Question About Elvis Concert Books

[U.S. Male]

Could someone please post some reviews for the following books; I am currently trying to learn the actual contents, and if they are worth purchasing.

ON STAGE: By Keith Alverson

ELVIS SHOT: by Ed Bonja

THANK YOU VERY MUCH: by Paul Lichter

ELVIS MILLENIUM: by Paul Lichter

ELVIS: by Dagmar (I think this is the title?)

[Captain Elwood David]

Could someone please post some reviews for the following books; I am currently trying to learn the actual contents, and if they are worth purchasing.

I'm not one much for in-depth reviews, because, after-all ......... the are just "opinions."

I can, however, give you my brief take on some:

ON STAGE: By Keith Alverson

Recommended. Focus is primarily on the latter 70's EP. Great shots, full page images & high quality. Hardback, worth the price.

ELVIS SHOT: by Ed Bonja

Disappointing, considering the source. Generally poor quality (blurred) images. Oversized softcover. Came with a CD with Bonja relaying some stories.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH: by Paul Lichter

All of Licher's books are over-priced.

Lots of nice B&W shots.

ELVIS MILLENIUM: by Paul Lichter

Two books in one. You turn the book upside down & find a second book on the other side. Half-n-half if you will. A bit of an absurd concept ...... done as trick & selling point for the book.

Nothing glaringly "new" in its contents.

Again, overpriced.

As is usually the case with Lichter, the hype is big, but the substance is little.

----------------

Can't speak as to the other one in your query. Don't own it. That period EP has been way overdone, ... but that's just me.



- Capt. "EL."

[U.S. Male]

Thank you for that information Captain, this will help me out. I am suprised to hear that the Bonja book is not up to par; I was hoping his would have been superiour to them all.
Yes, I also agree that Lichters stuff is overpriced for sure.

I shall now return to my seat and fasten my seatbelt.

[Captain Elwood David]

You're welcome BBM,

Don't think there will be as much turbulence on trips emarking from this site.


- Capt. "EL."

[Jungleroom76]

Hey Big Boss:

Hopefully this will help you out....this is a review I wrote on Keith Alverson's ON STAGE book a couple of years ago for my website, "The King's Corner":

There are simply not enough words that can be used to describe this INCREDIBLE book! Forget what you may have read on the internet about how good "Elvis On Stage" by Keith Alverson is...IT IS BETTER!!

Having seen some of Keith's magnificent photographs first hand, we had nothing but high expectations for Keith's debut in the Elvis photo book arena. But, as soon as we cracked open "Elvis On Stage"...we were SIMPLY STUNNED!!! NEVER has "The King of Rock N' Roll" been photographed so handsomely or brilliantly!! But, Keith has DONE it!!

Upon our first look at Keith's outstanding book, we were astounded to see that EACH AND EVERY photograph throughout this 112 page masterpiece was in VIBRANT COLOR...no black and white shots here!!! Our next thought was that, with 112 pages, there surely would be TONS of photographs crammed onto each page, like most other Elvis photo books...again, NOT HERE!!! Aside from a short introduction by Keith, EACH page contains ONE FANTASTIC FULL COLOR photograph of Elvis on stage, doing what he did best -- entertaining his fans!! Contained within the 112 pages of "Elvis On Stage" are OUTSTANDING photos of Elvis on stage, as well as some very candid shots. The photos were taken by Keith between 1973 and 1977, and showcase some of Elvis' greatest jumpsuits, including the "Sundial", "Red Phoenix", "Dragon", "Peacock" and "King of Spades" suits, among others.

Each brilliant photograph within this book is crystal clear and most are up-close and personal! The photos are presented in their original form, just the way Keith originally shot them. To maintain each photos integrity, Keith even had some of the photos printed HORIZONTALLY in the book, so they wouldn't have to be cropped. Keith has also added a few personal anecdotes and notes pertaining to the photos, where appropriate, without wasting space with text that has been printed a thousand times before. The main focus of "Elvis On Stage" is right where it should be... on ELVIS!!!

"Elvis On Stage" by Keith Alverson is an ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE in your Elvis library!! Re-live the magic of "Elvis On Stage" with this MAGNIFICENT book TODAY!

Hope this review helps you out some!

As for the other books you asked about, I have to pretty much agree with Capt. "El" on his assessments of them. I personally enjoyed Paul's books a little more then it sounds like the Captain did, but I agree that they are a bit overpriced. And, like you, I was also surprised about the sub-par quality of Ed Bonja's book when I first received it.

I have heard the ELVIS BY DAGMAR book is quite good, but I have never seen it personally.

Another book that I would personally recommend VERY highly, especially if you are into Elvis in concert, is ELVIS - THE CONCERT YEARS (1969 - 1977) by Stein Erik Skar. This is an OUTSTANDING hardcover book....over 250 pages, lots of color photos and the book is divided into each tour that Elvis made between '69 - '77. Also included in the book are reprints of actual concert reviews from the various newspapers around the U.S. of Elvis' shows. It's an EXCELLENT book and definitely worth every penny, in my opinion!

Hope this helps you out Big Boss!! (h)

TCB!
Mike

[buttonhead]

Here is some review about Ed Bonja books...with some facts about the man.

Review by Crister Berge
I just obtained this book from British magazine Elvis Today, who had a special price offer on it. Shot By Ed Bonja contains 96 pages worth of color pictures (one on each page) of The King dating from 1970 until 1975, though most of them are from 1972 and 1973. There's only one back stage picture, the rest are from live appearances. This one should've been a real stunner, but all in all it's a very disappointing book; keep reading and I'll give you a few reasons why.
First of all: Let's face the facts, Ed Bonja was NOT a very good photographer; he took some classes in photography but he certainly did not have any natural ability for this craft. Bonja took over 5,000 pictures of Elvis and it was his pictures that were used for Elvis' single and EP covers during the 70's (*). Those pictures were good, but what about the rest of them? Well, the answer's here. As we can see, many of them were real shoddy pictures: blurred, out of focus, strange angulations - amateur photos, if you will. We even get a shot of Elvis' *** on page 28! The two pictures from 1970 are odd: The first one features Elvis almost swallowing the microphone and the second one is not very flattering and it clearly shows his drug-saturated eyes.

(*) Colonel Parker's assistant Tom Diskin was Ed Bonja's uncle so that was how Eddie got to work for Elvis. The reason Parker hired him as the "official Elvis photographer" was that since Bonja was not a professional photographer, he could exploit him. Ed was not given any photo credit or a decent fee for his work.

Furthermore, Eddie's foreword is so embarrassing, it borders on the ridiculous or infantile, and for some reason the text is in capital letters and only one column, which makes the text an ordeal to get through. Also, I found quite a few spelling errors: "MILENNIUM", "LOUISIANNA", "EXTRADORINARILY" and two versions of the word "charisma": "CHAISMA" and "CHRISMA". Proof-reading, someone?
There are many errors to be found inside the book as well, just look at this list:

* On no less than five occasions, year, date and venue is stated twice on the same page.
* Three pictures are used twice.
* The picture on page 22 is horrible, even of lower quality than had it been taken by an audience member with a Kodak Instamatic.
* The picture on page 24 was taken 1970, not 1972.
* Spelling error on page 27: San Bernadino.
* The same caption is used twice (pages 33 and 35), though the second time around the final two letters have disappeared.
* The picture on page 66 is strangely cut down, resulting in the upper half of the page being pitch black!
* The town of Jackson is said to be located both in the state of Memphis and the state of Tennessee.
So many errors. Sloppy. I also think the price ($35) is way too high; sure it's in color, but at 96 pages, it's a thin book. And why, why, why aren't the pictures in chronological order?
On a more positive note, all pictures are in color and most of them are new to this reviewer's eyes. I have seen some of the good ones in various Elvis magazines. Criticism aside, the man behind this book, Danish fan club president Henrik Knudsen should be commended for his fantastic work. If only we had someone of his caliber in Sweden!
On a scale from 1 to 5, I give Shot By Ed Bonja a 3.
? Crister Berge, Stockholm, Sweden 2002

hope this helps Big Boss, now I knew how Eddie got his job with Elvis

[buttonhead]

Another review of Paul Lichter book Elvis Millenium:


Millennium Elvis (By Paul Lichter) - Elvis Book


Paul Lichter's latest coffee table offering is another 'two books in one' release that will please many fans. It is a quality production with many fantastic Elvis Presley photos.

"as good as it gets" highlights Elvis Presley****in concert. Featuring principally half to full page plus photos of Elvis Presley, fans will be staggered by many of the great shots. Elvis in full flight, Elvis Presley photos in colour, Elvis in black & white, Elvis in humorous mood, Elvis with his audience, Elvis pensive - they're all here! I especially liked the photos from Elvis's concert in Johnson City, Tennessee on 17 March, 1976. The King looks great - a little puffy, but obviously vibrant and happy.

Lichter complements the photos with text of Elvis's interplay with the fans at each concert: 'I'd like to introduce you to the young ladies you met earlier in the show.

I think they're fantastic. Here's the Sweet Inspirations! They used to be called the Crew Cuts. I'm only kidding. You can wear your hair anyway you like it.'

"larger than life" is a series of candid shots of Elvis from the 1950s to the 1970s. Notable inclusions are superb colour photos from the Lost Loving You Session and a picture of Elvis, Priscilla and Lisa Marie that the author obtained from Jerry Lee Lewis. The 16 page Lost Loving You Photo Session includes an absolute standout photo of Elvis with pursed lips wearing a striking red turtle neck jumper with black & white V stripe. Readers will also appreciate the many rare candids of Elvis with friends and fans in the 50s.

I only have one concern with Millennium Elvis. The double cover, upside down concept - where you have to turn the book ninety degrees to view the second half - didn't work for me. It is an interesting idea but I think conventional one angle printing will please more fans. Having said that, Millennium Elvis is, in my opinion, a first rate release.

There are several prominent publishers of Elvis photo-journals and Paul Lichter's books are easily in the top bracket of the genre. In hardcover, with high quality paper and stitched binding they are a very worthy addition to any fan's Elvis library - and coffee table!

Review by Nigel Patterson


I hope this help....

[buttonhead]

ELVIS by Dagmar...yes this is the tittle, i found the review of it:

Elvis ! by Dagmar

****

This book has been released last Fall but never had the time to make a review until now. First a few words about the author, Dagmar grew up in Austria and later moved to New-York, and eventually shifted careers there to become a full time photo journalist.****

Dagmar had the ? chance ? to follow Elvis during the September 1970 tour ( St.Louis, MO, Detroit, MI and Miami, FL ) and took great pictures of our man in action. Thanks to Wolfgang Hahn from the Austrian ? Always Elvis ? club we can now see and enjoy the work of Dagmar, the lady photographer.****

This book comes with a nice cover jacket and a text related to the shows attended by Dagmar during this tour, along with extra details surrounding the whole experience of following an Elvis tour in September 1970 tour. All the text inside is in English and German language.****

The book is about a hundred and sixty three (163) pages, soft cover, size is 22,5 cm x 22,0 cm and contains more than a hundred and thirty (130) unpublished pictures including sixteen (16) in color. The overall layout and design is very attractive although these pictures would had deserved a treatment similar to the book ? Caught In The Trap ?, yet the rarities of the pics make you forget about these small details.****

Dagmar certainly captured the excitement in photo of what was Elvis at this stage of his career : the best live entertainer the world has ever seen, raw power like a tiger that has been just released from his cage, sex appeal and in full control of his act.****

A good percentage of the photographs inside the book are from the Miami, FL September 12, 1970 evening show ( easy to spot because of the curtain behind the stage ) and Detroit, MI on the 11th. Elvis was wearing at both shows the famed ? Chain jumpsuit ? with a brown macrame belt.****



I?m a bit confused about one fact in the book. Dagmar mentioned that Elvis was also wearing that suit in St.Louis,MO. However Steve Polworth from St.Louis,MO told me back then that Elvis was wearing the ? Fringe jumpsuit ? in St.Louis, so who?s right ? At first sight I?d say there are no pictures from St.Louis within this book but only shots from Miami ( evening show ) and Detroit. Ed Bonja did publish some pictures in a few books with the ? Chain jumpsuit ? with the red macrame belt and identified as being from St. Louis,MO, however those were taken in San Diego,CA during the November 1970 tour.****

Obviously the above is a ?minor detail ? and what really counts is the overall quality of these photographs.The movie ? That?s The Way It Is ? ( original & Special Edition ) gave us quite an idea of what Elvis was all about in 1970, yet the shows in September and November 1970 were wilder. I can only assume that the excitement from large crowds contributed to this fact when compared to the relatively quiet Las Vegas crowds.****


hope it helps big boss...

[Lonniebealestreet]

... (1970) EP has been way overdone, ... but that's just me.

No, it isn't!

Not to say it's not a fantastic period, with Elvis on top of his game, but a few years ago especially the market was flooded with Elvis live in (mostly August) 1970 product, and honestly, I was getting a little burned out on it.

Don't think I don't enjoy it, or wasn't especially thankful to get TTWII SE the movie--though not as thankful as I could have been, but I won't go into that. I am just more intrigued by things which came later, probably in part because they don't get as much exposure. But it's much more than that too.

Regarding Elvis! By Dagmar, I don't have that book either, but the black and white images I have seen from it really do look stunning.

[Captain Elwood David]

Ditto on all you said, Lonnie.

------------------

TTWII SE is great, but in light what we were given with the recent Deluxe releases ('68 Comeback / Aloha) ................ I can't help but be bitterly disappointed with TTWII SE in hindsight.

The FTD TTWIW book did nothing for me, but the CD was fantastic.

Recently picked up FLASHBACK -----> one word = AWESOME. CD is mind-blowing.

I no doubt come back time and time again to appreciate the 1970 Elvis, but ........ yep, I too am a bit burned out on that time-period material.


- Capt. "EL."

[U.S. Male]

Well I certainly appreciate all of the insight regarding these books. Now I know what's worth the $$.

LWhile we are on the subject, let me ask this, has anyone heard anything out of Sean Shaver? I thought he was supposed to have had a new book coming out? Anyone have any news on this?

[minni1]

What about the book, "Elvis On Tour 1954 To 1977" by Robert Gordon?

[Jungleroom76]

Well minni1, since EPE sells the book you asked about, "Elvis On Tour 1954 To 1977" by Robert Gordon, anyone knowing EPE could immediately assume that the book is heavy in photos from '54 - '73, and then after the ALOHA special, the photos become much more scarce. And they would be RIGHT!!!

The photos included in the book, while excellent in quality, have been mostly seen before. As I mentioned above, there are very few photos from post-ALOHA. The text in the book contains nothing that most fans wouldn't already know or have read elsewhere, and above all else, the quality of the book itself in terms of workmanship is VERY shoddy!!! After only flipping through my copy of the book twice, the inside seam was starting to come loose and I could clearly see between the glue holding the pages together and the inside spine of the book....VERY POORLY ASSEMBLED IN TERMS OF WORKMANSHIP, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PRICE THEY SELL IT FOR! (fortunately for me it was a gift, so I didn't spend my own money on it)

I would highly recommend spending your money elsewhere for an Elvis book! But, as always, this is only my opinion!

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

ANOTHER HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOK!!!

One book that hasn't been mentioned yet, and doesn't get the credit it deserves (in my opinion) is THE ELVIS TREASURES by Robert Gordon!!(amazing how the same man could have also put together "Elvis On Tour 1954 - 1977")

While quite pricey (around $50.00), THE ELVIS TREASURES is a well thought-out book, with many pull-out artifacts from different periods of Elvis' career! You can pull out a replica of a library card for a book that Elvis signed out of the library while he was still in school! Replicas of tickets from the '68 Special and the Aloha special are also included, along with replica drawings of football play diagrams that Elvis himself created and wrote out! This is just a REALLY fun book to look at, and the text included in the book contains many different, even some of the more obscure facts about Elvis' life. The accompanying photos really are quite neat, and include photos of even more rare artifacts from various points in Elvis' life!!

In my opinion, THE ELVIS TREASURES is one book that is both very creative and well worth the money!!

TCB!
Mike

[minni1]

Thanks for your opinion of the book, Jungleroom76. I agree, EPE seems to forget there was life after Aloha.

[Jungleroom76]

YOU ARE VERY WELCOME MINNI1!!!

As for EPE "forgetting" about Elvis after Aloha, we have had many discussions about EPE's treatment of Elvis' career post-Aloha here on the board.

In my opinion, EPE appears almost embarassed about Elvis' life post-Aloha, thus their incredible reluctance to mention anything regarding Elvis' life or career after the Aloha special! Which, in my opinion (and I think most other board members share the same opinion) is a true shame!! Some of Elvis' best performances (both concert as well as recordings) came post-Aloha, and I think they definitely deserve much more support than they receive from EPE!!!

So, I guess it's not so much a matter of EPE "forgetting" about Elvis post-Aloha as it is trying to hide Elvis, post-Aloha!

TCB!
Mike

[Captain Elwood David]

JR76 brings up some good points and is correct.

EPE's Elvis On Tour book is way too superficial, .......... nothing really for hardcore fans. I perused a copy at the bookstore and decided to pass. Nothing there of interest to me, including all of the same tried-n-true photographs that we are all familiar with. EP's later years were all but glossed over.

The Treasures book, however, is quite an interesting release. I bought mine when it first came out at full-price. Worth it; also enjoyed the CD. Some of the items found in this book are being re-sold / misrepresented as EP Owned & Memorabilia items. Kind of a nice introduction into an area / hobby that not many are familiar with. I enjoyed the book and recommend it. Hardcore fans will get a kick out of it.


- Capt. "EL."

[minni1]

YOU ARE VERY WELCOME MINNI1!!!

As for EPE "forgetting" about Elvis after Aloha, we have had many discussions about EPE's treatment of Elvis' career post-Aloha here on the board.

In my opinion, EPE appears almost embarassed about Elvis' life post-Aloha, thus their incredible reluctance to mention anything regarding Elvis' life or career after the Aloha special! Which, in my opinion (and I think most other board members share the same opinion) is a true shame!! Some of Elvis' best performances (both concert as well as recordings) came post-Aloha, and I think they definitely deserve much more support than they receive from EPE!!!

So, I guess it's not so much a matter of EPE "forgetting" about Elvis post-Aloha as it is trying to hide Elvis, post-Aloha!

TCB!
Mike

I wholeheartedly agree, Mike. While Elvis was not at his peak, physically, after Aloha, he nevertheless gave many awesome performances, and still had that ol' Elvis magic! His musical style continued to evolve, perhaps because of his worsening health, or maybe in spite of it. By choosing to ignore Elvis after Aloha, EPE is ignoring a very significant part of Elvis' career, IMO.

[Jungleroom76]

Minni1 -

I couldn't agree with you more!!! Despite the obvious changes in Elvis' physical appearance, the VOICE was almost always there!! (even Elvis had a few off nights, but for the most part, in my opinion his voice was as strong as ever in the post-Aloha years)

Just listen to Elvis sing HURT, MY WAY, or HOW GREAT THOU ART from the CBS special!! No one COULD ever, or WILL ever be able to sing a song with as much emotion or power as Elvis Presley!!! And these performances, in my opinion, prove just that!!

It is truly a shame that EPE....the company that survives today because of Elvis' legacy....chooses to ignore some of the most powerful recordings of Elvis' entire career, simply because of the changes in his physical appearance!! AN ABSOLUTE TRAVESTY, IN MY OPINION!!

TCB!
Mike

[iamhekev]

Try Amazon.co.uk/Amazon.com,you never no.


KEV.