why is E.P. always dumped on ?

[lvs2day]

ever since i became a fan of this great ENTERTAINER the media and people have dumped on him, many a time it's bin outrageous lies and put downs . i still feel the obligation to protect him because he is no longer here to defend himself and it seems to me that his heirs don't have much of a backbone , the most outrageous comment i get always when someone will find out i'm a fan is when they say ha ha he died on the comode- my question to yall is how do you deal with this ?

[Jungleroom76]

I've been an Elvis fan since I was 5 years old (that was in 1977) so throughout my school years, when kids found out I was an Elvis fan, they immediately thought I was weird and made fun of me because I didn't like the music of the day (and still don't!).

But after a while, I just learned to be true to myself in terms of being an Elvis fan and just ignored the other kids when they made fun of me. THEY were the ones missing out on being an Elvis fan, and in my mind, that was THEIR loss!!!

As an adult, I really don't take too much ribbing from people for being an Elvis fan. In fact when I met my wife, she was so impressed with my knowledge of Elvis that she claims that was one of the things that attracted me to her. She wasn't a real Elvis fan -- she was more of a casual fan -- but was very interested to learn more about him. My wife is also impressed with the fact that I am so devoted to Elvis, with my collection and my friends here at TCB-World. She has never really had a hobby or passion herself like I do with Elvis, so she finds that very interesting as well.

TCB!
Mike

[KPM]

First off I naturally correct anything they say which I know to be false or in error-secondly I tell them that for all the faults, or problems they see-they are ignoring the talent and ability of a great entertainer.
As for the bathroom jokes, I always tell them that we all die-unless you commit suicide no one picks the time, the place, or the moment-so its not how you die-but what you did while alive.
Elvis is one of a handfull of musicians/entertainers who is known as an original-one of handful who has started a musical revolution, and it lives today-rock music.
They owe him a debt whether they like him or not-if they like the freedom that rock has always had-they owe him a debt for selling it to the world.
Freedom of expression and freedom of sexuality all started with the freedom Elvis had in his early performances.

[Teddy]

Where are all these people who 'dump on' Elvis?

There was definitely a period in the 80s when I noticed a lot of that about, but happily it seems to be over.

I wish I had a dollar for everybody I've encountered who seems to be under the impression that he's vulnerable and in need of vigilant defense.

The guy is a hero to millions, universally acknowledged as the original pioneer of popular music, a colossal sex symbol (even posthumously) and arguably more revered today than he was in his own fabulously successful lifetime.

The only way you can damage him now is to suggest that he requires our concern! I'd much rather contemplate his indefatigable greatness

[Genie]

Where are all these people who 'dump on' Elvis?

There was definitely a period in the 80s when I noticed a lot of that about, but happily it seems to be over.

I wish I had a dollar for everybody I've encountered who seems to be under the impression that he's vulnerable and in need of vigilant defense.

The guy is a hero to millions, universally acknowledged as the original pioneer of popular music, a colossal sex symbol (even posthumously) and arguably more revered today than he was in his own fabulously successful lifetime.

The only way you can damage him now is to suggest that he requires our concern! I'd much rather contemplate his indefatigable greatness

Trust me, through the years and right up until a week ago at Boarders Books, I have heard it, and seen it, going on...This was my well known to some long time tooth and nail struggle with Marty Lacker on the old AEK....
Now, when I walked into the bookstore, to buy a few CD's this young man instantly said, Sting has a great album out right now....oK thank you...I'm sure he does, but I'm an Elvis fan and some of the music that is out there today isn't even music, it's slop! His expression was one of a kind!
Yes good music is out there, but Elvis is my number#1

[epmoodyblue]

dont let those things bother u so much my friend..no sweaT no worries here.. whatever is said about him makes no difference i couldint care less....and im italian they get one of these also let them say whateverrrrrrrrrrrr...facts are elvis will always be #1 always kingelvis is 2nd to none..and it will remain that way until the end of time

[Teddy]

If Sting is an example of Elvis's current competition, then the King's throne is under no immediate threat

It certainly doesn't reflect a major and detrimental impact on the respect for Elvis in contemporary culture, in any case

[Merry]

Those people haven't informed themselves of the facts, so aren't aware, it's a reflection of their ability to inform themselves of the facts, or not.

[waymore44]

I always got made fun of as a kid because I liked Elvis. But in high school when I first started to play music, I had the 50's Elvis hair which wasn't really that odd to see thanks to Beverly Hills 90210! I was suddenly cool. Of course my first high school bands were me doing A LOT of Elvis, but the kids dug me and since they didn't really know Elvis music very much unless it was "Hound Dog" or "Jailhouse Rock" they didn't even realize I was doing his music.

As the years have gone on, I've seen that it's now COOL to like Elvis, at least here in TN. When I do my country music shows now (lost all that beautiful hair, wear a hat, have a beard, look NOTHING like EP) people LOVE it when we play an occasional Elvis cover. I'm better at singing 70's Elvis than anything because I'm 35 now....voice changed just like his did. But anyway...the 20-30 somethings LOVE "Suspicious Minds", "Burnin' Love", "Promised Land", "Mystery Train/Tiger Man", "Polk Salad Annie", "Always On My Mind", "There's A Honky Tonk Angel", and "Moody Blue". Also "His Latest Flame" and "Baby Let's Play House" get a strong response.

I do an outlaw country type thing like Waylon Jennings (you may have noticed my Waylon pic), do a lot of Johnny Cash, Hank Jr....very high energy...and the EP stuff fits right in there along with that stuff. I sing sort of like a cross between Waylon, Elvis and Dwight Yoakam if you can imagine that.

My bass player is a HUGE Elvis fan and for some reason, don't ask me why, his favorite stuff are the movie soundtracks. He's got most of Elvis's vinyl albums but has not bought the CD's as an adult as I have. My drummer is my age and as most people my age don't know a lot about Elvis, so I've made him go to school on Ronnie Tutt 101. Now he's a HUGE Elvis fan.

As an adult I've never had anyone ever say anything bad about Elvis to me. I've had a few people along the way do Elvis impressions about getting a peanut butter and percocet sandwich...things like that...which I actually think are pretty funny, but I'm quick to let people know what the truth is if they say something off the wall. Generally though I don't get that hardly ever.

My wife who I met when I was 19 didn't know ANYTHING about Elvis so she's had to live with it since 1994. She's now an Elvis fan but only of the 70's. She loves TTWII...Elvis in the paisley shirt rehearsing...the albums Elvis Country, TTWII, Love Letters, Elvis Now, Moody Blue. She's not a fan like me by any means but she has her own personal Elvis that she likes and that's cool.

My kids especially my youngest son, loves Elvis too although they both like Johnny Cash better for some reason...may be because he's a little meaner, shooting men in Reno and all...

My oldest son, 12 wears an Elvis Tshirt to school every so often that was mine when i was his age, and kids don't say anything to him. I certainly don't make him wear it either, he does it on his own.

I think overall the days of making fun of The King are over for the most part thanks to the smart marketing of EPE not letting an image of Elvis over 185lbs ever be seen.

I know it's upsetting to us to not have "Elvis In Concert" truly released on DVD, but i can see why it hasn't been.

[monk37]

I think it has to do in part right from the 50's when everyone had a different relationship to Elvis.

To women he was sexually exciting, dangerous - he made you want to nail him to the bed, but then cuddle after - he mixed that bad/hurt boy thing every well.

Boys wanted to be him or punch him out for the effect he had on girls.

Parents and authority feared him.

And his record company didn't really know how to market him and just milked every track while they could, expecting him to be forgotten as quickly as he rose.


As a result, Elvis never got to be coddled or considered an artist.

He was a workhorse factory of saleable product - churning out songs, movies and later, concert tours.

Every now and then, we got a sample of what he could do when allowed to really strut his stuff


that exploitative marketing of crap with his name or photo or voice on it continues to his detriment

I think Elvis earned a devoted following that remains unprecedented

and people mock what they don't understand - and Elvis is again, as he was always, the flashpoint for a lot of strong and mixed emotions

[Genie]

Those people haven't informed themselves of the facts, so aren't aware, it's a reflection of their ability to inform themselves of the facts, or not.

Say again?

[lvs2day]

I always got made fun of as a kid because I liked Elvis. But in high school when I first started to play music, I had the 50's Elvis hair which wasn't really that odd to see thanks to Beverly Hills 90210! I was suddenly cool. Of course my first high school bands were me doing A LOT of Elvis, but the kids dug me and since they didn't really know Elvis music very much unless it was "Hound Dog" or "Jailhouse Rock" they didn't even realize I was doing his music.

As the years have gone on, I've seen that it's now COOL to like Elvis, at least here in TN. When I do my country music shows now (lost all that beautiful hair, wear a hat, have a beard, look NOTHING like EP) people LOVE it when we play an occasional Elvis cover. I'm better at singing 70's Elvis than anything because I'm 35 now....voice changed just like his did. But anyway...the 20-30 somethings LOVE "Suspicious Minds", "Burnin' Love", "Promised Land", "Mystery Train/Tiger Man", "Polk Salad Annie", "Always On My Mind", "There's A Honky Tonk Angel", and "Moody Blue". Also "His Latest Flame" and "Baby Let's Play House" get a strong response.

I do an outlaw country type thing like Waylon Jennings (you may have noticed my Waylon pic), do a lot of Johnny Cash, Hank Jr....very high energy...and the EP stuff fits right in there along with that stuff. I sing sort of like a cross between Waylon, Elvis and Dwight Yoakam if you can imagine that.

My bass player is a HUGE Elvis fan and for some reason, don't ask me why, his favorite stuff are the movie soundtracks. He's got most of Elvis's vinyl albums but has not bought the CD's as an adult as I have. My drummer is my age and as most people my age don't know a lot about Elvis, so I've made him go to school on Ronnie Tutt 101. Now he's a HUGE Elvis fan.

As an adult I've never had anyone ever say anything bad about Elvis to me. I've had a few people along the way do Elvis impressions about getting a peanut butter and percocet sandwich...things like that...which I actually think are pretty funny, but I'm quick to let people know what the truth is if they say something off the wall. Generally though I don't get that hardly ever.

My wife who I met when I was 19 didn't know ANYTHING about Elvis so she's had to live with it since 1994. She's now an Elvis fan but only of the 70's. She loves TTWII...Elvis in the paisley shirt rehearsing...the albums Elvis Country, TTWII, Love Letters, Elvis Now, Moody Blue. She's not a fan like me by any means but she has her own personal Elvis that she likes and that's cool.

My kids especially my youngest son, loves Elvis too although they both like Johnny Cash better for some reason...may be because he's a little meaner, shooting men in Reno and all...

My oldest son, 12 wears an Elvis Tshirt to school every so often that was mine when i was his age, and kids don't say anything to him. I certainly don't make him wear it either, he does it on his own.

I think overall the days of making fun of The King are over for the most part thanks to the smart marketing of EPE not letting an image of Elvis over 185lbs ever be seen.

I know it's upsetting to us to not have "Elvis In Concert" truly released on DVD, but i can see why it hasn't been.

i would jave to agree with you on many points and know that it must have bin hard on you at school it sure ws for me an were talkin 1970's.

[mistymorning]

Where are all these people who 'dump on' Elvis?

There was definitely a period in the 80s when I noticed a lot of that about, but happily it seems to be over.

I wish I had a dollar for everybody I've encountered who seems to be under the impression that he's vulnerable and in need of vigilant defense.

The guy is a hero to millions, universally acknowledged as the original pioneer of popular music, a colossal sex symbol (even posthumously) and arguably more revered today than he was in his own fabulously successful lifetime.

The only way you can damage him now is to suggest that he requires our concern! I'd much rather contemplate his indefatigable greatness

You have said all is needed very beautifully ! I totally agree with you ! just to the point and 100% !!

[debtdbruno]

First off I naturally correct anything they say which I know to be false or in error-secondly I tell them that for all the faults, or problems they see-they are ignoring the talent and ability of a great entertainer.
As for the bathroom jokes, I always tell them that we all die-unless you commit suicide no one picks the time, the place, or the moment-so its not how you die-but what you did while alive.
Elvis is one of a handfull of musicians/entertainers who is known as an original-one of handful who has started a musical revolution, and it lives today-rock music.
They owe him a debt whether they like him or not-if they like the freedom that rock has always had-they owe him a debt for selling it to the world.
Freedom of expression and freedom of sexuality all started with the freedom Elvis had in his early performances.

Perfect

[debtdbruno]

I think it has to do in part right from the 50's when everyone had a different relationship to Elvis.

To women he was sexually exciting, dangerous - he made you want to nail him to the bed, but then cuddle after - he mixed that bad/hurt boy thing every well.

Boys wanted to be him or punch him out for the effect he had on girls.

Parents and authority feared him.

And his record company didn't really know how to market him and just milked every track while they could, expecting him to be forgotten as quickly as he rose.


As a result, Elvis never got to be coddled or considered an artist.

He was a workhorse factory of saleable product - churning out songs, movies and later, concert tours.

Every now and then, we got a sample of what he could do when allowed to really strut his stuff


that exploitative marketing of crap with his name or photo or voice on it continues to his detriment

I think Elvis earned a devoted following that remains unprecedented

and people mock what they don't understand - and Elvis is again, as he was always, the flashpoint for a lot of strong and mixed emotions

Definitely

Great post

[Teddy]

You have said all is needed very beautifully ! I totally agree with you ! just to the point and 100% !!

Many thanks

[Unchained Melody]

I just wish Elvis would be looked at more like an artist like people look at the Beatles or the Stones, or Dylan, instead of a marketing means.
It's sad but Elvis never gets respect just for being an artist, hes more like a brand name clothing or something. I hate it like hell.

[Unchained Melody]

First off I naturally correct anything they say which I know to be false or in error-secondly I tell them that for all the faults, or problems they see-they are ignoring the talent and ability of a great entertainer.
As for the bathroom jokes, I always tell them that we all die-unless you commit suicide no one picks the time, the place, or the moment-so its not how you die-but what you did while alive.
Elvis is one of a handfull of musicians/entertainers who is known as an original-one of handful who has started a musical revolution, and it lives today-rock music.
They owe him a debt whether they like him or not-if they like the freedom that rock has always had-they owe him a debt for selling it to the world.
Freedom of expression and freedom of sexuality all started with the freedom Elvis had in his early performances.

Ken , you are a man of great words around here.

I agree 100 percent.

I look at elvis and appreciate the soul he gave in his music, thats why I began to like Elvis, was his music, that voice, and if people really can't get over the dumb ol jokes about dying on a toilet, and hamburgers, than thats because of their stupidity and their loss !

[debtdbruno]

Very true Bradley.................it's their loss if they don't get HIM..
We do, and that's all that matters, if our lives are all the richer for having him in it...........then so be it!!!!!

[Unchained Melody]

Very true Bradley.................it's their loss if they don't get HIM..
We do, and that's all that matters, if our lives are all the richer for having him in it...........then so be it!!!!!

AMEN to THAT!!