I found myself channel-surfing last night while I was waiting for Casualty to start when I came across Elvis, Black Leather being shown on Channel Five, not a channel I usually watch. But last night, watch I did!
Oh boy! To see such a legend close up and gorgeous, singing for an hour, accompanying himself on guitar for some of it, with no ear-pieces in or any of the vertigo-inducing camerawork that accompanies so many modern day concerts. It was just Elvis. His voice never wavered, didn’t miss a note. Watching him, in his black-leather suit, every inch the rockstar, I felt regret – not an emotion I ever usually have any time for – that I didn’t take the opportunity of seeing him in November 1975 on my first ever trip to Las Vegas as a very young girl. It was sold out for four or five nights and we thought we needed to leave to get back to Los Angeles before we could get tickets. Perhaps had we known we’d never get another chance because he died two years later we would have altered our plans. But we didn’t. And so I never got to see him live.
I remember having a conversation once with my late friend, Roy Staite, himself an actor and dancer, and we both agreed that he could sing, he could dance and he could act. Unfortunately, his manager sold him out to some of the worst films ever to have been made.
But last night! Last night for a whole hour it was just Elvis and me! Occasionally he looked into the camera with those gorgeous, hypnotic eyes and I felt a flash of Elvis Electricity. And when he sang Love Me Tender, I actually found a tear rolling down my cheek. What a man!
Graceland has now been added to the Bucket List. But before that, I’m going to Elvis at the O2 for the Sister’s birthday next month. I was already keen to go. Now I can’t wait!
