Interview with Elvis Presley | The 1969 Press Conference | August 1, 1969
Source: www.elvis.com.au
February 5, 2024
Elvis Presley enters for the Press Conference August 1, 1969.
Q: 'Why have you waited so long to perform Live again?' 'Did you return to Live Performing because of the Phenomenal successes of Wales Singer Tom Jones and British Crooner Engelbert Humperdinck?'
Elvis Presley - Press Conference August 1, 1969.
Elvis: (Elvis shook his head at the suggestion) 'I think they are great', 'But My decision to return was made in 1965, and it was hard to wait', ... 'I don't think I could have waited any longer' ... 'We had to finish up the movie commitments we had before I could start on this ... 'I missed the Live contact with an Audience'. 'It was getting harder and harder to sing to a camera all day'.
Q: 'Can you remember first coming to Vegas?'
Elvis: 'Sure, I was 19 years old'. (Elvis was actually 21) 'Nobody knew Me'.... 'Whe're you from...Boy?, They would ask'.
Q: 'How do you like being a father?'
Elvis: 'I like it!'
Q: 'Are you and Priscilla planning on adding to your Family?'
Elvis: 'You'll be the first to know'.
Q: 'What things do you do when you are at home at Graceland?'
Elvis Presley - Press Conference August 1, 1969.
Elvis: 'I ride horse back, swim and talk with the tourists hanging out at the gates'.
Q:'How does your wife feel about you being a Sex Symbol again?'
Elvis: 'I don't know... you would have to ask her'.
Q: 'Do your Wife and Daughter, Lisa Marie accompany you?'
Elvis: 'Priscilla is here,... but my Daughter is in L.A. with her Nanny'.... 'She could not make it'.
Q: 'How do you Manage to stay so Young?'.
Elvis: 'I don't know'. 'One of these days I'll probably fall apart'. 'I feel, I've just been lucky'.
Q: 'Are you tired of your present type of movie, have you grown tired of the movie plots?'
Elvis Presley - Press Conference August 1, 1969.
Elvis: 'Yes, I want to Change the type of Script I've been doing'.
Q: 'What kind of Scripts do you like?'
Elvis: 'Something with Meaning'.... 'I'm going after More Serious Material'. 'I couldn't dig always playing the Guy who'd
get into a fight, Beat the Guy up,.., and in the Next Shot Sing to Him'.
Q: 'Do you think it was a mistake to do so many Movie Sound-Track Albums?'
Elvis: 'I think so'..... 'When you do Ten songs in a movie,they can't all be good songs'. 'Anyway',.. 'I got tired of Singing to Turtles'.
Q: 'When you met the Beatles', 'No press was allowed, why was that?'
Elvis: 'I think because we could relax more that way and we could talk Candidly'.
Q: 'Do you like to wear leather-jackets, like the one you wore in your TV-Special?'
Elvis: 'No'.... 'I hate wearing them, because they are too hot when your working'.
Q: 'Where did you get the design for your stage out-fits?'
Elvis: 'I got the idea by a Karate-gi,.. I once had'.
Elvis Presley with International Hotel President, Alex Shoofey - August 1, 1969.
Q: 'What do you think of the Hollywood scene?'
Elvis: 'I just don't go for it....', 'I have nothing against it, but I just don't enjoy it'.
Q: 'How long did you rehearse for these shows?'
Elvis: 'I practised for nearly 3 months', 'Today I went through Three Complete Dress Rehersals'. 'This was the fourth time I did that show today', ... 'I'm really Beat'.
Q: 'How did you choose the songs for the show?'
Elvis: 'I just sang My Favorite Songs'.
Q: 'Do you want to do more Live Shows?'
Elvis: 'I want to ... I would like to play all over the World' ... 'I chose Las Vegas to Play First, Because it is a place People come to from All Over'.
Q: 'Are you trying to change your image with songs like 'In the Ghetto'?
Elvis: 'No, 'Ghetto' was such a great song, I just couldn't pass it up after I heard it'. 'There are a lot of New Records out now that have the same sound I started, ... But they're Better', ... 'I mean, you can't compare a song like 'Yesterday' with 'Hound Dog', ... Can You?'
Q: 'Why have you led such a secluded life all these years?'
Elvis: 'It's not secluded Honey' ... 'I'm just Sneaky'.
Q: 'Is it true you dye your hair?'
Elvis: 'Sure, I have always done it for the movies'.
Q: 'Did you enjoy performing Live again?'
Elvis Presley - Press Conference August 1, 1969.
Elvis: 'Yes ! ... 'This has been one of the Most Exciting Nights of my Life'.
Q: 'Did you feel nervous during the show?'
Elvis: 'For the First Three songs or so, I didn't feel relaxed until after Love me Tender before I loosened up' ... 'Then I Thought, What The Heck ... Get With It Man!, or you might be out of a Job Tomorrow'.
Q: 'Do you have a share in the International Hotel?'
Elvis: 'No, I have not'.
Q: 'Why did you choose a Negro backup group?:
Elvis: 'They help get a feeling and get to my soul'.
Q: 'Have you ever seen England's top singer, Cliff Richard?'
Elvis: 'Yes, I met him in Germany a long time ago'.
[Elvis was mistaken, he did not meet Cliff, but Cliff did try to meet Elvis, he visited one of Elvis' residences in Germany but unluckily for Cliff, Elvis was not home. Possibly Elvis was told the story and these years later miss-remembered the story. Memory does play tricks on people.]
Screaming Lord Sutch & Elvis.
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Elvis: (Elvis points to Col.Parker) 'You'll have to ask him about that'.
Colonel Parker: 'Just put down the desposit'.
Elvis: 'Elvis, how much do you get paid for these performances?'
Colonel Parker: 'We are pleased with the deal. I am glad He is Here'.
Q: 'Is it true you get paid in International-stocks?'
Colonel Parker: (Parker Speaks up again) 'Certainly not'.... 'The only thing we get for Free are the Crickets in the Rooms'.
Q: 'Do you still own about 10 cars?'
Elvis: 'I have never owned that many'.... 'Only 4 or 5 at most'.
Q: 'Elvis is there any Other Individual You would Rather Be?'
Elvis: 'Are you Kidding?
Q: What’s it like to be the Grandfather of rock and roll?
(laughs). I didn’t know that I was.
Q: Are you doing shows because of the recent success of Tom Jones in cabaret?
No, that’s not the reason. Although I admire Tom Jones very much, and think he’s a great talent. I guess I felt it was time to do live shows because I missed doing them.
Q: I noticed in your repertoire you did some Beatles songs. What do you think of the Beatles and their material?
I admire the Beatles and think they are very good. The lyrics of pop songs are getting better all the time, they have more meaning.
Q: When you met the Beatles, why was there no press allowed?
I guess it was because we could relax and talk friendly to each other.
Q: Did anyone influence you in your career?
Yes, people like him. (Elvis introduces Fats Domino). This is one of my influences from way back, Fats Domino. Just look at those rings and that diamond watch, aren't they fabulous?
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* 'Screaming Lord Sutch' was born, North West London. In the 1960, inspired by one of his favourite rock and roll stars, Screaming' Yay Hawkins, he changed his name to Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow. Despite the fact that he had no connection with the peerage, the deed poll laws of England permitted this. Following a successful career as an early-'60s rock 'n' roll attraction, it became customary for the UK press and citizens to refer to him as Screaming Lord Sutch, or simply Lord Sutch. Early works included recordings produced by legendary audio pioneer Joe Meek.
During the 1960s, Screaming Lord Sutch was known for his horror-themed stage show, as well as for usually dressing like Jack the Ripper pre-dating the shock rockantics of Alice Cooper by several years. Accompanied by his band, The Savages, he often started the show by coming out of a big black coffin. Other stage props included knives and daggers, skulls, and "bodies". Sutch also booked 'themed' concert tours, such as 'Sutch and the Roman Empire', where the Sutch and the band members would be dressed up as Roman soldiers. Despite his self-confessed lack of any vocal talent, he released many horror themed singles during the early-mid 60s, the most popular and well known of which is Jack the Ripper, which the White Stripes covered in their live shows and The Horror have released.
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
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The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
