#elvis book excerpts

[doll-elvis]

the way the feminism would leave my body at lightning speed as soon as Elvis asked me to do something…

like cut your toenails? let me go get the clippers sir

[burninlovebutler]

‘1969’

You are the cheap liquor to pass the time,

he is 1969 wine

I am not yours,

and he is not mine

[-mine; m.m]

[hooked-on-elvis]

A BLESSING OR A CURSE TO WOMEN?

"Once you’d kissed Elvis, it was all downhill after that… I guess you could say the flame still sizzles." — Jackie Rowland

Excerpt from book "Baby, Let's Play House: Elvis Presley and the Women Who Loved Him" by Alanna Nash (2010)

[muzaktomyears]

A new article/book excerpt about how Mal Evans' archives were preserved - and Yoko Ono's role in it - includes these paragraphs about what's actually in them:

It was around the second day on the job when Kutti happened upon the four bankers boxes. Almost immediately, she could tell that they held contents of a particular significance. As she sifted through the boxes, she gazed at what seemed like vintage photographs of the Beatles — thousands of them. And then she found a manuscript titled "Living the Beatles’ Legend: Or 200 Miles to Go." It was an oddly formatted specimen — printed in all caps. And further still, she discovered a spate of leather-bound diaries. Leafing through their pages, Kutti was able to ascertain that the boxes must be the property of Malcolm Evans, a name that meant nothing to her. From the looks of the booty that lay before her in the basement, he must have been some kind of chronic hoarder, an avid photographer apparently, and an enthusiastic journaler who peppered his voluminous diary entries with madcap, colorful — even psychedelic — illustrations. (...) But Kutti didn’t stop there. She was determined to make a thorough accounting of Mal’s forgotten archives. That Monday, she compiled a six-page inventory of the bankers boxes. As she began to organize the materials, they seemed even more tantalizing than before: there was an autographed color photo of Elvis Presley, a signed drawing of Mal by John Lennon, and yet another drawing of the roadie by McCartney, inscribed with the words “To Mal the Van from James Paul the Bass.” There were 10 Super 8 films in total, with titles like “Family Holiday,” “Beatles India,” “Africa,” “Greece” and “Plane Trip (Paul).”

[vintageshanny]

This excerpt is from the book Elvis and Gladys. I love this description - “she knew nothing of moderation or half measures, nor was there anything halfhearted…about her.” They were just a couple impulsive human beings making their way in the world. Obviously this can easily lead to mistakes and regrets, but there is also something so beautiful and freeing about living completely in the moment and following your heart fully.

[aconflagrationofmyown]

Sarge developments, excerpt from the upcoming:

Mrs Presley and other Living Martyrs

|| “His love, which had always been a somewhat smothering thing that required as much as it gave, was needy yet inexpressive in those early days. According to his daughter Ella, who divulged some of her mother’s confidences in her own book, Elaine was yet to learn how terrified her young husband was of a future that most would have envied.

Scared of being alone, yet suspicious that his presence was merely being tolerated, as a young husband Elvis Presley had every hope he could train a young girl by conjugal powers alone to be loyal to him where others failed. In a fit of hubris and optimism, he chose for this amorous experiment the one woman in town who admitted to not being in love with him. This fear and frustration expressed itself in an appalling physical demand on her bodily attentions. One that their fellow train car occupants could not ignore yet found themselves incapable of preventing, bound by the antiquated respect of a husband's rights.” ||

[velvetprvsley]

“It was the era of polaroid and the beginning of videotape. He was the director and I his star acting out fantasies. We dressed up and undressed, played and wrestled, told stories, acted out our fantasies, and invented scenes. Whether it was dressing up in my school uniform and playing at being a sweet, innocent school girl, or a secretary coming home from work and relaxing in the privacy of her own bedroom, or a teacher seducing her student, we were always inventing new stories, and eventually, i learned what stimulated Elvis the most.” - excerpt from the book ‘Elvis and me’ written by Priscilla Presley

[vintagepresley]

It’s that time again for another excerpt from Charlie’s book. So for the film that I hate so much Harum Scarum.. Elvis was asked to either grow a beard or they could put a fake one on him. So he said he’d grow his own.

Charlie says Elvis stayed in his room for three weeks growing his beard and that no one could see him and that he would have his meals delivered to his door. Then finally one day they heard footsteps and knew it was Elvis coming down and when everyone saw him his beard and hair was solid white that he looked like Moses coming down the mountain, Charlie says. 😭

So then all got down and started saying, “Hail Moses! Hail Moses!” Over and over, lol. That Elvis stopped before even making it to the bottom of the steps and he’s like “Aw, crap!” and he turned around and went back upstairs. LMFAO

[epforeverohyes]

The first letter Elvis sent to his girlfriend Anita Wood from Germany; 1958:

“Dear Little Bitty,

For the first time in a hundred years I’m writing a letter. You can see why I don’t like to write. The reason being I can’t write worth a ???! I just thought of so many things I wanted to say to you and I couldn’t say them on the phone. You’ll never know how much I miss you baby and how much I want to pet you and call you “Widdle Bitty.” Your little picture is by my bed and every night before I go to sleep I always say “goodnight little Pee Pee.” The people over here are very nice and friendly although they are living about 30 years behind us. Don’t quote me. I haven’t dated a single girl since I have been here, the reason being I don’t have time and every time I get out of the hotel I get mobbed. Also I haven’t seen a girl yet that can speak English. You say Hello to one and she says “Luben Slich Ein E P skip skip VON HEIMER Bull Shit!” I want to explain something to you and you have go to trust me and believe me because I’m very sincere when I say it. I will tell you this much. I have never and never will again love anyone like I love you sweetheart. Also I guarantee that when I marry it’ll be Miss “Little Wood Presley.” There is a lot you have to understand though only God knows when the time will be right. So you have got to consider this and love me, trust me, and keep yourself clean and wholesome because that is the one big thing that can determine our lives and happiness together. If you believe me and trust me you will wait for me and our future will be filled with happiness. With God’s help it will work itself out and you will understand and be patient. I worked so hard to build up my career and everything and if you truly love me you would not want anything to happen to it and cause me to be unhappy. No matter what I’m doing, whether it’s the army, making movies, traveling or singing I will be thinking of the time when we will have our first “Little Elvis Presley.” So have this in mind and don’t get discouraged and lonely. Just remember there is a guy that loves you with all his heart and wants to marry you. One more thing honey for goodness sake please don’t let anyone read this and don’t say a word about this letter to anyone. You know how I hate that so be careful baby. If you love me and you are sincere you wouldn’t want to let anyone know our intimate secrets. I better go for now love, so be happy and remember down in your little heart that I love you, love you, love you. Keep writing.

Yours Alone and Forever,

E.P.

P.S. I Love You”

-excerpt from the book, ‘Elvis and Anita: Memories of My Mother’ by Jonnita Brewer Barrett, Anita Wood’s daughter.

[doll-elvis]

“At one point Elvis had to go to the bathroom which was next to the room where we were sitting. Elvis excused himself and we heard the bathroom door open. All of a sudden we hear ‘clunk’, ‘clunk’, ‘clunk’, and Priscilla started laughing and said ‘it sounds like a knight taking off his armor doesn’t it?’. Evidently, when he went to the bathroom, he’d need to take off a couple of guns just so he could pee”

- Interview with Jerry Scheff

[presleypictures]

“The memory that stands out most in my mind is the first time I saw that face. The face that was soon to be the most recognized face in the world; the deep-set eyes that would make girls scream and cry; the full, pouting lips that would make them swoon. I’ll never forget the first time I saw that face; the flawless face of Elvis Presley.”

– Excerpt from June Juanico’s book, “Elvis: In the Twilight of Memory.”

[hooked-on-elvis]

JUNE JUANICO DESCRIBING HOW IT FELT TO BE KISSED BY ELVIS IN 1955/1956

They talked in the car for a while, and then he wanted to go for a walk. He took her hand, and there was just enough moonlight that she could watch for the cracks in the pier’s old boards so her high heels wouldn’t get stuck. Suddenly, he stopped. He turned her around so he was behind her and slipped his hands around her waist and kissed her neck. She felt a shock of electricity, and squirmed, but he promised he wouldn’t hurt her. He kissed her tenderly, first her forehead, and each eye, then her nose, and finally her lips. She kissed him back in a way that had a future in it. "Where did you learn to kiss?" he asked, surprised at her passion. "I was just getting ready to ask you the same thing!" she said, and she still remembers what it was like: "Soft, full lips. Nothing too sloppy. Oh! It was just marvelous, a little pecking here and there, a nibble, and then a serious bite. "It started small, and then got bigger, and then went little again before ending up with a lot of eye contact."

Excerpt from book "Baby, Let's Play House: Elvis Presley and the Women Who Loved Him" by Alanna Nash (2010). Chapter 7: "Biloxi Bliss"

[1] Elvis in 1955 (age 20) photographed in Memphis, TN, at William Speer's studio; [2] Elvis Presley (age 21) photographed in a room on the sixth floor of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN, last week of July 1956, by journalist Lloyd Shearer, on assignment for Parade magazine.

[eptodaytommorowforever]

Rare Unseen Till Now! Live On Tour Candid Photo Of Elvis Presley Seen Here After Introducing Is Friend Ex LA Narcotics Policman John OGrady To A Loud Applause By The Audience He Stops The Show Performance Concert Here To Read Excerpts From Is Police Friends Ex LA Narcotics Police Man John O’Grady’s Book Here In 1973 Also Wearing The Beautiful Black Spanish Flower Jumpsuit Matching Belt Photograph Taken By Fans And Audience Members At This Show Performance Concert.

[thatbanditqueen]

Based on the comment section between you and @whositmcwhatsit on that ask 👀 what palm springs girl 🫣 and any interviews you mind sharing of him on downers that i can listen to? I’ve never really paid attention I don’t think

This is a 1972 interview where I can REALLY tell his is fucked up....

I found it here and orginally got that link from @lynettethemadscientist's amazing compilation of interviews and film links....

As for the girl... warning the guys say she was 14, but she was actually 18 and @whositmcwhatsit very kindly added a newspaper source in their reblog.... here is the excerpt from Alanna Nash' Elvis and the Memphis Mafia book .... as a side note, anything Alanna Nash wrote or interviews she did should probably be taken w a grain of salt.

MARTY LACKER: That year, ’71, was when the overdoses started. The worst one happened after a show at Tahoe. Sonny told me about it. Elvis saw this girl in the second row, and he was really taken with her. She was a teenager. Real innocent. A nondrinker, nonsmoker. Didn’t even wear makeup. And she was crazy about Elvis Presley. She and her mother would drive to Vegas to see him. And her mother was with her at the Tahoe show.

Elvis waved to her from the stage, and after the show, he told Sonny to bring her backstage. She sent her mother home, and she stayed with Elvis that night and, actually, for quite a bit of his engagement. He’d give her pills so she could keep up his hours.

One night after the show, they went to Palm Springs. Elvis was taking Hycodan, which is a narcotic, analgesic cough syrup. In large doses, that stuff’s dangerous. Elvis and this girl were drinking it out of champagne glasses. They didn’t go to bed until about four A.M., and when they did, they took their Hycodan with them.

By one o’clock the next day, Elvis wasn’t up. Sonny banged on the door. And when Elvis didn’t answer, he went inside. It was like a meat locker in there, Elvis kept the temperature so low. Sonny said Elvis was sprawled across the bed lengthways, and his breathing was real erratic.

Well, Sonny freaked out and went and got Hamburger James. And it took a while, but they eventually got Elvis up, and slapped him back to consciousness. Then he took some Ritalin and came out of it.

The girl was another story. She was in much worse shape. They couldn’t slap her awake, and she barely had a pulse. Sonny said she was dying right there in front of them.

They phoned Dr. Kaplan and he came up there and called an ambulance. He was shocked at how far gone she was, and he warned them that she probably wouldn’t make it. She was already turning blue. Elvis was telling him what to do, you know, “Just give her a shot of Ritalin and shell pop out of it.” I think everybody was pretty disgusted by that. But he used to just hand out Ritalin tablets to all of us in the late sixties. Elvis was just Ritalin nuts. He always thought no matter how bad you got, that’s all you needed. He also thought it was a good way to wake up.

Charlie was there, and he and Sonny followed the ambulance to the hospital. They pumped the girl’s stomach and hooked her up to life support, but Dr. Kaplan was still saying he didn’t think she’d live. But Elvis just waved it off. He said, “I told her not to drink so much of that.” And he went in the bedroom and called Colonel Parker and John O’Grady, I think, and Dick Grob, to make sure the Palm Springs police stayed out of it and that it didn’t hit the papers. And then they came up with this plan that if she did die, Charlie would take the rap. He’d say she was his date, and he’d given her the stuff.

Elvis and the Memphis Mafia

Well, something like seventeen hours later, the girl came to. Charlie and Sonny went to the hospital, and Sonny said when he touched her arm, she came halfway off the bed and started hissing at him like a wild animal. It scared the shit out of him. The doctor said she was suffering from oxygen deprivation to the brain. Elvis paid her hospital bill, and he had Joe get in touch with her mother and offer her some money. But the mother wouldn’t take anything. She said they’d never sue. They didn’t want to hurt his image.

The thing is, Elvis never got in touch with that girl. Didn’t go to the hospital and didn’t call her when she got out.

Later on, Joe ran into her and her mother again in Vegas. They were there for the show, sleeping in their car. He got a room for them at the hotel, and Elvis paid for it. Sonny went to see her, and she told him she didn’t hold Elvis responsible. But Sonny said her whole personality had changed.

Elvis and the Memphis Mafia

LAMAR FIKE: I think this thing with the girl in Palm Springs got really close to Elvis, and the fact that she almost died scared the water out of him. And I think he thought, “Holy shit! I really got off lucky here! So let’s not bring this up anymore. I don’t want to think about it.”

But pretty soon he was back to his old ways. Elvis could pick out a girl in the third row, six chairs over, and say, “She’s going to go down tonight.” And he’d be right.

BILLY SMITH: He had a lot of fear there. At first, it was fear that “God, if she had died!” And then it was, “That dumb bitch! She could have jerked me down right with her and ruined my career!” He totally denied the fact that he was the cause of it.

MARTY LACKER: Elvis was a very selfish person in some regards. He did what he wanted to do, and he didn’t give a shit the way it affected anybody else.

BILLY SMITH: I think to some extent Elvis lost touch with the feelings of other people. He changed from humble to hard. Deep down, Elvis was a good person. He was just a victim of a lot of things that changed him and made him the way he was. He got more depressed in later years. The drugs enhanced the pressures, made them seem a lot worse. But he didn’t deal with them directly. Instead, he chose to take more drugs.

There were a lot of times I hoped he would snap out of it and become the strong individual that I’d seen in the earlier days. When he really wanted to, he could still focus and say, “Hold it. This is the way it’s going to be.” But he did that less in the later years.

pages 517 - 520

I would like to point out that this was 1971!!!!!!!! And all those boys just kept on working for him......

The worst part of reading this for me is that yes, its scary and horrifying, but I also know if I was in active addiction drinking hycodan I could absolutely see myself wanting to share that with a play mate, get them on my level, and not thinking about how my tolerance was accumulated over many years and my own study of pharmacology.... when you are doing that level of drugs you become completely desensitized to what is normal and not normal behavior. I also relate to wanting to use my power to get someone else to take the fall.... Elvis was the first mega rock star in many ways, he didn't have anyone ahead of him whose example he could really follow.... Rudy Vallee? Bing Crosby? Johnny Cash didn't stay sober until 1992.... in many ways, through the shortfalls of his management, his film career, his drug addiction, Elvis was our sacrificial lamb to rock stardom... a Shakespearean tragedy....

The truth is, while I haven't lived that level of success or lifestyle, I can relate to Elvis in every aspect of his being, which is why I forgive him (is it my place, no, but I am one of his fans, so maybe yes?). Is it weird that I want him but also see parts of myself in him???? But also, when I write him in fic, I must confess that he is always an amalgamation of my own fantasies and my character study of him......

Sorry Bri - this got away from me, as it usually does.... here is a happy photo of him from 1977 to remind us it wasn't all dark, from Hawaii where he had luck kicking drugs for short periods of time....

xoxoxo Norah

[sweetdreamsjeff]

25 Years Of Grace: Christopher Dowd On His Friend Jeff Buckley

Twenty-five years ago today, Jeff Buckley released his debut/swan-song masterpiece, Grace. A forthcoming book entitled 25 Years Of Grace pays tribute to this beautiful album with a lush coffee table book, featuring hundreds of photos from Merri Cyr and Buckley historian Jeff Apter. The book offers insights from those who were there during the making, a hefty chapter including most of the photos from the Grace album cover and promotional photo shoot, and a section of modern musicians discussing the album and how it influenced them. When we planned this excerpt, the book was within a week or two of release, and though its release has been pushed back to October, we’re proud to present this excerpt, featuring Christopher Dowd of Fishbone discussing his friend and his roommate. 

25 Years Of Grace: An Anniversary Tribute To Jeff Buckley’s Classic Album will be released October 21st. You can preorder the book here.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jeff Apter:How did you first meet Jeff?

Chris Dowd: One night Carla Azar [Dowd’s girlfriend and a classmate of Jeff’s at the Musicians Institute in LA] called me and said she was going for a ride and her friend Jeff was in the car. I was burned out from touring with Fishbone; we toured nonstop for two and a half years. I was drunk as shit, it was raining, I had my head out the window, and it rained all over Jeff. He just sat there quietly, didn’t say shit. Carla called me and told me to call Jeff and apologize—I did, and we became friends. Jeff lived with me for like a year and a half, and I knew him as a guitar player only. I had no idea he could even sing.

JA: What kind of roomie was Jeff?

CD: He was an awesome housemate. We just had fun, man, had a good time, being open, honest, talking for hours. The Jeff I knew was as funny as hell, but completely socially awkward at times. You know, like: “Jeff, this may not be the best time to say that, dog.” But he was also one of those people who was loyal to a fault, until it hurts. And as far as his legacy goes, if he’d known how it played out, he would have given away every-fucking-thing with his name on it. That’s how he was. He was a truly selfless person.

A thing that blew my mind about Jeff was this mimic thing he had; he was freakish. I heard him play “Giant Steps” on the guitar once and he was exactly like John Coltrane. I don’t idealize motherfuckers, I’m not that guy, but he was the exception to the rule.

JA: Did he ever mention his father, Tim Buckley?

CD: He never came up. I only heard about him after St. Ann’s. He explained it to me: “It’s just a thing for my dad.” The first thing that came out of my mouth was: “Who the hell was your dad?”

JA: “Last Goodbye” started to come together when you and Jeff lived together in LA, is that right?

CD: “Last Goodbye” is about Carla Azar, especially that line “Kiss me out of desire not consolation.” Every guy at that time was in love with Carla. She played drums, she was pretty, she was the coolest girl you ever met in your entire life. Carla was the perfect girlfriend, but they were never a couple.

JA: How did you react when Jeff signed with Columbia, Fishbone’s label? Was it a good fit for Jeff?

CD: I think the one lucky thing with Jeff was that he got to be around my ass and watch something really cool implode [Dowd’s band was encountering extreme turbulence at the time], so when it came time for him to do his shit, he knew what to do. And he had Donnie [Ienner, Sony label boss] wrapped around his finger, because Donnie knew what they had: the new Bob Dylan.

JA: Do you think Columbia treated him well?

CD: Columbia definitely treated him with respect. More than anything, they couldn’t have plotted the level of reception he got from the musical hierarchy. It blew my mind. I’m sitting there with him and Elvis Costello calls—you know what I’m saying? He’s hanging out with Chrissie Hynde. Growing up in LA, this is the kind of stuff you dream about.

But I know that the idea of him being a star made him incredibly uncomfortable—being written up in the tabloids, with Courtney Love and shit, that freaked him out. He wanted to buy every newspaper and burn it, because he was embarrassed. He was kind of like this reluctant rock star.

JA: What’s the background to the time Radiohead came to see Jeff play, around the time of Grace?

CD: It was Thom Yorke; he came to see him play and left the show early. Jeff came back and told me about it. Jeff was highly sensitive in a lot of ways, especially when it came to music. He would be completely not secure when it came to his talents; at times, he didn’t recognize he had this thing. As far as artistic respect goes, well, Thom Yorke was a contemporary, and when he walked out, Jeff was like: “I must have sucked.” I said, “If anything, you freaked him out.” If OK Computer doesn’t sound like Jeff singing, I don’t know what does, but he went to his grave thinking that Thom Yorke hated his voice.

JA: Michael Tighe spoke about the recording of “So Real” and how spontaneous Jeff could be in the studio: Is that how you remember it?

CD: It was exactly like that. Also keep in mind I had never seen Jeff in process. I had no idea I was witnessing this as being “the take.” It is such a process to capture “the take” that I don’t think until Michael told you that story did I realize that he had done that spontaneously perfect take. It is such a rarity to see that happen in the flesh. But knowing Jeff and his process, he had done it and thrown it all away,torn it down a thousand times in his head, before he actually shared it with us. Then also thinking back we had such a close relationship and were so protective of one another it was also him sharing with me and saying, “I got this! You don’t have to be scared for me anymore. I have become the artist you always wanted and helped me become.” We would slide in and out of those roles for the entire relationship: Friend, brother, loved one, father, brother.

JA: What’s the magic of Grace; why does it connect with so many people?

CD: It had timing—that universal timing thing happened. Jeff wanted a second guitar player and Michael Tighe was there. He needed someone to follow what he did. It was very strategic the way he picked those guys—who are seasoned musicians now. And they sounded fucking great on Grace.

JA:How do you best remember Jeff?

CD: I can tell you what he was to me and what he stood for. How he had no filter, which was both hilarious and priceless. And rare. He had no agenda—he was air and earth unfettered! Tell me, how many people in your life you have known like that, that still have a childlike innocence? A Zen-like understanding of human beings. And a heart as big as a whale.

[pocketfulofelviss]

“Palm Springs was the scene of one of the few times I saw Elvis drunk. We were filming outdoor shots for Change of Habit on the back lot of Universal Studios one bone-chilling Friday night, after which we planned to spend the weekend in Palm Springs. A crew member offered Elvis a drink of blackberry brandy to warm up. Elvis took a sip. He liked it and had a few more. As we left the studio, he told us to stop at a store to pick up a couple of bottles. Luckily, I was driving, because by the time we got to Palm Springs, Elvis was totally smashed. His date helped us get him into bed, where he promptly passed out. A few hours later, I was awakened from a sound sleep by banging on my door. I jumped out of bed to find Elvis hanging on the doorknob for dear life, his face a sickly gray-green. ‘Call a doctor,’ he murmured, ‘because I’m going to be really sick.’ No sooner did he get the last word out than he vomited, drenching me in partially digested blackberry brandy. He was sick the entire weekend. Needless to say, he never took another sip of blackberry brandy, and despite the damage done to me, I was glad Elvis got sick. If it weren’t for the internal control mechanism that kicked in whenever he did drink, he would undoubtedly have become an alcoholic.” (Esposito & Oumano, 1994: 119-120) Last excerpt from “Good Rockin’ Tonight” by Joe Esposito & Elena Oumano! If you haven’t read the book, go and have a read!! * #elvispresley #presley #theking #graceland #elvis #smile #love #idol #music #iconic #vintage #style #classy #vintagefashion #kingofmusic #rockandroll #sideburns #blessedsoul #rip #elvisthepelvis #memphis #tupelo #soldier #elvislegacy #epe https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpe2FVksz-0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=