Elvis Presley: A Visit to Graceland (1997 Reprint)

Text by Robert Barry Francos / FFanzeen, 2020

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Elvis Presley: A Visit to Graceland (1997 Reprint)

This article was originally published in a glossy magazine titled A Tribute to Elvis: 20th Anniversary Special!, by C To C Publishing, Inc. Note that there is no advertising on this blog, so there is no profit to be made by my republishing it, other than publicity for myself and the original printing organization. The article appeared on pages 78-81. Note that all values are, obviously, in 1997 USD. I have made some minor edits.

While I found it odd that the “Special” was for the 20-year anniversary of his death, rather than his birth or career, it was a fun piece to write. As everyone probably knows, Graceland is in Memphis, TN. This article was assigned to me by the the magazine's editor, my good friend and rock writer, Mary Anne Cassata.

In the 20 years since Elvis Presley went to his “ranch in the sky” – his home, Graceland, has probably become as popular as he was, and nearly as profitable. With an average of 700,000 visitors per year, Graceland has achieved the status of the second most recognized national home, following the White House. Located in a commercial district, Graceland is a patch of residential splendor surrounded by strip malls, motels, gas stations, fast food chains, and of course, plenty of gift shops, all of which are Elvis-laden.

Graceland is a 14-acre haven on a hill, where both the loyal and the curious come to respectfully meet over Elvis’ gravesite, and to see how he lived. One arrives at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard by parking in a lot across the street from the stately manor (a $2 donation is required). Here, Visitors can choose from a number of options for viewing Graceland, 362 days a year.

The main option is the Mansion Tour (Adults $10, Seniors $9, Children 7-12 $5, and under 6 free). One can visit the gift shops while waiting for the tour to start. Guests can later board a shuttle bus (which departs every 5 minutes) that takes them across the street. With their headsets on, this is where the guided tour starts. The taped tour, which was started in 1995, includes comments by Elvis, Priscilla, various people who knew him, as well as lots of Elvis’ music.

Once across Elvis Presley Boulevard, the bus passes the famous music notes front gates and drives onto Graceland property, up the grass-lined rolling driveway straight to the front porch. Visitors enter the mansion by the front door where a tour guide is in every room that’s open to the public to answer questions (the upper floors which contain the bedrooms are excluded; one of Elvis’ aunts lives upstairs).

Off to the right, through a glass archway lies the music room with a grand piano and a television set (there are plenty of television sets throughout the house). Directly ahead is the off-limits glass-lined staircase, above which hangs a lovely portrait of pre-army Elvis. Opposite is a large dining room, big enough for Elvis’ whole family and his entourage. The décor on this floor is elegant, and yet at the same time very comfortable. Also one can view the huge carpeted functional kitchen filled with appliances. This was where Elvis met with friends and associates, possibly over fried banana sandwiches.

The tour becomes even more fun when visitors go down the multi-mirrored staircase to the basement, which was the recreation area for the Presley clan. At the bottom of the staircase is a large, L-shaped leather couch. Opposite are three televisions; Elvis liked to watch them all at the same time. The décor is in black and yellow, with mirrors on the ceiling. There is also a stereo system and a full bar, stools included.

Past the bar area is the pool room with a full regulation table and a few well-cushioned chairs. This leads to the infamous “jungle” room, which contains couches, a large cozy chair, an odd-shaped wooden table, a few odd knick-knacks, and a working waterfall.

Once outside the Graceland mansion, the tour continues into an office which handles the enormous fan mail. Here a film is shown of a press conference Elvis held after his stint in the army. Following a walk past the swimming pool, racquetball court, firing range, horse pasture, and a work-out room, visitors are then ushered into a special building which houses Elvis’ trophies and other memorabilia. Here one can view his numerous gold records, portraits, jumpsuits, guitars, posters, and other assorted Elvis-related material.

As visitors leave the building – a mere 30 paces away is the Meditation Garden, the final resting place for Elvis, his mother Gladys, his father Vernon, and Vernon’s mother Minnie May. This is by far the most somber part of the tour. Flowers and remembrances are brought by fans to the site on a daily basis.

After a quick shuttle ride and collection of the headsets, visitors are deposited back at the parking lot across the street. While this part of the tour ends, there are other tours where one leaves the bus. First, there is the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum (Adults $5, Seniors $4.50, Children 7-12 $2.50). Many of Elvis’ cars, motorcycles, and three-wheel “supercycles” are here, including the infamous 1955 pink Cadillac he gave his mother. There is also a video shown while visitors sit in a re-creation of a 1950’s style drive in.

At the north end of the Plaza is the Airplane Tour (Adults, $5, Seniors $4, Children 7-12 $2.75), which is located in a replicated airport terminal that shows a video of the historic Elvis planes. The tour includes two of Elvis’ planes: the Hound Dog II Lockheed Jetstar and the Lisa Marie Jet, which visitors are permitted to walk through.

The last paid tour is called Sincerely Elvis (Adults $3.50, Seniors $3.15, Children 7-12 $2.75), where one can view such personal items as candid photos, home movies, furnishings, mementos, and many other off-stage Elvis memorabilia.

If visitors are interested in viewing all the museums, there is a bargain Platinum Tour Package, which includes all the attractions (Adults $18.50, Seniors $16.50, Children 7-17 $11).

Though there is no doubt that Elvis has become a business after his death, Graceland is a suitable icon for a cultural phenomenon – one that may never be seen again. Everyone is welcome to share what Elvis was – “Poor boys and pilgrims with families… are going to Graceland,” as Paul Simon said. So what are you waiting for?

Note: 2020 prices for the Platinum Tour: Adults $69, Seniors $62.70, Children 5-10 $38 – RBF.

DVD Review: Elvis Found Alive

Text © Robert Barry Francos/FFanzeen, 2012
Images from the Internet

Elvis Found Alive
Directed and Produced by Joel Gilbert
Highway 61 Entertainment, 2012
128 minutes, USD $14.95
Highway61ent.com
Elvisfoundalive.com
MVDvisual.com

Taking an opposite tack this time, Joel Gilbert, who brought you the amusing yet well researched Paul McCartney Is Really Dead is back with Elvis Found Alive.

The premise is set up after Gilbert visits Graceland on a vacation, Joel and his audio/video crew (who we meet and act pretty stiffly, obviously not professional actors) send off for Elvis’ file from the US government via the Freedom of Information Act. But when the package arrives in 2012 (I received this DVD in 2011, FYI), the ink on the redacted parts are still wet (!) enough for them to clean off some of it, and find out that Elvis is not only alive, but living in the Simi Valley of California, just a few miles away from Gilbert’s studio, under witness protection, using his infamous “hotel registry name” of Jon Burrows! (Actually, just about every sentence in this review probably deserves an exclamation point, so just add it wherever you think it’s needed.)

Grabbing Elvis co-star Celeste Yarnall (from his 1968 film, Live a Little, Love a Little), they go out to pay him a visit. In front of the suspected house is a 1957 Caddy with numerous Republican presidential bumper stickers, including Nixon (is the one), Reagan, Bush (both), and Dole. The back seat has a stack of Elvis 8-Tracks (hahaha). It just gets better and better (not meant sarcastically in any way).

Gilbert talks to someone at the house’s front door while mic’d – his crew starts to freak out because they recognize the voice – and ask if it’s okay to interview him. Let me say right here and now that whomever mimicked the voice did a truly splendid job, even though “Elvis” (I’m leaving out the quote marks on the name and the pronoun “his” after this) sounds just like he did in the ‘70s. Elvis agrees, and the crew comes inside, including Yarnall, who is wearing a cap and stands in the background. Elvis is lit so we cannot see his face at all, which is more likely due to adding the vocal in a studio later. He sits and plays with his rings, as Elvis was – er – is known to do.

As with the Paul-is-Dead documentary, what follows is actually a very meticulously detailed history of Elvis, through his own words in 2012. The chapters are broken down into sections by dates and events (listed below). Except for some biting comments about the Colonel, most of the first half of the story is mostly researched knowledge, such as his deep devotion to his mom, his rise to fame, and his career. But there are also some interesting speculations to keep the viewer on her or his toes, such as Elvis being forced into the Army because the government was afraid that Jailhouse Rock promoted homosexuality (e.g., “No. 47 said to No. 3 / You’re the cutest jailbird I ever did see” – Ed.). Another is after the army, Elvis is introduced to the Vegas mob by Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr. privately tells him to am-scray for his own good; apparently the only reason Presley would ever play the town is to pay back huge gambling debts owed by the Colonel.

Further, the reason he married Priscilla is because Ann-Margret (“the female me,” 2012 Elvis states) turned him down. A fun comment though is “The only thing worse than watching a bad movie is being in one.” And Elvis definitely had his share of them, thank is large part to the Colonel’s misguided direction (though I remember hearing a quote at some time that Elvis wanted to be like Dean Martin).

As the lame – and yes, they were – films drag down his career (though Jailhouse Rock and Viva Las Vegas - especially for the “female me” - are still watchable for me), he tried to resurrect his career with “The Ghetto” and “Suspicious Mind.” However, there was trouble brewing in America that concerned Elvis to the core: the Weathermen Underground and the Mafia were controlling the kids through drugs, and Elvis wanted to put a stop to it, so he famously contacted Prez Nixon and asked to be a officer in the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Rather, Nixon sent him a badge (Elvis collected police badges, which are on display in Graceland) naming him an honorary agent for the “Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.” And here is where this film starts to interestingly invent history (supposedly…). For the purposes of this story, he actually was made an undercover Marshall, and with the help of the Memphis Mafia (his ironically named posse), he helped bring down the Weathermen Underground and subsequently the Mafia by using hidden and elaborate stings so that they didn’t connect it to him.

Gilbert asks Elvis, “Are you saying the man who invented cool wanted to be a narc?” Elvis calmly answers, “I felt God wanted to use me in a much more important way.”

Another interesting turn of events has Elvis using Bob Dylan (see, I really should be using a lot more exclamation points) to introduce him to mobster Joey Gallo, leading to the latter’s hit. With wiretaps overhearing of Elvis’ Memphis Mafia being suspect, he fires them all (with their blessing) to protect them; but of course, Presley is also suspect.

Here comes the plan to protect his own life by faking his death, and then going into the witness protection program where he worked as a hotel clerk in Kalamazoo, Michigan (one of the famous “Elvis sightings”).

An amusing side-story is the Mafia telling Dylan he better “find Jesus” after Gallo’s assassination, meaning keeping his nose clean, as it were, Dylan misunderstands and pretends to become a born-again Christian. When he learns what was really meant, he goes back to Judaism. Hahaha, that is such a nice touch!

Gilbert researches this tale well, and includes bits about Gail Brewer-Giorgio’s book Is Elvis Alive? and a Bill Bixby-hosted speculative television special on the subject.

Being that 2012 Elvis is a big Reagan fan (“He had strong American principles”), there is a great PhotoShop’d picture of a graying Elvis with Big Ronnie, and also completely gray with Bill Clinton (it is posited here that Chinese spies tapped Bill’s phone and learned about Monica, which is why Clinton gave them Most Favored Nations status; oh, and Elvis also states that “everyone killed JFK”). But it stops there, because Elvis apparently is not an Obama fan because of his connection to ex-Weather Underground leader Bill Ayres (“Both hate American values”; Little Georgie W. Bush did? But I digress…)

One of the more imaginative aspects to this pseudo-documentary (again, meant kindly) is director Gilbert’s use of the Capt. Marvel Jr. comic books as a thread throughout the entire film. He uses panels that so closely represents Presley’s life, it really is almost like it was based on Presley. It’s known Elvis was a fan of the comic (there are photos of him reading it, and there are stacks in Graceland today that were Elvis’ property; shame they couldn’t work Stan Lee into this…). This theme also used as expressing throughout how much Elvis thought he resembled Marvel Jr., how both Priscilla and Ann-Margret looked like the Marvel’s sister, Ann Marvel (kinda creepy), and how Elvis’ arch-enemy Bill Ayres resembles the villain of the comic, Capt. Nazi.

There is a touching moment as Elvis and Yarnall, someone refers to as “the one that got away,” are reunited. Wonder what her husband thinks about that, I ask bemusedly.

So not only is Elvis Presley alive, but he’s back. There is a new CD by “Jon Burrows” available with some of his old songs redone and rearranged, and some new tunes as well, such as “Lisa Marie” (which also has a music video on the DVD).

Believe me, I’m only skimming the surface on what is presented here. The stories are incredibly imaginative, and as one who is not engulfed in Elvismania I’m sure there’s some stuff I’m missing. And yet, this was a fun ride from beginning to end. Sure, it could have been trimmed probably by about 20 minutes rather than its over two-hour running time, but this is definitely for not just Elvis fans, but anyone who is into rock’n’roll history or just the mysteries of the 1960s counterculture.

I sure do look forward to see what’s next for Joel Gilbert and his crew.

Chapters:
Part 1: 1935-1955 – Captain Marvel Jr. Origins
Part 2: 1956-1958 – Elvis the Pelvis
Part 3: 1959-1960 – US Army Intervention
Part 4: 1961-1967 – Hollywood Shlock Formula
Part 5: 1968-1969 – America Under Siege
Part 6: 1970 – Federal Drug Enforcement Agent
Part 7: 1971-1974 – Fighting the Weather Underground
Part 8: 1975-1976 – Battling the Mafia
Part 9: 1977 – Fake Death Plot
Part 10: 1978-1979 – Witness Protection Program
Part 11: 1980-2004 – The Struggle to Return
Part 12: 2005-2001 – The Obama-Weathermen Nexus
Part 12: 2012 – Elvis is Back

Dash Rip Rock: Dixie Fried Rock and A Bottle of Jack Daniels at Every Gig

Photos from the Internet

This is the seventh part of a series of articles or interviews that have been published before in magazines that no longer exist. This one was originally in Oculus Magazine, Aug/Sep 1997; an update follows.

Dash Rip Rock: Dixie Fried Rock and A Bottle of Jack Daniels at Every Gig











Southern rock has come a long way in the past few decades, progressing through the influence of a lot of brothers: Burnettes, Everlys, Allmans, Van Zandts (aka Lynyrd Skynyrd), Slater and Doobie. Okay, the last two maybe pushing it, but the point is that southern rock as a form is constantly in flux and is currently circling back to its rockabilly roots.

Over the last decade, bands like the Stray Cats provided the listening public with the equivalent of Pat Boone doing “Tutti Frutti.” Recently, however, what is emerging from the underground is a rockabilly hybrid with large doses of punk and DIY sensibilities. In other words, it kicks butt.

In this vein, out of New Orleans comes Dash Rip Rock, a power trio if ever there was one. The band’s present incarnation includes founding members Bill Davis on guitar and most vocals and Hoaky Hickel on bass and “Jack Daniels” (as Davis explained, “It’s in [Hoakey’s] contract that he has a bottle at every gig.” The new kid is Kyle Melancon, on drums.

Davis often says, “We’re faster than [Reverend] Horton Heat, we’re wilder than the Cramps, and we’re better lookin’ than Southern Culture on the Skids.” These details are irrelevant, because while those other bands also have the talent, they don’t necessarily have the flexibility of musical styles.

Witness their latest release, Dash Rip Rock’s Gold Record (Naked Language). The band manages to flex their musical muscles over 15 numbers (plus one hidden cut, based on “Stairway to Heaven”) without contradicting themselves – a rare feat, indeed. After a rave-up cover of the instrumental “Rawhide,” they knock the listener down with a tale of rock’n’roll casualty/suicide, “Johnny Ace” (a much different and less romanticized take than Paul Simon’s “The Late, Great Johnny Ace,” which David contents he’s never heard). Other original songs on the CD contain a fine mix of pop sensibilities (“Isn’t That Enough”), a downright bizarre tale of love (“Liquor Store”) and a rockin’ social commentary about their home town of New Orleans (“DMZ”). In a number of odes written throughout their dozen years, Dash Rip Rock describe their love/hate relationships with the town in which they live. “We go to shows and meet all these people who moved away, and they love hearing these songs,” says Davis.


They also do quite a few covers, or should I say interpretations. Their latest collection includes two Hank Williams numbers: a Cajun version of “Jambalaya” and a speedy “I Saw the Light.” “No one,” Davis declares with a laugh, “expects us to play it that fast.”

Yes, Dash Rip Rock is very comfortable with covers. “When we played in Maine,” Davis adds, “they didn’t want to hear any originals, so we did every cover we knew. About 70 of them.” He continues: “In the small towns, the people are there to socialize, have a beer and dance, and we can play as sloppy as we want. The big city audiences are there to see the band. We are more careful about how we play.”











He emphasized this point by describing the band’s last gig at Brownies, one of their favorite New York venues (in which I was in attendance). “We knew there would be a lot of press there, so we went out to play well.” He continues, “Sometimes when we play we just go out there and let it all out.” Davis also remarked that either way, the band enjoys what they’re doing. They proved that by playing over two hours of rowdy fun. Despite the promoting for more “punk rock” by the opening band that night, The Cash Registers, Dash Rip Rock played a balanced set, mixing punk, pop, rockabilly, country and the kitchen sink.

Lots of stage antics go into a Dash Rip Rock set, and the fun never stops. Someone from the audience is picked to play tambourine, and Hickel shares his bottle of Jack (“unless he wants to get drunk.”). Though not “choreographed,” the act contains certain bits that have been standard for a while. Case in point: Melancon’s striptease during “Let’s Go Smoke Some Pot,” which is done to the tune of “At the Hop,” one of those mocking songs that gets accept ed by mockers and mockees alike. It may also become their breakthrough song on college radio.

Dash Rip Rock’s roots are all over their music. Hell, Davis’s been to Graceland more than two dozen times (“every time we pass through Memphis”). But they also exhibit other influences that expand their vision and increase their talents and showmanship, way beyond the levels achieved by most other bands.

NOW:
Bill Davis is currently the only original member of the bad, though DRR is still recording. Their latest album, Country Girlfriend, on Abitian Records, was released in 2008. The current line-up is Bill Davis as singer/guitarist, Patrick Johnson on bass guitar, and Eric Padua on drums

Discography
Country Girlfriend (2008)
Hee Haw Hell (2007)
Recyclone (2005)
Live From The Bottom Of The Hill (limited release, 2003)
Sonic Boom (2003)
Ned, Fred and Dickhead (limited release, 2001)
Hits and Giggles (2000)
Paydirt (1998)
Dash Rip Rock's Gold Record (1996)
Testosterone (Australian-only release, 1995)
Get You Some of Me (1995)
Tiger Town (1993)
Boiled Alive (1991)
Not of This World (1990)
Ace of Clubs (1989)
Dash Rip Rock (1987)

www.dashriprock.net