have they realeased the whole Sonny west and Dave Hebler conference from 1977.
I really want to see the whole conference.
I saw some on This is Elvis.
Yes, I'm interested in this too. Judging from the clips I have seen, I haven't been able to determine if the conference is before or after EP's death.
Makes you wonder how much splash the book would have made if Elvis hadn't died.I'd venture to say it wouldn't have made much splash at all.
"I can't see my reflection in the water. I can't speak the sounds that show no pain. I can't hear the echo of my footsteps. I can't remember the sound of my own name" - Tomorrow Is A Long Time
It was recorded the day after Elvis died. If I remember correctly, it was the afternoon of August 17th.Originally Posted by nashville cat
Yes, I'm interested in this too. Judging from the clips I have seen, I haven't been able to determine if the conference is before or after EP's death.
Makes you wonder how much splash the book would have made if Elvis hadn't died.
Elvis seemed quite worried about it.
Yeah, and the book had been serialised before Elvis' death and was making a lot of news. Obviously, Elvis' death gave it a lot of extra publicity it never would've had, but it still would've been big news had he not died.
And say what you will about Elvis: What Happened and why/how it was written, but there were more than a few kernels of truth in it.
That book was going to be huge even if Elvis didnt die.Not just a splash but a tidal wave.You have to look back at that time period.Elvis had the image of an angel.This was the first book to expose his personal life without sugar coating anything.It was a blockbuster no matter what.Yes, I'm interested in this too. Judging from the clips I have seen, I haven't been able to determine if the conference is before or after EP's death.
Makes you wonder how much splash the book would have made if Elvis hadn't died.
Jak
Well said SRJ and Jak.
Too many people I have met haven't even read the thing, yet feel qualified to judge the book from what they have heard.
Elvis wasn't an angel and that book contains a lot of truth.
To think a tell-tale book on Elvis wouldn't make a splash in the 70's is not exactly fair comment!
Not to turn this into an "Elvis: What Happened" book-bashing, but I find the book difficult to read simply because it ping-pongs back and forth between the early years one minute then your in a hotel room in the 1970s and then you're back in the 1950s again...there just doesn't seem to be any 'continuity' to the book...but I will agree that the book was a blockbuster of a book for it's time and opened alot of people's eyes to what life for Elvis "behind the scenes" was like....
Looking back on things, I do feel that the West boys (Red & Sonny) do now regret writing the book ('d like to know Hebler's thoughts 'bout writing the book and how he feels about it today)...they both loved Elvis and to be honest they were only trying to 'wake Elvis up' to what he was doing to himself and the people around him....unfortunately, it was too late.....
I've read the book several times, so I feel I'm as qualified to discuss it as anyone else. Elvis had been the subject of a lot of tabloid speculation for years. They had reported his eccentric behavior, and this wasn't even the first rumours of drugs.
Granted, these were people that had been very close to Elvis, and it was a major event. But I just don't see how it would have affected his career in any major way, or caused fans to stop going to see his concerts or buying his records.
"I can't see my reflection in the water. I can't speak the sounds that show no pain. I can't hear the echo of my footsteps. I can't remember the sound of my own name" - Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Then you should be familiar with how Elvis attempted to have the book stopped? How he threatened to have Red West killed?
Not exactly the actions of a man who shares the same stream of thought as yourself.
If you think the book would have caused no major harm to Elvis, it will probabaly be impossible to argue the point with you.
Elvis in 77' wasn't exactly the best stage act around, and that was due to Elvis, his drug abuse and lack of respect for himself.
I love Elvis, but facts are facts.
this press confrence was called and rushed on the 17 th of august by the publisher, they were asked quite a few questions , like are you surprised about the death, who are you working for now, did you ask for your job back, doid you speak to him since the firing, these were omitted from this is elvis, there is one point where sonny breaks down really bad, and tells all that his cousin RED was to distrought over the death to make the confrence, this is available from a guy in arkansas, but again thequality is very poor. As for the book, i believe that they were tying to be as honest and accurate as possible, but of course the publisher wanted this thing to be sensationalized, and they had to get graphic. I have no doubt that the WESTS both LOVED E.P. i mean he was their BROTHER,MENTOR[showed them a life like no one else could or would] i believe that they were let go because they were an expensive liability, and VERNON sought to it that they were going to ruin ELVIS publicly and financialy, i also believe that he must have told E.P. what his plans were for them, and i was shocked that ELVIS let this happen[this really made him look like a coward] ELVIS also had a bad quality, he was a coward in that he never was one to say sorry, nor make many of his own decisions[wether right or wrong], these guys desrved better than that, they were loyal ELVIS wasn't, i guess he wanted them gone, if he didn't he surly would have put his foot down. I still think that THE WESTS never could of accepted the truth, and no doubt E.P. would of had future problems, the reason being that they were trying real hard to stop the drugs/meds from comming in, and confronting him that he had a problem, and one that was out of control. VERNON sure could have helped his only son by being concerned with his sons health and not the purse strings just my opinon .
Please read my posts before you get so up in arms about it. I'm talking about Elvis' career, not Elvis' personal life. Of course the book dealt a terrible personal blow to Elvis. But I don't think it would have stopped the fans from loving Elvis. He had been on a downward spiral for years, but the fans still flocked to his shows. He had faced a paternity suit, a divorce, rumours of drugs, flak from being overweight, etc, but his career continued.
"I can't see my reflection in the water. I can't speak the sounds that show no pain. I can't hear the echo of my footsteps. I can't remember the sound of my own name" - Tomorrow Is A Long Time
I thinks this story has two sides.
You can see it as a challenge to Elvis(as they did) but you can also see it as a way to destroy Elvis...
They were mad at him and now want him to pay for that and write this book and let him feel bad,wanting that Elvis fans would be shocked about there King.
I think Elvis was afraid of that,and that his fans don't like him anymore and will be disapointed.
I have never read the book but i think it tells alot of information that nobody should have known.
I think Elvis had it those last months in his mind all the time and that have helped him to his death...
I'd like to go to Graceland
Memphis,Tennessee
I find it to be a sad interview to watch...imo, they were (WEST BROTHERS) trying to help Elvis by telling him what he was doing, and what he was becoming and how he was killing himself with the drugs..i don't think they were set out trying to hurt Elvis or just for the money because someone for Elvis offered them a large sum of money not to publish the book but they did anyway. I also understand how Elvis felt, his friends for over 20 years go and tell everyone about his personal life..he probably felt like they betrayed him..when in all honesty, they wanted to help him and for him to get better cause of how sick he was.
"How do I get placed in situations like this? Ah hell, I guess it's all part of showbusiness "~ Elvis in his limo on his way to perform in Omaha, NE on June 19th 1977
Not brothers at all. Red and Sonny are cousins.
Memphis 77,you say that they didn't want to make money by publishing this book,but they did it.
Now that can happen,but if you really don't want to make money,but help you friend of the drugs,you can give all that money to charity.
And did they do that??
I don't think so
I'd like to go to Graceland
Memphis,Tennessee
They had lost their jobs and were essentially unskilled at the time. Sonny West told me during our interview that money was not their intention when collaborating on the book, and he personally made very little off it. Neither did Red or Dave. We're talking a measly couple of grand here. As someone who has looked directly into Sonny's eyes and asked him to his face whether he was lying to me about anything, I have to say I believed him.
um no i did not say that they din't want money, carefully read the post and then comment, i stated that VERNON's concern was money.
If I'm not mistaken, the real reason that Red wasn't there was because he was on location working on a television show with Bob Conrad...
That was when Elvis died.
I'm pretty sure Red didn't work the rest of that day or the days following Elvis's death.
Elvis and Red were pretty close and Red felt very hurt by Elvis's self destruction and also the way Elvis fired him without saying anything.
Turn the tables -
Successul drugged up superstar sacks his bodyguards and best friends through his dad with 2 weeks pay and no real explanation.
Elvis messed up - big time. The book was essentially Elvis's fault, in a roundabout way I mean.
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