early February 2007
- The bachelor boy is back
(New Straits Times, February 8, 2007)
At one time, he was considered Britain's answer to Elvis Presley. But unlike the King, Sir Cliff Richard is still rocking and a-rolling. ...
- Sex/music rocks and rolls music on the menu
By Alan K. Stout
(Times Leader, February 7, 2007)
It's time for the annual Weekender ³Sex Issue,² and as my own little contribution, I thought I'd have some fun with it and combine my music column with that one hot topic that we all know and love. And frankly, it's not too difficult. Ever since Elvis Presley's hip-shaking caused a big stir on television more than 50 years ago, sex and rock n' roll have been joined Š well, at the hip. Music, some say, can even serve as an aphrodisiac, and there have been thousands upon thousands of songs throughout pop history inspired by sex.
...
- Karate Demonstration
By Daleen Berry
(Cumberland Times-News, February 7, 2007)
A world champion karate expert whose kicks have been clocked at more than 60 mph and who once taught Elvis Presley was in Frostburg recently to teach more than 70 students about kicking, punching and building self-confidence. Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, so named because of the speed of his left leg, believes the benefits of martial arts go beyond building athleticism. ...
- YELLOWCAKE AND YELLOW JOURNALISM
By Ann Coulter
(Yahoo! News, February 7, 2007)
To see how liberal history is created, you need to tune into the nut-cable stations and watch their coverage of the Scooter Libby trial. On MSNBC they're covering the trial like it's the Normandy Invasion, starring Elvis Presley, as told by Joseph Goebbels.
MSNBC's "reportage" consists of endless repetition of arbitrary assertions, half-truths and thoroughly debunked canards. No one else cares about the trial -- except presumably Scooter Libby -- so the passionate left is allowed to invent a liberal fable without correction. Night after night, it is blithely asserted on "Hardball" that Wilson's trip to Niger debunked the claim that Saddam Hussein had been seeking enriched uranium from Niger. ...
- Jazz Cruises, LLC Announces The Elvis(R) Tribute Cruise Hosted by Jerry Schilling Labor Day Weekend, August 30 - September 3, 2007
(Yahoo! Finance / MARKET WIRE, February 7, 2007)
Elvis Cruise Endorsed by Elvis Presley Enterprises Officially Joins 30th Anniversary Year of Commemorations. Passengers Can Compete in Special Passenger "Tribute To Elvis" Contest for $10,000 First Prize
1-800-704-3034 * http://www.elvistributecruise.com
Be a part of rock 'n' roll history when Jazz Cruises, LLC, the world's only producer and operator of full charter, luxury music cruises, presents, in association with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE), The Elvis Tribute Cruise, departing from Jacksonville, Florida with ports of call in Freeport and Nassau. Spend Labor Day Weekend, August 30 - September 3, 2007, celebrating the career of the King of "Rock 'n' Roll" aboard the Carnival Celebration to enjoy a musical extravaganza to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his passing. Join host Jerry Schilling, Elvis' lifelong friend and entourage member, for the cruise experience of a lifetime. Enjoy performances by the finest Elvis tribute artists in the world, including the top contestants from the upcoming Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest(TM), the first official tribute contest ever presented by EPE. Perform in our special passengers' Elvis Tribute Contest and compete for the $10,000 "best in show" first prize. The cruise will also feature Elvis music, Elvis movies, appearances by celebrities who worked with Elvis, and passengers will participate in the grandest Elvis costume party ever held anywhere in the world.
Michael Lazaroff, executive director of Jazz Cruises, LLC, stated: "It is our mission to produce the most exciting and memorable musical events at sea. We are honored to be associated with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. as the producers of the only official 30th anniversary Elvis cruise in the world! Every cruise program that we do is faithful to the genre and first rate. This cruise will be no different. And, we are thrilled to have Jerry Schilling as part of our great team."
"We're excited about this project because it brings us another way to celebrate the legacy of Elvis," said EPE's chief marketing officer, Paul Jankowski, "and Jerry Schilling adds the insight and personaltouch that make this event unique."
Jerry Schilling says: "This is a project that I have thought about for years. As a personal friend of Elvis, I am constantly asked to participate in events, but I will only do so if I believe that the event will truly honor his memory, be first class and celebrate his greatness. The Elvis Tribute Cruise does all three. It is an honor and a pleasure to host this event so wonderfully being produced by Jazz Cruises, LLC in association with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc."
More About Jazz Cruises, LLC
Jazz Cruises, LLC is the producer and promoter of the only full-ship charters in the world dedicated to music. Jazz Cruises, LLC controls and directs The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise hosted by Wayman Tisdale, Dave Koz & Friends at Sea, North Sea Jazz Cruise hosted by Marcus Miller, The Latin Music Cruise hosted by Arturo Sandoval and the 2007 Elvis Tribute Cruise. Complete information is available at www.jazzcruisesllc.com
More About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) is based in Memphis, with additional offices in Los Angeles. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit www.Elvis.com. EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc., a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ National Market® under the ticker symbol "CKXE." Also visit www.ckx.com.
More About Jerry Schilling
Jerry Schilling has spent forty years in the entertainment industry as an actor, a film editor, producer, and a manager for such acts as the Beach Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis and Billy Joel. His credits as a film and television producer include "Elvis: Great Performances"; the ten-hour series "The History of Rock N' Roll"; and the A&E biographies of Brian Wilson and Sam Phillips. He also appeared in the 2005 CBS special "Elvis by the Presleys." He lives in Los Angeles in a home purchased for him by Presley.
Contact:
Sheryl Feuerstein
310-821-5858
- Singer Frankie Laine dead at 93
By Claudia Luther
(Los Angeles Times, February 6, 2007)
Frankie Laine, the singer with the booming voice who hit it big with such songs as "That Lucky Old Sun," "Mule Train," "Cool Water," "I Believe," "Granada" and "Moonlight Gambler," died today at Mercy Hospital in San Diego. He was 93. ... In all, Laine sold well over 100 million records and was hugely popular not only in the United States but in Britain and Australia.
Even after his popularity crested after the rise of rock 'n' roll, Laine was heard for many years singing the theme to the TV series "Rawhide," which featured a young Clint Eastwood and ran until 1966. Most of those who remember Laine for his biggest hits would hardly know that his body of work included "Baby That Ain't Right," "Rosetta" and many other songs that were more in the style of what Laine considered his roots -- jazz and blues. "Years before Elvis Presley, Laine brought a potent blend of blues, jazz and country to popular music," jazz critic Don Heckman said. "Rarely acknowledged in Laine's work, he sang with the easy, loose phrasing and imaginative articulation of jazz performers." ...
- Singer-actress Barbara McNair dies at 72
By Dan Whitcomb
(Yahoo! News / Reuters, February 5, 2007)
Singer and actress Barbara McNair, who starred opposite Elvis Presley and Sidney Poitier and became one of the first black women to host her own television variety show, has died at 72, her husband said on Monday. ... After making her feature film debut in the 1968 crime drama "If He Hollers Let Him Go," she went on to star along with Mary Tyler Moore and Jane Elliott opposite Presley in his last movie, 1969's "Change of Habit." McNair, Moore and Elliott all played nuns and Presley portrayed a doctor. ...
- American idol: As America's biggest sporting star, Broadway Joe had all the wine, women and song he wanted; but that was not what his heart craved - Joe Namath
(Times, February 4, 2007)
'In the summer of 1970 Joe stopped at the Las Vegas Hilton where the King was making a comeback. "Ladies and gentlemen," Elvis called from the stage in that bubba baritone of his, "I have a good friend here tonight. The greatest football player, the greatest quarterback, my hero, Joe Namath." Soon Elvis's manager Colonel Parker came to request Namath's presence backstage. When they got there Elvis told his pretty young wife, Priscilla, to hit the casino. "This gonna be a man's night of talk," he said. Then Elvis started apologising. "Joe," he said, "I wasn't at my best tonight. I got a cold."'
-- Namath: A Biography by Mark Kriegel
I AM sitting in a hotel room in Jupiter, Florida, talking to a 63-year-old man I have never met before about a sport I rarely watch and do not understand. What am I doing here, you may ask. Why have I endured 11 hours of cattle class to interview a guy my friends have never heard of? For the lessons. For the wisdom. Joe Namath has lived a truly extraordinary life. He once attended the Academy Awards with Raquel Welch on his arm. He played golf with Arnold Palmer, was on Richard Nixon's "enemies list" and spent a month in Rome shooting a spaghetti western.
The title of his autobiography (published in 1969) was I Can't Wait until Tomorrow . . . 'Cause I Get Better Looking Every Day. He appeared in The Brady Bunch, dated Janis Joplin and performed in a Chekhov play on stage. He was the cocksure quarterback who "guaranteed" that the underdog New York Jets would win the Super Bowl in 1969. But that's not even half of it.
"Elvis," I announce. "Elvis Presley,' he smiles. "You met Elvis?" "Oh yes, yes, a couple of times. The second time was in Las Vegas; my dad was with me and we were allowed to go backstage and I introduced Elvis to my father. He took my dad and sat down on the couch and they sat there for about 30 minutes just BSing and that. Boy, I tell you what, that was something. I'm standing there and my dad is talking to Elvis." ...
- The Netherlands, the New Tax Shelter Hot Spot
By LYNNLEY BROWNING
(New York Times, February 4, 2007)
... What two of the other three Rolling Stones apparently learned, including Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts, was that Mr. Richards's near-death experience meant that it was time to think about their heirs. For that, the aging rockers turned to a reclusive Dutch accountant, Johannes Favie, whose company, Promogroup, has helped them minimize their tax bills for more than 30 years. (The fourth Rolling Stone, Ron Wood, handles his finances apart from Promogroup.)
... The Rolling Stones are not the only celebrities sheltering income in the land of tulips, windmills and Rembrandt. The rock powerhouse U2 has transferred lucrative assets to Amsterdam, as have other pop singers and well-known athletes, all of whom have used or continue to take advantage of the Netherlands' tax shelters, according to a Dutch tax lawyer who requested anonymity because of client confidentiality agreements. Entertainment companies and others that benefit handsomely from the Dutch shelters include EMI, the giant record label, and CKX Inc., the entertainment company that owns stakes in "American Idol," the Elvis Presley estate and the soccer pin-up idol David Beckham. ...
- Rock Stars Cars & Guitars Cruises into The Henry Ford June 9
(The Auto Channel, February 3, 2007)
Henry Ford Museum, part of The Henry Ford, in Dearborn, Mich., rolls out the red carpet to welcome a hip new exhibit, Rock Stars' Cars & Guitars, opening to the public on June 9, 2007. Eighteen legendary cars and a variety of guitars that are synonymous with rock & roll music are on display, including the rides once owned or driven by such beloved rock idols as Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Van Halen.
... Some of the hottest rides in the exhibit include:
* The 1965 Rolls Royce Phantom V owned by John Lennon and painted in a psychedelic, floral motif.
* The 1949 Cadillac custom "CadZZilla", personally designed by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, is one of the most recognized hot rod in the rock world.
* The 1971 De Tomaso Pantera formerly owned by Elvis Presley is famous for its bullet hole shot by the King himself.
* The 1932 Ford coupe, "Silver Sapphire" that appeared on the cover of the Beach Boys' album "Little Deuce Coupe."
* The 1932 Ford Hi-Boy Phaeton hot rod that was used by Van Halen and featured in the music video "Hot for Teacher." ...
- Gig of memories
By Chris Gadd
(Commercial Appeal, February 2, 2007)
He once danced with Priscilla Presley, making Elvis furious. He joined the famed Bill Black Combo alongside guys who later played with Jimmy Buffett. He made music with the locally renowned Flash and the Board of Directors, appearing on George Klein's "Dance Party" TV show. Saxophone-player Rob Gladney enlisted with his first band at age 15. And now, at 60, he has many memories. He doesn't take those musical recollections for granted, nor does the rest of the AIMS Gang. The Gang will play for "Dance for the Memories" Saturday night at Woodland Hills to help raise money for Page Robbins Adult Day Care Center in Collierville. The center cares for people with various forms of dementia. ...
- DVD Review: Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Shows
By Bob Ellis
(blogcritics.org, February 2, 2007)
The rumblings began early in 1956... subtle shifts in the plates of popular culture, almost imperceptible at the surface, but stentorian in nature, waiting impatiently to change the texture of the landscape. Meanwhile, the American citizenry went about its collective business, somnambulized by a false sense of duck and tuck security. The GIs had returned from Korea, tricking out Chevys and Fords, discovering the freedom of Harleys and Indians, and conspicuously consuming every appliance General Electric had to offer.
The rumblings just beneath the complacent surface turned into a burp on 27 January 1956, when Elvis Presley released his major label debut single, "Heartbreak Hotel." He was already something of a a cause celebre in the South, having released a handful of cuts on what would now be called "indie" label Sun. But this was major — Elvis was nationwide. The next day, he appeared on the low-rated Dorsey Brothers' Stage Show. It was a less than auspicious debut. It's said they couldn't give tickets away in Times Square. Word spread quickly, though, and within weeks, Elvis was a Hot Property. Milton Berle booked him for two appearances 3 April, and Steve Allen quickly followed suit, having Elvis live 1 July, going mano y mano against the colossal Ed Sullivan Show.
The rumblings and burps had grown to tremors. They would not be quelled.
Ed Sullivan was the undisputed ruler of network TV in 1956. His resume as an entertainment reporter dated back to the '30s. He was an iconoclastic Irishman who'd tried his hand at boxing, and brought his pugilistic style to his reportage. A man of strong convictions, an early supporter of civil rights, he was nonetheless perplexed by the idea of the hip-shaking, vaguely adrodgynous Elvis. He had said he'd not have him on his show. That was before Steve Allen pummelled him in the ratings by featuring Elvis.
Sullivan's people put an unheard of 50 grand on the table, and Elvis did not one, but three performances on the vaunted Ed Sullivan Show. The rumblings, the burps, the tremors could not be contained any longer. Something had to blow.
On a Sunday night 7 PM EST, 9 September 1956, the world changed forever. Elvis exploded onto the national consciousness with a nod and a wink, and we would never be the same.
Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Shows chronicles the event the way it really happened, kinescope cameras rolling, presenting it uncut, and providing us a glimpse of the American zeitgeist a half-century ago. Elvis was a novelty at that point, considered a flash in the pan who'd be a passing memory within a year. Charles Laughton emceed that night in September, and he treated the entire affair with the British aplomb one would expect from Captain Bligh on a good day.
... His movie debut was still two months away, and the single "Love Me Tender" hadn't been released yet. Elvis debuted it that night, after priming the audience with his major hit of the time, "Don't Be Cruel." It was understated at best. But when he closed the program with his band now visible in the performance, hips shaking as he belted out Little Richard's "Ready Teddy" and sliding right into "Hound Dog", it was obvious that America had been slapped into a new phase of popular culture, and that anything that followed would have to be marked as a "post-Elvis world."
The mythology machine had been revved up, and Elvis was the fuel that powered it. But Colonel Parker and Ed Sullivan were piloting that machine, and all the surrounding PR and media frenzy were rocketing Elvis to a celebrity Olympus that eclipsed even Sinatra. On 28 October 1956, Elvis returned to The Ed Sullivan Show, live and in New York, face to face with the undisputed ratings king of prime time TV himself, the recuperated Ed Sullivan. After an opening act by the Little Gaelic Singers, and the obligatory Big M '57 Mercury commercial, Elvis came out swinging, relaxed, like a champ, with his band in full view, backing him as he launched into a much more vital version of "Don't Be Cruel," deftly changing the tempo to a vibrant rendition of "Love Me Tender."
If there had been any doubt before, Elvis lay claim to the hitherto unclaimed crown of rock and roll to the unbelievers of mainstream America. He had usurped the consciousness, enough so that he was burned in effigy in some towns that clung to the past. It didn't matter. The post-Elvis world had arrived.
By his third appearance, 6 January 1957, Elvis was introduced sans introductory Mercury commercials or novelty dog acts. He had the collar popped, and the formless sports coat was replaced by a glitter vest, foreshadowing what he would become in his Vegas years. He opened with a medley of his greatest hits, once again foreshadowing what would be Elvis in his later years. He zipped through snippets of "Hound Dog", Heartbreak Hotel" and "Don't Be Cruel" in a matter of moments, with the camera all focusing on his face.
This was the infamous appearance wherein American censors decreed that anything below the waist might hurl civilization into an age of darkness. The strangeness of it all nonetheless worked. It was an oddly surreal night in which Carol Burnett made her national debut, and Sullivan offered boxing legend Sugar Ray Robinson defensive tips. There were clown acts, ventriloquists, and dancers, not to mention Mercury commercials that played up the '57 Merc Montclair as a utopian vehicle without peer.
It was a momentous program in more ways than one. The Sullivan shows were, at heart, the last of the vaudeville revues. But they also ushered in the new medium of television and were the foundation for the direction variety shows would take. Elvis Presley was arguably the first superstar of video and rock and roll. He closed that evening's show with the gospel standard "Peace in the Valley." Suddenly, rock and roll didn't seem all that dangerous, after all. America had its first idol.
Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Shows preserves all three performances exactly as they were presented fifty years ago, commercials and all. It's the first time that viewers have been able to see Elvis in such an accurate context, but more importantly, it affords us a glimpse of a culture that was radically different from the world in which we now live.
These three discs are essential viewing for anybody with a passing interest in the evolution of pop culture. Besides their purely historical significance, they're vastly entertaining. Special features include Elvis Presley's first film appearance ( a silent 8mm fillm snippet of him performing outside Houston), promos for the shows, reminisces of the times told through interviews with his friends and associates, and an Elvis-only performance option. I don't recommend utilizing that option. To get the full impact of the performances, it's best to see the entire program. I do, however, advise the option of 5.1 Surround Sound. Mono is okay, but digital stereo makes it all the more vivid.
- Molly Ivins, Columnist, Dies at 62
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
(New York Times, February 1, 2007)
Molly Ivins, the liberal newspaper columnist who delighted in skewering politicians and interpreting, and mocking, her Texas culture, died yesterday in Austin. She was 62. ... "There are two kinds of humor," she told People magazine. One was the kind "that makes us chuckle about our foibles and our shared humanity," she said. "The other kind holds people up to public contempt and ridicule. That's what I do." ... While she drew important writing assignments, like covering the Son of Sam killings and Elvis Presley's death, she sensed she did not fit in and complained that Times editors drained the life from her prose. "Naturally, I was miserable, at five times my previous salary," she later wrote. "The New York Times is a great newspaper: it is also No Fun." ...
- Hey, Yao - how about King Creole? Center tapes commercial for Vegas showcase; team relishes easy wins
By FRAN BLINEBURY
(Houston Chronicle, February 1, 2007)
A few days ago, you could stand in a hallway at Toyota Center and hear famous lyrics coming from a familiar deep voice. "Vi-vaaaa Las Vegas!" sang Yao Ming as he taped a promotional spot for the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend.
Does Yao know much about Elvis Presley? "I have never seen any of his movies," Yao said. "But I guess he was very, very big and everyone loved his music." When asked if there was a Chinese equivalent to Elvis as a national icon and personality, Yao drew a blank until someone pointed at him. "Me?" he said, laughing and shaking his head. "No, please. I'm big enough." ...
- Pop pantheon pitches in for new U2 video
By J. FREEDOM DU LAC, The Washington Post
(delawareonline.com, February 1, 2007)
In the breathtaking video for U2's new song, "Window in the Skies," Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye and a shirtless Iggy Pop take turns singing the lyrics on Bono's behalf. Instead of The Edge on guitar, you see Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Elvis Costello and a very young Keith Richards. And hey, there's Vladimir Horowitz playing the piano! And that guy from Wilco on bass! And the manic Keith Moon on drums! All thanks to the magic of editing and copyright clearances.
The "Window in the Skies" video is a stirring montage that features roughly 100 archival clips of various musicians performing in concert. The footage has been cleverly edited so that the performances are in sync with U2's lyrics and music -- right down to Frank Sinatra conducting the soaring song to its conclusion. ...
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