Previous posters re goldman s antipathy towards blacks, southerners, popculture etc. The true story behind albert goldmans character assassination of john lennon. He says that presleys first meal in the army was reported more exhaustively than any meal in history, thereby conveniently ignoring the last supper. T here is much about john lennon in goldmans book that is. Nov 27, 2007 as for the sleaze particularly the stuff about elvis s sexual proclivities and drug use i find it kind of fascinating. His contempt for elvis is dripping from every page. Fans squawk and sales soar as albert goldman steps on elvis blue suede shoes. Since albert goldman is more concerned to enumerate errors of taste than to rescue successes from the elvis recordstack, the book is short on musical analysis. Albert goldman was notorious for writing in that manner towards his subjects. I submit that his book is filled with blatant misinformation about the music of elvis presley, and in fact the entire era.
From the very first chapter of goldmans book, elvis goldman spells it out pretty clearly what his slant is. But for many fans and some critics, his research was undermined by his intense personal dislike of presley. Elvis book by albert goldman half price books marketplace. Goldman went on to write a similarly received biography of john lennon in 1988. Sep 05, 2009 muchhated elvis author albert goldman gets his butt kicked on live tv. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
Anita appearance arrived audience beatles became began binder blue bob neal called career charlie hodge colonel parker couple debra paget demanded dollars door dressing room drugs elvis presley elvis s entertainer eyes face fact famous fans father favorite film finally girls gladys gladyss gospel graceland guitar guys hair hand hank snow. Elvis is a sad account of what the excesses of fame and fortune. I went back and forth on whether i should read it or not, but in the end i decided to read it since i want to read every book about elvis the bad, the good, the untrue. Now how in the world can you write a bio on john lennon and not talk for hours with these people. Jun 16, 2018 were it not for the money behind the book and the consciousness of the book that money has produced, goldmans elvis would be little more than a 598page attempt to prove that albert goldman is better than elvis presley, just as goldmans earlier ladies and gentlemen, lenny bruce was a 555page attempt to prove that albert goldman was. Albert goldman was a poison pen researcher, and was a gay man who wrote as an entertainment critic. Agent kevin eggers brought fike together with albert goldman. Albert goldman, biographer, is dead at 66 the new york times. Albert goldman, the author of noholdsbarred biographies of lenny bruce, elvis presley and john lennon, died on monday while traveling. Elvis,john lennon and albert goldman page 3 steve hoffman. When elvis died, four years ago last august, this guy got the idea of doing a really big book on elvis, mr. I know most books on lennon and most celebs dont air a lot of dirty laundry, but ill pass on believing anything from the goldman book.
In the lives of john lennon, author albert goldman feigns objectivity by citing scores of sources compiled over six years of research. Okay, heres the story albert goldman, a man who disliked elvis intensely, wrote this acid account detailing the kings most intimate eating, dating, and bathroom habits. Fans squawk and sales soar as albert goldman steps on elvis. Had elvis presley been made of better stuff than comic book fantasy. With albert goldman best selling biographer of elvis and john. In this book, goldman drew on more than four years research into elvis presleys life. His biographies of first elvis, then john lennon, have been spit on by the best and worst critics on both sides of the atlantic. Having said that, i have no idea why he used his talents to repeatedly bash elvis presley. That same year albert goldmans controversial biography, elvis, was published. Goldmans prose also can be inflated past credulity. Sixteen years after its publication, albert goldmans notorious biography of. Anita appearance arrived audience beatles became began binder blue bob neal called career charlie hodge colonel parker couple debra paget demanded dollars door dressing room drugs elvis presley elviss entertainer eyes face fact famous fans father favorite film finally girls gladys gladyss gospel graceland guitar guys hair hand hank snow.
Elvis book research has announced the five best selling elvis books of alltime. Elvis,john lennon and albert goldman steve hoffman music. Its not albert goldmans fault that bruce, elvis, and lennon all followed the same pattern he has to go where the life takes him and heavy drug use early in the career is something all three shared. Goldman s 1981 biography elvis is one of the most controversial books of all. Goldman claims he interviewed 200 people as part of his. However, peter guralnicks twovolume work is currently considered the definitive presley biography. I own his lives of john lennon book and have a lot of trouble reading it sometimes. After elvis died, goldman beat kitty bruce to the press. Elvis by albert goldman hardback, 1981 for sale online ebay. He is best known for his bestselling book on lenny bruce and his controversial biographies of elvis presley and john lennon. I have never read goldmans book on elvis but i have read the lennon bio that he wrote.
Muchhated elvis author albert goldman gets his butt kicked on live tv. One hour with albert goldman best selling biographer of. Elvis by albert goldman 1981, hardcover for sale online. Goldmans biography of lenny bruce succeeded largely because he wrote it so much from inside bruces world. The book was in great condition but had no dust jacket. Albert goldman books list of books by author albert goldman. Reissued to coincide with the 20th anniversary of his death, this is the definitive account of elviss final hours alive.
Elvis by albert goldman hardback, 1981 for sale online. Goldmans 1981 biography elvis is one of the most controversial books of all time. I just read a criticism on the internet of goldmans entire sexual bullshit about elvis. Jul 16, 2018 i have heard about albert goldman s 1981 book elvis for years. Albert goldman elvis 1st edition 2nd printing ebay. What an interesting book albert goldman is two hands above the best author among a slew of elvis biographies and autobiographies that ive recently read by. When journalist albert goldman issued the book elvis in 1981, the rockandroll community was stunned and appalled. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outof. My take on it is that goldman felt so bloodied and beaten down by the hostility towards his elvis book, which goldman felt was truthful and accurate, that he had nothing to lose by exaggerating a few things in the lennon book. Discussion in music corner started by jlgb, nov 27, 2007. Sympathy for the devil a kind word for albert goldman. Albert goldman, whose pitiless biographies of elvis presley and john lennon infuriated their fans, is dead of a heart attack at 66. Mar 18, 2009 albert harry goldman is inarguably the most controversial music biographer of the last generation.
Elvis presley, the paragon of cool or of something, whose motto was taking care of business, who turned. Central weekend live albert goldman vs elvis fans 1991. The thing that bothers me the most about the book is the goldman never interviewed mccartney, harrison, starr, cynthia lennon, julian lennon, or yoko ono. See all books authored by albert goldman, including the lives of john lennon, and elvis, and more on. Oct 23, 2014 central weekend live albert goldman vs elvis fans 1991. Goldman died of a heart attack on an airplane in 1994. Its a pity that elvis, the first serious biography of the late and for some reason widely lamented elvis presley, is marred by serious flaws, for albert goldman has otherwise done a commendable. The first was a lecture at the 92nd street y where he praised jim morrison, who wasnt dead yet, and made fun of otis redding, who was the second was in a courthouse. Albert goldman dramatizes with a novelists skill the rise and fall of elvis presley. It starts by telling about elvis childhood, and moving to his teenage years. Albert goldman, one of the foremost chroniclers of american popular culture, was born in americas heartland, at dormont, pennsylvania in 1927 and was reared in mt. With lowbrow hero elvis, you see, goldman is clearly on the outside looking into sneer and deride, to debunk the elvis myth which is surely a straw man by now, to deplore the squandered potential, even to revel in the degradations.
He illuminates the man and the myth against a backdrop of memphis and vegas, downhome religion and pink cadillacs, white gospel and rhythm and blues and the music that rocked. Goldman acquired this information, i leave to ones own imagination. Albert goldman s muck raking biography published in 1981 still rankles elvis lovers. The elvis book didnt bother me too much except when he criticized the music.
I recall three personal encounters with goldman in the 60s. Goldmans 1981 biography elvis is one of the most controversial books of all. The rise of elvis presley appeared in 1994, followed by careless love. Elvis has 5 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Albert goldman illuminates the man and the myth, the life and the times of the king of the age of rock. This is the third installment in my stupid about elvis series, covering the. What an interesting book albert goldman is two hands above the best author among a slew of elvis biographies and autobiographies that ive recently read by his friends, musicians, housekeepers, lovers, and memphis mafia. More than five hundred interviews and three years of research underlie an. When i read the first book, simply titled elvis, i thought, goldman s a little crass, but he does present a case. Goldmans critical 1981 biography elvis was much more controversial. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. I have heard about albert goldmans 1981 book elvis for years. Goldman wrote about the culture and personalities of the american music industry both in books and as a contributor to magazines. Elvis himself is quoted as having said, the colored folk been singing it and playing it just the way im doing now, man, for more years than i know.
Cropped image was taken from the promotional poster for albert goldmans bioporn book elvis. Fans who still got misty at the thought of elvis aron presleys 1977 demise. As far as i know, all the stuff in the elvis book is factually accurate. Nov 27, 2007 goldman said, yeah, that it made perfect sense to infer that john was a homosexual due to that. Albert harry goldman april 15, 1927 march 28, 1994 was an american academic and author. Granted the kings life when examined under a scope was bound to be pretty odd compared to some.
Mar 30, 1994 albert goldman, the author of noholdsbarred biographies of lenny bruce, elvis presley and john lennon, died on monday while traveling from miami to london, where he was to take part in a. Elvis biography stories and anecdotes elvis history blog. He knew coming out of the gate that he would be reviled no. Goldman s biography of lenny bruce succeeded largely because he wrote it so much from inside bruces world. Elvis author albert goldman gets abused on live tv. Albert goldmans searing portrait of lennon upi archives. Goldman, who lived in new york, died monday as he traveled from. Goldman wrote elvis was ashamed to be uncut, that it made him feel like a hillbilly. Albert goldman wrote a horrible book elvis and requiring privacy to piss is the sort of thing he would write. Dont, therefore, look to goldman for tears and violins as elvis crumbles to a sordid demise actual cause still unknown.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Albert goldman elvis 1st edition 2nd printing hardcover new york mcgrawhill book company 1981 near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jimmy saville nick adams, despite there having been gossip magazine press. Elvis by albert goldman 1981, hardcover for sale online ebay. If elvis presley rests in peace, albert goldman gets no credit. Elvis by albert goldman is a book about the life and times of the king of rock and roll. The first was a lecture at the 92nd street y where he praised jim morrison, who wasnt dead yet, and made fun of otis redding. The problem with the book though, is goldman s attitude. With albert goldman dead gone to his reward 66, heart attack, no survivors, im free at long last to pay him the respects he deserves. Jan 18, 2019 cropped image was taken from the promotional poster for albert goldmans bioporn book elvis. Elvis author albert goldman gets abused on live tv youtube. Goldmans 1981 biography elvis was much more controversial.
Nov 20, 2016 albert goldman was a poison pen researcher, and was a gay man who wrote as an entertainment critic. Elvis,john lennon and albert goldman steve hoffman music forums. From the very first chapter of goldman s book, elvis goldman spells it out pretty clearly what his slant is. Fans squawk and sales soar as albert goldman steps on. Goldman s 1981 biography elvis was much more controversial. Were amphetamines responsible for much of the signal creativity of the postwar era. It shows how a country boy rose up and ruled the world of music, and also showed his downfall. Its a pity that elvis, the first serious biography of the late and for some reason widely lamented elvis presley, is marred by serious flaws, for albert goldman has. Albert goldmans elvis 1281 when lamar fike, for many years a member of the memphis mafia, elvis presleys stable of paid friends and gofers, decided to sell his story, he spawned a small industry. Albert goldmans muck raking biography published in 1981 still rankles elvis lovers.
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