What use the MM?

[Elvis_Priestly]

I just saw this picture (thanks to TCBnAflash) in the gallery


http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/sho...p?i=30518&c=35

and got furious again with all Elvis' hangers on. You can see the poor man is ill, possibly/probably "stoned" or whatever. A 42 year old man needing helped down a few steps and they let him keep doing it. They let him keep clambering up onto the stage each night. Why didn't anyone do something? I know the Wests wrote that book, but that was more about money than anything else I imagine.
I love Elvis, I want to see Elvis live, not videos made when I was 6yrs old and didn't even know who he was. I want to know if you feel the same, did they all let him down so badly? Or if I'm completely wrong and they tried I want to know too to take them off my "snarl" list.

Thanks.

[T_J]

I think it's safe to say that no one could make Elvis do something he didn't want to do, including the MM and even his father. Attempts to intervene were more likely to be met by the guys being fired than anything else and then what influence could they possibly have from afar? I do think that the motivations of the MM varied. Some were true friends and some were simply hangers on. One thing I'm sure of, there wasn't one single member who could have intervened to stop Elvis touring if he wanted to tour. The Colonel had that power as he controlled the contracts, but Elvis' welfare didn't seem to be a top priority for that man. The mighty dollar was far more important.

[desiree]

I think they should have done something. A man in a bad condition as he was couldn?t control himself. I can?t believe they just let him slip down like that.
True friends help when there?s a need to. To me it seems there weren?t any friends.
They were just his subordinates and they treated Elvis as their Boss. For them he was The King.
I know he was a complicated guy, but he needed help. He was a human being, just like the rest of us, but with an amzing gift and talent.
It?s sad they didn?t notice it.

[diamond]

They were about as much use as Chocolate fireguard in my opinion.

Lawsuit upon Lawsuit is what plagued Elvis towards the end of his life.....all caused by the MM who were supposed to be there to protect him.

I am reading two books at the moment, Elvis, what happened and Elvis and the Memphis Mafia by Alanna Nash, I say reading, I'm not concentrating on it because every time I read something I literally shout out loud ( it's not good no) at what is written.

Do you know that Marty Lacker posts on a Newsgroup?, type in Marty Lacker on Google and see if it takes you to what he has to say.

By the way keep them on your ''snarl list'' just for now anyway.

[Leroy]

The reason Elvis is helped on- and off the stage has nothing to do with ill health. After being in the bright spotlight and flash bulbs from the instamatic camera's Elvis is almost blind when he has to find his way in a dark part of the building. To prevent him from falling down he is guided, mostly by Joe Esposito.

[Hav-A-Tampa]

One of Elvis's biggest problems the last few years, was that he had to keep working because of his poor finances... The Memphis Mafia were hired hands, but Colonel Parker should have looked out more for his client, instead of just grabbing whatever he could get for himself. I'm sure it wasn't easy being his manager in the 70's, but it seems like Parker more or less gave up after Aloha. Two examples are the Boxcar label and the embarrassing "Having Fun On Stage" album, Elvis hated it and even told his audience in Vegas not to buy it! And it was released ... not by a bootlegger... but by his very own manager! And then there's "Elvis In Concert". Yes, they both needed the money, but I think it's pretty clear Parker by then was thinking, oh he's going die pretty soon, why not make a buck while I still have the chance. He was not looking after Elvis's best interests, that's for sure.

[amzietamzie]

I think that when looking back in retrospect at something that?s already happened, knowing the outcome, it?s somewhat easier to start thinking ?What if??, ?How could they?? and so on. At the time, as Elvis? decline was somewhat gradual, I do understand how the impact of it maybe wasn?t so forceful and it may have seemed, in some ways, more acceptable to maybe not intervene.

As T_J said, if the members of the Memphis Mafia had tried to prevent Elvis from doing something that he needed and was obviously personal and sensitive, they could very easily have put their jobs, which in a way were their lives, in jeopardy. And so, I think some of them may have felt as though even if they had wanted to do something, it would be easier to wait and either see whether Elvis could sort it out himself, or at least wait a while before intervening. But then again, as desiree said, a true friend would protect you, especially in your darkest hours.

I do find it astonishing to think that in fewer than ten years after the 68 Comeback Special, in which Elvis looked like an Adonis, he would be dead. The transformation is just shocking and truly tragic. He still had so much to give. I do find it hard to see how people could let it happen, and by that I don?t mean just the Memphis Mafia, although obviously they, being close to Elvis, did have the opportunity to say or do something.

Ultimately, it is incredibly hard to help someone who doesn?t want to be helped. As has been said, Elvis liked helping people, but think he did want people to feel as though he was in control of himself, and, in some way, want to keep his pride in tact.

Although I think that it was hard for the people to help Elvis, prevent him from touring, do something about the drugs, and so on, and I can see that there may have been a temptation to do little as that was conceivably easier, I do find it astonishing that he was allowed to decline in such a huge and tragic way over so little time. He was an enormous talent and deserved so much more, and, in that way, I find it somewhat inconceivable that people didn?t do as much as they could to keep him and save him. But you have to look at the situation; he was Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ?n? Roll. How hard must it have been to say no to him. But ultimately, he did NEED help, and he was denied it by not only the general public, but, poignantly, by the people who claimed to have loved him. It is truly tragic and shocking, looking back, that no one did really properly try, regardless of what the outcome might be. Ever so sad.

[Tony Trout]

The reason Elvis is helped on- and off the stage has nothing to do with ill health. After being in the bright spotlight and flash bulbs from the instamatic camera's Elvis is almost blind when he has to find his way in a dark part of the building. To prevent him from falling down he is guided, mostly by Joe Esposito.

You're dead-on correct here, Leroy. Elvis suffered from glaucoma and the bright lights and the sweat (by the end of a performance) had affected his eyes so much that he could barely see. As far as the guys trying to help Elvis? They did try to help him...numerous times! Red and Sonny West both went to Elvis and explained (or tried to explain) to Elvis what he was doing to himself and the people around him and they both got fired for it but Elvis didn't think he had a drug problem...(GASP! I actually said those forbidden words! ) and each time they tried to help him he pushed them away or fired them...it's that simple. You absolutely cannot stop a drunk from drinking or a person from taking drugs (prescription or otherwise) unless he wants to do it himself....they tried....they failed.....Elvis refused the help.....it cost him his life.....that's the sad truth.

[elvis himselvis]

right Tony and Leroy
He was just helped of stage not because he was ill...
And various members of the MM have tried to help him and get him off the drugs...even his father,but Elvis didn't listen.
But imagine for him it was hard to stop with all those pills after taking them so long an afcourse because he wasn't happy at all

[Tony Trout]

right Tony and Leroy
He was just helped of stage not because he was ill...
And various members of the MM have tried to help him and get him off the drugs...even his father,but Elvis didn't listen.
But imagine for him it was hard to stop with all those pills after taking them so long an afcourse because he wasn't happy at all

It would've been difficult for him to stop the drugs without professional help because over time the body builds up tolerance for substances...whereas one will do fine the first time, it takes more and more each next time you take them until it becomes an out-of-control situation that is very hard to curtail....

[0349054]

I just saw this picture (thanks to TCBnAflash) in the gallery


http://www.tcb-world.com/gallery/sho...p?i=30518&c=35

and got furious again with all Elvis' hangers on. You can see the poor man is ill, possibly/probably "stoned" or whatever. A 42 year old man needing helped down a few steps and they let him keep doing it. They let him keep clambering up onto the stage each night. Why didn't anyone do something? I know the Wests wrote that book, but that was more about money than anything else I imagine.
I love Elvis, I want to see Elvis live, not videos made when I was 6yrs old and didn't even know who he was. I want to know if you feel the same, did they all let him down so badly? Or if I'm completely wrong and they tried I want to know too to take them off my "snarl" list.

Thanks.

Most of them did try and let Elvis know what he was doing to himself - but he reacted angrily each time. No one TOLD Elvis Presley what to do. They dried him out in Baptist Memorial a few times, he was told to stop taking so much stuff and HE didn't listen.

Elvis WANTED them around, if he didn't HE would have fired them - he fired a few of them and fired most of them a few times and took them back.

I'm always amazed at people thinking Elvis was some sort of saint. Elvis had a massive drug problem which was hiw own fault, and his own responsibility. Ultimately Elvis Presley's death was Elvis Presley's fault and no one elses. No one forced the tablets down his throat or forced him to use cocaine etc...

Why did Vernon do something? Because he coulden't.......Elvis just woulden't listen.

The hangers on were chosen by Elvis, he kept them around and he took drugs. If there is anyone to blame it is Elvis. They all tried to help him - none of them wanted him dead - hence they would have no jobs, so his health was important to them.

Theres a lot more to Elvis than people like to believe and you know Elvis was the one who slept with Billy Stanley's wife for over a month. It may not be releavnt to this - but people need to realise Elvis did what he wanted, when he wanted and no one told him otherwise.

Sometimes I feel too many 'fans' have a messianic complex when it comes to Elvis.

[0349054]

I think they should have done something. A man in a bad condition as he was couldn?t control himself. I can?t believe they just let him slip down like that.
True friends help when there?s a need to. To me it seems there weren?t any friends.
They were just his subordinates and they treated Elvis as their Boss. For them he was The King.
I know he was a complicated guy, but he needed help. He was a human being, just like the rest of us, but with an amzing gift and talent.
It?s sad they didn?t notice it.

I understand what your saying, but how can you help when Elvis would fire you, and then you have no access to him?

[Tony Trout]

Most of them did try and let Elvis know what he was doing to himself - but he reacted angrily each time. No one TOLD Elvis Presley what to do. They dried him out in Baptist Memorial a few times, he was told to stop taking so much stuff and HE didn't listen.

Elvis WANTED them around, if he didn't HE would have fired them - he fired a few of them and fired most of them a few times and took them back.

I'm always amazed at people thinking Elvis was some sort of saint. Elvis had a massive drug problem which was hiw own fault, and his own responsibility. Ultimately Elvis Presley's death was Elvis Presley's fault and no one elses. No one forced the tablets down his throat or forced him to use cocaine etc...

Why didn't Vernon do something? Because he coulden't.......Elvis just woulden't listen.

The hangers on were chosen by Elvis, he kept them around and he took drugs. If there is anyone to blame it is Elvis. They all tried to help him - none of them wanted him dead - hence they would have no jobs, so his health was important to them.

Theres a lot more to Elvis than people like to believe and you know Elvis was the one who slept with Billy Stanley's wife for over a month. It may not be releavnt to this - but people need to realise Elvis did what he wanted, when he wanted and no one told him otherwise.

Sometimes I feel too many 'fans' have a messianic complex when it comes to Elvis.

Wow.....my thoughts exactly!! GREAT POST!!

[Donut]

From the outside all seems more easy to do but I think it was more complicated than we think it was and more since Elvis didn?t accept he really had a problem and we talk about a story that happened more than 30 years ago when people hadn?t so much information and centers for addicts.
I think it isn?t fair to blame the MM for not helping Elvis because some of them tried it and neither i think they were hangers on, they made their jobs and if Elvis had them around must be for something... the man had the right to chose his own friends and some of them were loyal to him until the end.
I think the real problem came when he started to have real health problems because it was the perfect excuse for him to say he needed all the stuff he was taking and that way he didn?t have to face the truth.

[desiree]

I understand what your saying, but how can you help when Elvis would fire you, and then you have no access to him?

Yes, well I guess you?re right. It?s just so sad he was so lost and no-one couldn?t help him.

[KPM]

The reason Elvis is helped on- and off the stage has nothing to do with ill health. After being in the bright spotlight and flash bulbs from the instamatic camera's Elvis is almost blind when he has to find his way in a dark part of the building. To prevent him from falling down he is guided, mostly by Joe Esposito.

That is so true, since he had glaucoma which the flashbulbs and spot lights did not help:
Glaucoma: The Second-Leading Cause of Blindness in the U.S.

Glaucoma affects an estimated 3 million Americans, with 120,000 blind due to the condition. Elsewhere in the world, glaucoma treatment is less available, and glaucoma ranks as a leading cause of blindness just about everywhere. Even if people with glaucoma do not become blind, vision can be severely impaired.
Glaucoma Signs and Symptoms
Chronic glaucoma (primary open-angle glaucoma or POAG) is often called "the silent thief of sight" because you have no warning sign, no hint that anything is wrong. About half of Americans with chronic glaucoma don't know they have it. Glaucoma gradually reduces your peripheral vision, but by the time you notice it, permanent damage has already occurred. If your IOP remains high, the destruction can progress until tunnel vision develops, and you will only be able to see objects that are straight ahead.

An acute attack of narrow-angle glaucoma, also termed acute angle-closure glaucoma or acute closed-angle glaucoma, produces sudden symptoms such as eye pain, headaches, haloes around lights, dilated pupils, vision loss, red eyes, nausea and vomiting. These signs may last for a few hours, then return again for another round. Each attack takes with it part of your field of vision.

Other signs include headaches, blurred vision, difficulty adapting to darkness, or haloes around lights. Chronic glaucoma normally develops after age 35.

[Hav-A-Tampa]

The reason Elvis is helped on- and off the stage has nothing to do with ill health. After being in the bright spotlight and flash bulbs from the instamatic camera's Elvis is almost blind when he has to find his way in a dark part of the building. To prevent him from falling down he is guided, mostly by Joe Esposito.

Quite right! And he did fall once, didn't he? Sometime in May 77, when Joe wasn't in his usual place?

[Tony Trout]

Quite right! And he did fall once, didn't he? Sometime in May 77, when Joe wasn't in his usual place?

According to reports, Elvis fell onstage during the first half of the show in Baltimore, MD on May 29, 1977.....a tragic example of a man who should not have been onstage at all during that final year.....

[KPM]

Elvis was no saint, but he was not the devil either. I prefer to think of him as human. All people miss the mark in some way, but we are not under a microscope when we do it. I do not know one person who can live up to the image Elvis had. All the relatives, friends and supposed friends, of Elvis were also human. I'm sure if you could search their heart of hearts you would find motives for their actions which they would deny or try to justify-thats human. Elvis made huge mistakes, but
"he was the one under the microscope being dissected 24 hours a day ,7 days a week"
Let me rephrase that,
"he is still to this day being dissected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week"
I do not handle pressure well, most people don't. Life for average people can be stressful and pressure filled. Elvis did not live the average life, he was catered to, put on a mountain by us---and-his friends and family. He was looked upon as special by all-failure is not an option on any level -so inwardly you put the pressure on yourself-that in my opinion is the highest level of pressure a man can be placed under.
I can not imagine this situation because it is so far from just everyday life.
If any regular person tries to tell you they can imagine this existence, or how they would have done things different if it was them-they are pulling your leg. Human.

[Elvis_Priestly]

Many, many thanks for all this and however it might continue.
Theres so much to think about in there, including Elvis' personal responsibility and our (ok, my) habit of confusing the icon with the man. Hey, didn't he warn against that one time himself: "the image is one thing, the man is another."
I guess its weird to grieve for someone you never knew. Maybe too I'm engaged in some displacement having had to conduct four funerals this week, and four lined up for next, three quarters of which fall into the "tragedy" category.
Here I guess I'm asking the question the families I am dealing with are asking, though for me its about Elvis, because when this job is stressful I get the music on and now have found a place to energetically discuss the man behind it. The question ... why?