[(Return of the King: Elvis Presley's Great Comeback)] [Author: Gillian G. Gaar] published on

by Gillian G. Gaar

Return Of The King tells the story of a tumultuous period in the life of Elvis Presley. By 1967, The King Of Rock’n’Roll was all but washed-up, thanks to a string of bland movie roles and lackluster records. But within a year he had roused himself, loosened the creative shackles imposed by his grasping manager, ‘Colonel’ Tom Parker, and reconnected with the rock audience through a riveting TV special. There followed a glorious but all too brief artistic flowering, in which he made some of his most enduring records, including ‘Suspicious Minds’ and ‘In The Ghetto.’ This meticulously researched and elegantly written book, based on a string of new interviews with colleagues, friends, fans, and observers of The King, sheds new light on the events of Elvis’s great comeback.

Genres: Music, Biography, Audiobook

Paperback

First published April 1, 2010

About the author

I write regularly about music, entertainment, and travel. I enjoy taking pictures for my articles and books as well. My very first book was "She's A Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll," first published in 1992, and updated in 2002; Yoko Ono wrote the book's preface, and it still gives me a thrill to see her name on the cover. Other areas of expertise include Nirvana, the Beatles, and Elvis, all of whom I've written books about. I've also written for a variety of publications around the world, including Mojo, Rolling Stone, Goldmine (where I had regular Beatles and Elvis columns), and many others. I was also a senior editor at legendary Seattle music publication "The Rocket."

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elvis Presley = sadness. It is truly the most depressing story of an icon music legend. On one level one would think Elvis was just dumb, but also he was a man who had the moment and the time (1950's) and he was sort of the force that got us over to the 1960's. The concept of Elvis is genius, but the life that is Elvis is not genius, but rather pathetic or someone caught is a strange depressive state of mind and body.

"Return of the King" is a well written researched book that focuses on Elvis' comeback years that quickly turned into a march to death. The great bio on Elvis is the two volume set by Peter Guralnick, and all others are just a shadow to that particular biography. Saying that, this is a very good book, but it has been said before, so there is really nothing new regarding Elvis and his world.

But for sure, anything on Elvis, one has to talk about Memphis and its culture. The Southern (gothic) culture basically made Elvis, and you can sort of see his world via the images of the great Southern photographer William Egglestion. Roughly both men are in the same generation, but it is interesting to see how outside influences such as the Southern family and settings can make a person tick. The big picture of Elvis is not his sad life, but how is life is part of a bigger puzzle that is the 20th Century South.

Elvis is fascinating in so many ways. A man who wore pink pants and eye make-up in his teenage years, and who adopted black culture as well as country music to make a hybrid sound - or a Frankenstein monster in a sense. Gillian Gaar is good with the facts, but there is no real analysis with those facts. She interviews all the key players but none can penetrate the Elvis wall. And I think even Elvis couldn't penetrate that wall.

So yeah if you are a Elvis fanatic this is a good book. But it has all been said in the Guralnick bio - but then again, like a car accident repeated in front of your eyes again and again, its hard to look the other way.

Also I want to note that the publisher Jaw Bone is fantastic. They don't do poorly designed books, and "Return of the King" is a beautiful production. Great cover, thick pages, nice photos - the whole package is great.

[Allan Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hugely enjoyable overview of the period from 1967 through to 1971 when Presley found his creative soul after the barren Hollywood years. Sadly, it's also a tale of how he lost it, and spiralled downwards to his death in 1977.

There are a few baddies in this tale - Colonel Tom Parker, obviously, but also Presley himself who was always dreadfully submissive.

The good guys are Steve Binder (director of the 1968 Special) and Chips Moman (producer of the 1969 Memphis sessions). In both cases, these guys drove Elvis all the way - and he responded positively and was inspired to his greatest works. In all other instances, this level of genuine creative collaboration was missing and it tells.

His famous Las Vegas concerts from 1969 onwards show an artist on a downward path - from the highs of the first few years to the patchy and ultimately tragic later years.

Probably a book that needs an appreciation of Elvis' wider story to fully enjoy. Just be grateful you don't need to watch any of the movies.

[J.J. Lair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was more encompassing than just the 68 Comeback special. We get a little early history, movie history and then the state of Presley’s career in 1967. It sets the scene well. A career’s worth of activity happens in the next 4 years. Another movie. The special. Concerts in Las Vegas. A tour of the country. Multiple albums.
This isn’t a celebration of 4 good years. The glut of material does diminish each accomplishment. He could’ve rode out the special for a while. He could’ve released less music. He wanted to and should’ve done a world tour.
The author shows how the movies became a treadmill leading mediocrity and boredom. The constant touring and so many recordings became a treadmill leading to mediocrity. The author takes the story to the end, not in a scandalous way.
I believe the author really cares about the subject and the times in the book.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

see my review here: http://www.examiner.com/x-1361-Seattl...

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting in 1967 and running through to the early 1970s, Gaar tells the story of the return of the king. When changes in his personal life lead a reinvigorated Elvis to take to the stage once again, he is able to leave the movies behind and put himself back on top of the singles charts.

It’s such an exciting time in Elvis’s career and she tells the story well. It’s fast paced, despite there being so much to cover- Circle G, marriage, Binder, Chips Moman, Las Vegas and beyond. Gaar is a great writer, very knowledgeable and it’s all impeccably researched and referenced.

There’s so much happened in this period it’s inevitable this book only scratches the surface. But if you want an overview of one of the greatest comebacks of all time, this is an excellent book.

[Vincenzo Ridente · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable view of the years 1968-1971 when Elvis found his way back to the public after years of doing some very low average films

[Jim Cherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

By 1968 Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and a has been. Rock music had moved beyond and transcended him. He spent his post army years making movies and movie soundtracks of lessening quality with each passing one. Gillian Gaar’s “Return of the King: Elvis Presley’s Great Comeback” spotlights Presley’s December 1968 “comeback special” that revitalized Elvis and his career for a brief few years until Elvis fell back into old habits and relied on management that increasingly took for granted Elvis’ creative needs, and an entourage of yes men.

The comeback special featured Elvis in production numbers and in what could be designated the first “unplugged” performance, Elvis on a small stage with Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana surrounded by fans as he and the boys reminisced in between playing Elvis’ songs live. The show also introduced new songs that would soon become Elvis classics such as “Guitar Man” and In The Ghetto.” The special not only proved to the world that Elvis was a force to be reckoned with, it bolstered Elvis’ self-confidence and proved to himself that he could still be a vital and creative force in music.

In the aftermath of the special, Elvis felt a creative resurgence that led to some of Elvis’ most creative and productive recording sessions at the American Studios in Memphis. Another after effect of the comeback special was Elvis’ return to live performance the first of which would be in the newly built International Hotel where an excited Elvis assembled a band and back-up singers who challenged and enhanced Elvis’ performances. As Elvis’ manager Col. Tom Parker smelled the money in the air, the live performances quickly became a new kind of trap for Elvis.

It’s clear that one of Elvis’ major problems was his obsessive reliance on Col. Tom Parker. Parker, a former carny huckster should have been a transitional figure in Elvis’ life. However Elvis felt indebted to Parker, and Parker took advantage of Elvis treating him like a serf. When Parker found projects that at first engaged Elvis and offered a creative outlet, like the movies and later the Vegas live shows, Parker jumped on it and ran it into the ground booking Elvis for the same type of engagements regardless of quality or the toll it took on Elvis until all Elvis could do is joyless parodies of his former self.

The other detrimental factor for Elvis was his entourage. A group that treated Elvis with kid gloves and encouraged the worst aspects of Elvis’ personality. Ironically, it was with producers that challenged Elvis and told him the truth who got the better performances out of him.

Gillian Gaar does an excellent job of documenting this aspect of Elvis’ career. Gaar interviewed the members of the comeback special’s production team, the musicians and producers who recorded with Elvis and the musicians and singers who played live with Elvis (rarely were the groups the same). There are endnotes for each chapter, there’s a comprehensive listing of all of Elvis’ live performances between 1968 and 1970, and a selected discography and bibliography.

I’m not one to recommend a publisher or their whole catalog but Jawbone Press is publishing high quality books in both content and the actual physical book. If you’re a rock fan I would highly recommend other Jawbone Press books such as “Forever Changes: Arthur Lee and the Book of Love” and the forthcoming “Becoming Elektra” as well as checking their catalog for other books that may be of interest. I’ve made a space in my bookcase for Jawbone Press books.

[Nigel Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 1968 comeback special is part of the Presley legend. Exhausted and bored by the punishing treadmill of starring in films that grew progressively worse, coupled with an increasingly fractious relationship with his manager Tom Parker, Presley used the Special to return to his roots.

In this venture he was assisted by producer Bob Finkel, and director Steve Binder. Managing to escape the expectations of Parker ,Presley, who was performing live for the first time in seven years, rediscovered his rock and roll roots and gave electrifying performances that can be seen in DVD and CD releases.

Gillian Garr has focused on the Special to explore a key transitional period of Presley's life and to record key testimonies from people involved at the time. Well written and highly readable the book is an important addition to Presley literature and a valuable addition to the Presley library.

Recommended.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned that Elvis did a gross thing in that black jumpsuit, and I'm not going to tell you what it was. Read the book. :)

Really, though, this was a great book, and for all its profound effect on the life and career of an American icon, the '68 Comeback Special hasn't gotten much attention from biographers. Gaar is a meticulous researcher and a very objective observer. She allows interview subjects to tell their stories while verifying facts and eschewing editorial comment. (I've never seen an Elvis biographer resist passing judgment on the Memphis Mafia.) Put the '68 Comeback on your Netflix list, and use the book as a companion.

[Melyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book on a trip to Graceland. It is really well researched and interesting to read. It includes a lot of information about Elvis's 1968 comeback special, later tours and recording sessions, but it doesn't get bogged down in the details.

[Rcavictory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Goes into more depth of his dependence on the drugs. Also much more on his studio recordings. I found that quite interesting as Elvis would know instinctively if he could do it better.