Reaching the 50th Newsletter
The next Newsletter will be no.50. Sadly, somehow Newsletters 1-3 have gone to Cyber Heaven and have
been lost from my computer systems. I am useless with computers and have often deleted important files and
emails and it seems our first three Newsletters. I have always tried to be as honest and truthful about events in
the Elvis World and regularly criticised the antics of EPE. I wish more fans and fan clubs would be more open about
their criticism of EPE. The vast majority just moan and groan to each other instead of openly attacking EPE
and so encourage change and a more positive approach to the wishes and desires of fans in the Elvis World.
I thought it would be interesting for this feature I have called “Going Down Memory Lane” to highlight my
favourite features over the past four and a half years. But there are so many that I will have to run them over the next
few Newsletters.
Celebrating Elvis' 68th birthday on January 8th 2003
at the Elvisly Yours shop in London!
It was January 8th 2003 and we were promoting our online service to apply for the Elvisly Yours Credit Card. There was Elvis, Ali G, Diana Ross, Joan Collins, Frankie Howard, our Elvis statue with a scarf, Sherlock Holmes and Marilyn Monroe…all freezing to death. What a great photo!!
UK citizens only can apply online for the Elvisly Yours credit card by clicking: Apply online NOW!
My favourite photo of Lisa Marie
This photo appeared in Beth Pease’s Graceland News in 1983 with Lisa as Orphan Annie. I expect Beth got the photo from Jimmy Velvet who
has,iIt seems, hundreds of Elvis family photographs from Graceland.
King and Queen Magazine
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June 2nd 2003
was the 50th Anniversary of the
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Celebrate this wonderful achievement with our most infamous magazine issue of the King and Queen.
The "King and Queen" magazine was banned in Britain in 1981. No newsagent would stock the magazine and no newspaper would even allow us to even advertise the magazine. We sent a copy to the Queen and she did not complain and probably gave a small chuckle but the news trade were very upset. They thought it was in bad taste to depict the Queen of England 'cheek to cheek' with Elvis Presley. We had to change the cover of the magazine using a photo of Elvis from 'Kid Gallahad' . There is a limited stock of this unique magazine!
Serious collectors item £15.00 + p&p  |
THE KING AT THE PALACE
This story has been told before, but it never ceases to intrigue, so for those who have not heard it, it is well worth telling again. It comes from our good friend Sid Shaw, Elvisly Yours in London, who is a champion of Elvis and has fought many battles on his behalf.
To cut a long story short, way back in about 1980, Sid commissioned an Elvis statue to be made, and after it was unveiled by Charlie Hodge in 1981, found that he had no home for it as no museums wanted to take it for FREE. So the Elvis statue had several temporary homes, including the big pop radio station in London called "Capital Radio, and later the "Mall Galleries" near Buckingham Palace. They were a little early to deliver the statue, so while waiting for the galleries to open, Sid thought it would be nice to take a few pictures of the KING at the PALACE!!
Sid telephoned one of the big newspapers, the "Daily Mirror" and they took pictures of our Elvis at Buckingham Palace.
Sid had driven up in his van with his staff, and the sculptor, and unloaded the KING for some snaps. The Police went mad!! (It was shortly after a man called Michael Fagan had broken into the Palace and sat on the Queen's bed chatting to her).
So the Police were very nervous about security, and there was Sid and friends, with a life size Elvis statue outside the gates. As it turned out, Sid wasn't quite arrested but certainly manhandled and dragged by a Policeman (6ft. 6ins tall), to the statue and was screamed at impolitely ...... "geddit outta here!".
As Sid later quipped, the Police marked the Elvis statue: "Return to Sender!"
Don't you just love this gem of a story! We can't help wondering whether her Majesty was looking out of her window that day, and if so, why she did not rush down to the gate to invite Sid and "the King" in for tea, it would have been the polite thing to do!
We would like to know more about the sculptor and who he was, how long it took to complete, and what the statue is made of. We understand the statue is now enjoying celebrity status in the Elvisly Yours shop, 233 Baker Street, London. On the other side of the road is the famous Madame Tussauds waxworks, the country's biggest tourist attraction, and on the other side is number 221B, the residence of Sherlock Holmes, probably the world's most famous detective.
Susan Brennan-Hodgson,
Special thanks to Susan and Roy of New Zealand for permission to reproduce this
article.
Probably one of my favourite stories of all in my Newsletters is my exposure of Gary Hovey who has destroyed hundreds of Elvis Projects. He did not allow “Top of the Pops” to use the clip of Elvis singing the 1,000th no.1 UK Single “One Night”. I believe Hovey is still on the payroll even though he has cost EPE $millions in lost royalties.
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Probably very few people have ever heard of Gary Hovey but I hope every Elvis fan in the world will now know about him. He is married to Priscilla Presley's sister Michelle and is Lisa Marie's uncle. He would have been Elvis' brother-in-law. For some unknown reason he was given the job of handling Elvis' music. All I had previously heard about him is apparently he was a used car salesman. But now he has destroyed probably hundreds of Elvis Shows. Hovey has cost his niece, Lisa Marie and other music copyright holders, $millions in lost revenue because of his arrogance, stupidity and rejection of so many Elvis Events and Shows. He is living proof Elvis is dead. Could you imagine what Elvis would have done to him after stopping so many productions bringing Elvis' music to his fans?
Hovey threatens, intimidates and harasses so many fan clubs, promoters and impersonators that Elvis Show after Show has been cancelled. We are not just talking about small Elvis fan club conventions; he has stopped and seriously affected major productions. The greatest honour for Elvis would have known his music was turned into a ballet, "The King". |
The man who is killing Elvis' Music
around the world |
The ballet's producer is Peter Schaufuss and he was knighted in Denmark. His ballet is the greatest Elvis Presley Show I have ever seen but I have only managed to see the entire production on video because of Hovey. Peter had to cancel a production in Edinburgh and to rewrite the Sadler's Wells ballet in London because Hovey refused him rights to use key Elvis songs that were fundamental to the beautiful story portrayed in the ballet. Peter went to Los Angeles to meet this megalomaniac, apparently offered him 15% of the box office for song rights but was completely rejected. When asked whether he could leave a video of the ballet Hovey told him not to bother. Sadly, only a few thousand people have seen the original and complete ballet in Denmark. The WORLD is denied seeing such a moving, dramatic and wonderful theatrical and musical experience, all because of one stupid man, given such an important job because he is brother-in-law of Priscilla Presley.
Now there is even worse news. Hovey has denied "Jailhouse Rock the Musical" the right to use the theme song from the film and other Lieber and Stoller hits. It seems Lieber and Stoller, such great songwriters, do not have the balls to stand up to Hovey. Again, Lisa Marie will lose huge income and the World will be a poorer place because the producers of the Musical have to substitute other Elvis songs that have no relevance to rock 'n' roll. The Show will still be GREAT but the World will be denied seeing "Jailhouse Rock" performed live on stage in "Jailhouse Rock the Musical".
To me great music is one of the wonderful attributes of humanity. Music and particularly Elvis' music brings a joy to life, hope, enlightenment and spiritual awareness. Just imagine what life would be without music. Try to imagine what your life, dear reader, would be like without Elvis. To deny brilliant producers, directors, choreographers, designers and singers the right to use Elvis' Music is a "crime against humanity". All Elvis wanted to do was to entertain, to make people forget about their problems and be moved by his beautiful voice, a gift from God, to a greater happiness and fulfillment in their lives. Hovey is destroying Elvis' music legacy and is a disgrace. By banning Elvis' music he is denying the World a quality of humanity which relieves stress and encourages feelings of goodwill, tenderness, kindness and love. I just hope that Lisa Marie reads this article and fires her uncle, Lieber and Stoller get some balls or the media expose this arrogant twerp!
Definition of 'twerp': silly, stupid or contemptible person.
*Definition of 'humanity' from "Webster's English Dictionary": 1. The quality of being human; the peculiar nature of man, by which he is distinguished from other beings. 2. Mankind collectively; the human race. 3. The quality of being humane; the kind feelings, dispositions, and sympathies of man; especially, a disposition to relieve persons or animals in distress & to treat all creatures with kindness and tenderness. 4. Mental cultivation; liberal education.
The pleasure provided by music is a very important characteristic of humanity (my words).This article has been written without informing the producers of "Jailhouse Rock the Musical" and its purpose is to expose Hovey to the Elvis World and international media so that hopefully he does not try to ruin any more exciting Elvis Presley productions.
More favourite features in my next Elvisly Yours Cyber Newsletter No.50 |
