10 Grapevine GRAPELEAVES Fan to sell largest private Elvis Presley collection for love 1973-1980 (Music Video News & notes: Guitarist Link Wray Distributors/Chrome Dreams) is an inde- When Elvis Presley sang “I Can’t (76) died of heart failure at home in pendent look at one of rock’s most singular Stop Loving You,” he might have been Copenhagen, Denmark, Nov. 5, 2005. Wray and enduring acts. Rare live and studio singing it for Jim Curtin. Because learned to play guitar growing up in North footage along with band interviews and Curtin just can’t stop loving Elvis — Carolina. Link and his brothers Vernon and reviews and criticism from music journalists and that has caused him no end of Doug played country music until they were examine Queen when the band members trouble. He is Elvis’ most loyal fan and struck with the rock ’n’ roll beat. The group were, arguably, at the height of their creativi- owner of the largest privately held col- worked up a raunchy, guitar-driven instru- ty... Music partners Kenny Loggins and Jim lection of Elvis memorabilia. Now, in mental that was called “Oddball” and Messina reunited for a tour in the summer order to win back the woman of his recorded it. Archie Bleyer released it on his of 2005 — their first in nearly 30 years — dreams, he has to get rid of every one Cadence Records, retitled “Rumble.” It was and a California performance was recorded www.goldminemag.com GOLDMINE #664 January 6, 2006 • www.goldminemag.com of the tens of thousands of items he released in the spring of 1958 as by Link and is presented in Live: Sittin’ In Again At possesses. But Curtin, who is the ulti- Wray And His Ray Men, and it became a The Santa Barbara Bowl (Rhino), a 20-song mate romantic, believes it will all be Top 20 hit. Further recordings were made, collection including “House At Pooh worthwhile. but Bleyer refused to release them. Wray Corner,” “Back To Georgia,” “Kind Woman” He first met Renata Ginter when and his group signed to Epic Records, and “Angry Eyes.” There’s also bonus she wrote to him after buying an Elvis which thought Wray could be as popular as footage of the duo’s 1973 Midnight Special calendar he had produced. They met, Duane Eddy. Wray was left to cut more performances with “Danny’s Song,” “Your and the rest, as they say, is history. rowdy instrumentals as long as he threw out Mama Don’t Dance,” “Sailin’ In The Wind” Except, it all began to go wrong an occasional pop bone. Wray’s guitar-play- and more. In Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround, because of Elvis. Curtin thought he ing style — the loud, distorted sound of Dolby Digital stereo and DTS formats... could love them both equally, but power chords — directly influenced nearly From Image Entertainment comes Daryl Renata had different ideas. Eventually every rock guitarist who came after him. Hall & John Oates, Our Kind Of Soul Live, she left Jim, and all he had were his On the bookshelf: The music of Robert with 17 songs, three bonus tracks and an memories of happier times, and his Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and interview. The duo perform tunes in tribute memorabilia of Elvis. John Bonham is given a comprehensive look Courtesy of Regency-Superior to their Philadelpia roots including “I Can Curtin has tried everything possible in Keith Shadwick’s Led Zeppelin — The Dream About You,” “Rock Steady” and to win back his lost love. He has sent Jim Curtin Story Of A Band And Their Music 1968-1980 “Used To Be My Girl.” The DVD is format- flowers and gifts, offered a flawless dia- (Backbeat Books, ISBN: 0-87930-871-0). ted for DTS 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 mond, made endless phone calls and sent hear Elvis being played on the jukeboxes The 320-page book focuses on what matters Surround and 2.0 stereo. Also from Image is hundreds of letters — to no avail. in the bars and cafes where he worked. most about Zep — their music — and for- Ray Charles, 50 Years In Music, a tribute that Ginter’s family and friends all told him Curtin purchased his first Elvis record — goes the all-too-common concentraion on features Charles performing solo (“What’d I that in order to have a chance of getting “Return To Sender” — when he was 12 offstage antics and misbehaviors. Instead, Say,” “Just For A Thrill” and “Can’t Keep A her back, Elvis had to go. years old, and after that, there was no readers are treated to numerous rare photo- Good Man Down”), and Stevie Wonder, That is just what Curtin has now stopping him. He bought every record graphs and given insight into the band’s Randy Travis, James Ingram, Michael decided to do. His entire phenomenal ever released in the U.S., then discovered songs and sound... Studio A — The Bob McDonald, and Gladys Knight and others collection will be auctioned off in different versions were sold abroad, so he Dylan Reader (W.W. Norton, ISBN: 0-393- singing songs made famous by Charles January and is expected to raise approx- promptly started acquiring those. 32742-6) is a collection of some of the best along with several duets. Extras include imately $5 million. He has been an avid The first time he saw Presley on stage writings about the mercurial singer/song- behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage. Presley fan since he was a child and has was Nov. 8, 1971. Curtin recalled, “He writer, arranged chronologically from 1961 For analog kids: Two important jazz and more than 25,000 photographs, 50,000 was like a god, walking out on stage. He to present. Editor Benjamin Hedin’s selec- blues releases will be reissued on 180-gram items of memorabilia, 1,000 reels of had something no one else had — sex tions include musings by music critics vinyl in early 2006: The Best Of Muddy never-before-seen super 8 footage and appeal, style, looks, voice, feeling. He Lester Bangs, Ralph Gleason, and Greil Waters (Speakers Corner/Chess, Jan. 13) three costumes worn by Elvis (one of sang from the soul. I knew the guy was Marcus; novelists Michael Chabon and and The John Coltrane Quartet, which was given to him personally by unbelievable. The chemistry was so pow- David Gates; poet Allen Ginsberg; play- Africa/Brass (Speakers Corner/Impulse, Jan. the King). (See page 9 for more details.) erful, it overwhelmed me.” wright Sam Shepard; and musicians Bono, 30). Waters’ best-of includes “Hoochie Curtin evolved from being a star-struck He decided he had to make some spe- Bruce Springsteen, and Johnny Cash... Coochie,” “I Just Want To Make Love To fan to a serious collector, follower and cial gesture to show the depth of his feel- Blues fans will want to check out the revised, You,” “Honey Bee” and “I Can’t Be Satisfied”; finally a friend of the great entertainer. ings for Elvis. Despite earning only $99 second edition of The B.B. King Reader — 6 Africa/Brass finds Coltrane deviating from a At first, his love of Elvis was an escape per week, he designed and commis- Decades Of Commentary (Hal Leonard, ISBN: normal quartet formation and bringing in from a desperately unhappy childhood. sioned a $2,000 Gibson guitar, which 0-634-09927-2). Editor Richard Kostelanetz trumpets, four coranglais (English horns), His father was an alcoholic and was had “Elvis Presley” and two crowns has gathered writings about the blues great, baritone sax, two euphoniums and a tuba. never able to support his family. Curtin inscribed on the fretboard. Young Curtin including the first-known article from a The rhythm section also gets a boost as two remembers moving house more than 30 headed to Las Vegas in September 1974, Memphis newspaper in 1952, along with bassists, Art Davis and Reggie Workman, times, on several occasions he came and with the help of Vernon Presley, who interviews (one with King and John Lee are used to emphasize the beat. home from school to find the bailiffs had had taken a liking to this dedicated fan, Hooker together), reviews, notes on early — Todd Whitesel taken all the furniture. As a kid, shining recordings and analysis of King’s guitar style. (Wray obit by Freddie Patterson) shoes to earn a few pennies, he would For couch potatoes: Queen Under Review (Please see Jim Curtin page 61).