Elvis Biography From Belgian Newspaper

Hi there, I'm a Belgian Elvis fan for about 50 years.( I'm 65 ) The forthcoming Elvis Biography from a Belgian newspaper will contain several uncorrect statements, I'm afraid. In a flyer, issued by the newspaper, in order to make promotion for the book I read the following sort of a fore-word ( I translate in English, as the book will be printed in the Dutch language): quote : " Elvis became part of the music-bussiness completely by coinsidence !! He accepted a promotion-offer (!) from a local recording-company and made a record for his mother's birthday. That record was an instant local hit" (" My Happiness " a local hit) and also" When he died he had become a fat and drugs/pills-addicted person"! unquote : I don't know ( yet )who's the autor of the book. In any case : Dear God, deliver us from such " autors "

Peter Verbruggen the president of Elvis Matters works for the newspaper het laatste nieuws.

Hi Benny, long time no see – at least not in 2 months ;-) I just read your posting, and of course I checked the flyer right away. I hope you’re not angry with me, but I’m afraid your translation and interpretation are not really correct. Mind you, I haven’t seen this book either. It’s a biography that was translated to Dutch and all I know is the date the news paper releases the book: July 9th. But if you don’t mind, I’ll give you my translation of the flyer… *** Elvis Presley (1935-1977) The man who would become world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll artist, entered the music business by coincidence. Elvis Aron Presley is still a truck driver when he takes up on a promotional offer and cuts a record for his mama at the local Sun Studio. That works miracles. The radio spins of his first single “That’s All Right Mama” make Elvis big in Memphis. With the hit record “Heartbreak Hotel” in 1956, he debuts worldwide. Soon he’s nicknamed “Elvis the Pelvis”, after the shocking movements on stage, which some call obscene. In the following decades, Elvis scores about 100 gold singles an 50 gold records. With one billion records sold, Elvis remains one of the – if not THE – best selling artist ever…. *** That’s it… As you can see, the flyer doesn’t mention “My Happiness” at all. You also added an exclamation mark to the word “promotion-offer”. Well… it was just that, I’m afraid. The promotion sign invited would-be singers that walked or drove by the Sun Recording Service to cut a demo for only 3.98… And weather this record was to be a surprise for his mother, or just an excuse for the 18 year old Elvis to hear how his voice sounded like in the grooves, we’ll probably never know. Also, I think we all agree that the start of Elvis’s career was nothing but a coincidence. Describing his “debut song”, Elvis Himselvis stated – both in the fifties and in the seventies, both on and off the record – that it was “a coincidence”: Quote from August 1969, Vegas: - “We just stumbled upon it man, I mean, we were trying for something completely different, until, er, until we did what we did.” – Unquote. I call it a coincidence that Sam, Scotty, Elvis and Bill (!) were at the same place at the same time, doing the same thing. Had it not been for that coincidence, the world wouldn’t have had this music history. Suppose Gladys and Vernon had all the money in the world, and paid for Elvis’s first recording session with the best country musicians at the time… no such thing as “Rock ‘n’ Roll” would’ve been born. It was shere coincidence that triggered the revolution – as is always the case. So, in short, I think the flyer was right. But hey, I haven’t seen the book either, so who am I (or who are we) to judge the content before it’s even printed? I can only say that I’m happy that Belgium’s biggest selling news paper gives Our Man so much attention. Last November we had a full CD, next July there’s the book… and in between are interviews about Elvis. Have you seen today’s news paper? The way Guy Mortier describes his admiration and respect (or is it love) for Elvis is just beyond reality. We all know that Guy Mortier has a big impact on the younger generation, and his words in this news paper are incredibly important for the Elvis legacy. If every news paper in the world would pay this kind of attention to Our Man, this would be heaven on earth. I’d like to discuss this further with you, but I don’t want to sound boring or be a wise nose. Just thought I’d give you my point of view. Keep on rockin’, Benny!

Hi Peter, Of course I'm not angry with you ! We know each other for some time and I know that you're a loyal and true Elvis-fan.Allow me to pretend that this goes for me too. Still... When someone (like Elvis did in 1953 ) enters a recording-studio with the intention to record his own voice,and does this of his free will, that's no coincidence, that's a well considered choice.We all know that El was trying desperately to go into the music-bussiness and make a career. But you are completely right when you say that,together with Scotty and Bill,it was indeed a coinsidence that they were together at the right time and in the right place.The result was the birth of " rock-a-billy " after working very hard to create a new sound. In my first reaction ( april 28th) I mentioned , between ( ) "My Happiness" a local hit. The word " hit " was originally followed by several!! and ?? This was meant as a personal remark, as every real Elvis Fan knows that the demo El cut was " MY Happiness". When my reaction appeared was on screen the !! and ?? were gone and not printed. So it gave the impression that I stated that the title " My Happiness" was mentioned in the flyer. The Dutch word " vadsig " in the flyer can be translated as : fat, chubby, lazy... I don't think these are flattering words for discribing Elvis at the end of his life. Maybe I'm a little too severe, and is the book meant for the modal Elvis Fan who cares less. My only goal is to defend one of the greatest artists and human beings the world has ever known. And finally : to "Sylvain " : Peter Verbruggen, president of Elvis Mattters, is indeed working for the newspaper het laatste nieuws. So what ?? Peter has nothing, I repeat, nothing to do with the forthcoming book. As for me : discussion ( no dispute ! ) closed. Wishing everybody " all the best" From the heart,

Hi Benny, Wise words from a wise man... Thanks for your reaction. See you soon, old friend!