Life
With Elvis, David Stanley (with David Wimbish)
MARC
Europe, 1986, Softcover, Illustrated, 222 pages, ISBN: 0947697802
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David
Stanley has written four books about his life as youngest
step-brother to the world's biggest rock & roll icon.
In
Life With Elvis, his second book, David takes the reader
on a candid, colorful ride in life's fast lane. David
was only four years old when his mother, Dee Stanley,
married Vernon Presley. From 1960 to Elvis' death in
1977 David and his brothers grew up at Graceland, and
from 1972 David worked for Elvis as a bodyguard.
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David
Stanley is a very competent writer. His narrative flows effortlessly
and his imagery evokes vibrant pictures of events in his life.
His ability to vividly recall events throughtout his life actively
engages the reader and provides a greater sense of how personal
feelings shaped those events.
On
a misunderstanding that led to David thinking Vernon had physically
mistreated his mother, he recalls the following:
"David,"
Elvis said, "how ya doin', buddy?" Ignoring him, I pointed
at Dad. "I'm here to kick your butt!" Vernon's eyes went cold.
"You don't even want to try it, son." "That's right," Elvis
agreed. "You don't even want to try!"
Later
David confronted Elvis about the scene: "I just want to tell
you that whatever's going on between Mom and Dad...that's
between them. As for me, I like my job - I love my job - and
I want to keep working for you."
"David,
you're understood."
He
put his arm around my shoulders. "As far as I'm concerned,
the situation is over, so let's both just forget about it."
Life
With Elvis is a warts and all story. The publicity notes on
its back cover are an honest reflection of what lies in the
book's 222 pages:
'From
the excitement of fast cars and motorcycles, sex and drugs
on tour - to violence, despair and the sight of Elvis' body
face down on the bathroom floor - David Stanley paints an
honest, compassionate picture of greatness reduced to pathos.'
The
David Stanley account of life around Elvis features many highs
and lows. David is very honest about the personal toll his
remarkable lifestyle took on his life and marriage and his
eventual redemption in finding God.
On
the subject of drug taking by Elvis and members of the Memphis
Mafia he makes some interesting observations: "The difference
between me and Elvis was that, even though I was abusing drugs,
I knew what I was doing, and Elvis didn't. I took drugs because
they were fun and made me feel good; Elvis took "medication"
because he thought he needed it." Rick was worse off than
either of us. He was so far gone he could not live without
his drugs. I was taking pills and blowing coke, while Rick
was mainlining anything and everything he could get his hands
on".
Life
With Elvis contains the poignant chapter, The King Is Gone.
In it David Stanley gives his account of events in Graceland
on August 16, 1977. Some readers will undoubtedly find it
unsettling to read.
The
photo sections contain stock Elvis images from the Sean Shaver
and Elvisly Yours archives together with stills from David
Stanley's own files. The photos are a mix of b&w and color
candids, the latter particularly eye catching.
Verdict:
Life With Elvis is a candid account of the highs and horrible
lows of growing up around and working for Elvis. While the
definitive David Stanley memoir would not come until his next
book, the cathartic and superior Raised
On Rock, Life With Elvis nevertheless offers the reader
plenty to reflect on about the pitfalls of success and the
potentially fatal ramifications of lack of responsibility
and constraints in one's life.
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David
Stanley talks to EIN (2004)
David
Stanley talks to Madeleine Wilson (2003)
David
Stanley talks to EIN (Jan 2003)
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