To which generation of Elvis People do you belong?

[Raised on Rock]

Hello there! Just wondering, among Elvis fans here in TCB, to which generation of Elvis people do you belong? and if you can also tell us which got you into Elvis, and what other kind of music/bands intereseted you at the time you meet Elvis.

I think it would be interesting to learn: why Elvis? I mean, despite belonging to so many different generations, generations that might clash into each other at one point or another, we all agree in one thing: Elvis.

So, tell us: Where you a teenager back in the 50's when Hearbreak Hotel hit the charts and everybody was shocked about his gyrations on national TV? Are you one of those teenage girls who screamed their lungs out and passed out for him back in the 50's and early 60´s? Did you saw Elvis live in the 50's? Where you an original rocker or Teddy Boy who grew the sideburns and all because of rock and roll?

You where to young in the 50's to understand what was the deal with rock and roll, you're a teenager in the mid 60's, you belong to the British invation-Woodstock generation, but somehow, you where into Elvis than rather than the flower power?

Your parents where 50's Elvis fans, you was born in the 60's, grew up with Elvis music because of family, and they took you to an Elvis concert in the 70's. You're a teenager or younger when Elvis died. Elvis was seen as a bad joke soon after that, and you wondered what went wrong. For you he's number #1 no matter if the whole world laughs (cause that was being a fan as a teenager in the 80's).

Born in the second half of the 70's or early 80's, nobody in you family was interested in Elvis, Elvis had little to do with your generation, he is long gonne. You discover Elvis and became a fan via some VHS tape or a camden cassette tape on a K-mart. And when Jorgensen took control (even if you didn't knew a thing about the guy then) you noticed a positive change in attitude toward Elvis music releases. You celebrated the Essential Elvis series, enjoyed each CD reiusse of his catalogue as an Artist putting out a new album and went to heaven with the 50's, 60's and 70's boxsets. At one point during the late 90's you're more familiar with alternate takes than with the original masters. Being and Elvis fan is not weird, its vintage stuff, so its cool.

Your a teenager now, got interested in Elvis around the 30 #1 hits thing and the Little Less Conversation remixes. You don't get why older fans often so grumpy or disapointed about everything concerning Elvis world except of course with Elvis himself. Lol.

Love to hear from all of you.

[ForeverTheKing]

Born in the second half of the 70's ...1978.
Precise description...my parents aren't fans and even didn't know a lot about Elvis when they were young.
I discovered him when I was 14 years old...alone, by listening some tapes and watching his movies and few documentaries on tv.
I'm a fan since that moment...love at first sight! :wub:
Now I know a lot about him and his music and I own "too much" of everything...CDs, DVDs, books and others stuff (y) :D

[GeoElvis]

Born in 69' listened to Elvis growing up, From Elvis Presley BLVD, and Moody Blue where the ones my father played often, and of course the Quadradisc release of Aloha from Hawaii!! And I must have played the 45 of Burning Love a million times! Have been collecting Elvis since I was 14... Everything from Cds, Dvds, Vhs, shirts, lighters, pins, cards, magazines, and even an animatronic bust that talks and sings. So much more to even mention, but Elvis is and forever will be The King, hands down! Long Live the King!! TCB....:P

[cibetty]

I was born in 1978 and I discovered him at the age of 14 as well, in 1992. I had a tape and I saw "This Is Elvis" documentary on TV with Hungarian subtitle, what really caught me. The songs were also subtitled, I still love that movie. But I was not a big fan then, although I liked his songs very much. I became a fan 4 years ago, in 2007, when I bought "That's The Way It Is" on DVD, it was just a usual shopping in a supermarket when I decided I would buy that DVD... But it changed many things, I am a big fan since then. :D :D :D :D I started to collect his songs, his DVDs, and books about him. There is no other fan in my family, but they admit he was a great singer and they like his music. Who doesn't? :) :) :) :)

[rickb]

born in the early 60s, became a fan around 73-74

[TCBDavid]

i was born in 1989, so 12 years after the king passed my mother was an elvis fan and my first memory of elvis was watching aloha from hawaii on VHS when my mum was doing house work etc she would put a video on to keep me occupied sometimes when i was young about 4/5 i think and one day she put aloha on...i did know who he was or anything i just knew i liked it. a fee weeks later after request elvis she put on ttwii and i protested saying i wanted the one with the flashing man, refering to the back drop on the aloha concert from then on i was a fan and wanted (and still do) an aloha suit.

However as a kid of my generation being an elvis fan wasnt always the best thing to be due to teasing etc so it wasnt until i saw the Elvis In Concert show with his band in 2003 that i came out so to speak now its become probably the most important thing in my life shaping my work and friendships etc.....i owe a lot to elvis and my mother

[kathy parkinson]

I'm a child of the 50's very proud to be a fan from the beginning, first heard Heartbreak Hotel on the radio, that was it, never knew what Elvis looked like then,so it was the voice before anything else, never looked back.
I also love anything from the 50's.........Buddy Holly, Rockabilly Everly Brothers,Eddie Cochran.

[hounddog]

I was born 1970, i remeber very clearly being a fan at age 3 and putting on the Elvis records in the house. I don't remeber not being a fan

[Joe Car]

I was born in 1959 and became an Elvis fan in 1970, after hearing the On Stage album being playing at a store. It took me 6 months to learn how big Elvis was in the fifties, I thought he was fairly new to the scene! lol

[debtdbruno]

Great thread R on R.............

Doesn't this show, we are all different ages, lives etc......but Elvis still has the ability to bring people together around the globe nearly 34 years after he's gone.............who else dead or alive, did, or still can do that?...............I might be biased, but I believe nobody. The Man was, and is so special, so charismatic, with a voice so diverse, nobody comes close to him...........Long live Elvis!!!!

[goodelvisgirl]

well i was born in 1989 so Elvis was defo not my generation my 2 uncles liked his music n when i was 12 i heard indescribably blue and i was hooked i started geting cd's and trying to find out about who Elvis was a didn't even know Elvis wasn't still alive at the time my grandma n papa remeber the 50's n the rock n roll generation

[scarlet_nell]

I was born in 1982. My parents were huge fans of Elvis. I don't remember the age when I first heard him. I just grew up on him and Johnny Cash

[Diane]

I'm a child of the 50's very proud to be a fan from the beginning, first heard Heartbreak Hotel on the radio, that was it, never knew what Elvis looked like then,so it was the voice before anything else, never looked back.
I also love anything from the 50's.........Buddy Holly, Rockabilly Everly Brothers,Eddie Cochran.

My experience is much the same as Kathy's but I born a little earlier. The first song I heard Elvis sing on the radio also without knowing what he looked like was That's All Right Mama. Eddie Cochran, Little Richard, Everly brothers, Tina Turner, Gene Vincent were also others I liked to listen to on WPTR and WKBW...New York stations that I could only get clearly in the evenings.

[KPM]

I am fringe 1950s-I saw a double bill at the drive-in with my aunt in 1961 "Blue Hawaii and GI Blues" and I have been a fan ever since.
I am now 56.

[kathy parkinson]

Yeah, a trio of 50's Elvis fans.................Love it

[rogerM]

Born in 1973. Became a huge fan after I saw the Comeback Special on TV in 1979.
Elvis has always been nr.1 since then. And you`re right -"....For you he's number #1 no matter if the whole world laughs (cause that was being a fan as a teenager in the 80's). " But it all changed in the 90`s, and now Elvis is getting a lot more of respect, I feel

[Hitchie]

I was born in '66 and found Elvis at the age of 4. I saw the film "GIRL HAPPY" on television in 1970 and instantly fell in love with him. I wanted Elvis records from then on. There were no Elvis fans already in my family, it was just the voice and the face of the man that made a 4 year old girl very happy! I was 11 years old when he died and it tore me up. I had friends coming to my house trying to console me. I'm now 45 years old and Elvis is in my life everyday, either music or watching a film or concert!

[Tigerman1975]

I am in the mid seventies group. I was born in 1975. In 1980-81, I was out of school for the summer. It was scorching hot and I was inside in the A/C watching television when they started a Elvis moviethon on TBS(the local station here in Atlanta). I saw Jailhouse Rock, Kid Galahad and Blue Hawaii back to back and I thought, "Who is he? Thats got to be the coolest guy I've ever seen". So naturally,at that age I went and asked my Mama, "Who is this guy Elvis Presley"? She gave me the whole King of Rock N Roll speech and then she said "let me show you something". She had kept a ticket stub from a show that she saw at the Omni in 72 or 73 and she had the newspaper from when he passed away. Anyhow, thats what created the monster. I fly the Elvis flag every day. One particular thing stands out for me. Last year a guy that I havent worked with in over five years finds me on Facebook. He says," I saw something that reminded me of you. I was on the highway and I saw this decal on the back of someones car with that TCB and lightning bolt and immediately I thought of you and that necklace you wear around your neck." I sat there silent for a moment and said,"You know what Elvis means to me and to be associated in the same breathe with him or his logo is probably the most flattering thing anyone has ever said to me". Up until two years ago(when the engine finally gave out), I drove a 1977 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. It was nicknamed the "Elvis Tribute Edition". Anyway, so I've been a fan since I was 5 maybe 6 and I still believe in what he stood for...the epitome of cool.

[hawaiigirl]

I was born 1949, just about remember Elvis coming out of the army. 1961 I saw G.I.Blues and I was hooked. My son was7days old when Elvis passed away. I have always been a fan. I have an Elvis room with lots a records and books from the 60's. I also have been lucky enough to have been to Graceland 6times. I hope to go again next year.

[my babe]

Born in 1949, have been a fan since the second Ed Sullivan show when I saw him the first time at my older cousin's house, who was on the floor screaming fro him. I remember him going into the army, coming home, getting married etc. Saw him once in concert, May 1977 (absolutely amazing) been to Graceland once in the 1980's (hopefully another visit soon) saw Viva Elvis (just OK) stood in the showroom at the Hilton (you could feel his presence) He has been a part of my life and always will be.

[Unchained Melody]

Became a fan in 2001 !

Not looked back since.

[Jungleroom76]

Very interesting topic!! :D

Here's my story...when I was a young kid (roughly 5 years old) my parents had a record rack at the bottom of the staircase in our home. I had a portable record player that I always carried around with me, and one day I was coming down the stairs and decided to look through their record collection for something different to listen to then the kid records I had. As I looked through the rack, the cover of the ELVIS TODAY album caught my eye and being curious, I put the album on my record player to check it out. The VERY FIRST ELVIS PRESLEY song I had ever heard (that I could remember anyway) was T-R-O-U-B-L-E...and I never, EVER looked back!!!! ;)

After that moment, I instantly "adopted" (stole? claimed? abducted? permanently borrowed?) all of the Elvis records my Mom and Dad had in that record rack and ran up to my room! As I grew older, we lived on the outskirts of the village and every week when I would receive my allowance, I would ride my bike into town to see what new Elvis records I could buy with my weekly earnings! So, while most young kids/teenagers were into sports or whatever, I could be found every week peddling home as fast as I could with my latest Elvis treasure!! It was amazing to me when I would drop the needle onto a new record with a song (songs) that I had never heard before. (y)

Over the years, I have collected anything and everything Elvis that I could find (and afford) and of all the things that being an Elvis fan has brought to me in my life, there are 3 things that truly have meant the world to me...one of them was that I was asked by a local organization in my hometown to do a talk about Elvis and my Elvis collection including showing off some of my more prized memorabilia. The second was being interview by a regional newspaper doing an article on people with large and fascinating collections, and the third...well, being a member (and co-moderator) of TCB-World where I have met the most amazing people and made friendships that I certainly would never have made otherwise!! :notworthy

It's now roughly 35 years later since 1977 when I first found that ELVIS TODAY album sitting in my folks record rack. And I continue to thank them as often as I can for having those Elvis records in the first place...without them, I may have never discovered Elvis Presley. ;)

TCB!
Mike

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Became a fan on 16th August 1977, we heard about Elvis' death on the news, I was intrigued to find out what all the fuss was about. My mum took me to town with my brother and we were each aloud to buy a single (those were the day's, vinyl that is) I bought 'Good Luck Charm', my brother bought 'Way Down'. I was hooked from then on in. I bought an album the following week which was one of those old Camdens, the first time I heard 'Return To Sender' I was completely hooked on this guys voice.

Back in those days you could pick up an album without having to pay through the nose, so, virtually every other week I had a new album to listen to, which was fantastic because there was no waiting several years for each album there was already 30 plus albums in the back catalogue plus compilations. I remember buying the 'From Elvis In Memphis' wow what a kick *** album then buying 'Live from Madison Square Garden' pure heaven...

By the way I also got the 'Way Down' single from my brother (y)

[Albert]

I'm the post Elvis generation. I know Elvis through my father who (as a teenager in the 50s) basically grew up with Elvis.

I became an Elvisfan when I was about 7-8 years old. I remember seeing Elvis On Tour on German television during vacation in a hotel. It was an epic moment. I guess I was 10 or 11 in that time.

Since my father had all Elvis albums up to Elvis Country (didn't have albums after 1971), I was fortunate to be able to listen to tons and tons of great tracks, filling one compilation cassette after another.

When I was about 13-14 I was able to earn a bit more money so that I could buy those missing albums like Elvis Today, Fool, the Aloha From Hawaii and Raised On Rock. This hunt for these unheard albums was amazing.

Soon after that I started collecting bootlegs videotapes, cassettes and cd's from concerts and session outtakes. That was fantastic also, finding versions I've never heard before. An expensive period ;)

[Jimmy1966]

I was born in '66 and became an elvis fan after hearing 'I GOTTA KNOW' On the radio
in early 70's, Then seen 'Viva Las Vegas ' On TV And That's it really.
I'm still collecting his music, He's A Major part of my life and always has been.

[TLC67]

Born in '67. I grew up with Elvis records being played in our home, thanks to my Dad. I felt like I had lost a family member the day he left us.

[monk37]

born in 1968, was an Elvis fan when I was 7 - My Dad's sister and brother were fans, so that's how I got into Elvis.

[AHM1977]

Born in 1967, became an Elvis fan in 1973 (after "Aloha" my parents told me) but for me it was in 1977, back then Elvis' face was everywhere. First Elvis I remember I heard was "Tutti Frutti", first real favorite for me was "A big hunk of love" (first single I ever owned). My first LP was "You'll never walk alone", still have them both. I'm never gonna stop collecting Elvis, but I've cut collecting down to the music, films and footage and photos.