Excerpt
from EIN's recent interview with photographer Ed Bonja
(Full interview to be published in the coming weeks)
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EIN
- I believe that we have you to thank for the fabulous
tape of Elvis' rehearsal for the Opening show in Las
Vegas August 1974?
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ED
- You are right. I was there for that rehearsal and one other
at RCA that Tom Diskin, my uncle, couldn't make. I recorded
the 74 rehearsal and Tom said to make sure that I kept the tape
because Elvis might want to hear something. Well no one ever
asked me for it and so I ended up with the cassette. I used
to play it in my car on my way to and from work! Finally Ernst
Jorgensen called me and in the end I went to New York and sold
it to RCA for practically nothing! That's how they got 'Twelfth
of Never'. EIN - Don't you think that it would be fabulous for
FTD to put out the rehearsal along with that amazing August
Opening Show?
ED
- It sure deserves a full release. However while they only
actually paid me for the 'Twelfth of Never' they of course
have a DAT copy of the whole original tape and have used other
stuff since. (Laughing) But of course they didn't bother to
send me another cheque for anything else.
ED
- People who know me laugh 'cos they know how I'm getting
ripped-off with my pictures everywhere. Al Dvorin said to
me, "Eddie, when a con-man comes to town the first thing he
does is look up your number so he can call you & get something
from you!"
ED
- Al Dvorin is like a father to me. We are such good friends
and often spend hours on the phone just talking about the
old days. He's coming here to Vegas next week to do the Elvis
Week show and we have so much fun together. I enjoy talking
about Elvis and the good old days better than anything else.
EIN
- You knew Elvis from when you were a child so, when did Al
start working for him?
ED
- You know, Al Dvorin worked with Elvis longer than anyone
else. He was there on the road even during early days and
the fifties. Although everyone knows him mainly for being
the Master Of Ceremonies, at Elvis' shows throughout the years
Al did almost every job apart from performing on stage with
Elvis itself! He was the booking agent, managed the tours,
lighting guy, a bandleader & also help set-up everything.
Al
worked really hard for the Colonel since the early fifties.
He is the nicest guy and also has the sharpest memory for
specific events, of anybody I know. If you want to interview
somebody about life with Elvis, Al Dvorin is your man.
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