Rock Stars Boxed Set: Murder, Manslaughter and Misadventure

by Joe Bensam

  Elvis bought his mother a pink Cadillac

  At one time, in the mid 60s Elvis treated himself to a luxury gold-plated Cadillac, heavily customized with expensive extras. The cost for this ended up being over $100,000 - an astronomical sum for a car at that time. When RCA could not persuade Elvis to go on tour to support an album, they asked if they could take the car on a promotional tour instead. This was a huge success, and generated a great deal of publicity - even impressing the Beatles, who contemplated a similar plan themselves. On one occasion, an attractive young lady offered to have sex with one of the car’s attendants, in return for a chance to sit in the driver’s seat where Elvis himself had sat.

  But by 1968, the income generated by the movie franchises started to falter. The public had seen enough cheesy movies with the same bad storyline, and had heard enough lamentable soundtrack albums. Elvis was increasingly disenchanted with the way his career was going, and was looking for a way out. At the same time, some of his most influential friends managed to persuade him that he was wasting his talents. They convinced him that he was still a musical superstar underneath the trashy movie facade.

  It was clear to everyone that something extraordinary was need to reignite Elvis’s career, put him back in the spotlight and - most important of all - put some serious cash in the bank. The solution was the TV show which has become known as the 68 Comeback Special.

  Parker’s original idea was to have Elvis sing some Christmas carols against a suitably festive background. This would be cheap to produce, and an easy way to bank half a million dollars for not much work. Fortunately, the Colonel did not get his way on this occasion. The TV management behind the program saw this as an opportunity to showcase the real Elvis, the rock star who had transformed the entire music industry. Producer Steve Binder suggested a mix of production numbers that presented Elvis in his true light as a real musical force. But he also had another idea that was to take the show to another level. He had seen Elvis in his dressing room jamming with his associates, and realized that this was where the real Elvis was to be found - playing the music he loved in a casual setting. He suggested a live, informal performance in front of a small studio audience, allowing Elvis and his band to jam their way through some of their favorite songs.

  Elvis made a spectacular comeback in 1968

  Despite Parker’s misgivings, Elvis jumped at the idea. Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana were rescued from obscurity to play along with Elvis and some other musicians. The jam sessions were a great success - and so was the show. Elvis appeared in a black leather suit designed especially for the occasion, and wowed audiences around the world. No less than 42 per cent of the US TV audience tuned in to watch - and that in a time when TV audiences were massive. Even the critics were impressed, especially critic Jon Landau, who reflected the views of millions when he said: ’there is something special about watching a man who has lost himself find his way back home.’

  Elvis was re-energized by the success of the program, and keen to get into the studio to record a ‘real’ album as quickly as possible. From Elvis in Memphis was recorded not in Nashville as usual, but in a new studio in Memphis. This allowed Elvis to introduce more of his home town influences into the music, and a new, larger sound that was to define everything he did musically from that point forward. The album was a success, staying on the Billboard charts for 24 weeks and hitting number one in the UK. The single Suspicious Minds from the album became his first No.1 record since 1962, while In The Ghetto was also a huge hit. Elvis began to see a new career opening up - one where the music was the focus, and not just an afterthought.

  Chapter 9 - Winning in Las Vegas

  While Elvis dreamed of making a comeback on stage, Colonel Parker had an agenda of his own. He did very well out of his management of Elvis Presley, racking up personal earnings of around $100 million in his lifetime. Unfortunately, though, he was also an inveterate gambler, and most of his earnings disappeared into Las Vegas casinos. In 1969, he was heavily in debt to at least one of these casinos, and it is likely that this situation was responsible for triggering the final phase of Elvis’s career. The only way he could cancel his debts was by promising to bring his ‘boy’ to Sin City. Soon a deal was done for Elvis to appear at the new International Hotel. Originally, Elvis was booked to play on the night that the new hotel opened, but Parker was very wary of problems that might arise in an untried auditorium. In this case, his intuition proved correct. Barbra Streisand played the first night instead, and the show was plagued with sound problems. But these were soon ironed out, and the stage was set - literally - for Elvis to make a a comeback such as no-one had accomplished before.

  It was nearly nine years since Elvis had last made an appearance before a large live audience, and he wanted to make an impression. He followed through with his new, larger sound, requiring the accompaniment of a whole host of musicians - including a 35-piece orchestra. On 31 July 1969, Elvis walked on stage and launched straight into Blue Suede Shoes - sending the audience into a frenzy that sounded like 1957 all over again.

  The show mixed a whole range of Elvis classics from across his career with other songs by contemporary songwriters. When he ended the show with What’d I Say?’ the crowd gave him a standing ovation - not the first one of the evening. The show proved to be a financial success, too. The manager of the International hotel sat down with Colonel Parker after the show in one of the cafes at the hotel. They negotiated a deal for Elvis to make two month-long appearances at the hotel every year, in return for a fee of one million dollars a year. Parker famously wrote the terms of the deal on the tablecloth, and the manager signed the tablecloth to seal the deal. One million dollars a year was a huge sum then, even for a star like Elvis. But the hotel managers got the result they wanted. During Elvis’s subsequent appearances, turnover at the hotel doubled...making the hotel rather more than $1 million a year in extra profit.

  Elvis was back at the end of January 1970 to start his second month-long stint at the hotel. He not only had new songs to perform, but a whole new look, too - one that was to define this last phase of his life, and shape the way the world would remember him. Elvis believed that as an entertainer, he had a duty to look special when he arrived on stage. He was not impressed by the rock bands of the day who strolled on stage in jeans and T-shirts. He wanted to put on a show - and that meant looking like a superstar.

  Elvis brought a whole new look to Las Vegas

  To the delight of the audience, Elvis made his first appearance wearing a white jumpsuit...but this was no ordinary jumpsuit. Featuring a tight waist and belled legs, the costume was open almost to his waist, revealing a manly chest that drove the women in the audience wild as usual. The collar was studded with jewels, and Elvis wore flashy rings on his fingers. To top it all, he wore a gold and pearl-colored karate belt. If anybody had any doubts, this outfit put them all to rest.

  The King was back...and he was back in style.

  Parker was not slow to capitalize on all the commercial possibilities. Apart from releases of live recordings, Parker also arranged that anyone in the hotel who ordered room service also received a catalog of Elvis records. No opportunity remained unexploited. Of course, Parker was not satisfied with the earnings from just two months of appearances, so he started arranging for Elvis to go on tour in between the Las Vegas engagements.

  For the next few yeas, Elvis toured America relentlessly, traveling to cities across the US, and impressing the crowds with new jumpsuits, new songs and new presentations. Elvis was interested in the idea of touring in Europe, where he had a huge fan base. But Parker discouraged the idea, knowing that he himself could not risk travelling overseas due to his shaky citizenship, and being unwillingly to let his star too far out of his sight. The offers from European promoters kept coming in, but Parker demanded ridiculous sums, running into millions of dollars. As a result, Elvis never travelled outside the US again.

  Elvis enjoyed this renewal in his popularity, and for the ne
xt few years, he revelled in being the King of Rock ‘n Roll once more. The new Elvis show completely redefined the concept of Las Vegas shows, and provided the foundation for the generation of lavish shows that was to follow.

  In the first few years, Elvis looked fit and healthy, basking in the glow of this latest phase of his success. But the punishing touring and performing cycle had its downside. The long hours, the constant travelling and the late-night partying at Las Vegas began to take its toll in many different ways.

  Priscilla and the wives of the rest of Elvis’s entourage were not allowed to join the boys on tour. This was supposedly to protect them from the rigors of the road, but for the males involved, the arrangement had definite advantages. While Priscilla waited hopefully at home, Elvis was found himself in a situation where countless attractive women were literally throwing themselves at him every day. A film-maker recording one of Elvis’s shows noted:

  ‘I saw a woman run down the aisle at full speed and launch herself like an Evel Kneivel motorcycle. From four rows back, she took a leap, sailed through the air and landed with a splat, skidding across the stage. Elvis saw her coming and side-stepped her, and she slid right into the drums.’

  This was certainly not an unusual occurrence. Women would routinely throw their underwear at him on stage, or would throw their hotel keys at him, hoping we would make use of them later. This must have reminded him of the early days in the 50s, when his fans sometimes found his Cadillac in the parking lot and wrote their phone numbers on it in lipstick, or scratched them into the paintwork with nail files.

  Elvis may have been raised a good Christian boy, and he may have been a happily-married man in the late 60s. But the temptation to stray was intense to say the least, and Elvis soon began to take advantage of the banquet of female flesh that came his way. Although Priscilla never knew for sure what happened while he was away, she was well aware that her husband was slipping away from her, and their marriage began to fade steadily. In 1972, Priscilla moved out of Graceland, and she filed for divorce a few months later. Yet when their divorce was finalized the next year, the couple held hands during the courtroom proceedings. Priscilla started a new life with her karate teacher, while Elvis partied on with the various women that came into his life on a daily basis.

  As time went by, Elvis’s shows became grander and more showman-like. Each performance began with Also Sprach Zarathustra, the music from the film 2001 - A Space Odyssey, setting the scene for the drama that was to follow. The jumpsuits became more lavish and exotic as time went on, often accompanied by capes that reach beyond his knees. Eventually, though, the capes had to go, as enthusiastic audience members would tug at the hem of the cape, threatening to pull Elvis off the stage.

  As the costumes became more elaborate, they became much heavier. The jewels and embellishments were generally real gems and stones, with the result that a single suit could weigh over 30 pounds. Moving around on the stage with such heavy gear was draining physically, especially in the energetic act that Elvis put on for his fans.

  His performance often included a demonstration of Elvis’s karate moves. He had been interested in martial arts for many years, and regularly trained with his bodyguards, the Memphis Mafia. He attained a black belt in karate, although it is not entirely clear how genuine an accomplishment this was. He would often kick and punch his way across the stage, inevitably attracting more screams from the women in the audience.

  Elvis would regularly throw items such as towels he had used into the audience, where they were snapped up ravenously by souvenir hunters. His friend and rhythm guitarist, Charlie Hodge, had the job of continually supplying Elvis with fresh towels to use, discard and throw to the fans. Sometimes Elvis would take things one step further and throw his rings or other valuables into the crowd. There is no doubt that for the first few years at least, Elvis genuinely enjoyed his performances.

  ‘A live concert to me is exciting because of all the electricity that is generated in the crowd and on stage. It’s my favorite part of the business - live concerts.’

  Once the concert was over, Elvis rarely performed an encore. His main concern was to get away from the hotel before the fans could overwhelm his security guards backstage. So as the final chords of the closing music, See See Rider, rang out around the auditorium, Elvis was rushed to his limo and whisked out of harm’s way. But getting Elvis away was not enough...the audience had to know that he had gone, and that there was no hero to mob backstage. And so the M.C. would end the evening by making the announcement that has passed into legend...

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.’

  Chapter 10 - Facing The Final Curtain

  The end of Elvis’s marriage was significant in ways that were not apparent at the time. With his mother dead, Priscilla was now the only person who had any influence over Elvis and his habits. After all, who would dare to tell the King what he could and could not do? Certainly not his friends, his family, or even Colonel Parker. The Memphis Mafia were always close to Elvis, but over the years he had loaned many of them money to buy houses and cars. On one occasion, he had bought them all motorcycles, just so that they could all go riding together. None of them wanted to risk losing their jobs and having the loans called in.

  While they were still married, Priscilla was able to exert some influence over his lifestyle. She had been aware that he was using drugs of various sorts to stay awake and lively during his performances, and to make it possible to party all night long in Las Vegas. For years, she nagged and cajoled him into at least managing his use of drugs to a sensible level. But when Priscilla moved out of his home and his life, there was no-one left to force him to toe the line. One of Elvis’s cousins said:

  ‘Elvis changed a lot after he was married, and after Lisa was born. But I think he changed the most after the divorce.’

  Elvis acquired a new long-term girlfriend in Linda Thompson, and she was astonished to see his bedside table full of bottles of prescription pills and potions of various sorts. And with unlimited funds to buy what he wanted, he was able to get any drugs he wanted. Just like Michael Jackson some 30 years later, he found a tame doctor - Doctor Nick - who provided whatever drugs his famous and generous patient demanded.

  Elvis became a sad caricature of his former self

  From the end of 1973 onwards, Elvis began to slip downhill rapidly. His use of drugs escalated, and became uncontrolled. The drugs made him miserable, and the more miserable he became, the more he turned to other drugs for solutions.

  To make matters worse, Parker was now once again heavily in debt to the Las Vegas casinos, having taken to gambling huge sums there to while away the time while Elvis performed. To get himself out of this mess, he sold all the rights to Elvis’s back catalog to RCA - a move that would financially cripple the Elvis estate in years to come. For a paltry $5.5 million, he persuaded Elvis to sign over the rights to a catalog that would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the future. In better times, it is likely that Elvis would have refused to sign such a disadvantageous contract, but with his sanity deteriorating around him, he was easy prey to Parker’s maneuvers.

  Elvis was now losing interest in the Las Vegas shows and in the constant touring. But despite the millions he had earned in his career, he now needed the money to finance his lifestyle. He was stuck on a merry-go-round and there was no way to get off. As he began to spiral downwards, his behaviour became more erratic.

  Over the years, Elvis had received many death threats, so he had bought a gun for his own protection. Now he carried this gun wherever he went, loaded and ready for action. His daughter, Lisa Marie, later recalled one incident that occurred when she was a young child. She was sitting alongside her father on a sofa, watching TV while they ate their breakfasts off a tray. A singer that Elvis didn’t like appeared on the program, so Elvis pulled out his gun, and fired at the TV. The TV exploded, and Elvis put away his gun and continued with his breakfast.

  Elvis with bea
uty queen Linda Thompson

  On another occasion, he offered to take his girlfriend Linda out for a drive. They got in one of Elvis’s Cadillacs, but it wouldn’t start. Elvis asked Linda to step out of the car, and did so himself. He fired five shots into the bodywork, then got back into the car and tried the engine again. It started, and they drove off as if nothing had happened. On another day, Elvis was in a studio recording, but was unhappy with the quality of the sound. He had to be restrained from destroying the speakers with a shotgun.

  On another memorable day, Elvis sent the Memphis Mafia into town to buy up all the photographic flash bulbs in the city. These were then dumped in the swimming pool, and Elvis and his cronies spent the next three days shooting the flashbulbs one by one. It took two days to clean the glass out of the pool afterwards.

  Although Elvis’s use of drugs was escalating in the 1970s, he was was certainly no stranger to using illicit drugs to solve his problems. In fact, he may have started taking amphetamines when he was in the army. By the 1960s, he was habitually using uppers and diet pills to control his moods and his weight, and to get through his demanding schedules. In 1973, things took a more serious turn when Elvis started using narcotics such as Dilaudid and Demerol. As the drugs became more extreme, the effect on his live performances became noticeable for the first time.

  The effects were exaggerated because Elvis was also being treated for a whole host of medical problems. He was taking regular medication for back pain, stomach problems and eye diseases. He ended up being hospitalized for these various conditions, as well as for throat problem and high blood pressure. During these hospital stays, he would often try to detox himself, but he always ended up back on the drug train a few days later. He didn’t have the will power to control his habits, and there was no-one else who dared to challenge him.