An Afternoon In The Grotto

What a fun get-together we had last Saturday afternoon! 

Part of the agenda included a magical discussion re the topic My Top 3 Elvis Gifts Under The Christmas Tree.

Elvis sings, Merry Christmas, Baby ... give me a diamond ring for Christmas ... or not? If our friends and/or family were really nice and could grant us some special Elvis Christmas gift wishes this year, what would they be? ANY item counts, released or unreleased, real or imaginary! 

The wishes of our members included the following:  

1. ELVIS APPAREL. Elvis PJ's, Elvis' dark navy shirt with flowers (1970 rehearsal), the Concha belt, a bracelet with the letter "E", Elvis' red shirt from Blue Hawaii and the '68 Black Leather Suit. 

2. TIME TRAVEL VOUCHERS FROM ELVIS. Best-loved destinations included Christmas Eve at Graceland, a trip in Elvis' bus to Albuquerque, being on set for one of his movies, a live show in Vegas, the taping of the '68 Comeback Special and a cinema - watching movies with Elvis.

3. UNRELEASED MUSIC/FOOTAGE. Most requested were a Gospel LP with our own favourite songs NOT previously recorded by Elvis, DVD/Blu-Ray Extended Editions of the rockumentaries Elvis: That's The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour containing ALL 10 filmed shows in full, plus all rehearsal and behind the scenes footage. It is time.

Jailhouse Rock

Last Saturday afternoon we got together to watch, listen and talk Elvis! We had great fun. The film Jailhouse Rock was spotlighted in our film series The Elvis Award Nominated Films. 

Did you know Jailhouse Rock has received an 

1. ASCAP for Most Performed Feature Film Standard for the title song (1991)
2. induction into the NATIONAL FILM ARCHIVES REGISTRY as a film of Cultural/Historical/Aesthetic significance (2004)

Girls! Girls! Girls!

Last Saturday we got together to watch, listen and talk Elvis! What a great afternoon we had. The film Girls! Girls! Girls! was spotlighted in our series The Award Nominated Films. 

Did you know this film received a total of 4 award nominations? In 1963 the Elvis musical/comedy Girls! Girls! Girls! was nominated for a:

1. Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical

2. Laurel Award for Top Male Star

3. Laurel Award for Top Musical (3rd Place WIN)

4. Laurel Award for Top Male Musical Performance (2nd Place WIN)

EPFCA at 10 - Take 8

Hoe som ek my 8 jaar by die Elvis fan club in 'n paar paragrawe op... want ek kan seker 8 boeke vol skryf! 

Julle ken al die storie van hoe Annemarie my Elvis geforce-feed het - maar ek moet darem bysê dat ek dit baie gewillig gedoen het! En ook maar goed, want dink net hoe baie sou ek op uitgemis het. 

As ek so terugkyk op my Elvis journey, staan daar so baie dinge uit, maar dit wat vir my die meeste uitstaan, is hoe baie ek as mens gegroei het. Ek besef hoe ‘lucky’ ek is dat die fan club en al sy mense my pad gekruis het. Ek kan nie my lewe  daarsonder indink nie. 

Op ‘n praktiese punt... rekenaarvaardighede, video clips, fotos, ‘n skroewedraaier, staple gun, dataprojektor, toere, dekor, onderhoude… ek het nie die sertifikate om te wys nie, maar ek moes vining leer om al hierdie dinge te behartig.   

Op ‘n komiese punt… In Die Gopse, freaky fans met jumpsuits en cowboy boots, ‘n vis op ‘n houtplank wat Hound Dog sing, ‘n “first-time overseas traveller” wat vir die toilet dankie sê toe dit vanself begin spoel, tannies wat baie weet van Dawid Kramer en kerse wat nie wil doodgaan as mens dit uitblaas nie. 

Deur al die dinge wat ek a.g.v. die fan club ervaar het, is my lewe soveel meer ryker. Ek het beleef dat familie nie net bloed is nie, want uit die lede het ek ‘n paar ma’s en sussies bygekry. Selfs ‘n dierbare oom, al bly hy so vêr. Ek het geleer hoe kosbaar vriende is die oomblik toe die vliegtuig van Dakar af opstyg en die ore, skouers en harte wat oopgaan wanneer ek laagte- maar ook hoogtepunte bereik. 

Die grootste gewaarwording was dat ek my eie inner Elvis gevind het. Waar Elvis altyd soekend was na sy tweelingboetie, het ek my soulmate gevind. Ek het geleer dat familie en vriende baie meer werd is as materiële dinge. Ek het baie meer waardering vir vintage motors en vintage mense met vintage wyshede. 

En as die lewe n bietjie druk, is daar altyd die fan club, my eie Graceland.

Nicolette Meades © EPFCA

EPFCA at 10 - Take 7

I became aware of the EPFCA on my birthday in 2005. It was on a Sunday.

My friend, Merial, who retired and stayed just on the other side of Kommetjie, Cape Town, phoned me that morning. She asked if I was a ware that Radio 702 was playing a lot of Elvis songs commemorating his birthday.

I switched the radio on and guess what, the announcer said that he will be having an interview with the Elvis Presley Fan Club of Africa.

I made a point to listen and the member who did the interview was Heather Van Wyk. I jotted the telephone number down, phoned on Monday, and the rest is history.

Rita Zinn © EPFCA

EPFCA at 10 - Take 6

In 2009 het ek aangesluit by die EPFCA, danksy Jackie Ferguson se geselsies by die skool oor al die pret en interessante samekoste van die Elvis fans. Ek het myself belowe dat ek gaan aansluit as ek ophou skoolhou en ek was nog nie een dag spyt nie! 

My eerste indrukke was dié van verbasing oor alles wat die fans van Elvis en sy musiek weet en die passie wat hul daarvoor het. Ook dat jy vroue nooit kan onderskat nie. Elke samekoms is vir my leersaam en ek geniet dit om lekker saam te kuier met ander fans, want ons het ELVIS in gemeen. Ek waardeer ook al die moeite wat die komitee doen om alles altyd so glad te laat verloop. 

Die een hoogtepunt by die klub was toe ek Monique die eerste keer daar in die Grotto hoor sing en kitaar speel het. Ek was ene hoendervleis, so mooi was dit. Ek kan ook nie die eerste Elvis Festival uitlaat nie, want dit was iets anders as die gewone en ek sal dit koester met goeie herinneringe. 

ʼn Komiese insident, of moet ek miskien eerder sê, ʼn verleentheid, was toe ek as Elvis fan op die voorblad van die Tygerburger saam met Connie en Henrietta verskyn het. (Ai, Nicolette, moes jy nou daai foto kies?) Al die kinders by die skool en die hele buurt wou weet of dit rêrig ek op die foto was en dat hul nooit geweet het ek is so ʼn groot Elvis fan nie. Dit is nogtans iets kosbaars in my Elvisboks. 

Dit sou goed wees as die klub se ledetal met opregte Elvis fans kan groei en mense meer belangstelling toon wat werklik by die klub gebeur, en ʼn toer Graceland toe sal natuurlik ʼn wonderlike ondervinding wees. Ek hoop werklik dat die klub nog lank en gelukkig sal voortbestaan om ons almal verdere ure se Elvis Magic te verskaf. 

As long as you're pleasing the people, you'd be foolish to quit. - Elvis Presley

Marlene Van Niekerk © EPFCA

EPFCA at 10 - Take 5

My own journey with the EPFCA began during the second half of 2005. Marion and I went to the Labia Theatre in the Gardens in Cape Town to see a show called Hound Dog by on Matt Stern, who sang a nice variety of Elvis songs. I recall being rather impressed by his explaining that he was not trying to imitate Elvis, but rather just singing Elvis songs in his own way.

Right after the show we met Annemarie and Nicolette and discovered that there was indeed an Elvis Presley fan club right there in the Cape. Of course I signed up as soon as I possibly could, and next thing I was attending the monthly get-togethers and continued to do so until our departure for Bloemfontein towards the end of 2007. I have retained my membership.

Get-togethers were always a high-light of my month while in the Cape, and a huge “thank you” must go to the two ladies in question for always providing such varied entertainment. From tribute functions to quizzes, movies and music, "amazing races" to a karate session, theme events (e.g. Elvis in the Army) and more, if it’s Elvis you are after, Annemarie and Nicolette certainly provide.Mention must also be made of the wonderful magazine the club have put out the past 10 years. Packed with the most amazing articles and info one could hope for, the magazine alone have made membership fees worthwhile. Once again, well done to the ladies.

No doubt the high point of my Elvis experiences as a member was the trip to Memphis in 2007. Together we watched the “new and improved“ version of Viva Las Vegas on the hallowed lawns of Graceland - what a great evening it was! I also seem to recall  a photo of Jackie van Schalkwyk and I at a petrol station filling the car, and of course Nicolette just had to seriously embarrass me with a video clip taken near the Heartbreak Hotel where I was asked about the nice warm weather - this when temperatures seldom dropped below 100 degrees Fahrenheit!

Lastly but by no means leastly, I must say something about the amazing people I have met at the club. Elvis fans are of course something special (naturally!), and I am truly blessed to be able to count some of them among my very special friends - thank you one and all.

To round off, my EPFCA experience has been an absolute blast from day one, and long may the club continue and prosper - many happy returns on your 10^th birthday, and may the next 10 be just as great!

John Webb © EPFCA

EPFCA at 10 - Take 4

After watching G.I. Blues at our local drive-in at the tender age of 6/7, I became a hardcore Elvis fan. My first LP was G. I. Blues which I still have. My first 7-single was Elvis. My first CD and DVD was Elvis. Elvis has always been part of my life.

In 2004 ETV started showing all the old Elvis movies and I was seriously hooked again, feeling like the little girl of all those years ago.

At around that time Annemarie and Nicolette drove around handing out flyers advertising the Elvis Fan Club at different libraries. Not coming to Somerset West Library where I work, a friend from Strand Library sent me one. It took a couple of months before I phoned, not knowing what to expect as some Elvis fans are real weirdos! And then another couple of months before I went!

Well, what a great surprise. Here I am 7 years later and still a member. We are like one big happy family enjoying Elvis once a month.

My highlight was definitely in 2007 when 4 of us went to Memphis for the 30^th anniversary of Elvis’ death. There were 75,000 fans. Driving through the gates of Graceland for the first time, was such an emotional experience for me. Walking through Elvis’ house, touching things he had touched (not allowed, but I did!), wow. Then standing by his grave – words just cannot describe the way I felt.

Thank you EPFCA - happy 10^th birthday and here’s to the next 10 years!

 Jackie van Schalkwyk © EPFCA

EPFCA at 10 - Take 3

About 10 years ago a friend told me that in the music store CD Select in the Tyger Valley Shopping Centre there is a notice in connection with an Elvis Fan Club. I called Annemarie and 10 years later, the fan club is still going strong.

When I think back, it's the new friends I made and all the beautiful music and everything I learned about Elvis, that bring only beautiful memories. 

There were a lot of laughs when a few of us had to paint banners, blew up balloons and decorate the hall for the dances that we held.

Many have come and gone but a few fans kept attending the get-togethers. As it happens, we had to loose our dear friends and club members Joel and Sylvia for ever when they passed on.

We had outings, Amazing Race quizzes and much more, but what I still enjoy most is Elvis' music and of course the movies and do not forget when we could tear apart the "Colonel" during one of our discussions!
 

Long live Elvis' music and the Fan Club!

- Connie Jefferies © EPFCA

EPFCA at 10 - Take 2

I 'discovered' Elvis when I was a 12 year old budding teenager in 1956. I also discovered that parents were not too keen on this young rock 'n roll singer with the swiveling hips and the smouldering looks! That was fuel on the fire and being rebellious at the time, I went out of my way to collect as many pictures of Elvis as I could to cover my bedroom walls much to my grandmother's disgust! She called him a child of the devil but nothing they said could stop me from adoring him.

I neglected my homework and sat with my ear glued to the radio every afternoon to listen to his songs. I had an exercise book and wrote down all the Elvis songs I heard and learned them off by heart. Great was my excitement when I bought my very first 78 record Doncha' Think It's Time (with Wear My Ring Around Your Neck on the flip side) was played till it was terribly scratched and worn. I have it to this day as well as a few others and also my very first LP, King Creole. Then followed 45s, tapes, videos, CDs and now of course, DVD. But my oldies really bring back happy memories of those early years.

How we screamed our way right through his movies in those days and of course even today when I see Elvis on screen my heart still skips a beat. 

A couple of years ago I joined the Elvis Presley Fan Club of Africa here in Bellville. We listen to his music, watch his movies and talk Elvis. We can let our hair down, sing along, tap our feet, squeal with delight and enjoy a fun filled afternoon once a month with friends who all love Elvis. What a pleasure!

- Christine Botha © EPFCA

EPFCA at 10 - Take 1

When the nursing sister at my mother’s retirement home told me that an Elvis club existed in Bellville, I could not believe my luck. I immediately phoned and spoke with the founder, Annemarie Swarts. I was not sure what to expect but was very pleasantly surprised. Annemarie questioned me as to why I am an Elvis fan - probably to check out whether I was weird or not. When I told her that I have been a fan since 1956 (giving away my age) and that I had already been to Graceland twice, Annemarie was excited. She invited me to the next get-together (I forget exactly when that was) which was on a Saturday afternoon and asked me to talk about Graceland and to bring all the photos I took there.

When I got to the get-together which was held in Annemarie’s lounge, I met Annemarie, Connie, Poppie and Jako. Yes, membership was low with me coming in at number five but thanks to Annemarie’s perseverance, the club has grown. I was very impressed with the way Annemarie presented the afternoon. I had absolutely no idea what an Elvis fan club would do at a get-together. We talked, listened and watched Elvis footage - some of which I did not know existed. I then showed my photos and spoke about my trips to Graceland. It was a wonderful afternoon, had me hooked and I am still here.

During the past ten years, I have learnt so much more about Elvis. I thought, having been a fan since 1956 and having been to Graceland, that I knew all there was to know but I was so very wrong. I have made numerous friends of which most will remain close friends for life, I hope. I have enjoyed the many get-togethers that we have had and all the fun filled activities that Annemarie and Nicolette have organized. I cannot single out any one event that was more enjoyable than others as I have enjoyed them all - even when we had to write ‘tests’.

I am so very fortunate to be able to call ya’ll friends and thank Elvis and Annemarie for bringing us all together. May the club continue for many, many more decades.      

- Amy Grainger © EPFCA

Remembering Elvis

With 16th August falling on a Saturday this year, we held our monthly get together on the actual anniversary of Elvis' death, 37 years later.

The first part of the afternoon was dedicated to ‘Sentimental Me’ - personal memories of what very special Elvis songs meant to us. Very happy and very sad memories came to the fore - with each fan sharing very personal feelings. All of us gaining more understanding of each other. O, how Elvis really touched our hearts with his music, his voice. Songs such as Bringing It Back, Love Me Tender, My Wish Came True, An American Trilogy, One Night, all mean so much to one specific fan.

It is amazing just how much Elvis’ music touched us all.

Then came the concert - The Fantasy Concert - of Elvis recorded live on stage in Memphis 20^th March 1974 at the Mid-South Coliseum. Camera footage from that show was complemented with footage from other shows to form a complete show! Elvis was in top form, loving every minute of performing back in his hometown for the first time in 13 years. What a performance he gave.

It was a sad day, 16^th August, but just watching this concert we became aware again, of what a brilliant, one of a kind entertainer this man with the magnificent voice was and always will be.

RIP Elvis - Long Live The King.

Jackie van Schalkwyk © EPFCA