Elvis

[mickd1961]

Just watching a BBC4 documentary about his comeback years from 68 onwards.

Easy to ridicule him with him dying a fat man on a toilet but when you watch and you listen that bloke could sing.

Easy to see why he’s a star for eternity.

[Yarmbaggie]

Just watching a BBC4 documentary about his comeback years from 68 onwards.

Easy to ridicule him with him dying a fat man on a toilet but when you watch and you listen that bloke could sing.

Easy to see why he’s a star for eternity.

I watched it as well last night. Great programme with some fantastic footage of live shows and as you say great singer and charismatic performer.

I loved the comment about the Vegas shows from 1977 that Elvis himself was the original Elvis tribute act, the first of many, because he looked and sounded a bit like he did before but wasn’t the same as before.

A true icon of the 20th century.

[WBA1955]

He was used by his manager Tom Parker. Parker made him into a living god by putting his concerts in exotic places like Hawaii and Vegas. You would never see Elvis on a rainy night in Manchester.
The legend became bigger than the man. Elvis was frustrated with the songs he was given as well as his film roles. He wanted to be a straight serious actor like Brando and Dean.
The films he made were basically rubbish.
He was very unhappy with his life in a straight jacket which contributed to the drug abuse and his spiral into ill health.
Very sad really.

[stripes39]

He was used by his manager Tom Parker. Parker made him into a living god by putting his concerts in exotic places like Hawaii and Vegas. You would never see Elvis on a rainy night in Manchester.
The legend became bigger than the man. Elvis was frustrated with the songs he was given as well as his film roles. He wanted to be a straight serious actor like Brando and Dean.
The films he made were basically rubbish.
He was very unhappy with his life in a straight jacket which contributed to the drug abuse and his spiral into ill health.
Very sad really.

Yes 55, Elvis’s story all makes for very sad reading in how he was manipulated and cheated by ‘Colonel’ Tom Parker. The reason for the Hawaii concert was because it was the best US location that could reach several time zones at once without Elvia leaving US soil despite him having big money offers to play venues like Wembley. Instead he often played hick towns amid a relentless tour schedule and all because Parker held ‘legal alien’ status meaning he could reside in the US but couldn’t leave as they would not have granted him readmission to the country. As you say, Elvis lost himself in a cocktail of drugs because of it all. The fact Parker took 50% of all earnings for years and blamed the lack of overseas tours on Elvis makes it all the worse and a very sad story. I guess the moral of the tale is don’t have some two bit cheating pikey as your business manager

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

My cockatoo loves him. Very often take the bird in the garage with me, he spends his time head banging [literally] to Elvis from my laptop while I ride the stationary bike or play darts with my son.

Great voice no doubt, but some of his songs were just dross.

When I worked in Memphis I used to drive past his house every morning. It is situated now in what is probably one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the US. Not nice!