Daily Mirror - 17th August 1977

[KPM]

You summed it up beautifully. It only took you a couple of paragraphs to say what a multitude of books have been trying to say.
I guess you could say Elvis suffered from the thing we all suffer from, we're human.
It does make you wonder though how guys like Jerry Lee Lewis and Keith Richardson have managed to survive.

Personally IMO Jerry Lee has survived mainly because he is stubborn as a mule-his stomach exploded for crying out loud and he almost died from that-but he survived.
I am not convinced that Keith Richards is alive-I think perhaps Mick Jaggar had a voodoo doctor perform a mystical black art rite that keeps him playing with the group....thats right everyone... Keith is a ZOMBIE!

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

.....how he got to 42 is the mystery to me.

I agree, but left to his own devices and without Linda and some of the guys he wouldn't have even made 42

To add to you excellent summary above, there is a psychosis to drug taking, when you increase you intake of drugs your mind will tell you that if you take less they wont work. So more is the way your mind pushes you, even though the lower dose does in fact work. Elvis had probably enjoyed the opiate effect the stronger drugs had on him, by 1974 Elvis was barely holding it together on stage so you can only imagine how he was at home and not under pressure to perform.

Elvis succumb to the what millions of other human beings have, the desire to feel the effects of medication to take away pain, misery, tiredness and monotony. Unfortunately this desire engulfed him at a time where there was little out there to help manage the obvious signs of prescribed medicine addiction. In many was Elvis is the epitome of the live fast die young; unfortunately his death is not the first and sadly the road is littered with many many more young talented artist who have gone before their time. It certainly looks like the road of the pop/rock/soul/music artist will continue to rob us of many more in the future, it seems to be the price that has to be regrettably paid...

[elvia7]

Personally IMO Jerry Lee has survived mainly because he is stubborn as a mule-his stomach exploded for crying out loud and he almost died from that-but he survived.
I am not convinced that Keith Richards is alive-I think perhaps Mick Jaggar had a voodoo doctor perform a mystical black art rite that keeps him playing with the group....thats right everyone... Keith is a ZOMBIE!

Ken,
Elvis was very sensitive and emotionally weak man.
I know that in such cases, psychotropic drugs and drugs are killing a lot faster.
In addition, each person is different, reacts differently to the blows dealt by fate. We know what was Elvis. Very easy to hurt him. That can not be said about the full life energy inexhaustible JL Levis. Keith Richards also was hypersensitive, in terms of the psyche.
It was a completely different man. Not so gentle and sensitive as Elvis. He had a stronger psyche, it can be a great help in the fight against addiction.They both have nothing to do with Elvis!!!!!
These are the hard types of drives! Elvis is an artist!
Ewa.

[elvia7]

I agree, but left to his own devices and without Linda and some of the guys he wouldn't have even made 42

To add to you excellent summary above, there is a psychosis to drug taking, when you increase you intake of drugs your mind will tell you that if you take less they wont work. So more is the way your mind pushes you, even though the lower dose does in fact work. Elvis had probably enjoyed the opiate effect the stronger drugs had on him, by 1974 Elvis was barely holding it together on stage so you can only imagine how he was at home and not under pressure to perform.

Elvis succumb to the what millions of other human beings have, the desire to feel the effects of medication to take away pain, misery, tiredness and monotony. Unfortunately this desire engulfed him at a time where there was little out there to help manage the obvious signs of prescribed medicine addiction. In many was Elvis is the epitome of the live fast die young; unfortunately his death is not the first and sadly the road is littered with many many more young talented artist who have gone before their time. It certainly looks like the road of the pop/rock/soul/music artist will continue to rob us of many more in the future, it seems to be the price that has to be regrettably paid...

Yes, I agree, Chris.

"In many was Elvis is the epitome of the live fast die young; unfortunately his death is not the first and sadly the road is littered with many many more young talented artist who have gone before their time. It certainly looks like the road of the pop/rock/soul/music artist will continue to rob us of many more in the future, it seems to be the price that has to be regrettably paid.."

[cibetty]

Elvis was very sensitive and emotionally weak man.

I don't think he was emotionally weak. I think there was an unbelievable strength inside him what came through on stage. But that's my own opinion.

[Diane]

Personally IMO Jerry Lee has survived mainly because he is stubborn as a mule-his stomach exploded for crying out loud and he almost died from that-but he survived.
I am not convinced that Keith Richards is alive-I think perhaps Mick Jaggar had a voodoo doctor perform a mystical black art rite that keeps him playing with the group....thats right everyone... Keith is a ZOMBIE!

LOL, I've said the same thing myself. Keith is a life-size puppet or a zombie, take your choice....but a kind one, he's helped quite a few other singers including Tina Turner and Lisa Presley.

[Diane]

I think Elvis was emotionally weak when it came to handling people around him but strong in pushing himself to work on stage.

[Raised on Rock]

Personally IMO Jerry Lee has survived mainly because he is stubborn as a mule-his stomach exploded for crying out loud and he almost died from that-but he survived.
I am not convinced that Keith Richards is alive-I think perhaps Mick Jaggar had a voodoo doctor perform a mystical black art rite that keeps him playing with the group....thats right everyone... Keith is a ZOMBIE!

Well Keith Richards was near the end around the time Elvis passing, it was pretty bad for him too, (I could have joined Elvis about a year latter he stated once). But lucky enough the guy was caught with some stuff and arrested, FORCED to either get full rehabilitation in an institution or go straight to jail (Same as Ray Charles). Today he states proudly that he's been clean and healthy since 1978, and he says it was the best thing happening. So there you go, if only someone would have helped Elvis the hard way a year earlier or something. Beyond his bad *** image, Keith is quite a sensitive man, if anybody has read his autobio: Life, you'll know. He speaks greatly of Elvis all the time in that book by the way.

Jerry Lee, well I guess that one is a hard to kill lol.

Elvis, our man, genetics and poor nutrition also had a lot to do, (Keith even in his worst stated he always had his greens and did a lot of excercise, lol, and his mother made it until last decade, in her 90's!!!) we know Elvis mother died 42, so there is something about genetics, now Elvis had such a poor nutrition as a kid due to poverty, (Keith states that there was always good food in the table despite growing up in the war, and because of it, there was no candy or junk food around, he jokes around that it might be the reason for the longevity of his generation of british musicians) Now Elvis had an even worst diet after '55, based on all the stuff that is yummy but will kill you!!! Add to that an addiction to pills as early as in the army (some say it was as early as in the Sun days!), plus the crash diets, insomnia, stress, the pills issue increasing year by year mainly after '71 when it became just crazy, it was obvious his body wasn't going to make it, in fact as its been said, wonder how he made it that long. Its reported as early as in 1965 that we was having weird health problems so there you go.

Anyhow, it all could have been fixed, so I will always believe it was loneliness and careless love what killed him. To sad for me to think about.

[KPM]

I agree, but left to his own devices and without Linda and some of the guys he wouldn't have even made 42

To add to you excellent summary above, there is a psychosis to drug taking, when you increase you intake of drugs your mind will tell you that if you take less they wont work. So more is the way your mind pushes you, even though the lower dose does in fact work. Elvis had probably enjoyed the opiate effect the stronger drugs had on him, by 1974 Elvis was barely holding it together on stage so you can only imagine how he was at home and not under pressure to perform.

Elvis succumb to the what millions of other human beings have, the desire to feel the effects of medication to take away pain, misery, tiredness and monotony. Unfortunately this desire engulfed him at a time where there was little out there to help manage the obvious signs of prescribed medicine addiction. In many was Elvis is the epitome of the live fast die young; unfortunately his death is not the first and sadly the road is littered with many many more young talented artist who have gone before their time. It certainly looks like the road of the pop/rock/soul/music artist will continue to rob us of many more in the future, it seems to be the price that has to be regrettably paid...

Yes I agree.. and the problem with pain relief is that as you become dependant upon pain killers you forget what real PAIN is like, so "any pain" becomes reason for another dose.
I am not saying that Elvis did not have real pain at times-especially when it comes to the congenital ganglionic fold in his colon that was narrowing as he aged...but a mild headache or sinus problems IE normal everyday occurances with some-is not reason to take heavy pain killers and that is what happens when you can no longer tell the difference between pain-and PAIN.

[elvia7]

I think Elvis was emotionally weak when it came to handling people around him but strong in pushing himself to work on stage.

Thank Dee! Yes! That's what I had in mind, it is better to determine Elvis ujęlas mental condition.
Yes ... They are two different situations in life. Elvis loved his fans. Needed a live performance as the air.
Of course, every artist is experiencing stage fright, but then ...
It was already only he and his loving fans. He felt the only big love! It added him strong! Many times it he repeated.

[elvia7]

Well Keith Richards was near the end around the time Elvis passing, it was pretty bad for him too, (I could have joined Elvis about a year latter he stated once). But lucky enough the guy was caught with some stuff and arrested, FORCED to either get full rehabilitation in an institution or go straight to jail (Same as Ray Charles). Today he states proudly that he's been clean and healthy since 1978, and he says it was the best thing happening. So there you go, if only someone would have helped Elvis the hard way a year earlier or something. Beyond his bad *** image, Keith is quite a sensitive man, if anybody has read his autobio: Life, you'll know. He speaks greatly of Elvis all the time in that book by the way.

Jerry Lee, well I guess that one is a hard to kill lol.

Elvis, our man, genetics and poor nutrition also had a lot to do, (Keith even in his worst stated he always had his greens and did a lot of excercise, lol, and his mother made it until last decade, in her 90's!!!) we know Elvis mother died 42, so there is something about genetics, now Elvis had such a poor nutrition as a kid due to poverty, (Keith states that there was always good food in the table despite growing up in the war, and because of it, there was no candy or junk food around, he jokes around that it might be the reason for the longevity of his generation of british musicians) Now Elvis had an even worst diet after '55, based on all the stuff that is yummy but will kill you!!! Add to that an addiction to pills as early as in the army (some say it was as early as in the Sun days!), plus the crash diets, insomnia, stress, the pills issue increasing year by year mainly after '71 when it became just crazy, it was obvious his body wasn't going to make it, in fact as its been said, wonder how he made it that long. Its reported as early as in 1965 that we was having weird health problems so there you go.

Anyhow, it all could have been fixed, so I will always believe it was loneliness and careless love what killed him. To sad for me to think about.

Yeahhh...."Anyhow, it all could have been fixed, so I will always believe it was loneliness and careless love what killed him. To sad for me to think about"
For me, too ... It is the largest and the most lonely artist ....
Our big , poor ....MAN! ELVIS!

[debtdbruno]

I agree, but left to his own devices and without Linda and some of the guys he wouldn't have even made 42

To add to you excellent summary above, there is a psychosis to drug taking, when you increase you intake of drugs your mind will tell you that if you take less they wont work. So more is the way your mind pushes you, even though the lower dose does in fact work. Elvis had probably enjoyed the opiate effect the stronger drugs had on him, by 1974 Elvis was barely holding it together on stage so you can only imagine how he was at home and not under pressure to perform.

Elvis succumb to the what millions of other human beings have, the desire to feel the effects of medication to take away pain, misery, tiredness and monotony. Unfortunately this desire engulfed him at a time where there was little out there to help manage the obvious signs of prescribed medicine addiction. In many was Elvis is the epitome of the live fast die young; unfortunately his death is not the first and sadly the road is littered with many many more young talented artist who have gone before their time. It certainly looks like the road of the pop/rock/soul/music artist will continue to rob us of many more in the future, it seems to be the price that has to be regrettably paid...

great post....

[Diane]

The whole story of Elvis' addiction is certainly a sad one and as was stated, could have been averted had he had the right kind of people around him for support.

[elvia7]

The whole story of Elvis' addiction is certainly a sad one and as was stated, could have been averted had he had the right kind of people around him for support.

Agree!!!!
Most of the problems of substance abuse due to lack of proper care ones. The biggest tragedy is that the family not notice the problem,or ignore it. You can not always help, but in most cases, yes!
I always hate when I have to write but I think that if Elvis was truly loved and understood, He not started to run away from reality ...
"Better to be unconscious than miserable" .. very very sad ..

[Diane]

I agree Evi, too many people were out to get what they could from Elvis, didn't understand him and what love they had for him was selfish.

[Kajo]

At this time tabloids were printing all kinds of nonsense and gossip about Elvis death. There were lots of ridiculous claims being made to explain his death by the News Of The World , The Sun & Daily Mirror in England. I remember the feeding frenzy in the weeks and months following Elvis death well. For example i remember them saying Elvis slid into a world of drugs and alcohol . Well we all know Elvis didnt drink , so you can see how much research they were putting into these pieces. Don't put any credence on anything you read in the tabloids from this time my friend.

Exactly I remember that that always kind of pissed me off too. Elvis stated himself that he was never comfortable of taking a drink or drink a lot because there were some alcoholics in his family and I also personally think because of Gladys because she was also starting to drink the last one or two years of her life. So, personally no he was never into alcohol.

[elvia7]

Exactly I remember that that always kind of pissed me off too. Elvis stated himself that he was never comfortable of taking a drink or drink a lot because there were some alcoholics in his family and I also personally think because of Gladys because she was also starting to drink the last one or two years of her life. So, personally no he was never into alcohol.

You have right Kajo. Elvis hated alcohol because of his mother.
Unfortunately, not for two years! Elvis's mother was an alcoholic for many years!
She died of inflammation of the liver! She already saw Elvis when he was a small child.

[Kajo]

You have right Kajo. Elvis hated alcohol because of his mother.
Unfortunately, not for two years! Elvis's mother was an alcoholic for many years!
She died of inflammation of the liver! She already saw Elvis when he was a small child.

Yeah maybe you're right. I didn't think of her drinking way before. I thought it started when Elvis became really famous had his big break and they all moved to Graceland. She couldn't take it anymore. Her son being away for so long and all the new lifestyle so I thought that's when she started drinking heavily. Yes I knew what she died of now but back then in 1958 they weren't exactly sure what it was that really killed her.

[Kajo]

The papers know only to well that you cannot libel a dead person so they just run amok. I remember some of the photo's they used in the newspapers around that time, they would use the absolute worst concert photo's they could find

I remember that too Jumsuit Junkie they would put terrible pics that looked more like bad mugshots. I mean c'mon that wasn't really neccessary and it's very direspectful. I remember one of them was this one:

[Kajo]

Here it is I managed to find the article that I remember it's from the stupid "Sun" of course



Don't they have any shame how could this happen why ridicule him like this?! So sad, depressing and dispisingly disgusting at the same time.