DEC4 Podcast

A very warm welcome to the second episode in our occasional series, the Elvis History Vault, where we learn about some perhaps lesser known people and events in Elvis’ professional life. This time, we go back to 1976 with our leading contributor, Gary Wells‬, to discuss Presley’s Center Courts, an ill-fated business venture Elvis became embroiled in thanks to Joe Esposito and Dr George Nichopoulos...

It's a great thrill and privilege this episode to welcome multi-talented actor, writer and music artist, Andrew Mackintosh, who carved his own special niche in British television history as Detective Sergeant Alistair Greig, a key character in over 300 episodes of one of the most successful and influential television dramas of all time, The Bill. But as we discover, there's so much more to...

A very warm welcome to the first episode in our occasional series, the Elvis History Vault; our leading contributor, ‪Gary Wells, is along for the ride as we learn about some perhaps lesser known people and events in Elvis’ professional life. In this clip not featured in the main episode, we discuss a new stage jumpsuit that was under construction at the time Elvis passed away. Join us for more ba...

Our leading contributor Gary Wells joins us to explore two tumultuous decades in the lives of the Beach Boys, through the lens of Malcolm Leo’s 1985 BAFTA nominated biographical documentary, The Beach Boys: An American Band. We learn about some of the key people on both sides of the camera, and of Malcolm Leo’s established method of sourcing a wide variety of music and interview clips (long before...

A very warm welcome to the first episode in our occasional series, the Elvis History Vault; our leading contributor, ‪Gary Wells ‬ is along for the ride as we learn about some perhaps lesser known people and events in Elvis’ professional life. In this clip not featured in the main episode, we discuss a seven year legal battle over unclaimed ticket refunds, for two shows scheduled at the Mid-South...

A very warm welcome to the first episode in our occasional series, the Elvis History Vault; our leading contributor Gary Wells ‬ is along for the ride as we learn about some perhaps lesser known people and events in Elvis’ professional life. In this clip not featured in the main episode, we discuss an essential member of Elvis' touring party; sound engineer and pilot Bruce Jackson... Full epis...

We note with sadness the recent passing of outspoken music writer, Dave Marsh. (August 14, 2026) https://variety.com/2026/music/news/dave-marsh-dead-bruce-springsteen-born-to-run-1236835488/ We referenced some his commentary in our series on Aloha From Hawaii; He was of the opinion that the dress rehearsal show was not only better than the satellite broadcast performance, but was just about the be...

A very warm welcome to the first episode in our occasional series, the Elvis History Vault; our leading contributor, ‪Gary Wells,‬ is along for the ride as we learn about some perhaps lesser known people and events in Elvis’ professional life. This time, we remember tour photographer Bob Heis, discuss how it was almost business as usual in Las Vegas in 1978 thanks to Colonel Parker and concert pro...

Oliver Crocker ‬ is a filmmaker, podcaster, publisher, and leading writer and historian on classic British television. In this clip from a two-part podcast recorded in 2021, we discuss the art of the interview and memorable encounters with British acting legends John Salthouse (The Bill, Abigail's Party) and Robert Hardy (All Creatures Great and Small). Oliver is also the author of three succe...

This episode (first published in 2022) is inspired by our regular contributor Gary Wells’ popular website, soulrideblog.com ‘Your Home for Vintage Leisure’; specifically, his reviews of two important and fascinating books on the Beach Boys – The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern California Experience (1994), by Timothy White, and Good Vibrations: My Life as a Be...

Frank Williams (1931-2022) is remembered with enormous fondness by generations of fans as Timothy Farthing, the perpetually exasperated Vicar in the BBC’s Dad’s Army; on television, radio, stage, and in two feature films separated by almost half a century. Victoria Wood once described Dad’s Army as ‘the most affectionately regarded comedy programme in the history of television’, and Frank Williams...

It's a great thrill and privilege this episode to welcome multi-talented actor, writer and music artist, Andrew Mackintosh, who carved his own special niche in British television history as Detective Sergeant Alistair Greig, a key character in over 300 episodes of one of the most successful and influential television dramas of all time, The Bill. But as we discover, there's so much more to...

For this latest instalment in our occasional series, Elvis and the Press, our leading contributor Gary Wells‬ joins us to consider press reaction to Elvis' March 3rd, 1974, matinee performance at the Houston Astrodome as part of the Livestock Show and Rodeo, at which time he broke his own 1970 Rodeo attendance record. Jeff Millar, writing for the Houston Chronicle, applauded Elvis' effort,...

For this latest instalment in our occasional series, Elvis and the Press, our leading contributor Gary Wells joins us to consider press reaction to Elvis' March 3rd, 1974, matinee performance at the Houston Astrodome as part of the Livestock Show and Rodeo, at which time he broke his own 1970 Rodeo attendance record. Jeff Millar, writing for the Houston Chronicle, applauded Elvis' effort,...

This episode, our leading contributor, Gary Wells,‬ guides us through the fascinating story of Colonel Parker, the Presley Estate, and a tenacious Memphis lawyer determined to get to the truth. In the wake of Vernon Presley’s death in 1979, court-appointed attorney Blanchard Tual presented a 300 page report detailing his forensic investigation into Colonel Parker’s financial arrangements with the...

In this supplement to our episode on the Winter Dance Party tour, headlined by Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson (the Big Bopper), our leading contributor ‪Gary Wells‬ joins us to discuss in more detail some of the friendships and professional relationships forged during the tour. We examine the culpability of the promoters taking into account the context of the time, and learn that th...

This episode, our leading contributor ‪Gary Wells,‬ guides us through the fascinating story of Colonel Parker, the Presley Estate, and a tenacious Memphis lawyer determined to get to the truth. In the wake of Vernon Presley’s death in 1979, court-appointed attorney Blanchard Tual presented a 300 page report detailing his forensic investigation into Colonel Parker’s financial arrangements with the...

This episode is inspired by our regular contributor Gary Wells’ popular website, www.soulrideblog.com, Your Home for Vintage Leisure; specifically, his reviews of two important and fascinating books on the Beach Boys - The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern California Experience (1994), by Timothy White, and Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy (2016), by Mike...

For this latest instalment in our occasional series, Elvis and the Press, we’re joined once again by our leading contributor, ‪Gary Wells, to take a deep dive into the local coverage of Elvis’ performance in Saginaw, Michigan, on April 25th, 1977. It was the first of two non-consecutive shows to nearly 7 200 at the Wendler Arena, with a second concert added to the end of the 13 night tour in respo...

For this latest instalment in our occasional series, Elvis and the Press, we’re joined once again by our leading contributor, Gary Wells, to take a deep dive into the local coverage of Elvis’ performance in Saginaw, Michigan, on April 25th, 1977. It was the first of two non-consecutive shows to nearly 7 200 at the Wendler Arena, with a second concert added to the end of the 13 night tour in respon...

This episode is inspired by our regular contributor Gary Wells’ popular website, soulrideblog.com , ‘Your Home for Vintage Leisure’; specifically, his reviews of two important and fascinating books on the Beach Boys – The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the Southern California Experience (1994), by Timothy White, and Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy (2016), by Mike...

In this our second Elvis and the Press episode, we're joined once again by our leading contributor, Gary Wells (soulrideblog.com), to take a deep dive into the coverage of Elvis' New Year's Eve performance in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the end of 1976. The Pittsburgh show, concluding a very well-received, high energy tour over just five nights, proved to be a remarkable moment in tim...

In this our second Elvis and the Press episode, we're joined once again by our leading contributor, ‪‪Gary Wells,‬ to take a deep dive into the coverage of Elvis' New Year's Eve performance in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the end of 1976. This was the second consecutive New Year's Eve Elvis had worked, with touring now continuing throughout winter by financial necessity. Elvis'...

In this our second Elvis and the Press episode, we're joined once again by our leading contributor, ‪‪Gary Wells, to take a deep dive into the coverage of Elvis' New Year's Eve performance in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the end of 1976. This was the second consecutive New Year's Eve Elvis had worked, with touring now continuing throughout winter by financial necessity. Elvis'...

This episode, we take inspiration from some articles by our leading contributor, Gary Wells, on his hit website soulrideblog.com . First, we discuss the sequel to the groundbreaking 1973 movie classic, American Graffiti, as we follow the fortunes and misfortunes of our favourite characters in an increasingly troubled 1960s America. We also learn about an independent film studio and distributor, Am...