About Emiel
The course of my life changed when the news came on the radio on August 16th 1977 that Elvis Presley had died at the age of 42. I remember quite vividly watching the images of the funeral on the news. I can still pinpoint that moment as the spark that ignited my interest in Elvis. I was impressed that this particular human being was known and loved all over the world.
For the years to come (between the ages of 11 and 18) I was totally into Elvis. I became a member of several fanclubs and listened to Elvis every single day. Soon I knew every song by heart. And at the annual Christmas shows at school I made appearances as “Elvis”.
In 1987 I visited Graceland for the first time. It was a great experience. I made some new Elvis friends, and I got to experience The Elvis Disco that the British fanclub had organised. It was a thing to remember. It was also around this time when I started to write articles for two Elvis magazines: For Elvis Collectors Only (English), and All Shook Up (Dutch).
In 1998 I started organising the Elvis Disco here in Holland. I’d always been surprised that there wasn’t already something like it in the Netherlands. After all, much of Elvis’ music was made to dance to, so what could be more fun than doing just that? Dancing, together with other Elvis fans and simply having a great evening?
The people that attended the first Elvis Disco were so enthusiastic that by word of mouth attendance doubled in the following year and from then on, it just got bigger and bigger.
1998 was also the year I joined the team of writers responsible for the fanzine Elvis Unlimited. Writing for Elvis Unlimited has always been a joy for me. I got a lot in return for it and particularly cherish the two weekends spent in Denmark (Randers) when we visited the Danish Elvis festivals. The first one was with the complete TCB Band and the second with Scotty Moore. I will never forget when we got the oppertunity to interview Ronnie Tutt for about an hour in the hotel lobby. I hung on every word he said. He rarely gives interviews but he made an exception for us because we were sincere. I deeply appreciated his words and please believe me when I say that it was a dream come true. Unfortunately, after three years Elvis Unlimited had to call it quits. The team of writers could no longer reconcile themselves with the new ‘angle’ that the publisher had in mind.
2002 found me back in Memphis, Tennessee for the 25th Anniversary of Elvis’s death. On August 16, I spent almost three hours at Graceland and in the evening went to The Pyramid for the special edition of Elvis The Concert (Video Show). That was a day to remember!
In 2009, after organizing 12 smashing parties at The Cruise Inn in Amsterdam, I called it quits. Time, work, family, dreams, hobbies and ambitions were the foremost reasons for me to put an end at organizing the Elvisdisco all by myself in this format. But they were parties which did not go unnoticed. Dutch reviews of the Elvisdisco were featured in magazines, television broadcasts and on radio programmes.
Personally I will by no means withdrawal from the Elvis World. But I will take a good look at which direction I want to go. Perhaps I will start writing reviews for some Elvis magazine. Or maybe start writing that Elvis book . Or is time finally ready for an Elvis choir? Only time will tell…
Nowadays, I live with my wife, son and daughter in my hometown of Utrecht. I work as an accountant. In my spare time, I like to play the guitar (and sing along), write songs and visit flea markets in search of 50’s stuff. In the weekends you can find me at rock and roll parties. My dancing lessons seem to have paid off very well and it’s hard for me to stay seated when a great jiver blasts out of the speakers. I have to dance! So while I’m spinning the vinyl at the Elvis Disco parties, I really have a hard time keeping myself from jumping onto the dance floor!
Emiel Maier