The Times Union, the local paper, requested memories of Elvis on the 20th anniversary of his death back in 1997.
Section: LIFE & LEISURE Page: C1 Date: Saturday, August 16, 1997 REMEMBERING ELVIS RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF THE KING ARE SWEETENED THROUGH THE AGES FOR LOYAL FANS
I wrote this long essay, only a small portion of which made it into print.
My father hated Elvis. He resented this white artist stealing/exploiting/ profiting from performing black music. (But then half of the musicians in the ’50s and ’60s from Pat Boone to Led Zeppelin “borrowed” from black music). So I never owned any Elvis music as a child or teenager.
Still, I did like some of his songs (“Jailhouse Rock,” “Little Sister”). So I watched the ’68 “comeback special” and became grudgingly, a mild fan.
When Elvis died, I thought, “Oh that’s too bad.” The Elvis cult that’s developed since 1977 I view with fascination and utter bemusement.
— Roger Green, Albany.
Subsequently, I egained more and more respect for the music of the artist, who is one of the richest dead men in the world.
Are you male or female: Lonely Man Describe yourself: A Mess of Blues How do some people feel about you: Anyway You Want Me (That’s How I’ll Be) How do you feel about yourself: Teddy Bear Describe what you want to be: King of the Whole Wide World Describe how you live: Flaming Star Describe how you love: Burning Love; Surrender; Wear My Ring Around Your Neck Share a few words of wisdom: Don’t Be Cruel; Follow That Dream; Let Yourself Go
Fred- Hear that Julie’s into David Bowie. His birthday’s today, too! But you already knew that, I see from just finishing your post.
I was corresponding with John Hebert, who I know from my time at FantaCo the other day. He notes that he was not intentionally cribbing anyone’s style in this Batman drawing, but that one may think he is. What say you, denizens of comic fandom?
“The Hollywood Librarian: Librarians in Cinema and Society,” now in production, will be the first full-length film to focus on the work and lives of librarians in the entertaining and appealing context of American movies. American film contains hundreds of examples of librarians and libraries on screen — some positive, some negative, some laughable and some dead wrong. Films such as Sophie’s Choice, Philadelphia and It’s a Wonderful Life show librarians as negative stereotypes. The librarians in Lorenzo’s Oil, Desk Set and The Shawshank Redemption, on the other hand, are competent and professional. Dozens of interviews of real librarians will be interwoven with movie clips of cinematic librarians and serve as transitions between the themes of censorship, intellectual freedom, children and librarians, pay equity and funding issues, and the value of reading.” Here’s a video clip of Ann Seidl, writer and director, in an address to the California Library Association, November, 2005. Some related sites: HERE HERE HERE HERE AND HERE
I’m forever getting CHAIN LETTER e-mails: “A directory of cell phone numbers will be published soon.” This is partially true. “This opens the door to solicitors calling our cell phones using up our minutes.” Well, no. As a librarian, I’m compelled to get to the bottom of these things.
An American hero died last week. My Lai Pilot Hugh Thompson, who helped stop the massacre during the Vietnam war, was 62.
Friend Dan finally got off his butt and started his own political blog. As he said, “About effing time.”
But before he did, he sent me Astonishing architecture. Of course, he had something to say: “Astonishing to the point of idiocy. Like, with all this glass, who is supposed to pay the energy bills? What about privacy, especially at night? How can acrophobiacs live in these places? Who lets their kids play on a spiral staircase with no risers? And why is there a black and white TV in the fireplace?” (It reminds me me of that National Lampoon Christmas song about a glass-bottom boat. “I don’t want to fish looking up my dress.”)
Dick Morris and his wife, Eileen wrote a new book: Condi vs Hillary: The Next Great Presidential Race and he’s autographed a number of them. He writes: “The premise of the book is simple: Only Condoleezza Rice can effectively stop Hillary Clinton from winning the presidency! The book explains why and sets out a plan to draft her for the nomination.” A pox on both THOSE houses, but if you’re interested: Eh.
Katrina Will Make Proving Where You Live Difficult in 2006: Annette Watters’ article raises some interesting issues about the Census Bureau’s population estimates, especially for subcounty areas, and the impacts of disasters of various kinds. It suggests that just when the need for accurate estimates tends to be greatest (periods of unusual and rapid changes), is when they become least accurate.
