The Colonel and the King by Peter Guralnick
Printed by: White Rabbit
Launch date: 14th August 2025
Thirty years in the past, Peter Guralnick printed what might be the definitive Elvis biography, in two volumes: Final Prepare to Memphis and Careless Love. Now he has adopted these up with an equally detailed ebook about Presley’s infamous supervisor, with a perspective that can shock most readers.
Point out the title Colonel Tom Parker to most individuals with a passing curiosity in pop historical past, and they’ll let you know precisely what they consider Elvis’s supervisor. And it received’t be fairly. However, in accordance with Guralnick, there may be one other aspect to the story. This time, he tells it from Parker’s standpoint.
His two Elvis biographies are a compelling learn: Final Prepare to Memphis on Presley’s thrillingly unstoppable rise to fame, Careless Love on his horrifyingly unstoppable descent into self-destruction. This new ebook doesn’t have the identical narrative drive, however for Elvis completists, it fills out the gaps within the story with some shocking insights.
Guralnick’s analysis is predicated on an intensive assortment of letters (reproduced partly 2 of the ebook) and different objects from the Elvis Archives, in addition to interviews with Parker’s widow and lots of mates and colleagues. Most have solely good phrases for him, expressing love, loyalty and respect.
The ebook is scrupulously honest: non-judgmental when presenting the proof, clear when proof is lacking. In a prologue, Guralnick acknowledges his difficulties in coping with his topic (who gave him introductions, however no interviews) in addition to Parker’s “manifold contradictions”.
There’s, after all, the mysterious again story. Born in Holland as Andreas van Kujik into a big, largely sad household, our protagonist was at all times attempting to flee. As a younger man, he ran away to America, the place the story – or tales, a lot of them contradictory – will get sophisticated. What we do know is that he reinvented himself as American-born Tom Parker, and didn’t look again. (“Colonel” is an honorary, civic title and have become the title everybody knew him by.)
We all know that the younger Tom Parker learnt his promotional abilities in carnivals, then went into the music enterprise. His vitality, creativity and a spotlight to element grew to become legendary amongst his friends: this was somebody who knew what he was doing and did it effectively. For him, enterprise – and specifically, enterprise offers – was enjoyable. Generally, a part of that enjoyable was taking part in video games with the opposite celebration (he may outwit most individuals), however by all accounts, he was by no means lower than trustworthy.
When he found the younger Elvis Presley, he knew he was the precise particular person to assist the younger star maximise his expertise and drive. He was right. Not less than, for some time. Their relationship seems to be a real partnership, based mostly on complementary abilities, shocking private similarities, and mutual belief and love. And, after all, it led to unprecedented and vastly profitable success.
When issues begin to collapse, there may be fault on each side. Colonel has a playing behavior, exacerbated by time spent in Las Vegas after Elvis begins his legendary residencies there. Elvis has a behavior of spending cash with out pondering: a lot of Parker’s new money-making schemes are a response to Vernon Presley’s panicked pleas about how his son can pay future tax payments.
There are errors and miscalculations, there may be profession stagnation, and there are profession triumphs. There are unhealthy influences and miscommunication, and there’s a falling-out: “Elvis and Colonel fired one another within the early morning hours of September 3, 1973, simply after Elvis’ closing present in Las Vegas.” The separation doesn’t final, however the issues stay unresolved, and each males go into decline.
4 years later, Elvis is lifeless; Colonel outlives him by twenty years. Within the early Nineteen Eighties, he fights his sacking from the Presley Property by Lisa Marie Presley’s court-appointed authorized guardian. Through the years, he rebuilds his relationship with Priscilla Presley and the Property, continues to defend himself the place he feels misunderstood, and even goes public about his Dutch nationality. In 1990, he sells the contents of his house to the Property, the place it turns into a part of the Elvis Archive. Which is what made this ebook potential.
The result’s what Guralnick modestly calls “an introduction to the life and profession” of his topic. It’s a fairly hefty introduction: over 300 pages of narrative and nearly as a lot once more for the letters. The ensuing quantity replaces the acquainted caricature with a rounded image of an actual particular person – one who’s as flawed and complicated as the person that he managed.
~
The Colonel and the King is out there in any respect good ebook shops.
Phrases by Penny Kiley. You possibly can learn her Louder than Battle critiques at her creator profile, and her archive music journalism on Substack.
A Plea From Louder Than Battle
Louder Than Battle is run by a small however devoted impartial workforce, and we depend on the small amount of cash we generate to maintain the positioning working easily. Any cash we do get isn’t lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to suppose and write, or hungry shareholders. We all know occasions are robust, and we wish to proceed bringing you information on essentially the most fascinating releases, the most recent gigs and anything that tickles our fancy. We aren’t pushed by revenue, simply pure enthusiasm for a scene that each one in all us is keen about.
To us, music and tradition are eveything, with out them, our very souls shrivel and die. We don’t cost artists for the publicity we give them and to many, what we do is completely important. Subscribing to one in all our paid tiers takes only a minute, and every sign-up makes a huge effect, serving to to maintain the flame of impartial music burning! Please click on the button beneath to assist.
John Robb – Editor in Chief
