 fight in which Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title, Elvis Presley's sell-out 1972 shows, and John Lennon's last live performance in 1974. Pope John Paul II visited Madison Square Garden in 1979 and in 1982 the Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon held a blessing ceremony there for 2,075 couples which was dubbed a "mass wedding" by media at the time. Bill Clinton accepted the presidential nomination at Madison Square Garden in 1992. While hockey fans may select their favorite moment to be Canadian ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky's final game in 1999, or Mark Messier's retirement ceremony from the New York Rangers earlier this year. ...
- Kurt Cobain bumps off Elvis Presley as top-earning dead celebrity
(Moldova.org / Reuters, October 26, 2006)
Elvis Presley, rock 'n' roll legend, ceded his crown to Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain on Forbes.com's list as the top-earning dead celebrity, relates Reuters. Forbes.com bases its dollar amounts on licensing deals for using the deceased celebrities' work or image in advertising or elsewhere. This was Kurt Cobain's first time on the list in its six years of publication. Elvis Presley has ruled the roost since its inception, said Forbes.com staff writer Lacey Rose.
Cobain's coup was due to his widow, actress and singer Courtney Love, who sold a 25-percent stake in the Seattle grunge group's song catalog to New York music publishing company PrimeWave. Other celebrities on the list include Theodore Geisel, better known as children's book author Dr. Seuss; rhythm & blues pioneer Ray Charles, silver screen legend Marilyn Monroe and reggae superstar Bob Marley. ...
- Just as a glimpse inside a bedroom or office provides clues about character, so Finland makes Latin the King
By Jonny Dymond
(BBC News, Helsinki, October 24, 2006)
A Finn has translated Elvis Presley songs and sings them in Latin. Finland is one of the quieter members of the EU. But now its turn at the EU presidency has thrust it into the spotlight - and exposed an unusual passion. Like the boy at the party with cheese straws stuck up his nose, it has been caught doing something vaguely disturbing - indulging a penchant for Latin. It is the only country in the world which broadcasts the news in Latin. On its EU presidency website one can find descriptions of meetings in Latin. But love of the language of Rome goes deep.
'Eternal language'
I am in a hotel somewhere comfortably north of Helsinki. It is off-season, so the place is deserted. There are dark brown mock logs, lining one side of the room. Fake beams on the ceiling, chocolate-box pictures on the walls.
ELVIS IN LATIN
Surrender - Nunc aeternitatis
It's Now Or Never - Nunc hic aut numquam
Can't Help Falling In Love - Non adamare non possum
Wooden Heart - Cor ligneum
Love Me Tender - Tenere me ama
There is also a man in the corner of the room singing Elvis Presley's songs in Latin, like Can't Help Falling In Love - or Non adamare non possum. It sounds a little like Italian but rather more stilted - like Italian sung by a Finnish person.
We are a long way from Memphis. The singer is Dr Jukka Ammondt, an academic whose twin passions, it appears to him, march in lock-step. "The legend of Elvis Presley lives for ever, and it's of course very important to sing Elvis Presley's songs in the Latin language, because Latin is the eternal language," he says.
Mia Lahti, who edits the EU presidency website, is like many Finns an optimist at heart. But why do a website in Latin? "The website is in English and French," she says. But they have their secret language: Conspectus rerum Latinus, or "Latin News in Brief". "I know there are people who are angry because, for example, in their childhood they had to read compulsory Latin. But also I think it might be interesting to read the news in brief in Latin," Ms Lahti believes.
Latin revenge
Lurking within the world of EU Latin, which is only marginally more difficult to comprehend than EU English, is one delightful statistic - more people subscribe to the newsletter in Latin than to the one in French.
Jacques Chirac
President Chirac was less than impressed by Finnish food. The Finns are clearly having their revenge on French President Jacques Chirac, who once dismissed their food as the worst in the EU.
... The news in Latin on national radio gets 75,000 listeners, which may not sound like much, but on a per capita basis is more than some BBC Radio 4 programmes get. This is the final piece in the Finland Latin jigsaw. "In Latin we have more listeners in the world than for Finnish broadcasts," explains Professor Tuomo Pekannen, who does the translations. "Latin is more known abroad than Finnish," he adds.
Perhaps Finland wants to dominate the global news agenda in the same way Elvis once dominated the music scene.
- Gold Rush at Graceland
(Yahoo! Finance / BUSINESS WIRE, October 24, 2006)
Colleen Demark from Collegeville, Penn. - and Wife of Previous Finalist - Takes Home $100,000 as 10th Round Winner of Gold Rush on AOL.com.
Heated Pop-Culture Contest Shot at Memphis' Graceland
Just Three Rounds Remaining - $1.2 Million Still up for Grabs
Colleen Demark of Collegeville, Penn., won $100,000 as the 10th round winner of Gold Rush (www.aol.com/goldrush), the groundbreaking seven-week interactive game from AOL and Mark Burnett, where players can literally turn their pop culture know-how into gold. Demark won the gold at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., and will travel to Los Angeles for the finale round to compete for an additional $1 million. Demark, the wife of round four finalist Tony Demark, is only the second woman to win a round and secure a place in the finale.
... For round one, filmed at the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum, players had to answer pop culture trivia questions, including identifying Tom Cruise as the celebrity who jumped up on Oprah Winfrey's couch and declared his love for Katie Holmes.
... For the final round filming returned to the car museum where Demark and Carlsen had to unscramble letters to reveal the names of three celebrities that were associated with Elvis Presley. Demark was the first to reveal the names of Ann-Margret, Ed Sullivan, and Jerry Lee Lewis. She was then asked how many times Elvis appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. She called her husband Tony - her Gold Buddy - and armed with the answer "3" Demark unlocked the vault, and won the $100,000 round prize. ...
- RESEARCH BY PSYCHOLOGISTS - What do your musical preferences say about you? They might provide accurate predictions about your personality
By LEE BILLINGS
(Charlotte Observer / Psychology Today, October 24, 2006)
Just as a glimpse inside a bedroom or office provides clues about character, so too can a peek at a music collection. The question "What kind of music do you like?" is so revealing, it is the number one topic of conversation among young adults who are getting to know each other, according to psychologists Jason Rentfrow of the University of Cambridge in England and Sam Gosling at the University of Texas at Austin. Knowing whether a person prefers John Coltrane to Mariah Carey, or Puccini to Prince, allows for remarkably accurate personality predictions, their research has found. What do your tunes say about you? Strangers can accurately assess another person's level of creativity, open-mindedness and extroversion after listening to his or her top 10 favorite songs. Rentfrow thinks that personality clues are conveyed in the music's tempo, rhythm and lyrics.
SMART SOUNDS
Fans of jazz, classical and other "complex" music typically have above-average IQ scores.
EASY LISTENERS
Fans of country and Top 40 hits tend to be more conventional, honest and conservative compared with fans of other genres. "People who like country and pop might be more simpleminded, and that's not necessarily bad," says Rentfrow. "They just avoid making things unnecessarily complex."
DRAMA QUEENS
Compared with other music fans, opera aficionados are three times more likely to endorse suicide as a solution to family dishonor, says Steven Stack, a psychologist at Wayne State University in Michigan. Don't blame Madame Butterfly. Stack says dramatic personalities are drawn to opera, not influenced by it.
PARENTAL ADVISORY
Parents often worry that music -- whether it's Elvis Presley or Eminem -- promotes sexual or aggressive behavior in teens. Rentfrow's work has found no direct link. In fact, fans of gangsta rap or heavy metal are often more timid and shy than other kids, he says.
BOOM TOWN
Extroverts gravitate to music with a heavy bass line, according to a Northeast Louisiana University study.
BRAIN INVASION
Whether you can study or work efficiently while listening to music may depend on how outgoing you are. Background music can help extroverts focus, but tends to torment introverts.
- Yukon's Elvis Presley returns election victory to sender
By LEE BILLINGS
(CBC News, October 23, 2006)
The Yukon's Elvis Presley was all ready to shake up the territorial legislature after receiving a notice from the elections office saying he had won his riding of Pelly-Nisutlin in the recent election. Election results, on the other hand, painted a different picture - the colourful crooner finished a distant last in the four-way race.
Presley had received a "return to the writ after poll" form last week from returning officer Phyllis Forbes, confirming the winning candidate in the Oct. 10 vote. Much to his surprise, it proclaimed him to be the "member duly elected for the said electoral district." Presley, who ran as an Independent candidate in the rural riding, called Elections Yukon to let them know he was ready to be sworn in and "get to work."
- Parkes Elvis festival is now and forever
(Yahoo!7 News, October 20, 2006)
The King is dead, long live the King. The memory of Elvis will be celebrated at the 15th Parkes Elvis Festival in January, despite widely reported fears the festivities would be shut down. Elvis Presley Enterprises owner, Robert Sillerman, was reported to have issued a worldwide threat to organisations or unauthorised Elvis impersonators holding events to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the King's death.
Following the reports of the April edict, the Parkes community feared it could lose its Elvis festival, which draws about 5,000 visitors and contributes up to $4 million to the local economy.
But, Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) media and creative development director Todd Morgan sought to allay the community's concerns. "There is no crackdown," Mr Sillerman said. The report, he said, had been an out-of-context quote from a hypothetical question in an interview with Mr Sillerman in The New York Times.
The Parkes festival's marketing and media manager, Monique Cronk, said the reports led organisers to review all licensing issues surrounding the festival.
She said EPE was happy about licensing the Parkes festival. "There are aspects of our festival which are in breach of the commercial rights of the company but we're confident that there is no threat to the festival," she said.
Festival organisers contacted Elvis Presley Enterprises to negotiate a full licensing agreement for the five day festival, which includes an Elvis Gospel Church Service and an Elvis Street Parade. "The licensing is quite complicated, there's a lot more red tape," Ms Cronk said. "The early indications are that we are looking at an amount of about $5,000, but that's money well-spent. "They are dead keen for us to get licensing for the festival - they are all for it."
Mr Morgan said licensing offers great opportunities for the festival. "We cooperate with around a dozen Elvis festivals each year and are continually looking to work with others," he said. "A good festival is good promotion for all things Elvis and the festivals benefit very nicely from an official EPE sanction. "Elvis festivals that seek and receive EPE sanction can enjoy the benefit of online marketing support that we can offer, the special cachet of identifying their festival as 'official', some creative input from us, and access to EPE trademarks used for promotion and merchandising activity that are beyond the limits of a non-sanctioned festival's freedom of expression rights," he said.
The benefits of becoming a licensed festival were enormous, Ms Cronk said. "If licensed, we can use Elvis pictures and have our brochures in Gracelands," she said, by way of example. Ms Cronk was not concerned about the lack of a licence at this stage, saying: "We're sure we'd still go ahead if not licensed. When we contacted them they were delighted to hear we were doing so well. "The festival is growing at an incredible rate - Elvis fans transcend generations. "After all, what's not to like?"
- ABBA jumps aboard "Number Ones" bandwagon
By Jonathan Cohen
(Yahoo! News / Billboard, October20, 2006)
ABBA is joining the Beatles, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley by releasing a collection of "Number Ones," due on CD and DVD November 21. The two Universal Music releases share the same songs except for "Ring, Ring," which appears only on the DVD. ...
- Tyson: 'Enough to box four rounds'
(sportsillustrated.cnn.com / AP, October19, 2006)
Mike Tyson was very clear about the extent of his boxing skills heading into an exhibition match Friday night. The former heavyweight champion was meek and understated while promoting the fight at a news conference Wednesday at the 6,000-seat Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown. "How much you got left, Mike?" someone asked. "Well, enough to box four rounds," Tyson said. That's how long the 40-year-old will be in the ring as he kicks off "Mike Tyson's World Tour," which will include stops in Virginia, California, China, Russia, Croatia and South Africa, promoter Sterling McPherson said. Tyson asked people not to judge him by his exhibition match and reiterated he has no desire to return to boxing professionally. ... "How often do you get to see Elvis Presley or The Beatles? This is what Tyson is," McPherson said. ...
- AUDIO: Nixon aide discusses handling the Dec. 21, 1970, Oval Office meeting between President Nixon and Elvis Presley
By Sylvia Smith
(Journal Gazette, October19, 2006)
Egil "Bud" Krogh has two claims to fame. He was the head of the plumbers unit in the White House that launched the break-in of a psychiatrist's office that launched what would become Watergate. And he was the White House aide who ended up handling the Dec. 21, 1970, Oval Office meeting between President Nixon and Elvis Presley. Kept secret for 13 months, photos of the meeting eventually became public. Speaking at the National Press Club about his proposal for a recommitment to integrity, Krogh told his story of the meeting between the leader of the free world and the King of Rock.
- Elvis Presley's Hit Team Returns With John Krondes To The Pop Scene With New Release After 29 Year Hiatus
Source: Funky Sound of America Rock Œn Roll News Desk
(PRWEB, October19, 2006)
The Dream Comes Alive and The Music Continues...The Spotlights Are Back On, And The Spirit Of Elvis Returns To Center Stage As John Krondes And The Elvis "Hit Making Team" Carry The Torch Forward.
Surprise, we fooled you. Just when it seemed Elvis was really dead...Holy Mackerel, Faster than a speeding bullet, like a Rock 'n Roll Whirlwind from outer space comes John Krondes and The Elvis "Hit Making Team" to the rescue. As the old wives tales say, when people least expect it magic and miracles once in a blue moon come to life.
That's exactly right fans, somewhere out there in the Twilight Zone, in the vast galaxy, with the Blue Moon, UFO's and "Rock 'n Roll Heaven" has come the order to "Save The Music" and "Keep The Dream Alive". Elvis didn't really leave us, you all knew he'd be back, it took 29 years but the metaphysical forces and the Rock 'n Roll Angels took him home again. Elvis and his life were about the music, and the one thing we can explain is that if Elvis was meant to live again, it is surely to save the planet through the message of song.
Well folks, we can't really explain this wonder story any better than Y'all. Its kind of like Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus. Some things like your Dad told you, you'll never understand, just like this supranatural Fairy Tale story of John Krondes and Elvis "Hit Making Team". Over the rainbow, what the little birdie told us is that Elvis is back now, his heart and soul beating in the bass drum of D.J. Fontana, Ronnie Tutt and Gene Chrisman. Yes it's true, the three wise men, all three of Elvis' main drummers are back carrying the beat with singer/songwriter John Krondes and just about all of Elvis Presley's "Original" music entourage. The Magic of Elvis¹ Music Is Back and he lives and breathes again in the souls of John Krondes and the "Hit Making Team". Many radio stations in the U.S. are still in shock as they are all receiving over the next few weeks the first commercial release; a brand new recording with Elvis Presley's "Hit Team" Rockin' with John Krondes, a definite first in nearly 30 years.
The phenomenon began in 2000 with the Jordanaires (Elvis¹ primary Back-Up Group) harmonizing with singer John Krondes on his Dad¹s song "The End", that Elvis sang to his future wife Priscilla on the night they met in Germany. Fatefully, the rest of Elvis¹ music entourage has one by one joined this very powerful "Hit Team" over the last two years. In the Honor and Spirit of Elvis, the "Hit Team" consists of Elvis Presley¹s Memphis Studio Band "The Memphis Boys", the TCB Band, Elvis first Drummer DJ Fontana, the Jordanaires, Imperials, Sweet Inspirations, Millie Kirkham, original former members of the Elvis Stamps Quartet, Elvis¹ Horn Section, along with original composers, arrangers, producers and other players that worked with the King. The unanimous vote of fans around the world has elected Elvis¹ Best Friend, Joe Esposito as Chairman of the "Hit Making Team".
When Dreams Come True, it kind of goes like this... Elvis Presley¹s last recording was on a vocal overdub on "He¹ll Have To Go" recorded in the Jungle Room at Graceland October 31, 1976. Moody Blue, was Elvis¹ last released album just two months before he died on August 16, 1977. Now figure this, nearly 30 years to the day Elvis made his last recording, amazingly his beloved "Hit Team" has just hit the streets with its first new commercial release. "You Only Hear What You Want To Hear" by John Krondes and the "Hit Making Team" will hit pretty much every U.S. radio station by October 31st 2006. It was 37 years ago in 1969 that Elvis last scored a #1 Hit, "Suspicious Minds" in the U.S. Astonishingly, the very same Elvis Band that recorded that song, the American Studios Band ("The Memphis Boys") are back out of left field with D.J. Fontana, the Imperials, Jordanaires, Millie Kirkham and Elvis¹ Horns on a powerful new record with John Krondes.
Live the Dream Fans. Tune in to Donn Webb¹s "Cruisin¹ 66" on KDSK.com this Friday, October 20th 2006 at 2pm Mountain Time. KDSK Radio, based in the Albuquerque, New Mexico market will officially break the new "Hit Team" single on its worldwide broadcast. Celebrating the historical comeback of the Presley "Hit Making Team", KDSK will feature Elvis¹ first Drummer D.J. Fontana, along with Saxophonist Gary Herbig, John Krondes, Elvis Composer¹s Paul Evans & Paul Parnes, and Elvis Fan Club President Henrik Knudsen of Denmark. Listeners can instantaneously Download and own a copy of this History Making Release by going on the Web to the Hip-New Age Music Giant Burnlounge.com. The link to the new song "You Only Hear What You Want To Hear" is www.burnlounge.com/fsa. Burnlounge.com will feature the new single by John Krondes and the "Hit Making Team" and will have it uploaded on its site on Friday. In the next few weeks, "You Only Hear What You Want To Hear" will be available on most major Internet Music Sites including Amazon.com.
Supremely, "You Only Hear What You Want To Hear" is the first commercial release by the congregate Elvis Presley "Hit Team" since the death of Elvis in 1977. For the fans that have endured the horrible songless nightmare for 29 Years, rejoice and praise, for this is the First Spring and New Day. On this New Day in Rock Œn Roll, the legacy of Elvis continues and the magic is back.
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