Paul Belard Interview

Paul Belard Interview - October 2023

EIN: Paul, it's been a couple of years since we last chatted and, in the meantime, you have published an extraordinary number of books. How do you decide what Elvis period you are going to work on next? PaulBelard: I decided to publish a series of books about Elvis’ career after I saw “The Searcher”. It was a great attempt to retrace Elvis’ roots and dreams, but the fact that pictures often had nothing to do with what was discussed annoyed me a lot. So I decided to emulate Guralnick and Jorgensen’s Elvis Day By Day, but in pictures and contemporary documents, with dates and locations for every photo (it does not mean I do not screw up sometimes!) but I have knowledgeable people checking them so the errors are hopefully minor. First, I thought I would concentrate on the fifties and early sixties, my favorite periods. I began to collect photos from the internet, fans, Facebook and other sources. I determined that the books should be around 200 pages to keep the cost down.

The problem is that new pictures appear almost every day, so I had to make a choice. The result is that the books are published in no particular order. They can go from Vegas in 56 to Elvis’ return from the Army in March 60, to December 56. When I feel there is enough for a book, I publish it. 11 books have been issued on the fifties, and there is still about the same amount to finish the year.

EIN: Am I right in thinking that your 'ELVIS HOUSTON 1970' was your first book about Elvis in the seventies, and why did you pick that particular 70's topic over any other?  

PB: Several reasons: he looked like a Greek god, trim and fit; he gave two great press conferences; it was his first tour since November 1957 (I do not count Vegas as tours). Some of the pictures taken were fantastic, like the one on the cover where he plays “One Night” on the bass guitar. Incidentally, it is not the same picture that was on the cover of Tunzi’s book. I hate to get on the subject of money, but these books sell on Amazon between $40 and $60, which is lower than most other publications. Granted, some are more professionally done, but not every fan can afford them.

EIN: Most of your books have been published via Linden Press although a couple were published through the Memphis Mansion label. Is this an ongoing joint venture or is that only for specific book titles?

PB: It started as a sort of joint venture but we had a difference of opinion about how the United States market should be handled. So we parted on friendly terms. Henrik is a straightforward and fair person.

EIN: I particularly enjoyed your biography of "Bill Black" who I thought never got the acclaim that he deserved. That book even came with a flexidisc! How long did you research that book and was the flexi-disc your idea?

PB: The Bill Black book was Henrik’s idea. He had acquired a scrapbook from Bill’s family and had long wanted to have a book written about him. I proposed my services and he sent me all the info he had. It was a great cooperation. His designer, Søren Karstensen is a very talented guy. He put the text and pictures together in a very attractive way. The flexible disc was Henrik’s idea too, a good one. He also managed to get a heartfelt introduction by Suzy Quatro. I greatly appreciated Henrik gaving me the opportunity. Bill deserves a greater place in Elvis’ saga. Without Bill and Scotty, Elvis might not have made it. They should receive more recognition.

EIN: You wrote a delightful review of Luhrmann's 'ELVIS' which included your praise, "The film perfectly captures Elvis' creativity and impact on the music world. It is impossible not to like Austin Butler’s performance. The best movie done about Elvis that I will see again and again." How many times have you seen it, and did you read Trina Young's fascinating book looking at The facts VS The Movie?

PB: I saw it twice in the theaters and several times on TV. It is so rich; there’s always something I did not catch before. I have not read Trina’s book yet. Of course, the movie is playing hide and seek with some of the facts, enough of them in fact to get a book out of it! Not even mentioning the Ed Sullivan shows still leaves me baffled; they made Elvis a mega star. But all in all, this is a great movie.

EIN: This leads me to the next topic Col Tom Parker! I hear that you are working on a new book about Col Parker and Elvis. How long have you been investigating this topic and did the movie inspire you?

PB: I became a fan in 58-59. I did not know about Parker for several years. I began feeling that something was wrong in the mid-sixties. It was the movies of course, but what they did to the songs. I was almost ashamed to say I was an Elvis fan at the time. What was there to be proud about “Yoga is as Yoga does”, “He is your father not your dad”, “Barefoot Ballad”, “Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce”, etc, etc. We began to hear more about Parker. What first irked me was that “It Hurts Me”, a song that Elvis sang with a passion that prefigured his rendition of “If I can Dream”, was used as the B-side on a single with an inferior movie song on the A-side, just to promote the movie. It did not get better when “Tomorrow Is A Long Time”, “Down in the Alley”, “I’ll Remember You” were used as a filler on a movie album, instead of the first two released as a single.

These songs were miles away from “Smorgasbord” and “Beach Shack” in quality and they were concealed at the end of side B as if Parker and RCA wanted to bury Elvis’ real talent. A music felony! It’s probably when I first wondered about Parker and his shenanigans.

The movie did not inspire me, but it confirmed my opinion of Parker. I liked Parker’s line “You do the show, I’ll take care of the snow" (meaning the scamming) or something like that.

EIN: There have, of course, been multiple books examining the way Parker worked with Elvis. There is even a new one coming soon from Greg McDonald (who worked under Parker). Does the world need another book about Tom Parker and how will your book differ from the others?

PB: There are thousands of books written about Lincoln, Napoleon, and Elvis as Nigel will confirm. The fake colonel deserves at least half a dozen! Mine will be different because I clearly state that I have nothing but contempt for a man who was an Army deserter, lied about his name and where he was born, and mostly used Elvis as a way to enrich himself. The things which he did right for Elvis can be counted on the fingers of one hand. I am writing it from a fan point of view, about how his policies deprived us of what Elvis was good at, being an extraordinary, gifted singer.

I do not even care if he stole money from Elvis. Knowing Elvis, he would have spent it as soon as he got it anyway. No, what I blame Parker for is all the crappy songs that were released instead of great ones. Look at his return from the Army. He had number one hits one after the other. When the movies became a formula, not a single one. Sometimes, I sadly think we only were allowed to see the tip of the iceberg of Elvis’ talent.

(EIN Note: We are also hoping to interview Greg McDonald before his book is published)

EIN: Some of your books are more photo / article based whereas others are more research text based. What format will this Col Parker book take?

PB: It will be a combination of pictures and text, not unlike the Bill Black book. If Elvis was the most photographed artist in history, Parker was the most photographed manager. He always managed to insert himself in the pictures, as the narcissist that he was, even crashing Elvis’ photo shoots. Let’s not even talk about his weird disguises...

EIN: Have you discovered yet more new insights into Parker's life with Elvis?

PB: To be honest, Parker should not be the only one to be blamed for the hiccups in Elvis’ career. Elvis did share in that as well. But I now have a clearer picture of how Parker took advantage of Elvis’ flaws for personal gain. It just reinforced my dislike of him.

EIN: Both the 'ELVIS' movie and the recent 'RE-Inventing Elvis' documentary portrayed Col Parker specifically as "The Villain". Others who obviously benefited from their close friendship with Parker (eg Todd Slaughter, Jerry Schilling, Esposito, Peter Guralnick) tend to say much nicer things about the wily old dog! Where do you stand?

PB: Let’s not forget that Parker was dishonorably discharged from the Army, and diagnosed as a psychopath. P sychopaths are not fictional villains, but real people with a  personality disorder that makes them lack empathy, remorse, and guilt, with a tendency towards narcissism and arrogance. They can also be charming at times, at least enough to convince a few that he is indeed Mister nice guy. Mr. Tual, the lawyer that looked into Parker’s dealings, found him guilty of “self-dealing and overreaching” and having “violated his duty to Elvis and the estate”, particularly by failing to strike the best deals for his client during the singer’s lifetime.

He added: “Elvis was naive, shy and unassertive. Parker was aggressive, shrewd and tough. His strong personality dominated Elvis, his father and all others in Elvis’ entourage.” In Mr. Tual’s opinion, Parker had succeeded in taking advantage of Elvis, particularly in the 1970s before the singer passed away.

At last, like the emperor, the manager had no clothes, and it was not a pretty sight. In view of the above, what do the people you mention find redeeming about Parker?

EIN: To me it seemed that Priscilla and Jerry Schilling were far nicer in their description of Elvis and Parker's relationship before Luhrmann's 'ELVIS' but then started to follow more along the "Parker was a villain" storyline. I wonder whether they changed because of the need to publicize the film or whether they might have had their eyes opened. What do you think?

PB: I do not know much about Jerry Shilling. In fact, I am not too interested in any member of the so-called Memphis Mafia. I believe most of them were parasites and fair- weather friends. Even Red West, who thanks to Elvis became an actor and had several of his songs recorded, turned against him in the end. Were they friends or leeches?

As far as Priscilla, she had a soft spot for Parker. He is the one who kind of forced Elvis to marry her and she never forgot.

EIN: It's a little off-topic but I have to ask you what are your thoughts about the new 'Priscilla' movie? I have seen in reviews that "Col Parker is only mentioned in passing". Don't you think that is rather strange?

PB: I am of two minds about Priscilla. She is smart; keeping the name Presley after she divorced showed she knew on which side her bread was going to be buttered. The movie is based on her memoirs Elvis and Me. The book was not very flattering to Elvis while she was the innocent victim.  Sure, it was a complicated marriage. Having the Memphis Mafia hanging around all the time could not have been pleasant; they were even present on their honeymoon for God’s sake! So, I feel for her in a way. She did some good things, getting Graceland to be one of the most visited sites, the RPO albums, but there is something about her that suggests she wants to have her cake and eat it too.

Going back to Parker, he should have had a place in the movie, but a minor one. First, as mentioned earlier, he pushed Elvis to marry her. Elvis would probably have delayed as long as he could. Also, when Vernon passed away and she became partly in charge of the estate, she kept Parker in control. Even when a judge told the estate to sever all contacts with him, she did not have a bad thing to say about him. “I saw how Elvis lived and saw his relationship with Col. Parker, so I think I have a much better understanding of it than the outsider who comes in and says, ‘Oh my God, this was robbery.’”

But let’s not forger that Sofia Coppola’s aim was to show Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship. Parker was only a peripheral figure in this sort of “One Sided Love Affair”.

EIN: I recently heard someone try and justify Parker's wearing of a Hawaiian shirt to Elvis' funeral - something like, "The Col was a crazy guy, wearing a Hawaiian shirt was his form of respect" or some other bull-shit. The man at times seemed to have a total lack of empathy to others. (Elvis' head in an ice-bucket is another fine example) Is this something you examine? 

PB: The empathy question has been answered above. However, to set the record straight, I do not believe that in this picture taken at Elvis’ funeral, Parker is wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

EIN: It is often claimed that “Before Elvis Presley, nobody ever got a percentage of a movie. Colonel was the one who started where artists got a piece of the picture." (Joe Esposito). For anyone who knows movie history this is just nonsense. "Stars" as far back as Al Jolson in the 30's, Bette Davis, James Stewart, etc, all got a percentage of the movie takings. Do you hope to correct these often-repeated fallacies?

PB: Joe Esposito said odd things at times. For example, about Parker having allegedly killed a woman, he said, “Any man who loves animals and kids the way Parker did can’t be a bad person.” Yeah, right! There are a lot of falsehoods believed about Parker, such as: he was the first to put a rock artist on TV, (not so, Bill Haley was); putting Elvis in the movies was a stroke of genius (every manager worth his salt has done it since, as you mentioned, Al Jolson); he brought rock & roll to RCA, (actually Little Richard did, albeit for a short time.)

EIN: When do you think that your book will be published?

PB: Probably sometime next year. In the meantime, if EIN wished to publish some chapters of the book, it would be my pleasure. As I said, my goal is to show to us fans what Parker did to diminish Elvis as an artist and what he was best at, singing. Who would not trade all the movie songs albums and a few of the 70s for two or three of the calibers of Elvis is back, Something for Everybody, His hand in Mine, Pot Luck, How great Thou Art, From Elvis in Memphis, Elvis Country?

EIN: Examining the relationship between Col Parker and Elvis is a fascinating topic - and I am sure you are going to reveal plenty more interesting insights! I can't wait to read some initial chapters, which we'd be very happy to share. Thanks for the kind offer.

PB: Thank you, Piers, for giving me the opportunity to give my opinion about Parker. It is a shame Elvis did not fire the greedy rascal in 1962 when he prevented an American tour to happen, and eventually a word wide one.

For information on how to order any of Paul's books contact him here

Interview by Piers Beagley. -Copyright EIN October 2023 EIN Website content © Copyright the Elvis Information Network.   You can also read an earlier interview EIN did with Paul Belard back in 2018 - see below.

Elvis author-researcher, Paul Bélard, reviews Luhrmann's 'ELVIS': Prolific Elvis author, Paul Bélard, wrote down his detailed thoughts after watching the Elvis biopic. His energetic review is great reading and starts.. ... Well, I came, I saw, I was conquered! What a wild and unpredictable rollercoaster ride it was. I often had goosebumps and I must confess tears welled up in my eyes when Elvis appeared in all his sorrowing condition at the end of the movie, but still singing his heart out with a voice that never left him, a solemn testament to the music he had always cherished. It brought home the irreparable loss we suffered upon his untimely death. - For added interest EIN has also assembled a “baker’s dozen” of review excerpts from a variety of other reviews for the new Elvis biopic... See Paul Bélard's ELVIS movie review... plus Extra Bonus Reviews! - and have YOUR say.. .. (Reviews, Source;PB/ElvisInfoNet)

(2018 Interview) Paul Belard talks to EIN: In an eye-opening and fascinating interview, author, researcher and professional book restorer, Paul Belard, recently spoke to EIN's Nigel Patterson about his latest two Elvis books, one of which tackles the issue of Elvis and racism head-on, and informs us that he has dozens more Elvis books on the verge of being published!! Among other things, Paul also discusses the objective behind his books, the challenges and benefits of self-publishing, a weakness in the recent documentary Elvis Presley The Searcher, and has some strong words to say about the role of Colonel Tom Parker. Paul Belard 2018 Interview with EIN   (Interviews, Source: EIN)

(Book Review) 'Don't Be Cruel, Elvis: The Bill Black Story': It is easy to forget that, in the beginning, Elvis was only one part of a trio put together by Sam Phillips, which included Bill Black on bass and Scotty Moore on lead guitar. The unique sound that emerged from their early sessions was the result of a close collaboration of like-minded musicians and an engineer who wanted to generate something as yet unheard. Bill Black's contribution to Elvis’ success went beyond the bass playing. His antics on stage — twirling his bass, riding it as if it was a bronco to be tamed, trading corny jokes with Elvis — delighted the audiences. Scotty confirmed that, “If it hadn’t been for Bill, we would have bombed many times in the early days.” Memphis Mansion’s Henrik Knudsen fortuitously befriended Bill Black's family and was entrusted with the family’s treasured scrapbook. Using this key source, plus the investigative power of author Paul Belard, key rock'n'roll bassman Bill Black finally gets the biography he deserves with this impressive 260 page book. Packed full of rare photos, great stories and interviews, EIN's Piers Beagley spent some quality time enjoying this very fine tribute to "Blackie" a great musician and a true character ... go here to find out more.. (Book Review, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

(Book Review) Elvis June 1956: June 1956 was another busy month for Elvis Presley and author Paul Bélard captures the frenzy and excitement of Elvis' rocket-to-stardom in this new photo-book, ‘Elvis June 1956’. Elvis' 1956 juggernaut was picking up strength during the month with a series of dynamic live shows across America, appearing on Wink Martindale’s ‘Dance Party’ TV show, violating segregation laws in Memphis, outraging media critics and many parents with his burlesque show rendition of ‘Hound Dog’ on The Milton Berle Show and rehearsing for his appearance on The Steve Allen Show as the highlights. The book includes some wonderful archive material such as.. - “Singing Sensation Causes Near Riot Here” - “Writhing Singer Has Long Beach Soxers Wailing” - "Elvis Sends 6,400 Here Into Frenzy” - “Presley Leaves You In A Blue Suede Funk” · “The Presley Problem” This graphic biography illustrates how our man worked hard getting his career off the ground. All this packed on 220 pages. Go here as Nigel Patterson and Kees Mouwen check out this look at one of Elvis' key months of his career (Book Review, Source:EIN & EDayByDay)

(Book Review) Elvis November 1956: As fans, we do not always realize that what we think we know about Elvis’ life, happened in short periods of time. Paul Belard’s visual biography series illustrates how hectic Elvis’ life and rise to fame was. The latest release in Paul Belard’s series of photobooks, covering just one month in 1956, highlights just how much happened. It was a busy time, Elvis spent time with his girlfriend Natalie Wood and buddy, Nick Adams on his new Harley Davidson. He did a small tour in the south with Scotty, DJ and Bill making stops in Toledo, Cleveland, Troy and Louisville, Kentucky. And managed to squeeze in a 10-day holiday with Bitsy Mott, Gene Smith and Richard Dougher to Las Vegas, returning to the New Frontier Hotel. EIN’s Nigel Patterson and Elvis Day By Day’s Kees Mouwen joined forces to provide a detailed review of the narrative, visual and archival highlights from what was a a very busy month for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. (Book Review, Source:EIN & EDayByDay)

Book Review: 'Elvis The King of the Rings Vol 1': Author-researcher Paul Belard has released the latest installment in his ongoing Elvis day-by-day biography series, visually (and narratively) documenting Elvis Presley's life and times. Unlike previous volumes, this book doesn’t cover a specific period of time, it covers a “shiny” part of our man's life, his love for big and glittery jewelry, specifically rings. Elvis liked expensive things: cars, motorcycles, clothes, and jewelry. His jewels befitted a king. He wore sumptuous pendants hung on heavy gold chains; huge lavish rings dripping of rubies, sapphires, lapis lazuli, and emeralds; bracelets of gold and precious gems. The singer Robert Goulet described Elvis’ penchant for generosity: “I remember once we sat together backstage for two hours. And he was a charming, delightful man. And at one point I said, “That’s a beautiful ring you have there.” He said, “You like it?” I said, “It’s beautiful!” He took it off his hand and put it on mine. He gave me his ring.” Belard's new book features 254 pages dedicated to Elvis’ love of rings. The photos include close-ups of so much glorious "Bling" along with stories of Elvis wearing them on-stage and even where they ended up. Go here to read our review by Kees Mouwen and Nigel Patterson (Book Review, Source:DayByDay/ElvisInformationNetwork)

Book Review – 'Elvis 1956 July 5 to July 31 (Memphis-Biloxi-New Orleans)': Paul Belard’s latest photobook is another strong release. Focusing on a month in 1956 when Elvis actually got to take vacation. Starting on July 5, 1956 (the day after Elvis’ triumphant concert at Russwood Park in Memphis - this will be covered in another volume), the hundreds of photos (many candid shots) show a different side to Elvis than normally associated with books about Elvis during the height of Presleymania. .. July 1956, Elvis days off were spent deep sea fishing and relaxing before Elvis returned to Memphis on the 20th, where photographer, Lloyd Shearer, was on hand to take a slew of photos of Elvis around the city. At the end of the month Elvis returned to Biloxi.... The images are nicely complemented by a diverse and fascinating collection of archival materials. Go here to read EIN’s detailed review from Nigel Patterson   (Book Review, Source: ElvisInformationNetwork)

(Book Review) Elvis Firearm & Weapon Collector An Illustrated Compendium (Paul Belard): The latest photobook from prolific Elvis author/researcher, Paul Belard, Elvis Firearm & Weapon Collector An Illustrated Compendium, focuses on one of Elvis’ major passions.  Elvis’ love of guns (and other weapons) is well known, but until now there has not been a detailed narrative and visual record of this passion. Belard has managed to compile a visually impressive and narratively comprehensive account, presenting hundreds of Elvis’ guns, knives, holsters, and other associated items, and most of the items are in color. With interesting background information and a range of rare archival material (including affidavits, auction records, and letters of provenance) this book is an important one which neatly fills a hole in the multi-faceted Elvis story. Read EIN’s full review (Book Review, Source: ElvisInfoNetwork)

(Book Review) Elvis Black and White to Technicolor (Paul Belard and Joseph Krein): The latest release from Paul Belard (with Joseph Krein) is one of the more important Elvis books in recent years. The reason why is that addresses the controversial issue that Elvis was racist. The authors tackle the subject of Elvis' relationship with Black America head on through a balanced and impressive mix of text and image. Belard and Krein's research has uncovered rare archival material on the issue and the book includes hundreds of comments about Elvis by Black Americans.       Read Nigel Patterson's detailed review (Book Reviews; Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)