BBC Online pixTV & Radio News & Features Sunday September 2, 2007
‘The King’ rules
AIR RAVES WITH ANTHONY THANASAYAN
HE may have been dead for many years – 30 to be exact – but everyone knows that when it comes to good ol’ radio and the King of Rock’n’Roll, one statement holds true for the legendary singer: Elvis Presley has never left the planet.
And he still reigns supreme on the airwaves!
No matter which radio station you tune in to, you’ll hear the name of the Tupelo, Mississippi-born superstar being mentioned every now and then or his unmistakeable 1950s fusion of country, blues and rock’n’roll music being played.
It’s especially so on days to mark his birth (Jan 8, 1935) and his untimely demise (Aug 16, 1977).
Last month’s 30th anniversary of Presley’s passing was no different.
Lite FM emerged as my best pick for radio tributes to “the King”.
At around 4pm on Aug 16, Lite ran a half-hour special in memory of the singer and actor (Presley had more than 30 movies to his name).
Listeners had the rare opportunity of discovering more about this enduring icon.
They got a peek into the performer’s life and achievements, including his contributions to the music world, and the legacy he left behind after that fatal heart attack.
Fittingly, the King’s classics were played in between the narration and interviews, such as Rubberneckin’, Suspicious Minds and Viva Las Vegas.
To the further delight of listeners, Lite FM kept up the musical treat with another Presley feature, Elvis, The Early Years, last Sunday. For about two hours, fans of the legend got to know their heartthrob more intimately than they ever did.
Lite aired a special overseas made-for-radio show with Presley interviews as well as with some of the late singer’s closest friends who have fond memories of him.
This programme offered interesting titbits about Presley, like why he could never stand still when he was singing and his views on family values. Also included was a recording of the star relating how his stint in the army changed his life forever.
Some of the personalities interviewed were his close friends Jerry Schilling and Patty Parry.
Writers and historians such as Peter Guralnick and Ernst Jorgensen spoke too, shedding light on Presley’s growing up years in the ghetto.
The noon show was a sterling effort by Lite FM, which did well overall to mark the death of Presley 30 years on. It was certainly a refreshing change from the station’s normal offerings.
Coming up with a timely feature like this is something that all other radio stations would do well to emulate, especially on special occasions and significant dates.
The only downside was the lack of pre-show promotion by Lite FM, thus causing many of my friends to miss it.
As far as I know, it was also not mentioned on Lite’s homepage or on Astro’s TV channels which would’ve made it easy to tune in to via satellite radio.
That’s the trouble with radio stations sometimes. They come up with a great offering once in a while yet frustratingly, they forget to inform us beforehand.
How about an encore?
n Despite living in the cyber age, the writer insists that radio still provides a unique window on the world. When he isn’t scanning bandwidths, he helps to raise awareness of positive living with pets through his organisation, Petpositive (Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association).
Copyright © 1995-2007 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
‘The King’ rules
AIR RAVES WITH ANTHONY THANASAYAN
HE may have been dead for many years – 30 to be exact – but everyone knows that when it comes to good ol’ radio and the King of Rock’n’Roll, one statement holds true for the legendary singer: Elvis Presley has never left the planet.
And he still reigns supreme on the airwaves!
No matter which radio station you tune in to, you’ll hear the name of the Tupelo, Mississippi-born superstar being mentioned every now and then or his unmistakeable 1950s fusion of country, blues and rock’n’roll music being played.
It’s especially so on days to mark his birth (Jan 8, 1935) and his untimely demise (Aug 16, 1977).
Last month’s 30th anniversary of Presley’s passing was no different.
Lite FM emerged as my best pick for radio tributes to “the King”.
At around 4pm on Aug 16, Lite ran a half-hour special in memory of the singer and actor (Presley had more than 30 movies to his name).
Listeners had the rare opportunity of discovering more about this enduring icon.
They got a peek into the performer’s life and achievements, including his contributions to the music world, and the legacy he left behind after that fatal heart attack.
Fittingly, the King’s classics were played in between the narration and interviews, such as Rubberneckin’, Suspicious Minds and Viva Las Vegas.
To the further delight of listeners, Lite FM kept up the musical treat with another Presley feature, Elvis, The Early Years, last Sunday. For about two hours, fans of the legend got to know their heartthrob more intimately than they ever did.
Lite aired a special overseas made-for-radio show with Presley interviews as well as with some of the late singer’s closest friends who have fond memories of him.
This programme offered interesting titbits about Presley, like why he could never stand still when he was singing and his views on family values. Also included was a recording of the star relating how his stint in the army changed his life forever.
Some of the personalities interviewed were his close friends Jerry Schilling and Patty Parry.
Writers and historians such as Peter Guralnick and Ernst Jorgensen spoke too, shedding light on Presley’s growing up years in the ghetto.
The noon show was a sterling effort by Lite FM, which did well overall to mark the death of Presley 30 years on. It was certainly a refreshing change from the station’s normal offerings.
Coming up with a timely feature like this is something that all other radio stations would do well to emulate, especially on special occasions and significant dates.
The only downside was the lack of pre-show promotion by Lite FM, thus causing many of my friends to miss it.
As far as I know, it was also not mentioned on Lite’s homepage or on Astro’s TV channels which would’ve made it easy to tune in to via satellite radio.
That’s the trouble with radio stations sometimes. They come up with a great offering once in a while yet frustratingly, they forget to inform us beforehand.
How about an encore?
n Despite living in the cyber age, the writer insists that radio still provides a unique window on the world. When he isn’t scanning bandwidths, he helps to raise awareness of positive living with pets through his organisation, Petpositive (Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association).
Copyright © 1995-2007 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
