Elvis stoned??

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Graceland Gardener

#232469

Post by Graceland Gardener »

Oh I swung back, buddy.
I swung back.

In the late 70s, I engaged in a bit of fisticuffs defending Elvis Presley.

I ask you: was he worth it?

Hell, I was reading a copy of Elvis What Happened while he was still intered at Forest Hills/Lawn whatever - before the move to the backyard.


and I've invested an immeasurable amount of allowances and wages and credit to buy vinyl, CDS, VHS, DVDs, and BoxCar memorablia, and subsequent EPE crap, and basically an assortment of collectable Elvis This and Elvis That you've never even heard of.

I've "paid my dues" as a 35+ year fan



and what have you done - besides be a mb twerp?



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InMemphis
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#232536

Post by InMemphis »

...the medicine within me, no doctor could prescribe.....

Elvis did NOT die of a drug overdose.




Juan Luis

#232645

Post by Juan Luis »

Elvis was at the point of no return (unless he sought help) with the prescription drug addiction. It is most probable that the last years of his life he had to consume vast amounts just to be "normal" IMO. This happens with people that abuse alcohol also (another type of drug). It was no fun by any means. Drug/alcohol addiction is a disease. You can google it and find a lot of info on that.




N880EP

#232648

Post by N880EP »

Generally speaking:

Some of you guys need to cut EP some slack.

He would have been the first one to admit that he was human & fallible, just like everyone.

The man had a good life, both its ups & downs. Privately, he was battling his own demons ----> Music, Reading, & Prescribed Medications was his own way of coping. Besides, IMO, he never hurt other people, .......... only himself. Anyway you cut it, ....... there are many lessons to be learned from EP ..... & lots to admire.

Always try to keep a proper perspective & try to look at the good side of things, too.


N8
... just a fan ....




Juan Luis

#232649

Post by Juan Luis »

I do not like the word stoned when used in Elvis' case. I find it disrespectful to him.



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JEFF d
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#232652

Post by JEFF d »

N880EP wrote: He would have been the first one to admit that he was human & fallible, just like everyone.
IMO This was part of the problem with Elvis was that he could not admit that he had a problem, at least not to the public.... and very begrudgingly in private. Was he not freaking out in private in '77 because the public was about to find out just how human & fallible he was.

Sad.... because I think the fans would have even been more on his side if he had come clean so to speak. Maybe not, it was a different time... but personally I think most would stay on his side. If lines were to be drawn. JMO

Now he may recite the ol "cut me and I bleed" routine with those around him in private... but Elvis had the whole Jesus complex going on, which is not good for anyones psyche.

JEFF d
Elvis fan


JEFF d
EP fan
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Silver
R.I.P. February 10, 2006
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#232653

Post by Silver »

JLGB wrote:I do not like the word stoned when used in Elvis' case. I find it disrespectful to him.
I agree with this entirely. It appears that Elvis took a lot of medication to "wind-down" to sleep and to wake up. As time went on, he had to take more and more to just get to the normal stage, as JLGB has stated previously.

I am glad that GG went to the trouble to defend E, even to the point of fisticuffs (which I do not endorse, but is sometimes used when extremely frustrated).

I have read on another (now defunct MB) that Elvis saved the person's life. I believe this. There was something miraculous about Elvis that would catch a person's attention and keep their hope alive. Thus, keeping them alive. Alas, he couldn't do it for himself!!
sue

BTW, I was raised on rock ........ and every time I hear it, Lord, it takes me home!!! :smt020


You'll never, never know the one who loves you so. . .

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kris
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#232658

Post by kris »

he was your typical 70's JUNKY like

- Neil Young was duringh TTN-era, survided
- Lou Reed during the TF - TNP-era, , survided
- Hendrix (died early 70's)
- Joplin (died ibidem)
- Morrison (died ibidem)
- Peter Laughner (die '77 OD)
- Lester Bangs
- Miles Davis
- Johnny Cash, , survided till 2003
- Coltrane
- Bird
- JohnnyThunders
- ..................


so big f/c/ing what ? ... name me one musical genius who wasn't into whaterver pills, opiates etc. (oh, no, not B. Springsteen I meant one originial genius) ... and WTHF should us Elvis-fans be so hypocrite bout his drug-intake ????? .... cos we want to protect the image? of what? ... a big fat guy, weighing 150 kg at the end, having 3 chins ... pffff, i'm fed up with those saying he was photographed in some bad light, having the wrong friends, manager & producer ...



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Silver
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#232660

Post by Silver »

kris wrote:he was your typical 70's JUNKY

so big f/c/ing what ? ... name me one musical genius who wasn't into whaterver pills, opiates etc. (oh, no, not B. Springsteen I meant one originial genius) ... and WTHF should us Elvis-fans be so hypocrite bout his drug-intake ????? .... cos we want to protect the image? of what? ... a big fat guy, weighing 150 kg at the end, having 3 chins ... pffff, i'm fed up with those saying he was photographed in some bad light, having the wrong friends, manager & producer ...
Lord, Kris, you are SO judgemental!! You never even came close to walking in the man's shoes!! They were mighty BIG shoes!!!!
sue
Last edited by Silver on Fri Jan 13, 2006 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.


You'll never, never know the one who loves you so. . .

R.I.P. 2-10-2006
In Memory Of A True Friend To All

The FECC Team


N880EP

#232684

Post by N880EP »

JEFF d wrote:
N880EP wrote: He would have been the first one to admit that he was human & fallible, just like everyone.
IMO This was part of the problem with Elvis was that he could not admit that he had a problem, at least not to the public.... and very begrudgingly in private. Was he not freaking out in private in '77 because the public was about to find out just how human & fallible he was.
EP was in denial & died because of it. By '77, he also had a very real (psychological AND PHYSICAL) addiction to the stuff he was taking. He couldn't have stopped, even if he had wanted to, without professional-medical help.

Public vs. Private, IMO, is what ultimately troubled EP with regard to EWH?; that, and what he viewed as betrayal (again, secondary to his denial).

Like I said, ....... he never hurt others, only himself. (If you really get right down to it, ...... that really is ultimately - his own business & something entirely in the realm of the "private").



N8
... just a fan ....



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Axeman
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#232692

Post by Axeman »

The way I see it is this:

The facts are the facts. Truth is truth. While I used to defend Elvis all the time to non-fans regarding drugs, it became abundantly clear that he was a heavy duty drug addict. He took them to ESCAPE reality. Yes he was stoned. A LOT. It's not judgemental, but fact, so how can it be disrespectful? Saying he was a burned out waste might be disrespectful but by simply saying he was stoned, I don't see how it could be taken that way.

Now when someone asks me about the drugs, I say he was one of the greatest addicts that ever lived. How he could even stand up, let alone sing and perform, is beyond me. Elvis did so much of what he did for music and culture *despite* the fact that he was on drugs...

That doesn't mean I say "yay drugs!" but considering the amount of drugs he did, it's astounding to me that he could still give what he did.

Axe



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Jim Dandy
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#232698

Post by Jim Dandy »

How many times have you woken up with a raging hangover and gone "**** me dead I am NEVER gonna drink ever again!" Then by Saturday afternoon (12pm beer time) you've cracked open a Hair Of The Dog to sooth the hangover?
Elvis was no different and millions of people do it.
But it does make me wonder, do you get hang overs from pills?


I'm the man downstairs with the long bushy hair!

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Joe Car
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#232701

Post by Joe Car »

kris wrote:he was your typical 70's JUNKY like

- Neil Young was duringh TTN-era, survided
- Lou Reed during the TF - TNP-era, , survided
- Hendrix (died early 70's)
- Joplin (died ibidem)
- Morrison (died ibidem)
- Peter Laughner (die '77 OD)
- Lester Bangs
- Miles Davis
- Johnny Cash, , survided till 2003
- Coltrane
- Bird
- JohnnyThunders
- ..................


so big f/c/ing what ? ... name me one musical genius who wasn't into whaterver pills, opiates etc. (oh, no, not B. Springsteen I meant one originial genius) ... and WTHF should us Elvis-fans be so hypocrite bout his drug-intake ????? .... cos we want to protect the image? of what? ... a big fat guy, weighing 150 kg at the end, having 3 chins ... pffff, i'm fed up with those saying he was photographed in some bad light, having the wrong friends, manager & producer ...
You my friend, are an ignoramous. Elvis never pretended to be perfect, he had an illness. Show some compassion for a man who showed compassion to countless of people, rich or poor. Axeman, your post is just as distasteful. For a guy who wasn't even there you know all that happened. The "greatest addict that ever lived", nice, very nice. You phucking guys sicken me.



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Axeman
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#232702

Post by Axeman »

Joe Car wrote: Axeman, your post is just as distasteful. For a guy who wasn't even there you know all that happened. The "greatest addict that ever lived", nice, very nice. You phucking guys sicken me.
Think about it. NOBODY CARES if Elvis lived like a saint or was a raving lunatic with his drugs....it doesn't affect anyone's life today, does it? Or are you so hung up on your ideals that you can't face the truth?
Just because I wasn't there doesn't mean I haven't lived...I've seen many a person waste themselves away on drugs of all kinds. I've lost good friends, and there is a lot of great art that will NEVER be heard now because of it.
I don't HAVE to be there, because THERE isn't the only place this stuff is happening. Or do you live in a cave?

Axe

PS - I must've missed the memo that said we were all here to make YOU feel better...



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thefunkyangel
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#232722

Post by thefunkyangel »

".. look, I need 'em man!"

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Hav-A-Tampa
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#232727

Post by Hav-A-Tampa »

I believe the Hollywood years are to blame for many of his problems with drugs. Working long hours, terrible scripts, getting up early in the morning, keeping his weight down - and so on. One of his female co-stars, might have been Anne Helm, said something like "everyone was using uppers in Hollywood, it was perfectly normal". Elvis could have learned a thing or two from Johnny Cash, though, who nearly died several times in the 60´s, and stopped using pills in 1967.




Juan Luis

#232729

Post by Juan Luis »

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thefunkyangel
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#232734

Post by thefunkyangel »

JLGB (or anyone in particular), do you know what date from the May/ June '75 tour, this awesome pic was taken? Cheers!



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Silver
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#232735

Post by Silver »

Funkyangel,
You are RIGHT!!!!! Absolutely great picture!! Both pictures!!!
sue


You'll never, never know the one who loves you so. . .

R.I.P. 2-10-2006
In Memory Of A True Friend To All

The FECC Team


Juan Luis

#232738

Post by Juan Luis »

thefunkyangel wrote:JLGB (or anyone in particular), do you know what date from the May/ June '75 tour, this awesome pic was taken? Cheers!
No Funkyangel. But I have a bunch I scanned and posted from that same show at Elviscrawler.---------Image



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Axeman
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#232741

Post by Axeman »

Both shots looks like they're from July 1975, in Asheville...

GREAT pictures!

Axe




Graceland Gardener

#232758

Post by Graceland Gardener »

This is Elvis?

Looks more like Frank Stallone

Image[/quote]



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Renan
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#232762

Post by Renan »

JLGB wrote:
thefunkyangel wrote:JLGB (or anyone in particular), do you know what date from the May/ June '75 tour, this awesome pic was taken? Cheers!
No Funkyangel. But I have a bunch I scanned and posted from that same show at Elviscrawler.---------Image
Elvis looks great in this pic!!!!!!


"Ain't it funny how time slips away...."

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thefunkyangel
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#232765

Post by thefunkyangel »

Axeman wrote:Both shots looks like they're from July 1975, in Asheville...

GREAT pictures!

Axe

They are from June! Elvis was into wearing dog collars on the July tour!



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Joe Car
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#232801

Post by Joe Car »

Axeman wrote:
Joe Car wrote: Axeman, your post is just as distasteful. For a guy who wasn't even there you know all that happened. The "greatest addict that ever lived", nice, very nice. You phucking guys sicken me.
Think about it. NOBODY CARES if Elvis lived like a saint or was a raving lunatic with his drugs....it doesn't affect anyone's life today, does it? Or are you so hung up on your ideals that you can't face the truth?
Just because I wasn't there doesn't mean I haven't lived...I've seen many a person waste themselves away on drugs of all kinds. I've lost good friends, and there is a lot of great art that will NEVER be heard now because of it.
I don't HAVE to be there, because THERE isn't the only place this stuff is happening. Or do you live in a cave?

Axe

PS - I must've missed the memo that said we were all here to make YOU feel better...
I'm not hung up on anything, and I am very aware of EP's drug problem and that of other people. Your post was low-class to say the least. If you don't realize that then something isn't right with you. Perhaps you're "there" right now.


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