Elvis' Top 10 Films: On Tuesday 10 June we ran the Top 10 Elvis Films as ranked by Film World. We asked for your views on the list and your favorite Elvis films.
Click here to read your feedback |
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Author Chris Matthews responds to your feedback: There was a strong critical response to our recent interview with author/researcher Chris Matthews on his Name Code trilogy.
In this article Chris responds to the major criticisms about his controversial findings and offers us more food for thought. (Spotlight, Source: Christopher Byrnes Matthews) |
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Should RCA have released an Elvis "Folk" album in 1971?: In 1971 Elvis recorded a lot of different musical genres in that year as featured in the recent FTD 'I Sing All Kinds'. Elvis’ 1970 Country album was a great idea, so it is a shame that with Elvis’ interest in contemporary folk music RCA missed the chance to release a "Folk" themed album. RCA failed to capitalise on these new secular recordings releasing the lacklustre 'Elvis Now' instead. In this article EIN suggests the possibility of a stronger "folk" themed album that should have been released in its place. Click here to read our Spotlight on Elvis "Folk" and our selection for the album 'Elvis: In The Early Morning Rain'. And click here to HAVE YOUR SAY as you can also send us you own suggestions of your favourite tracklist of album idea. (Source: EIN, May 2008)
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New Elvis sculpture completed: Michael Kuznetsov has completed his latest Elvis sculpture. Michael has told EIN:
" This sculpture is made of polymer clay turned into plastic after baking. It is only 7 inches high."
Michael's sculptor's gift was inspired by seeing many Elvis action-figures having nothing in common with their fabulous prototype. (Source: Michael Kutnetsov, April 2008)
See more images |
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The '68 Special - 40th Anniversary Celebration: How lucky in life would you be to get to the recording of Elvis' 68 TV Special and also make it to the recent 40th Anniversary screening in L.A? EIN's correspondent Joan Gansky is one of those few very fortunate fans. Joan Gansky not only met Elvis multiple times - but being at the original NBC recording of the 68 Special truly changed her life! Here are her unique recollections of attending the recent 40th Anniversary celebration - as well as her thoughts on being there back in June 1968. This EIN exclusive features comments by Steve Binder, Priscilla, Bones Howe as well as great close-up photos by Paul Gansky.
Click here for the full article.
(Spotlight, Source;EIN/JoanGansky) |
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Is the new 'T.T.W.I.I' Classic Album release just a rehash of the 30th Anniversary BMG issue? The April FTD release of 'That's The Way It Is' is an interesting one with several fans writing to EIN saying that FTD's recently announced 'TTWII' deluxe Classic Album release is only a revisit of the BMG 30th Anniversary 3-CD TTWII' Special Edition and not worth ordering. As Elvis fans often complain of being forced to buy the same material repeatedly for only a couple of new Elvis snippets - are they being ripped off once again? EIN's Piers Beagley checks out the details and reasons that this FTD version will in fact become a firm favourite.
(News, Source; EIN)
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The Night Elvis Reclaimed His Crown: In summer 1968, Elvis Presley taped a television special to be broadcast that Christmas. Fifteen years earlier, he had walked into Sun Studios in Memphis to make a record as a present for his mother, or so the story goes, and changed history.The special begins in darkness, to the sound of a whomping, Muddy Waters-ish blues riff, and then a famous face fades in, turning toward the camera, filling the screen, meaning business.... "Singer Presents Elvis" is a great moment in music, in television, and in the narrative of his own life -- a moment of change, when what was lost is found again. He regains his voice -- and in so doing becomes at once who he was and who he'll become. His singing has the lilt of youth but with a mature edge. He is 33 years old, lean and chiselled and -- what he had not seemed in years -- a little dangerous. . . . . . (Spotlight, Source;LATimes)
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Breaking down Presley and Beatlemania:
In a very stimulating commentary, likethebike presents his case for Presleymania and Beatlemania.
EIN recommends this very thoughtful and cogent commentary to all readers.
With themes including sexual tension, civil rights, backlash by society's cultural arbiters, r&b integration and realising the American dream.......this is a powerful exposition!
(Source: likethebike/FECC) |
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Elvis by the numbers: Elvis Presley may have left the building 30 years ago, but that hasn't stopped the company that owns his name from putting up more buildings. (Sale of Estate, Source: Forbes, Aug 2007)
Million dollar and less Elvis artworks (Spotlight article): EIN recently took a look at the intriguing world of Elvis artworks. From million dollar pieces to the more affordable, it is a bourgeoning area offering a variety of styles which satisfy varying personal tastes.
Is the artwork opposite worth more than its asking price of US$3,000,000.00+???
In our article we offer tips for those wanting to invest in "Elvis artworks" and images of an eclectic variety of works currently for sale on eBay. (Source: EIN, Oct 2007) |
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"Elvis" the 1990 TV series: In this Spotlight article EIN takes a look at the shortlived but fondly remembered dramatisation of the "early" Elvis story which aired on prime time TV in the US in 1990.
With background information, a cast listing, production details, episode guide, photos, reviews and an analysis of why the series failed, this is one of the most comprehensive articles available about the series. (Source: EIN, Oct 2007)
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"Elvis Rules on TV": Today we publish a major update to our popular Spotlight article "Elvis Rules on TV". From the article:
To date there have been few serious examinations of Elvis themes on television and most listings of Elvis on television have focused on US programming. What follows is arguably the most comprehensive listing of Elvis themes, reference points and motifs on the small screen, taking in programs from the US, UK, Europe and Australia.
In this update we have added more than a dozen substantive entries, added a new category, and also provide details of programs known to be available on DVD. ( Source: EIN, Oct 2007) |
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| "I gave up my life for Elvis": Patti Parry met Elvis Presley when she was 17, and it was just as you might imagine it. The year was 1960 and it was a sunny day in California. She and her girlfriend were driving down Santa Monica Boulevard in an old Buick on their way to a fraternity party and they spotted a fancy black Rolls Royce. Read Patti's story as she became known as "Elvis' little sister" and the only female member of the Memphis Mafia. (Sep 2007) |
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Elvis lived to rock, but loved gospel: We came across this interesting article/review based around Joe Moscheo's recently published book, The Gospel Side of Elvis. It includes:
Presley, who was raised in a soul-filled Assembly of God church in East Tupelo, Miss., eventually had to abandon regular church attendance as his popularity skyrocketed. After he nearly started a fan frenzy one Easter at First Assembly of God in Memphis, he decided to limit his spiritual diet to gospel music recordings and Sunday sermons from his favorite TV preacher, Rex Humbard. Read full article
(Source: Religion News Service, 31 Aug 2007) |
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| How Elvis changed Tom Petty's life: Tom Petty is a well-known US singer and guitarist who has produced numerous hit singles such as 'American Girl', the #7 hit 'Free Fallin', the #12 hit 'I Won't Back Down', and a 1981 #3 with Stevie Nicks on 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around.' In 2002 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elvis changed Petty's life when one summer morning in 1961, an 11-year-old Tom Petty sat on pine straw in his front yard, wondering how he was going to spend his day. By the end of the afternoon, he knew how he would spend his life. The difference made by that afternoon added another notch to rock 'n' roll history, and a tantalizing addition to Florida lore. For, by the end of the day, the young Petty would encounter none other than Elvis Presley, the swivel-hipped sensation who had already been crowned "The King of Rock 'n' Roll." And by that evening, the Gainesville youngster would be forever fascinated - and hooked - on rock 'n' roll. "I caught the fever that day and I never got rid of it," says Petty. "I learned all of those early Elvis songs, and having that kind of background in rock 'n' roll, of where it had come from, has served me to this day. It became an invaluable thing to have. So for that, I thank him." Click here to read the full story in our EIN spotlight. (Spotlight, Source; Gainesville.com) |
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Bono talks Elvis: U2's lead singer, Bono, has some very interesting things to say about Elvis:
"In Elvis, you had the whole lot; it's all there in that elastic voice and body. As he changed shape, so did the world: He was a Fifties-style icon who was..." read full article (Source: U2 France) |
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How did Elvis get turned into a Racist?: Noted Elvis biographer penned this insightful article for The New York Times.
Mandatory reading for any fan wanting to know what lies behind continuing accusations that Elvis was racist. (Source: The New York Times, Aug 2007) |
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Arena that hosted Elvis being demolished: The Toledo Sports Arena played host to innumerable bands and celebrities over the years, but only once was it deemed fit for a king.
Elvis Presley, the rising musical monarch of the ’50s, gyrated into town for two Thanksgiving Day concerts in 1956 and blew Toledo away.
“The screaming youngsters frequently bordered on hysteria,” a Blade reporter wrote in the next day’s paper. Read full article (Source: Ryan E. Smith, Toledo Blade, July 2007)
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| Boots Randolph; Elvis' finest saxophone player: An EIN Tribute: Homer "Boots" Randolph was one of the key Nashville musicians. During the 1960s he played on scores of hit records by such artists as Brenda Lee, Roy Orbison, the Everly Brothers and of course Elvis. Boots also had his own amazing success in 1963 with the whacky tenor-sax sound of 'Yakety Sax'. Boots Randolph's fabulous sax-work fitted perfectly within Elvis' 1960's Nashville band and often seemed to push Elvis' blues work to new highs. Boots was booked to perform this year at Elvis Week in Memphis and although he sadly won't be there in person, there is no doubt that his fabulous spirit will live on. Boots Randolph died on 3 July 2007. EIN presents a tribute to this very fine musician. (Source: EIN, July 2007) |
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50,000,000 Elvis fans can't be wrong - Manilow is the man!: Who is the king of Vegas? Elvis...Sinatra...Wayne Newton...Barry Manilow? Who has the most passionate fans?
Elvis fans need to read this very interesting and thought provoking article - there is much food for thought! (Source: Fletch, Dry Heat The Blog, 15 June 2007) |
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| New theater play "The Elvis Test": Julian Stone's "The Elvis Test" is a clever if cautious imagining of the only time, apparently, that Elvis Presley took LSD. The play is a story of people crippled by insecurities and codependencies, and Stone sketches these vividly. Elvis, egged on by Steve, has come to realize that his deference to manager Colonel Tom Parker has led his career away from music to making schlock movies aimed at family markets. Read full review (Review, Source: Steven Mikulan, LA Weekly, June 2007) |
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| ELVIS - The Greatest Singer of All-Time: Britain's Q magazine (The Essential music guide) recently selected the finest voices in music history. Presented as a list of the 100 Greatest singers of all-time, their 10 greatest songs were also nominated. Johnny Cash made #14, Roy Orbison #23, Ray Charles #24, Tom Jones #71 and Smokey Robinson #95. Here are the top five with you-know-who at Number One! John Lennon #5; Otis Redding #4; Frank Sinatra #3; Aretha Franklin #2; Elvis Presley #1. EIN presents Q magazine's article about Elvis, as well as their Top Ten key Elvis Songs. (Source: EIN/Q) |
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Elvis in the gossip magazines - Part 2: One of our most popular items in 2006 was a look back at 25 Elvis covers from gossip magazines. The covers symbolised the public's ongoing fascination with Elvis as an important pop culture icon.
Today we publish a second photo spread with a further 20 magazine covers. From the hush hush wedding for Elvis and Linda Thompson to the fan murdered near Graceland, this is another thought provoking collection. (Spotlight, Source: EIN) |
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When the Big O met the King: Roy Orbison's impact on popular music is indelible.
However, had it not been for a 1955 concert at Midland High School, it is entirely possible Orbison's superstar career might never have happened. The Oct. 12 package show starred Elvis Presley....read full story (Source: Sanja Meegin, May 2007) |
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| EIN's 'Best of 2006': 2006 was surely the year of the calm before the storm of all the '30th anniversary' releases. However with hundreds of Elvis CDs, books and DVDs still released in 2006 there was an astounding amount of material for avid Elvis fans to buy. EIN's bank manager told us that we had spent far too much in 2006 - and so to aid the unsuspecting Elvis fan we present our annual round-up of last year with EIN's 'Best of 2006' where we choose our favourite selection of Elvis DVDs, CDs, books and more. (Source: EIN, Feb 2007) |
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Elvis and the politics of pants: In the 1950s, Levi Strauss & Co. decided to update the image of its denim clothes. Until then, the company had been depending for sales on the romantic appeal of the Gold Rush and the rugged image of the cowboy. Hell, it was still calling its signature pants, the ones with the copper rivets, “waist overalls.” It didn’t want to abandon the evocative Gold Rush connection, but the postwar world was filling with consumption-minded creatures called “teenagers,” and it seemed time to rethink the company’s pitch.
So in 1956 Levi Strauss tried an experiment, releasing a line of black denim pants it called Elvis Presley Jeans. It was the perfect endorsement. Read full article (Spotlight, Source: Reason Magazine, 27 Jan 2007)
| Elvis show in list of 25 greatest gigs ever: The King live on stage....celebrated author, Nik Cohn, tells us why Elvis' concert at the Nassau Coliseuim in 1975 is one of the best ever. (Source: Observor Guardian, Jan 2007) |
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| James Brown and Elvis, soul-brothers and spiritual kin: Elvis was "The King of Rock and Roll", James Brown was "The Godfather of Soul" and both changed our musical world forever. But while many Elvis fans know only a little about James Brown, in many ways Brown was a spiritual kin to Elvis and understanding their careers is essential to comprehending the era they lived in, the music that they made and the lives they changed. In this fascinating article EIN’s Harley Payette & Piers Beagley check out their connections and the power of their music. (Source EIN, Jan 2007) |
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| Spotlight on Gordon Stoker of The Jordanaires: Recently we featured our EIN in-depth interview with Ray Walker of The Jordanaires. Now we turn our EIN spotlight on Gordon Stoker who has been singing first tenor with The Jordanaires since 1953. EIN contributor Pam Harris is from Gordon Stoker's home county and met up with the great man. As Pam notes, "Mr Stoker is a super nice gentleman who refuses to say anything negative about Elvis. He truly loved Elvis." (Source: EIN) |
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Elvis Presley In Concert "downunder" tour. ALL the reviews, photos and information: EIN proudly presents a spotlight on 'Elvis Presley In Concert' 2006. Here are all the fan reviews of this fabulous series of 2006 concerts, plus interviews with DCE, as well as a look at the special Elvis exhibition. Featuring reviews of all the recent shows in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. Elvis performed at his absolute best - You should have been there! Source: EIN/various, Nov 2006) |
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Elvis in the "gossip" magazines: During his lifetime Elvis was one of the most popular cover stories for the very popular "gossip" magazines. EIN has delved into its archives and presents a pictorial essay featuring 25 magazine covers from the 1950s to late 1970s.
From Elvis' search for his lost love child, to his plans to marry Elizabeth Taylor, and what he did for Cher before she married Gregg Allman, the covers and headlines traverse a very wide and conflicting range of themes. They are an amazing and enlightening aspect of one part of our recent pop culture phenomenon.
Due to the size and number of images in this article the page may be slow to load. (Source: EIN, Oct 2006) |
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| ELVIS WEEK 2006 - The exclusive EIN photographs & reports: Wrapping up our Elvis Week 2006 reports, EIN Roving Reporter Sanja Meegin presents her favourite photos. Although relatively quiet this year, there was still plenty of fun to be had and the Insiders' Conference was a must. Check out all of Sanja's 81 photos - plus Elvis' jumpsuits close-up. And see you all | |
