Not really. He was, however, one of my heroes. And he died 30 years ago yesterday. During my time in the radical lesbian squats of South London I had felt politically compelled to trash my records by 'oppressive' male artists - the Stones, Marley, Wilson Pickett, and yes, my beloved Elvis. But I did keep one 45 back - a double A side with 'Little Sister' and 'His Latest Flame'. In 1965, I had traded two Beatles singles and threw in one of my Mum's Russ Conway albums for that one single. She was furious. The slap hurt, but, yeah, yeah, I had the disc I wanted...
Photos of Elvis being inducted into the hated enemy force of the US army adorned my wall, along with stills from Jailhouse Rock, and a giant poster of him with legs buckling at the knees, his head to one side, those incredible lips pursed like a fashion model, he was wearing a bright red shirt and his as yet un-dyed, sort of dirty blonde hair bundled up on top. Jeez, I loved the way he looked.
I read voraciously about him, about his mum Gladys, and how she had died young, leaving Elvis forever bereft. You've read all this stuff, no need to go there. When he died, he fell, slumped in his shag carpeted toilet, overweight, addicted to prescription drugs & fried banana and peanut butter sandwiches and surrounded by a team of good ol' boys whose motto was TCB (Taking Care Of Business). Whatever Elvis' business was, they took care of it. Whether it was procuring drugs, women or food, spying on and beating up ex-wife Priscilla's latest flame, or guarding the gaudy badly decorated Graceland.
So, yesterday, my iPod was giving me a steady diet of Elvis, I ate salad and felt healthy but wished it was fried chicken and gravy, and fantasised trading my mothers LP's away for Elvis records. The optimist on love will have to wait another day.
What a coincidence. I went to an Elvis review show in Minneapolis last night called "Tina's Elvis Review" featuring Trailer Trash. What fun.
The artist is Tina Schlieske. She's most know around these parts for her former band, Tina and the B-Sides.
Posted by: Deb in Minnesota | August 18, 2007 at 05:02 PM
Though I never quite got the Elvis phenomenon, I did once own a pair of blue suede shoes. They were pretty cool.
Posted by: Deborah | August 18, 2007 at 09:22 PM