Viva Elvis II : Album Review

Album : Viva Elvis
Released : November 2010
Catalog Number : 88697 77582 2
Producer And Arranger : Erich Van Tourneau
Assistant Producer And Assistant Arranger : Hugo ‘Wedge Montecristo’ Bombarbier
Executive Producers : Steve Berkowitz, Adam Block, Stephanie Bergiven, Gary Hovey, and Priscilla Presley.
Website : WWW.VIVAELVIS.COM

Viva Elvis is a musical holocaust, not created by the culture that produced Elvis Presley, but musical genocide by those who attempt to further turn Elvis Presley into a product. These same Charlatans continue to see his actual importance forgotten. Viva Elvis is as important, and pleasant, as the tackiest plastic statues, and Elvis clocks, you buy at Truck Stops on Route 66. All his musical achievements, everything he stood for, his contributions as being the single most important entertainer of the 20th Century, -all – have been erased. Even worse, his band members and backup singers who were so crucial in the rise and magic of Elvis Presley, have been mostly removed. Leaving Viva Elvis guilty of musical murder in the first degree.

The plan? Simple. The Elvis 75 Campaign was botched from the get go.

First, The Elvis 75 Box Set sold poorly, as it contained nothing that everybody does not already have.

Second,Budget line Soundtrack CD’s were released as Elvis 75 specials. These releases had no promotion.

Third, A bizarre and unexplained promotional campaign for the movie “Tickle Me” which did not see any kind of special DVD or album release, it was just simply decided to promote the movie for no reason.

Fourth, the big Blu Ray release of ( the 10 year overdo) Elvis On Tour. The film practically overnight, was suddenly released in theaters for one night showing resulting in hardly any promotion, and small turnout. Elvis On Tour has not been the big selling DVD of the year as expected.

Fifth, Elvis Week in Memphis had high hopes, but a very limited inventory of interesting events. It was barely mentioned on any news networks, and was considered mostly a flop.

Sixth, Let’s not forget the Elvis Mr. Potato Head.

And finally, Viva Elvis was un-veiled at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas Nevada.
With high priced tickets and a bad economy, the shows success ( or lack thereof) has almost been kept a secret.

According to Viva Elvis producer Erich Van Tourneau, they made the album after making the show. This soundtrack ( Viva Elvis) hit stores a few weeks ago, with disappointing sales and unenthusiastic fan response.

The problems? Both with the show and the album, are massive. There seems to be an almost desperate attempt to defend the album now that it has been released. This has included a dull interview with Priscilla Presley who acted as though she hasn’t even heard it. Reviewers actually expressing anger at fans for not buying the album, or giving it praise. And worst of all, a self aggrandizing interview by Robin Leach with Producer Erich Van Tourneau. An interview, which left fans with the impression Van Tourneau is a narcissistic ego-maniac who thinks he has saved the Presley legacy. However, that very legacy is hardly in danger.

Telling the story of Elvis Presley, whether it be in musical form, written form, film, or stage, is an extremely difficult task. With Cirque Du Soleil’s massive success with the Beatles Love, many Elvis fans expected the same results with Viva Elvis. The two could not be further apart.

The Beatles, only had a 7 year recording career, and were a surrealistic band. Thus, they can be accommodated by a Cirque Du Solei production. Elvis Presley however, is a much more rooted American icon and not surreal. Presley also had a career three times longer than the Beatles.

Two major problems play out here. First, the Beatles own producer ( George Martin) and his son (Giles Martin) put together the musical soundtrack for the Beatles Cirque Du Soleil show. Using only original masters, out-takes, historical moments etc. and compiling them into interesting remixes. In the case of Viva Elvis, the soundtrack was almost a throwaway idea and just handed off to Van Tourneau. It comes off as nothing more than an excuse to have a new Elvis product in stores at Christmas time. Why wasn’t Ernst Jorgensen for example, brought in to consult on a project of this promotional magnitude? The final point being, Cirque Du Soleil had only done one rock show ( Love by The Beatles) and simply , were not ready to take on the monumental legacy of Elvis Presley.

And it shows. They simply were not up for the challenge of telling the Elvis story as their sophomore pop culture effort. Most embarrassing of all, is the obvious upon first listen, the project heads had little to no idea about who, or what, Elvis Presley was.

Predictably, the album begins with the theme from 2001 : A Space Odyssey with various samples thrown in here and there. From there, a bizarre trend begins to emerge not only in the next track, but throughout the album. A hard ‘Chicago Blues” sound featuring distorted guitars and harmonica come flying in and out of the albums tracks. This is an obvious attempt to showcase that Elvis was rooted in the blues. Problem? They picked the sound of the wrong city! Memphis Blues, and Chicago Blues, (in the pre-Elvis period) are polar opposites. Presley’s own record collection from the era, shows a preference to the music made in his own region.

The Chicago Blues instrumental segments are so badly played, I noticed that parts of it echo the sitcom soundtrack to the ABC T.V. series According To Jim.

Blue Suede Shoes and That’s All Right Mama are treated in this manor, while mixing modern dance music and indie rock guitar riffs. This makes the songs sound like a cross between the John Spencer Blues Explosion playing with the rhythm section of U2. Though a musical combination of the above mentioned is subjective, the question remains. What does it have to do with Elvis Presley?

Heartbreak Hotel is next on the chopping block, and destroyed without mercy. Beginning with either a sample, or cleverly cloned Robert Johnson riff, we hear someone who is not Elvis at all singing parts of “Polk Salad Annie”. This bluesy interlude is then mixed, with a newly played version from the 68 Comeback Special (not an original sample, and if the sample is there, it is buried in the mix, it is the new musicians playing it). Was this an attempt to try and make it rock harder? Considering Heartbreak Hotel is not a hard rock song, it’s interesting why it was so desperately emphasized that it was? Clever editing by using the Tupelo Concert from 1956, or the 1961 U.S.S. Arizona concert vocals (which are distorted anyway) combined with the Chicago Blues without any reason, make the track erratic and disorganized.

Love Me Tender which has been turned into a ‘Carrie Underwood’ styled duet with an un-named female singer, brings new meaning to the word ‘schmaltz’. It’s so bad, I actually felt queasy upon listening too it.

King Creole is just strange and weird. It sounds alien, and like the kind of music you would hear at a meat market night club. Lady Ga Ga comes to mind, or maybe the Black Eyed Peas? Which as I’ve said before (your personal taste) is subjective, but what do they have to do with Elvis? King Creole was not a hip hop song. Nor does it contain any elements of that musical form. Furthermore, the Minstrel screams might offend some listeners. All it’s original passion is completely over-looked, as it is musically raped.

Burning Love is out of meter and off key at times. Overlooking something this sloppy for a project not intended to be sloppy, shows indifference at top levels. This shows production was rushed. Can’t Help Falling In Love is a complete mess, using the same formula as Love Me Tender. A Christina Aguilara sound alike is used with hip hop beats, and chimes, and ruins the integrity of the piece.

You’ll Never Walk Alone , though recordings exist of Elvis playing the song on piano in either demo form, or that idea of using the piano track from the 8 track master are dismissed. This is either Van Tourneau, or somebody else playing the song as a sort of sonata. Played elegantly like Liberace or Richard Chamberlin. Though one of Elvis’s favorite spirituals, he always played songs on the piano in a hard manor. Very similar to his abrasive guitar style. Elvis pounded on the keys to get the notes. He was not a maestro, or master of the piano.

Suspicious Minds is the sound of frustration. Musicians will notice that the track sounds like a song they just couldn’t get right. It’s likely that several attempts were made to make ( as Van Tourneau said) it “relevant”. But when an original song is this good to begin with, what can you possibly do to make it different? The only option appeared to make a mirror version of the song. And, it doesn’t work.

Bossa Nova Baby is the one track, that most fans seem to be able to bear easiest. Possibly because it is closer to what people were expecting. Bossa Nova Baby is a throwback ( but far inferior ) to the Elvis Vs. JXL remix of A Little Less Conversation, and has been tampered with the least. I suspect, we will see Sony/BMG quickly realize that releasing Suspicious Minds as the album’s single was an error. Viva Elvis, in general, was an error in my opinion. Had Viva Elvis only featured one new remix song like 30 Number One Hits or Second To None did, then maybe they would have gotten away with it. Also, if Viva Elvis had echoed the same technique as the Beatles Love, ( using only Presley masters, alternates, live tracks, and historical recordings,) it could have worked. I will undoubtedly come under fire as being close minded, and a purist, and one of those who believes Elvis should be on display in a gold sarcophagus. There seems to be a viciousness resonating against those who speak out against Viva Elvis. I expect two future things from Cirque Du Soleil. First, a forthcoming excuse that “We didn’t want to do another Love and that each show must be unique.” If so, there is an immediate hole in this philosophy. Viva Elvis was meant to be an exact clone of Love, they just wanted to do it cheaper and quicker.

The second, will most likely be a DVD of the show now that they have a soundtrack to sell.

Steven B. Roberts

Viva Elvis I : Steven B. Roberts discusses the Robin Leach Interview With Erich van Tourneau

Recently, Robin Leach interviewed Erich van Tourneau , the producer and musician who is responsible for the musical holocaust “Viva Elvis”. It is my intention to make some observations about this interview to show that Erich is not only lying, but also knows little about Elvis Presley or the culture/musical landscape that produced him. My comments are in bold and bracketed.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis at MGM City Center’s Aria, Elvis Presley Enterprises and Legacy Recordings released Viva Elvis: the Album yesterday to commemorate the 75th birthday year of Elvis Presley. The album, a celebration of Elvis and his music featuring his voice in a new context, was produced and arranged by Erich van Tourneau, Viva Elvis’ music director and arranger at Aria.
The album includes re-imagined versions of “Blue Suede Shoes,” “That’s Alright,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Love Me Tender,” “King Creole,” “Bossa Nova,” “Burning Love,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Suspicious Minds,” as well as interludes based on “Memories” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone (Piano Interlude).”

Erich, who performs on bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano and keyboards on the new album, told me that he spent 3,000 hours listening to 914 albums with Elvis songs and that more than 17,000 samples of Elvis songs were used to make the 12 “new” tracks.

[ Upon immediate listen to "Viva Elvis", one thing stands out very clearly. This album was thrown together quickly. Reportedly, over 40 tracks were recorded, but the album was neatly trimmed down to 12 tracks. It is extremely doubtful that Erich spent 3000 hours listening to Elvis Presley, as the end result ( the album ) would have been a far different record. It is more likely, Erich spent a large amount of time listening to contemporary - or new - music, with an occasional Elvis disc to see how to spin this release. I'm also puzzled at how he was able to listen to 914 albums when there are only about 75 or so? Even with a massive collection of bootlegs and the entire FTD catalog , how could he still listen to 914 albums? Was he listening to the multiple re-hash releases that Sony/BMG cranks out on a yearly basis as well? Even with all of those, I find the number 914 to be unbelievable. ]

“His voice is the heart of this project,” Erich told me. “I was taking vocals he recorded 66 years ago back in 1954 and painting new colors on them to make it relevant in today’s music.

[Relevant? A term all too often used to try and validate inferior new music with superior old music. Simply ride the coat tales of the music greats, and it might get you somewhere. How can anybody with a brain think Elvis Presley is not relevant? That he is forgotten? That his original recordings are not good enough? Another question is simply : "Why?" Why does Elvis need to be relevant with today's music? Elvis isn't going anywhere, nor has there been any indication that he is going to be disappearing. Elvis has always 'been there' and he'll always 'be here'. To make this statement, Erich needs to back it up, and it had better be good.]

It was the most interesting project of my life and at the same time the most complicated.”

[And it will probably be his last. Erich signed his own "Career Death Certificate" by making this project in the manor he did so.]

“A lot of his best material goes back to the ’50s when he was a dangerous rebel who created a musical revolution. It was the ultimate technical technique to bring him back to life today.

[ The first statement, is correct. But as far as "bringing him back to life today" , what indication in those alleged 914 albums gave the indication that Elvis would sound like this now? Also, haven't Ernst and Roger been spending the last 22 years trying to make Elvis's masters sound fresh and strong while retaining their original sound and impact? ]

It was like changing an old black and white movie into HD super sound.

[ Black and White movies are not artistic statements, or not worthy? And why turn them into HD super sound? Don't you mean HD Super "Picture Quality" and "Sound" ?]

Remember when he recorded ‘That’s Alright,’ it was in mono — not even stereo!

[ The first 70 years of the 20th Century was predominantly mono. A blatant display of ignorance about our musical past, and the history of the recording business.]

“I used a state-of-the-art program, which in some way makes audio-engineering history, where we took the heavenly choir of the Jordanaires,

[ I noticed the Jordenaires to be predominantly missing throughout the album. Erased. Gone. Nowhere to be found except buried deep in the mix for only seconds?]

changed the key and transposed the vocals to get the perfect note of the chords. You couldn’t have Elvis more modern if you ever tried to beat what we did. It’s as if Elvis is here in the room with us because we wanted him living in 2010.

[ There is a serious ego emerging here, with no humble mentions. Here, Erich begins to make it very clear that this is 'his' album. Not an Elvis album.]

“We even have his first live recording when he was just 19 years old and showed his distinctive style. It was recorded at the Louisiana Hay Ride. These are lost recordings

[ No. They are not lost recordings. They have been widely available since the early 1980s. There ARE lost recordings, but none were used on this project.]

– little pieces of magic that we’d sample from each one during editing to get the best Elvis voice possible. We worked with the original masters from SUN Studios, which is really The Holy Grail.”

[ No, you didn't work with the original masters from Sun Studios, because Sony/BMG only owns the tape given to them by Sam Phillips which contained dubs of the 78rpm releases, and a few out-takes. The master tapes reside with a private collector in Europe. Erich worked with 'second generation' masters. Not the real masters.]

Erich explained that today’s new record in a sense becomes Viva Elvis’ soundtrack.

[ Since few of us have ever seen the show itself, this came as a severe shock! The public was told this WAS the soundtrack to Viva Elvis. So this isn't what the show sounds like? If not, what was the point in making it?]

“With so many variations, it’ll take another couple of weeks before those modifications are worked into the show at Aria. It’s a case of where the egg came before the chicken because we did our project first, and now the show will change to match it. That’s a first in theater history.
“Sometimes I stripped out Elvis’ original musicians from back then to use our own musicians here at the Vegas show. But I’d still use a guitar track from back then and mix with our own musicians.

[ Generally, throughout the album, Erich completely erased Elvis's musicians from the recordings. It is very evident, that it is mostly Erich performing the instrumental backgrounds. Almost NONE of Elvis's musicians are on the record. If there grounds for any legal action, I suggest they take it against all parties responsible for this atrocity]

Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis, Cirque’s seventh spectacular on The Strip, fuses dance, acrobatics and live music in the tribute to the life and music of the late King of Rock and Roll and had its world premiere in February in a specially designed 1,800-seat theater at Aria.

[ Cirque has recently acquired Michael Jackson also. There seems to be a goal here to become the World's largest Rock And Roll Circus, almost a bizarre variation of Disneyland in some respects]

“I gave my life to this project. I have no regrets, and I am very reverential toward Elvis. I gave a new lease of life to the original superstar. Every track has the same energy he had back in 1954 but in a 2010 technological way.”

[ Ending with the ego in full force. ]

Interview by Robin Leach
Commentary by Steven B. Roberts

Coming Soon

Viva Elvis – The Album : A Brilliant 21st Century Re-interpretation, Or The Exploited Extermination Of The Greatest Legacy In Popular Culture History?

Coming soon by Steven B. Roberts

Elvis International Magazine July 2010 Issue

Elvis International Magazine July 2010 Issue

Elvis International Magazine continues to put out a high quality product in an era where such a thing has become a rarity. It is my opinion that Elvis International Magazine, and JAT Publishing, are the two leading Elvis Presley related publishers in the market today.

As usual, Elvis International Magazine has continued their high quality standards, and released the issue on beautiful hard stock color paper, bound in an almost book style format. After acquiring several issues, they begin to appear as it’s own encyclopedic library. The advertisements are beautifully represented, with a strong ( and appreciated ) lack of tacky products which continue to flood the collector market.

Kjell H. Bjornestad, and Darwin Lamm, have done their usual level of excellent editing, and Carol R. Stephens has done exemplary artistic layout and design. In fact, Stephens work on the artistic layout and design may be one of the crucial factors that puts this magazine above the rest. She has a keen eye for knowing “what makes a magazine interesting to look at”. This is a great talent and should not be taken for granted. The original artwork by renowned Elvis artist Betty Harper always makes the magazine unique to look at. This team is really onto something, and I’m glad to see their momentum gaining speed and making each issue better and better. However, do not let that sway you from picking up back issues. The magazine has always been good.

July Issue :

Alan Hanson’s article about Elvis’s chart history is far more fascinating than it sounds. In fact, I actually learned more about Elvis’s chart history from this article than I have in attempts to compile the same information out of several Billboard books and vintage charts. Hanson actually brought a little known fact to light in his research, one that I haven’t known in over 20 years of Elvis research.

Page 7 : Paragraph 2

“Billboard published 963 weekly Top/Hot 100 charts between March 3, 1956, when “Heartbreak Hotel” first appeared, and Elvis’s death in August 1977. A Presley song was listed on 824 of those charts. That means that over a 22-year recording career, Elvis had a spot on Billboard’s top chart 85.6 % That’s an average of more than 17 out of every 20 weeks. Certainly , no artist before or since can even approach that track record.”
- Alan Hanson : Elvis International Magazine July 2010

Thus, this is conclusive evidence that we are able to “learn” from the publication. And this is a major decisive factor between the decision to purchase the magazine among older fans. And an important reason to consider doing so. It was also proven again by the next article.

An eye opener ( with beautiful layout and photography) by Phil Arnold regarding Elvis’s first engagement in Las Vegas in 1956. For decades it has always been believed that his stint in Vegas was a complete failure, and left him emotionally scarred and his confidence shaken. Elvis’s 1956 stint in Las Vegas is interesting for three reasons.

First, a recording of his last show of 1956 exists and is available to the public.

Second, there is film footage of him performing in Las Vegas 1956, and a plethora of photographs.

Third, most biographies or books on Elvis feature maybe a couple of paragraphs or a page at most detailing his engagement in Las Vegas. This made Arnold’s full fledged article stand out immediately to researchers and “50s Elvis” fanatics, who have always been curious about the engagement beyond the stereotypical tales of “ Elvis went to Vegas and flopped” notion , and that Elvis met Liberace.

Instead, Arnold focuses on something we never hear about. That Elvis, actually had a good time when he was there!

Joseph Karetta writes an interesting article about the ‘The Day He Didn’t Meet Elvis’ called “ My Odyssey To The Lisa Marie In 1976”. Karetta gives in depth detail about getting a private first hand tour of the jet while it was landed, and Elvis was out. Karetta and his friends had free reign, and saw some incredible things on board. As far as time capsules articles go, this one is first rate.

On a side note, as the eye witnesses and members of Elvis’s life sadly pass away at the hands of time, it will be eye witness accounts by fans such as Karetta that we learn new things about the late King Of Rock And Roll.

Darwin Lamm’s Q&A with Joe Esposito is one of my least favorite columns in the magazine. No disrespect to Mr. Lamm. My criticism is mainly caused because anytime we hear from Esposito, George Klein, or Jerry Schilling, it tends to be almost a script. But keep in mind, this is only my opinion on this issue. But, we rarely ever learn anything new, or anything of interest from them. Esposito was crucial in the 1980s for providing first hand insight into the day Elvis died, and Mr. Lamm is without doubt, a crucial figure in the history of “Elvis World”. No disrespect is meant to either gentleman, I just wish we could learn something of substance from Esposito in his elder years and see an in-depth biography with new information regardless of how light or dark it may be.

However this is not the fault of Mr. Lamb, but Mr. Esposito for not choosing more colorful story content from reader submissions. But, I must state clearly, I did not know Elvis, and I was not there. As a result, it’s not my business to dictate what these people say or do. And I do certainly commend Esposito for his contributions to the newest Jerry Osborne & Barbara Hahn book “Like Any Other Soldier”. But speaking from a fan perspective, I would like to see Esposito, Klein, and Schilling open up a bit more before times runs out, as they were crucial eye witnesses to parts of history that must be obtained.

Though I am not a fan of American Idol, I do applaud Elvis International Magazine for doing their article “American Idol Visits Graceland”. The reason being, it is crucial to try and reach out to that new , younger generation of Elvis fans which is exploding worldwide. After doing a recent poll on the social network site Facebook, I determined the average age of Elvis Presley fans to be 35 years old, and 64% female. However, the age range varied widely from 18 to 80 years old ( I do not friend people under the age of 18 on Facebook) . But the ‘under 45’ age bracket came in strongest. Though I was vehemently opposed to the concept of Elvis Idol and it’s ridiculous prize of recording the bogus Paul Terry King songs, I do not take issue with American Idol’s endorsement of Elvis Presley. In fact, I cannot think of a greater challenge for contestants than to perform Presley songs as very few people have ever accomplished the feat with success. Nor can I think of a better way to introduce Elvis to a nationwide T.V. audience which does so in a respectful manor. Even if most of the contestants are annoying to listen too, at least they make an honest effort to show some appreciation for what created the medium they are allowed to exist in.

Gerard Montz wrote a article dedicated to collector’s who dream of owning items that may or may not exist, he compiles an impressive list of items that I have never even thought of. Generally, Elvis collecting in the high money market, can consist of lost master tapes, formerly owned Elvis memorabilia, or severely rare records. Montz reminds us that there is another side to memorabilia collecting that is often overlooked. To find out, check out the magazine.

My favorite article in the magazine, sadly suffers from one crucial error that was made on assumption instead of research.

“Collecting The King : Sony/BMG Misses The Target Again” by Robert Alaniz, is the kind of article that sits at the very heart of Elvis Revisited – Discovering Elvis. The absolute necessity for Sony/BMG to get their act together and stop rehashing the same stuff with a new cover every year. And while doing this, paying little promotion, or time to significant and important re-issues of critical Presley music.

The article is an essential ‘must read’ for all fans of Elvis, except for one critical error.

Page 56 : Paragraph 4

“With all the limitations of marketing Elvis Presley in today’s music industry , I’m sure Sony/BMG are aware that Elvis’s core fan are people in their 50s, 60s, 70s (which by the way , are probably the only people that still buy CD’s – most young people download music). And as hard as they may try to market Elvis to a young audience, the bottom line is that the younger people will probably only want Elvis’ biggest hits. And you can only do so much with that.” – Robert Alaniz July 2010

Okay, Mr. Alaniz is totally correct the way Sony/BMG is making marketing errors that border on being ridiculous. But he has made an assumption here that is not true.

First, the majority of Elvis fans are actually in the ‘18-45 year old’ age bracket who buy music, and collect Elvis.

Second, this age group does buy compact discs. However, the problem is with Sony/BMG lack of Elvis output that is non-repetitive. Young consumers are savvy enough to know when they are being sold the same thing twice. I hope that Mr. Alaniz would agree with my opinion on this matter. Also, with the boom in vintage music among young people, it has creating a growing interest in Elvis Rarities, Forgotten Albums, and Bootlegs. But, (and I stress this), this is not that well known of a phenomenon but I can vouch that it is happening, and in a very big way. Aside from FTD who’s releases are very expensive for young buyers, Sony/BMG ignores this release area completely. One has to remember, that Elvis fans ARE Elvis fans. This means that they are not content hearing Elvis’s music come out of a little box (I-pod) that will eventually fall in a Urinal or crash and stop working. Elvis fans like things like “Album Covers” and hard media. They like to ‘collect’ or ‘own’ something that is real and tangible.

Which leads to point number 3, believe it or not, a huge portion of Elvis sales regarding his music, is actually people buying vinyl. There is an enormous amount of young people who are enthusiasts about vintage clothing, hairstyles, furniture, cars, music etc. And for them, vinyl is an absolute must. It has to be original, and it has to be a record. With the recent surge of Elvis vinyl hitting the market, the prices on his albums and singles have dropped severely. This is good for new collectors, bad for old collectors. The point being though, young people can afford to buy – for the sake of argument – a nice original copy of the 1956 album Elvis for $20 , when a few years ago it would have been at least $100.

Since the majority of the vinyl purchased is used, it does not appear on chart ratings or sound-scan returns. Thus, the business and older fan base is unaware. I only bring this point up to help it be known, as this is the age group and fan base I deal with in particular.
I , in no way, shape, or form have any issue with Robert Alaniz, and I think the article he wrote was one that desperately needed to be written. Aside from the above mentioned discrepancy, Every point that he makes is solid truth, and the more articles , blog posts, and journal entries that stress what Mr. Alaniz is saying, will do nothing but hopefully cause good.

I encourage all my readers to go to the following website and place an order for current issue, back issues, or subscriptions of Elvis International Magazine. You will be glad you did. It’s a phenomenal piece of work in a world ruled by far inferior publications.

www.elvisint.com

Steven B. Roberts

“Speedway” Soundtrack – Forgotten Flop, Or Diamond In The Rough?

Is the soundtrack to Elvis Presley’s film Speedway a forgotten flop, or a diamond in the rough? The album is constantly either grouped with other soundtracks such as Double Trouble , Frankie & Johnny, Harum Scarum , or is completely overlooked altogether. It is interesting to note, that to this day, the soundtrack has not been in print on Compact disc for yearsm When released as part of the “Double Features” series in the 1990s. Another notable mention, is that the mono version of the original album sells for over $1500, it is extremely rare with only 300 copies supposedly pressed according to RCA Victor pressing plat documentation. It is also Presley’s last genre era soundtrack album.

I first acquired an orange label re-issue of the album on my 12th birthday. I woke up and crawled out of bed to see what was waiting for me in the living room. I had asked for “Elvis records” and I knew there would be some waiting for me. As I ran down the hall there was a giant box wrapped in blue paper with a card and a balloon. A few days before my dad had carefully looked at my Elvis collection and written down the albums I already had. From there he went to the local store and bought me about 25 albums and wrapped them up in one big box.

As I tore through the paper and opened the box, I began to flip though my new massive collection, and Speedway was among them. I liked the cover and thought it was pretty cool. I listened to it once or twice, and didn’t actually give it another listen until about a year ago when I acquired a scarce ( the album was not a good seller, thus original issues are not common) original issue of the album.

Though probably one of his least loved films, the soundtrack to Speedway makes an honest attempt at making a rock record, and is short on the plot orientated music which fans care little for. Instead , side one is loaded with some solid dragster/garage rock, while Side B gives us some fine songs not in the film as bonus/non-soundtrack material.

Speedway, (the title track) is dragster rock at it’s finest, and gets the adrenaline pumping quickly. Like Blue Hawaii, it reminds us, that had Elvis taken a shot at songs by The Beach Boys or Jan & Dean, it would have yielded interesting results.

There Ain’t Nothing Like A Song is considered a duet with Nancy Sinatra, though the daughter of the chairman sings maybe three lines. This would be Elvis’s fourth, and last, duet with a female singer.

Your Time Hasn’t Come Yet Baby oddly enough, boarders on a Rock-Steady or Calypso Jamaican influence. The track was actually released as a single by RCA Victor at the time.

Who Are You is in the same vein of Brazilian Bossa Nova. Presley would use this style on Almost In Love the next year, which is a strong fan favorite.

He’s Your Uncle Not Your Dad is a humorous plot song, and the kind that lead to the dismissing of Presley’s soundtracks by rock critics for years. The lead singing which features a swap between Presley and the Jordenairs , doesn’t quite measure up to the same practice heard on How Great Thou Art or His Hand In Mine, but it does tend to grow on you after a few listens. Regardless, it’s likely He’s Your Uncle Not Your Dad didn’t wind up on many mix tapes in the 80s and 90s.

The following track however, may have. Let Yourself Go is one of Presley’s sexiest and suggestive songs with a fuzzy garage guitar lick and blues rock background. The seductive lyrics are a kick back to the era of “When Elvis Ruled The World”. Let Yourself Go was even included in the 68 Comeback Special and has consistently wound up on Best Of Hollywood type compilations. The listener also gets the impression that Elvis is enjoying the song, instead of being annoyed by it, which can be easily heard on other soundtrack albums. And this is another reason the album deserves a second listen.

The original issue of the album also featured something no other Elvis record ever featured before. A solo spot sung by big name co-star. Though one can’t really say that RCA Victor got their money’s worth in Nancy Sinatra’s You’re Groovy Self. Like much of Sinatra’s recordings after These Boots Are Made For Walking, it sounds exactly like what it is. The twentieth attempt at a sequel to that song.

Five Sleepy Heads isn’t the greatest moment in Elvis History, and is similar to a song like Big Boots in G.I. Blues. Elvis sings the children to sleep and the adults too.

Western Union is a clever clone of Return To Sender, but none the less, a good Elvis record for this time period. A good beat, hip lyrics, and superb backing by the Jordenairs, makes it as strong as any of Presley’s Nashville output at the time.

Mine is a beautiful ballad with the RCA Victor “Nashville Sound” strongly in place, and could have fit onto any country singer’s album from the 1960s easily. Soft backing by the Jordenairs and gentle key trickling by Floyd Cramer , coupled with Elvis in strong voice, make the Chet Atkins production sound of the time come out full swing.

Going Home is up-tempo sixties country and western that reminisces Stonewall Jackson, Marty Robbins, or Johnny Cash. A story teller song about coming home from the old west, puts Elvis in Gene Autry’s boots , and provides a pleasant surprise cemented in side 2 of the album.

Suppose has always been a favorite ballad among Elvis fans, which is why many may find it odd that it originally debuted on this particular album. Sung passionately by the Presley ‘voice in conversion’ (between the 60s and 70s Elvis) with the Nashville sound once again prominent.

Over all, Speedway is a far better record than it’s given credit for. I find it odd that lesser albums such as Fun In Acapulco or Double Trouble have received multiple re-release, yet Speedway has been issued only a couple times domestically. It is also noted, that no out-takes from Speedway have ever appeared on official release or bootleg. The CD version (as part of ) on the Double Features edition has very little difference in sound than the vinyl version. So whichever you choose, you will basically get the same fidelity and mixes. Though it is my opinion, the original vinyl pressing provides the best listening experience, due to it’s power, warmth, and deep groove.

Steven B. Roberts

Cory Cooper In Reno News & Review

My good friend and colleague Cory Cooper was recently featured in the Reno News and Reviews.

Enjoy!

http://www.newsreview.com/reno/content?oid=1854549

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW : Peter Ettinger talks to Steven B. Roberts about “Lonely Street”

The following interview was conducted in August 2010 by Steven B. Roberts with Peter Ettinger. The interview can be republished, as long as a link and credit to Steven B. Roberts is given.

[Q] For our readers who are not familiar with you, tell us a little about yourself and who you are?

[A[Hi, my name is Peter. I'm a Scorpio. I enjoy moonlit walks on the beach, ice cold wine coolers, hot tub parties and... oh, wait. Wrong post.

[Q] How did you get involved in the movie business?

[A] Two influential events from my childhood. First, was a TV movie called “A Shining Season” that was filmed at my elementary school. I remember being around the crew and cameras and was amazed at how big it all seemed. Then a number of months later, I was watching my school and friends on TV. I was determined to figure out the process from what I saw being filmed, to how it ended up on TV. Second, Robert Redford filmed one of my favorite books, “The Milagro Beanfield War” back home. Years later, I ended up working on “The Horse Whisperer” and I got to tell Redford personally it was all his fault I got into making movies.

[Q] Are you an Elvis fan? If so, how did you become one? What was the moment when you felt the ‘click’?

[A] The Summer of ’77 was very influential for me. Star Wars was released and Elvis died. From both events, early on, I understood the power of entertainment. One era was beginning as one was ending. But that’s the magic of movies, music and entertainment in general. You can keep your memories alive. Sometimes you outgrow certain things, but there is always something new to discover. It really clicked watching the ’68 Comeback. At a time when even the King of Rock ‘N Roll needed to make a comeback, he did it and did it well. I always root for the underdog anyway. What’s a little sobering for me now though, he was 33 and making a comeback. I’m older than that and I’m really just getting going!

[Q] How did “Lonely Street” come about?

[A] I was working in Hollywood as an assistant editor and wanted to make the leap to directing. Realizing no one would just hand me a project, I had to write and direct my own script. I wanted to shoot something in New Mexico where I grew up, so I started reading a bunch of local writers’ novels — Tony Hillerman, Rudolfo Anaya — but realized their work was already optioned by big studios. Not having the money to shell out for expensive rights, I discovered Steve Brewer’s Bubba Mabry low-rent private detective series. I thought, I’m broke, Bubba’s broke, it’s perfect! I quickly read all the books in the series at that time and fell in love. Steve wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper and I contacted him via email asking if he’d option the rights to me. He was excited and receptive, we struck a deal and unbeknownst to either of us at the time, it would be six years before filming would actually begin. I will always be grateful for Steve trusting me to adapt his material and for believing in me all those years.

[Q] How different was the final version of “Lonely Street” compared to the original concept?

[A]The first draft of the script was much closer to the novel, really getting into Bubba’s inherent “gullibility gene.” That great through-line makes the reader believe that Bubba would believe that he is really being hired by a still-living Elvis. It adds a layer of internal debate over the course of the story of “is he or isn’t he real?” But through the re-writing process as we had to fit the story into a low-budget mold, certain characters were cut or combined, a cool car chase was eliminated but most unfortunately, a lot of Bubba’s gullible charm and backstory got axed. Thankfully, it’s still alive in the book.

[Q] Can you share a funny story from shooting the movie?

[A] One of the biggest challenges of an independent feature is the need to always adapt and improvise because there’s never enough money nor time. One instance that comes to mind was with Bubba’s answering machine. It plays a role in the movie but of course the one we got from the prop house didn’t come with a functioning flashing message light. We were trying to figure out how to make the machine work and someone jokingly suggested aiming a red laser pointer where the light should be flashing. We all laughed at the idea, but about 10 seconds later, we were rigging a small laser pointer on a stand to aim at the answering machine. It worked perfectly!

[Q] Casting Robert Patrick was an interesting choice. He’s kind of ingrained in Rockabilly folklore whether he realizes it or not. He played Johnny Cash’s father in “Walk The Line” and Vernon Presley in “Elvis The Mini Series”. Is Patrick a fan of the genre and was he an easy sell to play the role?

[A] Oh, yeah. Robert was on board almost immediately after reading the script. That was even before he played Vernon in the mini series. We joked that all he has to do now is play an older Johnny Cash and he’ll have covered all the bases. Robert is a true southern gentlemen. As much as people think of him as being a star, he really is a blue-collar kind of a guy. He’s focused and dedicated and wants to deliver excellent work every time he steps in front of the camera. He was shooting “The Unit” on TV during the week, then would come to us on weekends, sit in makeup for five hours a day, film all day Saturday and Sunday, then have to report back to “The Unit” Monday morning. He was an animal! We considered a lot of actors for the part. But one thing I didn’t want was an audience reaction of, “Oh, there’s so-and-so doing an Elvis impersonation.” I wanted someone to disappear into the role and have people be swept away by the performance. We got that with Robert.

[Q] Do you think Elvis is alive?

[A] No. But ask me if I believe aliens crash landed in Roswell…

[Q] The “Elvis Is Alive” people are something else. Did you research what is known as “The Elvis Underground” for the film? Or did you want to just go with an original concept to not feed the myth?

[A] 150 years from now, I’m sure Alivers are still going to be concocting crazy myths that Elvis was cryogenically frozen and has come back to life. Oops, just gave away the plot of my next movie! But like you said, it’s a myth. But it’s okay to ask “what if” sometimes if you do it correctly.

[Q] What goes into making a movie like “Lonely Street”? I’m guessing it had to have some challenges?

[A] The biggest question (or complaint) I hear from Elvis fans is about the DVD cover itself. “Where’s Elvis??” Yeah, I agree. An opportunity to capitalize on the heart of the movie was lost. Here is an example of what might have been:http://www.bunnydojo.com/blog/?p=152#more-152 or even here: http://www.bunnydojo.com/pac_LonelyStreetB.php

Having a lack of time and money, combined with an overabundance of egos, can spell disaster for a movie. There were producers who saw things differently, both in terms of tone, and also experience knowing how to shape a movie in post-production. Initially, I was given four weeks to cut the movie. That’s not nearly enough time. Then another version of the movie was being edited behind my back. That version wasn’t received well at all. So we regrouped, tried to pinpoint areas to add additional footage. I approached it from a story and character angle, while others wanted cheap laughs. Eventually, somewhere in the middle, a very watered-down version of what could have been was finally pieced together. The movie improved, but not nearly in the way it should have. We really squandered an opportunity since everyone wanted to throw their ideas into the mix. I believe even with all the footage we have available, including stuff we cut out, a better movie exists than the one that is currently in release. Maybe someday I’ll be afforded the chance to release my true Director’s Cut.
But I have to say, through it all, everyone worked very hard, some of us for years, to get this movie made. Through normal (and some abnormal) challenges and clashes of ego, the movie was finally set for release on DVD. However, about a month before, the movie was leaked on the internet. People don’t think of piracy being a huge problem. But when you’ve worked tirelessly without getting paid to release something into the marketplace to try to recoup the money you’ve put in as well as pay back your investors, then suddenly it’s available to everyone for free, that’s quite a let down. Big Hollywood movies suffer from piracy too, but they have a much wider platform and advertising dollars available to achieve proper box office compensation. Piracy really hits us low budget independent filmmakers right in the wallet, where every dollar counts just to try to break even. Again, what should have been a triumphant day was spoiled and countless revenue lost.

[Q] What are some projects you have in the works at the moment?

[A] I kind of did things backwards. You’re supposed to do the easy sell-out movies first, then do the “quirky” passion projects later when you can afford to do them. So now, I have two original scripts I’m developing that are more straightforward genre movies, character-driven action. A “quirky comedy” was really hard to get made. I’m hoping these next two will be a little easier, both from content and by applying what I’ve learned making Lonely Street.

[Q] What are some projects you’d like to do in the future and see come to fruition?

[A] Remember I mentioned aliens landing in Roswell? There you go.

$$$$$$$$$$

Last month FTD released the King Creole Book & CD.

FTD announced, that due to a lack of material to use as bonus tracks, they would not be able to issue King Creole in their coveted “Classic Albums Series”. The same fate has been announced for other albums, such as Presley’s classic sophomore effort Elvis.

My question regarding King Creole, is why?

For those who are not aware, FTD is short for “Follow That Dream”. It is the official fan club label which licenses, and releases Elvis Presley through, and with, permission from Sony/BMG. In the “Classic Albums” series, FTD generally issues one of Presley’s original albums, combined with a bonus disc of out-takes (or as much bonus material as possible).

I have recently acquired this bootleg album.

It was stated that there was “not” enough bonus material to make King Creole a part of the classic albums series. After having a glance at the track list for the bootleg above, I find this very curious.

Examination of the track-list, it becomes apparent that licensing “Rare & Unreleased” Elvis, from private collectors is still not being considered. Unless the price is right.

Too bad, because the bootleg shown above is incredible.

Steven B. Roberts

ELIZA : NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

Go to www.elvisdecoded.com to read about the non disclosure document between Fox News 8 and Alice Tiffin (a.k.a. Eliza Presley).

Steven B. Roberts

PUBLIC NOTICE

The following has appeared on www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2010
PUBLIC NOTICE:
I continue to hear rumors about other Elvis sites and message boards on which there are those who are ripping me and my 45+ pages of substantiated evidence apart.  As of March, 2010 I have no longer read nor acknowledged anything untrue, critical or malicious which may be spread about me. 

I shall be removing the pages on this site which are devoted to those who have attacked me in the past.  I will not be wasting any more of my time and web site space to refute the feeble and laughable gossip and accusations hurled my way.  I no longer even know that any of these exist unless someone Emails me about them…and I have discouraged even this.

My web site has accomplished the goal for which I initially constructed it…my own web site now is a dominant result in Internet searches relating to me and/or Jesse.  Therefore, if anyone chooses to believe the lies being told about me in isolated articles on other sites and/or posted in gossip-only message boards when compared to my own web site, then that is well and good for those people.  Much of this type of garbage is posted under fake names or as “anonymous” while I boldly place my name on everything I do…I have absolutely no reason to hide behind anything.
The long-time well known Elvis “experts” who have attacked me, and supported each other in doing so, have their reputations at stake.  If I and my web site are untrue and insignificant, then why are they wasting so much of their “professional” time and Internet space trying so frantically to discredit me?  Making themselves look rather lame and foolish to boot.  Perhaps they fear falling out of good standing with EPE.

The autograph authentication which I had done on Elvis’/Jesse’s writing in my copy of his book is absolutely genuine and is a rock solid document.  I knew when I presented it that those who have attacked me for years now would again dismiss it too.  It matters not to me that these “experts” slam me…I am reconciled to the way things are.  However, it bothers me that these full time “professional experts” rob fans of the truth. 
With my web site having now exceeded 50,000 total visits as of this past weekend and with the autograph authentication document now presented…I have fulfilled the need which I have always had to provide the truth with substantiated evidence to everyone for FREE.

I shall never sell even one shred of anything Elvis/Jesse has written me over the past 18 years nor will I ever part with one of the many gifts he has given me over those years.  I have vowed to NEVER make one penny off of my friendship with Elvis/Jesse.  I have paid for years in advance for my web site.  Even if I die, my web site will still stand.  So, if there are those who think they can stifle me in some way or pressure me into closing my web site, they are sadly mistaken.  Only Elvis/Jesse himself can cause me to close my site.

Elvis/Jesse has asked me to be his spokesperson and his voice.  I will never let him down…I’ll always be here for anything he wants me to do for him.  I do want to make it perfectly clear to everyone that he has NEVER given me any indication that he intends to ever make a public appearance.  Nor, would I want him to.  His privacy, safety and well being mean the world to me.

I also want to make it clear that I have never been a part of any “Jesse scam”…I have NO co-workers nor associates of any kind involved in my web site or anything else which I do.  There has never been a scam involving Jesse. 
Exactly what is it that I am supposedly ”scamming” from anyone…to what end?  Surely no one would think that I have spent the last 22 years of my life gathering substantiating material; countless hundreds of hours setting up and maintaining my web site; and many hundreds of dollars paying for my web site, my domain name, getting my web site into search results, adding music to my site, paying for my site for years in advance, etc. just so that I can pull a prank on people.  People who are paying absolutely nothing except the time they spend looking at my material.   I believe that my web site speaks for itself in showcasing that I am not that ignorant, stupid, nor dishonest.

Also, I want to make it perfectly clear that I do not believe that Jesse is Elvis.  I KNOW that Jesse is Elvis.  I knew him as Elvis for a long time before he explained to me that he had reinvented himself as Jesse in order that his twin could have 42 years to live just as Elvis had.  Even before he and I ever had any personal contact, I knew others who were in contact with him.  I had seen some of the letters which he had written to them.  I approached Elvis way back then in the same skeptical, but open minded, manner in which any sane person would have.  I didn’t just say this is Elvis and then dive in head first.  By the time that Elvis and I were in one on one contact, I had already learned enough for me to know, even way back then, that he really was/is Elvis.
My only motive is to present the truth absolutely FREE to everyone who cares to learn… and to honor Elvis/Jesse as the wonderful human being that he has always been…not just the superstar.
I close by saying if you were a juror the judge would admonish you to:  “Be reasonable, use your common sense, and go with the preponderance of evidence.”

The following commentary is based on the note above.

I. Public Notice :

I find the hilarity that www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com has the sheer narcissism, to act that her site is so important, that she must post a “Public Notice” – as though she were a store applying for a liquor license – to be beyond the heights of only the finest humor.

II. Rumors :

“I continue to hear rumors about other Elvis sites and message boards on which there are those who are ripping me and my 45+ pages of substantiated evidence apart.” 

These are not rumors. A rumor is generally a myth, or a possibility. The truth is, there are many websites who continue to rip apart “ her 45+ pages of  substantiated evidence apart” because sadly, it is not evidence.  This would of course, include me. This is not a rumor. It is a fact.

III. Personal Attacks :

“I shall be removing the pages on this site which are devoted to those who have attacked me in the past.”

For someone who thrives on conflict, this is an interesting move. Using my judgment, I don’t know  that anyone has personal animosity towards www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com. This is paranoia and narcissism, likely as a result of spending too much time devoted to an online fantasy. However, this is strictly opinion. For the record, I do not know if the person behind the website actually exists. It’s kind of like World Of War Craft characters. You never really know who you are dealing with.

IV. Dominance :

“My web site has accomplished the goal for which I initially constructed it…my own web site now is a dominant result in Internet searches relating to me and/or Jesse.” 

She is incorrect. I think her site is “the” dominant result in internet search engines about “her” and Jesse. Not “a” dominant result in internet search engines about “her” and Jesse.

V. Gossip :

“Therefore, if anyone chooses to believe the lies being told about me in isolated articles on other sites and/or posted in gossip-only message boards when compared to my own web site, then that is well and good for those people”

Yes, message boards where people argue that a dead man is actually alive posing as his dead twin brother are definitely gossip orientated. However, www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com is an online tabloid, so I’m not quite sure what the difference is? Except maybe that people are not allowed to comment on www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com , whereas people are allowed to comment on most other sites.

However, isn’t claiming a dead man is still alive a lie?

VI. Cowards :

“Much of this type of garbage is posted under fake names or as “anonymous”

This is absolutely 100% correct. I agree that using your real name is important, because otherwise you should have nothing to hide. I am also annoyed at aliases on the internet and consider those who do so to be cowards. However, it would be nice to find out who “Jesse” really is since he is not Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley is dead? So why doesn’t www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com tell us who’s behind this whole thing? It would be a nice considering all the accusations about “fake names”. Since Jesse is a fake.

“while I boldly place my name on everything I do…I have absolutely no reason to hide behind anything.”

Of course not. A person would not be able to receive the attention they so desperately crave if they are using a fake name. I agree with the statement of being “bold”. I’ve yet to figure out why www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com has not become a kitschy internet star? The kind  seen on shows like The Soup, G4, or other programs that turn people who make fun of themselves into internet celebrities? That’s a mystery to me.

VII. Experts

“The long-time well known Elvis “experts” who have attacked me, and supported each other in doing so, have their reputations at stake”

There are no reputations at stake, and the person behind www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com has ruined their own credability in the public forum. It’s good that the ‘entity’ that is www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com claims to be retired. If a perspective employer saw the website, the candidate for employment would be immediately disqualified. There is a difference between “attacking” and “inquiring” into the validity of a claim. Simply challenging the claim of why a dead man is still alive posing as his dead twin brother does warrant some questions?  I have seen no hostility from Elvis Experts towards www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com , in fact, quite the opposite. Due to the irrefutable evidence that Elvis Presley is dead, no credible Elvis Expert would believe such a claim without some kind of evidence. It seems that www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com refuses to realize this and often comes back with harsh responses that border on being vicious.

The term “Elvis Expert” has generally been given to those who write seriously, or have done extensive research on Elvis Presley. This title can be self appointed, or given. Sometimes it just gets attached to a person. Regardless, these ‘Experts’ generally know the life and music of Elvis Presley very well. We have seen no indication that www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com knows anything about the music or life of Elvis Presley? In fact, we have seen little to no evidence that www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com is a fan of Elvis Presley at all? Fans generally have some albums, movies, or books. Yet, none of this has been displayed for us to see?

Also, the people referred to as “Elvis Experts” are just that, experts on Elvis Presley . www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com is a “Jesse Expert” site.  Since “Jesse” is not Elvis, I am curious why there is such a harshness towards Elvis Experts? www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com is not about Elvis Presley, it’s a story about a guy named Jesse who thinks he’s Elvis?

“The autograph authentication which I had done on Elvis’/Jesse’s writing in my copy of his book is absolutely genuine and is a rock solid document.”

No, no it isn’t. Plus, no one has seen it in person for proper examination. Actually, no one has seen any of this stuff in person? All us ’experts’ would LOVE to have a look at your Jesse collection under controlled and friendly circumstances, with credible  non biased parties doing the examination and analysis.

“I knew when I presented it that those who have attacked me for years now would again dismiss it too.  It matters not to me that these “experts” slam me…I am reconciled to the way things are.  However, it bothers me that these full time “professional experts” rob fans of the truth.” 

If www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com feels so strongly about not being challenged, why have you published a public notice?

Also, how have any Elvis Experts robbed fans of the truth? We write and discuss the musical and historical legacy of Elvis Presley. www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com discusses the myth of “Jesse”. Since Elvis Presley is dead, and Elvis Presley is not “Jesse”, I become very confused how Experts are robbing fans of the truth?

Also, if Jesse wants to keep such a low profile and not be found, why is an entire website by his ‘alleged’ best friend whom he has never met constantly reporting on him?

“Perhaps they fear falling out of good standing with EPE”

Actually, Elvis Experts rarely have ‘any’ standing with EPE. That’s why there are Mr. Potato Heads being manufactured. EPE does not use Elvis Experts.

VIII. Actuality :

“Exactly what is it that I am supposedly ”scamming” from anyone…to what end?  Surely no one would think that I have spent the last 22 years of my life gathering substantiating material; countless hundreds of hours setting up and maintaining my web site; and many hundreds of dollars paying for my web site, my domain name, getting my web site into search results, adding music to my site, paying for my site for years in advance, etc. just so that I can pull a prank on people.”

Mainly for attention I suppose? By the way, was the music cleared with the record company, and is it properly licensed to be broadcast on the website? In this day and age, if hundreds of dollars are being paid out, why doesn’t the site look like something from 2010 instead of 1992? I do agree that no evidence of profit is evident. Since there is a refusal for public interviews and no “Jesse” product is for sale. Nor are donations collected. Well, not for www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com anyway. Seems like a friend is collecting donations though? Or she was a friend. I think it’s that lady who thinks she’s Elvis’s sister or something? Also, there is a clipping from a national tabloid on the site showing the Jesse photo. It has been stated that the original print of the photo belongs to www.lindahoodsigmontruth.com , to my knowledge, tabloids usually pay for a story? Especially photos. Curious?

IX. No Expense

“People who are paying absolutely nothing except the time they spend looking at my material.   I believe that my web site speaks for itself in showcasing that I am not that ignorant, stupid, nor dishonest.
Also, I want to make it perfectly clear that I do not believe that Jesse is Elvis.  I KNOW that Jesse is Elvis”

The website certainly does speak for itself. No question about that. Is it meant that it is known that “Jesse” is Elvis, or Elvis Presley? Because Elvis Presley died 33 years ago? I get confused?

For people who are unaware, this can be very confusing. People that tend to believe all the stories about Elvis faking his death and still being alive are not actually referring to Elvis Presley. They have created a character named “Elvis” that is based on Elvis Presley. The “Elvis Is Alive – Thing” is sort of like an online role playing game. Similar to “Dungeons & Dragons” or “Star Trek”. You simply create a character and go in search of “Elvis”. But it’s not actually Elvis Presley because he is dead. These people make up fake pictures, forged documents, stage sightings, and other such antics. Then they move from message board to message board continuing the game. Each new forum is like the start of a new game. “Jesse” was kind of like a sequel to the old “Elvis is alive” game. But it’s not that popular because it’s so weird and has continuity problems.

X. Objection Your Honor

“I close by saying if you were a juror the judge would admonish you to:  “Be reasonable, use your common sense, and go with the preponderance of evidence.”

Legally, and beyond a reasonable doubt, Elvis Presley was declared dead on August 16, 1977.  Therefore, any case pertaining to him still being alive would immediately be thrown out. Or to be more specific, the evidence submitted regarding claims that he is still alive, would be immediately dismissed. In a court of law, any claims he is still alive made on the stand under oath , would be considered perjury which is a serious felony. It is doubtful a credible lawyer would be able to submit any evidence that Elvis Presley is still alive, or that he is Jesse.

Steven B. Roberts Age 34*

* Yes, that’s my real name. I figured since Jesse does his autographs with his age, I would do the same.