LORD SUTCH SAYS ELVIS TOLD HIM HE'LL COME HERE
CONTROVERSY can get a bit out of hand sometimes and the current NME "will he-won't he" argument over the likelihood of Elvis Presley ever coming to these shores is taking a step in that direction. So, being the sadist I am, here's another bit of fodder for the eager debaters: "The King" WILL be appearing in Britain.
Now, before you all start bedevilling me with letters let me make it quite clear that the person responsible for that highly inflammatory statement is none other than David, Lord Sutch, First Earl of the Realm Of Rock.
While you're recovering from that shock I shall hasten to add that Dave met Elvis in Las Vegas during Presley's cabaret season there and went so far as to invite "the pelvis" to appear here.
Here is what Elvis said in reply: "I definitely will be coming to England, it's one of my ambitions. It's just a quest of fitting it in - the Colonel runs my life."
That's the way Dave tells the story, pointing out that he was speaking to Elvis at a private party having earlier had a difficult time in the presence of Tom Parker.
"People at Las Vegas were forty to forty-five and I asked Elvis why he hadn't come to England to meet the real fans, England where he is classed as a god. But he doesn't regard himself like that. He told me that Tom Jones had said the same thing to him. He is genuinely keen to come here and he said that he'd like to do a tour of world capitals. The other thing he said was 'How's my friend Jimmy Savile?'
Richard Green, NME, 18 April 1970