For Maurice, on the byke matter

[Jim Burrows]

Ho Maurice!! Just as I was going to demolish the writer of the article in the "New York Times", I saw your comment on the blog. He even replied with a derogatory comment on Elvis' guitar playing, so I sent the following two comments (the last of which is yet to appear)

Comment 1

One would expect that someone who is writing for the New York Times, like Mr. Garret, does his research, when writing an article about accomplished bikers, but in this day and age, that would be wishful thinking on the part of the readers. Elvis Presley and Steve Mc Queen had at least two things in common, in terms of sports, namely their love for bykes and karate but, while Mc Queen was serious about both activities, even wanting to compete, Presley weasn’t interested in that aspect of it, which is a totally different thing than saying that one was an “accomplished” byker, and that the other wasn’t. Presley rode the biggest, most powerful bykes that were then in existance, but only for the fun of it and, like poster Maurice indicated, he never had the least bit of trouble driving them at harrowing speeds, wherever he felt like taking them for a ride, for a period of over 21 years. Presley’s life has been the most documented amongst celebrities (1,200 biographies in print). Apparently, Mr. Garret has not read a single one.

Comment 2

Jerry, it is obvious you are somewhat out of your depth when commenting about what Elvis Presley could, and could not do. Or do you think you know more about how Presley could play a guitar than, say, Johnny Cash, who not only toured with Elvis as of 1955, but first saw him perform as early as in 1954?

Here's a quote for you to ponder about:

"That night at the "Eagle's Nest", I remember, he was playing a D-18 Martin acoustic guitar and he was dressed in the latest teen fashion, but the thing I really noticed though, was his guitar playing. Elvis was a fabulous rhythm player. He'd start into "That’s All Right" , with his own guitar, alone, and you didn't want to hear anything else"

Johnny Cash, in "Cash, the autobiography", recalling the first time he saw Presley perform, at the "Eagles Nest", in Memphis in 1954)(from wikiquote's essay on things said about Elvis Presley)

[TCB-girl]

Thanks for sticking up for our guy Jim and Maurice!!!

[MauricePColgan]

Good work Jim!:-) I should have made a longer comment to Mr Garret, but yours put him in his place good and proper.:-)

Thanks TCB-girl, Jim and I are the terrible twins.

It's great getting a dig in for Elvis in the New York Times!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/Mauric...

[Jim Burrows]

What a difference in the way these other two websites (MotorTrend Magazine and MotorcycleUSA) reported the event. No wonder, they are specialist and would know better than to make stupid remarks

http://www.motortrend.com/classic/features/11...

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.as...

[MauricePColgan]

Yes Jim the stupid remarks are uncalled for.

But It's fun replying to the fools. Comment sections on newspaper and media websites etc are working for us. Till they catch on. LOL.

[Jim Burrows]

Right, buddy!! As far as I am concerned, the internet is the Elvis fan's best friend(LOL)

[MauricePColgan]

Jim Burrows wrote:

Right, buddy!! As far as I am concerned, the internet is the Elvis fan's best friend(LOL)

That's is so right!

We can now reach newsdesks once off-limits to Elvis Presley fans.

In todays Irish Times there is an article on the history of popular music "All You Need is Love" by Tony Palmer on DVDs.

Elvis Presley is not mentioned in the review!!! But there is a picture of him from 1956 and we all know a picture speaks a thousand words.:-)

http://irelandtoo.blogspot.com

[Jim Burrows]

Hey Maurice, great article on APP.com . As usual you beat me to the punch.

[MauricePColgan]

Jim Burrows wrote:

Hey Maurice, great article on APP.com . As usual you beat me to the punch.

Thank you Jim, I have more time on my hands :-) Not to mention the time difference.

I'm still waiting for replies :-)

[Jim Burrows]

Me too, please go to

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/05/13/20...

[MauricePColgan]

Bravo Jim my friend!
Mr Marcus has been educated. LOL.
I added a little too. Whatta Team!:-)

[Jim Burrows]

Thanks, buddy!! Read your comment and you are right, as always. What a team!! LOL

Let us meet here, for alerting each other about the most recent additional contributions

[MauricePColgan]

Hi Jim. Yes meeting here will save time. Good idea. The amount of webpage comment sections on Elvis stories in particular are a growth industry!

We could become infamous.:-)

[Jim Burrows]

Hey Maurice!! Before I forget, have this ready for copy and pasting just in case.*LOL.

The list below is the result of research I have made as to who, in the music world, is on record as stating that they took up a life in music, in fact, not that they beceme musicians, but that they decided to take up rock music as a way of life, as a result of either seeing Elvis perform, hearing his voice and or consider him the greatest singer that ever lived.

Here is the list, in chronological order, starting with the first person that changed his way of life simply because, in his case, he heard his magigal voice on his car radio...

Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Rivers, Mac Davis, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, Levon Helm, Buddy Knox, Waylon Jennings, all in 1954. Eddie Cochrane, Gram Parsons, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Tillotson, Rick Nelson, Bob Dylan, Paul Mc Cartney, John Lennon, Roger Daltrey, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, Mike Fleetwood, Cher, Elton john, Isaac Hayes, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson, Loretta Lynn, all in 1956. Rod Stewart, Johnny Hallyday, Cliff Richard, Bobby Solo, Roberto Carlos, Cauby Peixoto, Eric Burdon, Jimi hendrix, Jose Feliciano, Engelbert Humperdinck all in 1957. Palito Ortega, Sandro, Freddy Fender, Tom Petty, Tom Jones, Jimmy Buffet, Ian Gillan, Glenn Campbell, Billy Joel, all in 1959. Al Green, Barry White, Otis Redding, Freddy Mercury, all in 1960; Kenny Rogers, Huey Lewis, K. D. Lang, Faith Hill, Brian Setzer, Greg Lake, Kiri Te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel, Tobias Sammet, Bono, Samuel Ramey and Robert Wallace from 1961 till now.

Again, this, of course, includes only those that changed their life because of him, and or who find him the best that ever was...LOL

[Jim Burrows]

Hi again!! Maurice, please delete Tom Petty from those affected in 1959. Since in his case that took place in 1962, his name should be inserted in between those of Huey Lewis and K.D. Lang. Also, place Roy Orbison first on the list, since it was he who heard That-s all right, on his car radio, and decided right then, to be a musician for life, instead of a TV host, which is what he was before he heard it. LOL... Thanks
Jim

[Jim Burrows]

Sorry, again, a mistake on my part. Please place Rick Nelson in the 1957 list, since it was hearing Dont be cruel in 1957 and on the radio when in the company of his girlfriend, that he switched from being a child actor, which is what he was, and a famous one in fact, to that of being a rock super star, which is what Elvis was. LOL. Also, in the second line, after Waylon Jennings, please change the ending to quote all in 1954 and 1955 unquote.

Thanks buddy

[MauricePColgan]

Thanksamillion Jim, great stuff! I'll do the corrections and save the valuable info......for future broadsides.

Not forgetting to mention a certain Mr Burrows in the process :-)

[katia]

Thanks also from me Maurice and Jim for the excellent work you do!
Jim the list of celebrities who have had Elvis as KING absolute are many more!
Elvis is universal!
Elvis is like a lightning bolt! who listens to him remains struck!

[MauricePColgan]

Thanks Katia, kind of you to say so.

Yes Elvis's beautiful voice transfixed many of us on first hearing it.

Yes the list will grow. In England there was Marty Wilde, Terry Dene, Billy Fury. In Ireland Dickie Rock, Brendan Boyer and more!

http://irelandtoo.blogspot.com

[Jim Burrows]

Thanks Katia and Maurice. I'll include them in the list, so please confirm, my dear Maurice, whether Marty, Terry and Billy belong in the 1956 list, as I belive is the case, or in the 1957 list. Also please give an estimate of where the other two you mentioned, belong.

Now, as to celebrities expressing their admiration, love, devotion, for Elvis, the list is too numerous, so in fact the research I made had only only musicians, or singers, in mind.

Let me explain: I find it fantastic when a fan of someone like, say, Jimi Hendrix, expresses his disdain for Elvis, only to be told that in fact, Jimi became a musician, and a fantastic live entertainer, precisely because of his love, and as a result of the experience he felt, through his bones, that night, at Sick's Stadium, when he saw what a real entertainer, at his actual peak, could do with an audience of thousands...