PurpleParrot
Proud Member
This article actually appeared on at least 2 newpapers here on August 15th 2009
When I read it, I actually started to like Elvis fans a bit more, lol...
It helped me a bit while reading it, but since the pain hasn't been easier to deal with yet, I just don't know how long it can take.
I have to admit that, before Michael's passing, I tought Elvis fans were weird to go every year and celebrate the death of Elvis all together like if it was a cult with candles and everything, even 20 years after..
Well, I take it back, I totally understand them now. I understand how we never want to forget, how we will always need to unite, to meet with other fans to know that we are not alone in our grieving, even years after. How we need to show him love, always, every year, because we need it. Simply.
Here's the article, I'll try to translate it to the best of my knowledge of english...
_ _ _ _
They were not fan of the 'King of Pop', but they were fan of the 'King'. However, the brutal loss of Michael Jackson made some Elvis fans very emotionally shocked and some felt like they were back on Aug. 16th 1977 all over again, when their idol was found dead in his home, at the age of 42 after a overdose of medication.
They will still be millions of fans tomorrow (Aug 16th) to pay tribute to their idol on the day of his death, and they'll have a special thought for the grieving fans of Michael Jackson.
The following days after Michael Jackson's passing on June 25th 2009 in Los Angeles, Jeann Smith, president of the Jacksonville's Elvis fanclub wasn't able to stop watching the TV: ''I said, I can't believe it's all going on again, it was painful, even if I'm not a michael Jackson fan cause I knew something similar happens to someone I loved and I knew what his family and fans were going through.
Masters of grieving by now, Elvis's fans wants to give some advices to Jackson's fans: ''Don't believe everything you read or see'' says Jeann Smith ''Respect him for what you hear in his music and foret the tabloids''.
Sandi Pichon, who said to have meet with Elvis and also wrote two books about him, wants to say that '' the pain eases with time, but will never completely disapears. Just like Elvis, once he entered your life, it'll never be the same. They'll find their comfort in his music and keeping their memories about positive things.''
Like Elvis's, the King of Pop's death might multiply the numbers of fanclubs. Elvis Presley Enterprises, created to take care of Graceland, can count around 500 fanclubs worldwide.
''It changes things to be able to be around other fans'' explains Geri Vegher president of Oklahoma Elvis fanclub, ''I'd advice Michael Jackson's fan to do the same, and to do it with joy''.
''And it helps'' says the King's fans ''to have Graceland, Elvis's home in Memphis, which became a museum and a place of pilgrimage''. More than 600 000 passes every year in Graceland and pay their tribute to the singer. And the 'Elvis week', which began last Saturday, also commemorates every year his death with nine days of celebrations and festivals.
Like Elvis, Jackson, who got married in a short but mediatic marriage with the King's daugther, Lisa-Marie Presley, also had his own place, Neverland. The questioning about the big place inspired by the world of Peter Pan today are the same that were asked for Graceland back then.
The Presley Foundation opened Graceland for the public in 1982 to help pay for taking care of it. It is today one of the most visited attraction in Memphis.
''Elvis lead the way for many things, not just the music, but also concert production and even security. I think that even after death, he still leads the way for things about managing the estate and marketing'', says judge Jaymie Coyne from Elvis Extravaganza fanclub in Columbus which describes itself as the biggest Elvis fanclub with 164 000 members.
The actual presence of the King's body in Graceland is the key to the power of attraction of Graceland as a place for pilgrimage. ..If you take Elvis's body and put it in a cemetery, you just delete what makes money for Graceland and what fans comes together for''.
Other fans talks about the connection with the fans that links for them Jackson and Presley: ''His love for his fans reflected in his concerts and I think it's the same for Michael Jackson'' says judge Sandi Pichon. ''People felt he was part of their life, personnally knowing him or not''.
_ _ _ _
When I read it, I actually started to like Elvis fans a bit more, lol...
It helped me a bit while reading it, but since the pain hasn't been easier to deal with yet, I just don't know how long it can take.
I have to admit that, before Michael's passing, I tought Elvis fans were weird to go every year and celebrate the death of Elvis all together like if it was a cult with candles and everything, even 20 years after..
Well, I take it back, I totally understand them now. I understand how we never want to forget, how we will always need to unite, to meet with other fans to know that we are not alone in our grieving, even years after. How we need to show him love, always, every year, because we need it. Simply.
Here's the article, I'll try to translate it to the best of my knowledge of english...
_ _ _ _
They were not fan of the 'King of Pop', but they were fan of the 'King'. However, the brutal loss of Michael Jackson made some Elvis fans very emotionally shocked and some felt like they were back on Aug. 16th 1977 all over again, when their idol was found dead in his home, at the age of 42 after a overdose of medication.
They will still be millions of fans tomorrow (Aug 16th) to pay tribute to their idol on the day of his death, and they'll have a special thought for the grieving fans of Michael Jackson.
The following days after Michael Jackson's passing on June 25th 2009 in Los Angeles, Jeann Smith, president of the Jacksonville's Elvis fanclub wasn't able to stop watching the TV: ''I said, I can't believe it's all going on again, it was painful, even if I'm not a michael Jackson fan cause I knew something similar happens to someone I loved and I knew what his family and fans were going through.
Masters of grieving by now, Elvis's fans wants to give some advices to Jackson's fans: ''Don't believe everything you read or see'' says Jeann Smith ''Respect him for what you hear in his music and foret the tabloids''.
Sandi Pichon, who said to have meet with Elvis and also wrote two books about him, wants to say that '' the pain eases with time, but will never completely disapears. Just like Elvis, once he entered your life, it'll never be the same. They'll find their comfort in his music and keeping their memories about positive things.''
Like Elvis's, the King of Pop's death might multiply the numbers of fanclubs. Elvis Presley Enterprises, created to take care of Graceland, can count around 500 fanclubs worldwide.
''It changes things to be able to be around other fans'' explains Geri Vegher president of Oklahoma Elvis fanclub, ''I'd advice Michael Jackson's fan to do the same, and to do it with joy''.
''And it helps'' says the King's fans ''to have Graceland, Elvis's home in Memphis, which became a museum and a place of pilgrimage''. More than 600 000 passes every year in Graceland and pay their tribute to the singer. And the 'Elvis week', which began last Saturday, also commemorates every year his death with nine days of celebrations and festivals.
Like Elvis, Jackson, who got married in a short but mediatic marriage with the King's daugther, Lisa-Marie Presley, also had his own place, Neverland. The questioning about the big place inspired by the world of Peter Pan today are the same that were asked for Graceland back then.
The Presley Foundation opened Graceland for the public in 1982 to help pay for taking care of it. It is today one of the most visited attraction in Memphis.
''Elvis lead the way for many things, not just the music, but also concert production and even security. I think that even after death, he still leads the way for things about managing the estate and marketing'', says judge Jaymie Coyne from Elvis Extravaganza fanclub in Columbus which describes itself as the biggest Elvis fanclub with 164 000 members.
The actual presence of the King's body in Graceland is the key to the power of attraction of Graceland as a place for pilgrimage. ..If you take Elvis's body and put it in a cemetery, you just delete what makes money for Graceland and what fans comes together for''.
Other fans talks about the connection with the fans that links for them Jackson and Presley: ''His love for his fans reflected in his concerts and I think it's the same for Michael Jackson'' says judge Sandi Pichon. ''People felt he was part of their life, personnally knowing him or not''.
_ _ _ _
And the article is in French, great! I have to try to read it without looking the transciption.