ELVIS PRESLEY. EL AÑO DEL CAMBIO 1974
In early 1974, Elvis Presley was still regaining his good spirits, he was in a somewhat unstable phase but trying to improve his situation. On January 8, he turned thirty-nine and in the city of Memphis his bithday was declared as “Elvis Presley Day” and a parade was organized in his honor down Elvis Presley Boulevard. But the health problems that had begun the previous year would soon bother him again and he also had to visit his dentist regularly for his molars. Another important factor had to do with his bad habits that he had already acquired up to the present and that would continue to increase his discomfort. His adicction to drugs was in a doubtful phase, since outside his home he had other means, other dentists who were ready at all times to write prescriptions for other medications that he thought he needed. His dependency was not only not cured, it was difficult to control.
The year 1974 changed the direction of Elvis Presley‘s artistic path. There would be no more big studio recording sessions. RCA already had its musical catalogue with the best of Elvis and did not seem to need to be offered material to publish. Only a concert would be recorded in March 1974 and a studio rehearsal in August, but there would be no sessions with new songs for publication. Colonel Parker did not consider the need to record new songs either, something unheard of in the artistic world to renew the image and obtain benefits and for the popularity to continue to rise. As a consequence, new songs were not broadcast on the Radio, nor were television specials recorded. When the normal thing was to record and publish every so often a single, LP, as did the artists who wanted to continue being successful. In short, the commercial management was being handled absurdly, the only purpose was to obtain sure money through the Concerts. Only 3 LPs, 2 Singles and the RCA Album would be published, which was no longer profitable for Elvis. Every artist published an LP, singles, and concerts every three months. Publicity was constant.
Elvis Presley did not receive the same treatment, he had no support in the media, but it was not his fault, it was his manager’s. The public loved him as always, his name was synonymous with attendance at his concerts and it would have been the same with sales of records if his music had been played on the radio or he had gone on TV. Obviously the number of concerts increased during this year, because it was a safe economic value. It was the direction that Colonel Parker had taken, because he saw an easy profit with Elvis’ performances. But Elvis did not question these circumstances at any time and would continue to do his concerts. It seems that he had no intention of recording new material, it is true that performances for his audience were the most important thing, but offering variety to the show and new songs would renew and boost his image as an artist. Unfortunately it was not like that, the year would have many performances as in the early days. Doing tours and his commitments in Lake Tahoe and the two seasons at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Elvis earned a lot of money from the concerts, but it is true that he also spent it to the same extent, this would be something important since it could mean a big problem in the future.
This year his love for Karate would grow and Elvis would carry out a new project that he was going to finance, a documentary film about martial arts. His search for change made him come up with something new to get his hopes up, but it had nothing to do with music.
Elvis was a magnificent artist, an exceptional man, but he was aimlessly lost in his career as a performer.
“Following the King’s Way“
Elvis Presley 1974, article provided by De Tupelo a Memphis. https://www.detupeloamemphis.com/
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