"Elvis Lives On: A Journey Through History, Myth, and Mystery"

Elvis Presley: Walk A Mile In My Shoes by Otto Fuchs Austin Macauley Publishers, 2023, HB, Not illustrated, 378pp, ISBN-13: 978-1398417168 Reviewed by Nigel Patterson, April 2025 “During his early years, somewhere between 1954 and 1960, Elvis still had the unbounded power and the proletary charm of the southern boy. With that he was the man of the hour, the one who enriched America’s prude Entertainment industry with sexuality and new sexual phantasies………In these early years, he became one of the leaders for youth rebellion. That at the end, he was not capable of living with fame and fortune, live up to being an icon and an idol, does not disturb his fans – for them he was and will always remain Elvis Presley.” ~~Otto Fuchs Every so often a great release, be it music, DVD or book, slips through the cracks and is missed by reviewers on the major Elvis websites and social media pages. In 2023, a book that joined the vast Elvis library, but was generally ignored by the Elvis world, was Otto Fuchs’ intriguing musings about aspects of the Elvis Presley story…... Elvis Presley: Walk A Mile in My Shoes. The 15 discrete chapters are eclectic, ranging across Elvis a living superstar, the Elvis alive conspiracy, and Elvis and law enforcement, to Elvis and Priscilla, Elvis’ films, and Elvis the man. Other subjects discussed are the ’68 Comeback and Aloha from Hawaii TV specials, where were you when Elvis died, the Elvis sound, and Elvis on the road. The chapters read as if they are a compilation of some of the author’s writings over a period of time. Some readers will be surprised that Fuchs includes a chapter on the Elvis is alive conspiracy story. The motivation for this is revealed in the preface to the book: “It was also something of a surprise picking up the book “The Elvis Files – Is Elvis Alive?” by Gail Brewer Giorgio which first got me acquainted with Orion.” - Fuchs recounts how he later saw the “masked Lone-Ranger type singer” live at the Pyramid in Vosendorf, near Vienna. Other elements from several conspiracy or fanciful tales permeate the book. Lucy de Barbin who claims a two-decade affair with Elvis (resulting in the birth of their daughter, Desiree), has a role in one chapter, while in another, “the Fraternity”, the crime syndicate that tried to fleece Elvis and Vernon in a scam airplane deal (while this was true, the Fraternity also became an important part of the Elvis is alive conspiracy theory, particularly peddled by Gail Brewer-Giorgio* and the Presley Commission). (*See more on Gail Brewer-Giorgio, who recently died in 2025, in 'Elvis Book News') Those unfamiliar with the “Fraternity” and the FBI case, “Operation Fountain Pen”, will be likely fascinated by the author’s narrative, as this excerpt suggests: The government stated in its letter confirming that there was an undercover agent in Elvis Presley’s band the following: “Mr Presley was not actively involved in any of the investigations, his assistance in this regard made it possible for our agent to develop a number of quality investigations” (during the period from 1974 throughout 1976. Part of the chapter, Where Were You When Elvis Presley Died? (taken from the work of legendary music critic, Lester Bangs), is not what its title suggests. While it starts out with the question it, consistent with Bangs’ work, pivots into a discussion of Zoot suits, Spivs, Cosh Boys, Edwardians, Teddy Boys, Rock Around the Clock, Teddy Girls, Punks vs Teds, and more. After this detour, it returns to the titular question with “answers” from many fans, before Fuchs presents (who many fans revile) Albert Goldman’s detailed account of the events on the day that Elvis died. Goldman’s clearly biased and dramatic narrative is as repugnant a read in 2025 as it was on its original publication in 1981! Many of Fuchs’ points are thought-provoking. They regularly point to deeper socio-cultural issues that often contextualise music, be it classical or popular: “Elvis hit the nose of America with the fact that he had hips, which categorised asking remained unfulfilled. Lenny Bruce showed us how you can go in a repressive society and how it allowed one to dos o. While Elvis put hits like “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window” away and substituted them with “Let’s fuck”. Under this storm, we still swagger.” In the final parts of the chapter, Elvis The Man, an excerpt from Larry Geller’s book, If I Can Dream, describing the last time he saw Elvis (August 15, 1977), is confronting: “I hadn’t seen Elvis in six weeks, and when I saw him I was horrified. He walked through the front door and stopped in the foyer, about fifteen feet from where I was standing in the dining-room in the doorway. He removed his glasses and shook his head from side to side. He never said a word, but the look he gave me spoke volumes. I saw fear and pain. He put his sunglasses back on, then with Ginger at his side slowly ascended the staircase to his room. I’d seen him in bad shape before but nothing like this.” Given its nature, Walk A Mile In My Shoes is non-linear, the narrative flicking backwards and forwards in time consistent with the subject matter of each chapter. The author exercises liberal use of passages from the various texts listed in the book’s Bibliography. This is similar to many academic texts where the inclusion of extensive writings/findings by other researchers are used to illustrate particular points or highlight issues in the author’s interpretation of the subject. The book is available in hardback, softcover and Kindle editions. Conclusion: Elvis Presley: Walk A Mile In My Shoes is a different sort of Elvis book. Its diverse subject matter means each chapter is different in topic(s) and tone than those preceding and following it. That provides a freshness and to quote the title of a popular Elvis album, the book offers Something for Everybody. About the author Otto Fuchs is a seasoned and well-credentialed writer. His biography includes, “ Otto Fuchs was born on May 13th, 1978 in Austria. He discovered a deep passion for rock & roll while still in his early teens. At fourteen years old, he becomes the youngest writer for the German “Rock & Roll Music Magazine“ From 2000-2004 he hosted “The Rocket 88 Show” for KRKT 99.1 FM Rock It Radio, Ventura, California. He has a degree in Journalism from the Austrian Humboldt Studies Institute and is currently gaining qualifications in Music Journalism at the London School of Journalism. He holds an International Press Card from the International Federation of Journalists.” Fuchs is also a rockabilly and Bill Haley (& His Comets) tragic, having written numerous well-regarded books and magazine articles on those subjects.

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