cocaine

[geordie]

im listening to elvis ALL SHOOK UP, what a great c.d. this is,but after hearing that el was on coke for for a while,i wonder if he was on it during this concert.
he seems to be sniffing an awfull lot.
is this just my suspicious nature, he could have had the flu:hmm:

[Leroy]

The fact that someone's sniffing a lot does not automaticly means he's on coke. Fact is Elvis only tried coke once. He wasn't a street drug user.

[THENATUREBOY]

yea those in the Elvis circle all say that he only tried cocaine once and he didnt like the way it made him feel. So from everything I heard, he only tried it once. But I have noticed that he sniffed alot while performing, but I dont think it was cocaine that was behind it.

[elvisdownunder]

the late 1974 tour it is said that Red found out a guy was bringing the stuff to him. its in my book 'careless love', i ahve'nt got the time to type it out yet

[Mez]

did he not use liquid cocaine?

[Leroy]

He didn't use it, he tried it for a while and decided it was nothing for him.

[KPM]

Same old debate, hundreds of books- some say its he never touched illegal drugs, some say its understated-some are in the middle and say he experimented with some.... He mainly had a prescription drug problem by most accounts but the debate rages on. Maybe we look for the sinister answers to often, when a million others are always possible.

[0349054]

He used liquid coke for a while. He'd soak cotton wool balls in it and place them in his nose. He wasnt on it in 69'.

[KPM]

I can not make such an absolute statement about anything concerning someone I have no direct first hand knowledge of. Like I said if your going by books or other peoples accounts a grain of salt should be taken with it.(and for some of these guys a whole salt shaker)
Someone else said Dr. Nick said the swabs were soaked in Lidocaine a derivitive of cocaine......
Lidocaine (INN) or lignocaine (former BAN) is a popular local anesthetic and a derivative of cocaine (without its stimulant properties) that is often used topically for pain relief in a variety of ways.
Notice the "without its stimulant properties"

[NEA]

Could it be that EP was using the liquid lidocaine (?) for pain relief? Is that a naive suggestion?

However, I do feel that Elvis' use of cocaine (?) is somewhat overblown by a number of people in the 'Memphis Mafia' who probably thrived on taking that stuff anyway!

Nevertheless, because he did dabble with such an illegal substance, it most certainly makes his 'White House' Mission of 1970 a very hypocritical journey to make.

NEA.

[orwell1976]

Elvis used liquid cocaine because it felt good and he was awake within a second. Someone said it's like a nasal orgasm. I guess Elvis simply liked the feeling of being high on cocaine. Just listen to the concert recordings of the fall tour of 1974 and you know what I mean. Compare the way Elvis acts to the recordings of april 1975 and you'll hear that he seems like a complete different person.

[Sonny]

And where do we get this "liquid cocaine" story from?

Wasn't that somewhere in our "favorite" Goldman book?

I have serious doubts about that to be honest.

Sonny

[KPM]

Elvis used liquid cocaine because it felt good and he was awake within a second. Someone said it's like a nasal orgasm. I guess Elvis simply liked the feeling of being high on cocaine. Just listen to the concert recordings of the fall tour of 1974 and you know what I mean. Compare the way Elvis acts to the recordings of april 1975 and you'll hear that he seems like a complete different person.


Let me post this again-Dr. Nick said the swabs were soaked in Lidocaine a derivitive of cocaine......
Lidocaine (INN) or lignocaine (former BAN) is a popular local anesthetic and a derivative of cocaine (without its stimulant properties) that is often used topically for pain relief in a variety of ways.
Notice the "without its stimulant properties" If it had no stimulant properties how was he awake in a second? Liquid cocaine is Lidocaine.
It seems senseless to debate about these drug subjects, not any of us know the whole truth nomatter how many books we read or "insiders" we come in contact with. If you make a definitive statement because you have read a million books it is still heresay. Good and Bad. Some of us lean one way, others lean the other. I'm sure most of the insiders do not know what the technical aspects of drugs (legal or otherwise) were. Being that Dr. Nick was a licensed physician I do not feel he would admit to a treatment for anyone( let alone Elvis) that was illegal in front of others. If he was telling people it was lidocaine I assume it must have been a legal treatment and drug.
If he admitted to illegal treatments he could have been thrown out of his profession. When his practices were investigated in the late 70s or early 80s it was about his overprescribing legal drugs to Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and others. No evidence of illegal substances being used by Nick to treat anyone were found.

I have read about as many books about the Watergate scandel as I have Elvis. There are about a dozen of these written by the insiders, such as John Dean, Halderman, Colson, Liddy etc. NONE of them agree on everything- many out and out contradict the others. Some tell a completely different "insider" story. Points of view, understanding of situtations, misunderstandings of situations, lack of education, lack of common sense all add to differing stories. I have my own view from reading the differing accounts, but it is not a view I can say is 100% sure of what happened. Its just my opinion, as it would be everyones elses.
It may be fun to speculate but I hope no one reads a post(including mine) and says that is the definitive answer on Elvis and drugs or Elvis and anything else which is of a subjective nature. We know how many songs he recorded- there is a definitive answer (which may change if new ones are found) we know how many movies he made, how many performances he gave, gold and platinum awards etc....But some things no one knows for sure.

[Tiger Man]

Most reports seem to agree that Elvis was using coke, liquid or otherwise, during the '74 Vegas summer stint and possibly during the fall tour. Listening to his performances, these seems very likely. Of course, Elvis was a long time speed freak, so perhaps his '74 behavior was a result of this. Or a combo of the two, which I can tell you is quite a treat. In fact, it's enough to make you say something weird in front of 2,000 people like, "I'll rip their tongue out by the root."

[lvisphan]

It was my understanding he did do coke. I thought the reports said he got it through his doctor (prescriptions) and freqently used it in a liquid form during concerts.

[Redroo]

the late 1974 tour it is said that Red found out a guy was bringing the stuff to him. its in my book 'careless love', i ahve'nt got the time to type it out yet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just finished reading that book, what a killer of a book...i like the part where he went tripping on acid, and tripped Elvis style...and every time he had a movie to make all the guys and E would pile in the cars and cruise across the US the California from Memphis some 1700 miles i believe...how far is that in Kilometers...i guess it would be like going from Adelaide (here in Australia) to Brisbane some 2,500 klicks...
Redroo

[Redroo]

And where do we get this "liquid cocaine" story from?

Wasn't that somewhere in our "favorite" Goldman book?

I have serious doubts about that to be honest.

Sonny
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can't remember that part in goldmans book, mind you i prefer 'Last Train To memphis' if you were going to hand me a book on E...
Redroo

[orwell1976]

Sometimes I think a lot of you people here are strange. Elvis didn't took his stuff to get stoned, he took his "medication" only for pain relief. C'mon, Elvis was simply addicted to that stuff. He was a junky (even though a high-class junky with his own nurse).

:angry:

[maccafan1985]

I just wanted to share somethings about Lidocaine. Like KPM said it is derived from cocaine but has no stimulant properties. It is almost always used today in the U.S. (and maybe other countries) for any common dental procedure, as novacaine is far less superior. I suffer from chronic pain/nerve damage and I also know it is used in gel form on patches to soak in to the skin and relive pain, (key word is supposed.) It has no stimulant properties as KPM also said. In fact, it has no real enjoyable properties except as a numbing agent. So if Elvis stuck cotton ball soaked in Lidocaine up his nose the only thing it would do is numb his nostril. I have no clue if he used cocaine, but I just wanted to share what I know about Lidocaine.

[Lonniebealestreet]

Thanks for that, macca. Yes, when I think of Lidocaine, I think of sunburn pain relief gel. It is a topical anesthetic, so no, it makes no sense that Elvis would jam the stuff up his nose. (Nothing like a numb nostril high, is there?)

My exposure to the liquid cocaine story is from Alanna Nash's Revelations book. In it, I recall Lamar saying that Dr. Nick called it Lidocaine, but that was just his way of covering the reality of the situation. "Dr. Nick says" doesn't give me any reassurances, sorry.

To what extent Elvis used cocaine, I sure couldn't say. And I applaud those in this thread who acknowledged that without having firsthand experience, they couldn't say either.

In another recent thread on this subject, I posted an excerpt of an FBI file on Elvis' cocaine use. But it seems to me to be based on hearsay. It perhaps does reflect the truth of the situation though...who can say for sure?

I tend to think--and this is just a hunch--that Elvis did use cocaine more than most fans would like to believe. But Elvis took a lot of legal drugs which did a hell of a lot of damage to himself and ultimately killed him. So it wouldn't make me think any less of him all of the sudden if I were to receive positive confirmation of all the cocaine stories. It just doesn't jive with the myth everyone is accustomed to hearing.

Like one of those goofy fans in EIC said, "He's human..."

[KPM]

First off lanocaine is an over the counter ointment used as a topical anesthetic its main ingredient is benzocaine and it is for sunburns-
Lidocaine is a prescription drug derived from cocaine without stimulant properties. Lidocaine is used in a variety of forms to treat a variety of conditions, heart disease, dentistry, pain relief etc. These are two completely different drugs. Here is a doctor explaining how he used it with cotton balls to open and relax the path leading from the back of the nose to the larynx
Lidocaine (xylocaine): I use lidocaine to anesthetize the patient's larynx and tracheobronchial tree. If the transnasal approach is selected, I start with lidocaine jelly. A cotton swab with lidocaine jelly is gently passed into both nostrils. I then drip 4% lidocaine over the swab and advance the swab. I repeat this procedure until the pharynx is reached.
Now would someone who sings for a living possibly be treated with this to help with his singing (especially two shows a night singers in Vegas- thirty shows an engagement or more)YES of course. Have others besides Elvis ever been known to have this lawful treatment yea of course but this expanation would not sell books. Lamar the doctor knows what it was....
Some of you would rather see Elvis as the always out of control junky. Logical run of the mill answers are out. You would rather take the word of someone like Lamar Fike, and say well Dr. Nick did not mean lidocaine, when he said lidocaine. You do not give creedance to anything other than the speculative possiblities.
Some of us are going to look for other explanations because there are always plausable explanations for things we have no direct knowledge of. (but notice I did not say definitive explanations)
Every post here is heresay- inadmissable in a court of law. Heresay proves nothing, answers nothing which is why it is throw out in court. When a lawyer purposely sneeks it to a jury he knows the judge will have it stricken from the record-but he also knows it can not be stricken from the jurys minds and it will spark their interest hopefully promoting his case. (or in most of these insiders cases promote the sale of books, videos, etc$$$$$) Elvis was far from a saint but so are these guys who make their living to this day like sharks feeding off himIMO You have your opinions and others like myself have ours- fine. I think what bothers me is I am willing to admit I do not know the facts "it is all heresay and speculation", but some here want to say "this is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth" when in fact know one here knows that 100%

[Lonniebealestreet]

KPM, thanks for your post. I did enjoy reading that explanation about the Lidocaine treatment.

However you should know that I am not confusing Lanocaine with Lidocaine. I have used other similar products that had Benzocaine in them, and also Lanocaine spray. But I just walked down the hall and grabbed a bottle of Hawaiian Tropic Lidocaine gel from my bathroom closet to confirm what I said before. It's just .8% Lidocaine, but it's Lidocaine.

I am very curious as to why you have so much faith in Dr. Nick when you consider what all was revealed in the years following Elvis' death--in a court of law--and the actions taken as a result thereof.

But like you, I am not saying I have the answers here. We are all speculating or regurgitating the claims and speculations of others.

[KPM]

Mainly because I have such little faith in Lamar Fike who is known for his embellishments over the years and his ablility each year since Elvis died to have a new and startling revelation for some new project. Dr. Nick was tried in court & no accusation by prosecuters was made about cocaine or heroin nor even pot, It all concerned legal drugs and overprescribing them to many besides Elvis. Do not misunderstand me I have a slight amount more faith in Nick, but it is only slight. I have read and been told that Nick for a couple years was trying to wean Elvis off his addictions by cutting them with harmless sugar etc. He has not cashed in as so many others have with a tell all book or books and videos(at least that I am aware) My point is if you do not understand the treatments completely and were not a chemist or Doctor there may very well be other explanations for some of the things done to Elvis. This case is a prime example. Most of these guys were not very well educated, and the street answer is easy to jump to. Did Elvis try and experiment with cocaine -probably. Was he an out and out junky on cocaine IMO no. Was he addicted to speed yes since he started it in the army-but it was not considered as such in the 50s it was pep pills -legal by doctors prescription. Did he have asleeping problem yes since he was a small boy. Did he take sleeping medication yes was he addicted to it yes. Did he need more as he got older yes. Did he think there was a medicine for everything yes, Did he feel it was wrong or against the law no. Was it against the law -no. In the 70s people began to see the addictions of these things and the view changed. Will we ever know how much of what is said by these guys is true -no. He is dead and not here to answer their every accusation about sex-drugs-and rock in roll. I wish he was.

[TCBinAZ]

Excellent posts KPM, I couldn?t agree with you more! (y)

[Lonniebealestreet]

Much agreed! Good questions, good answers.

[KPM]

Thanks I appreciate the kind words.

[Cherokee]

Mainly because I have such little faith in Lamar Fike who is known for his embellishments over the years and his ablility each year since Elvis died to have a new and startling revelation for some new project. Dr. Nick was tried in court & no accusation by prosecuters was made about cocaine or heroin nor even pot, It all concerned legal drugs and overprescribing them to many besides Elvis. Do not misunderstand me I have a slight amount more faith in Nick, but it is only slight. I have read and been told that Nick for a couple years was trying to wean Elvis off his addictions by cutting them with harmless sugar etc. He has not cashed in as so many others have with a tell all book or books and videos(at least that I am aware) My point is if you do not understand the treatments completely and were not a chemist or Doctor there may very well be other explanations for some of the things done to Elvis. This case is a prime example. Most of these guys were not very well educated, and the street answer is easy to jump to. Did Elvis try and experiment with cocaine -probably. Was he an out and out junky on cocaine IMO no. Was he addicted to speed yes since he started it in the army-but it was not considered as such in the 50s it was pep pills -legal by doctors prescription. Did he have asleeping problem yes since he was a small boy. Did he take sleeping medication yes was he addicted to it yes. Did he need more as he got older yes. Did he think there was a medicine for everything yes, Did he feel it was wrong or against the law no. Was it against the law -no. In the 70s people began to see the addictions of these things and the view changed. Will we ever know how much of what is said by these guys is true -no. He is dead and not here to answer their every accusation about sex-drugs-and rock in roll. I wish he was.

In total agreement!(y)