Elvis Presley preferred plain clothes to sequined jumpsuits off-stage, blamed fried foods for his weight gain, and swung his hips to "put on a show," according to new snips of old, unpublished interviews. Men's magazine, Esquire, on Friday said it will run a page of quotes in an upcoming issue that were culled from a handful of never-before-seen interviews the entertainer gave from 1954 to 1972. Esquire's plans coincide with the 25th anniversary later this month of Presley's death back on August. 16, 1977.
The quotes contain few if any startling revelations, but taken together they bolster the popular image of the King of Rock 'n' Roll as a man who came from humble origins, indulged an out-sized appetite and delighted in simple pleasures. Above all, though, Elvis was a performer. Following are some selected Presley pearls, as reprinted by Esquire.
-- "I wouldn't call girls a hobby. It's a pastime."
-- "You have to put on a show for people in order to draw a crowd. If I just stood out there and sang and didn't move a muscle, then people would say, 'My goodness, I can stay home and listen to his records.' You have to give them a show."
The material was supplied to Esquire by RCA Records which owns rights to the original master recordings of Presley's entire catalog.