1. SPOT THE TRENDS ... EARLY ...

In the Fall of 1982, a small group of friends in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada started to meet periodically to play music. With not much more than an acoustic guitar, a piano and some pots and pans, and in a rather blasphemous poke at popular music tradition, one of the band members introduced an early session with the following words: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ELVIS WAS A TRUCK DRIVER. Our reference point was established and the band had a name.

An important premise which quickly emerged was that minimal guidelines would direct the sessions. The dominating intellectual curiosity of the players discouraged structure, as did their limited musical abilities. The desired expression was a representation of the diverse interests of the group members, to be revealed as Elvis matured.

Instrumental skills, or more precisely, the lack of instrumental skills, and the limited availability of instruments also helped define the musical outcome. With each session more instruments became available. Acoustic strings, woods and percussion, as well as electric and primitive programmable keyboards were added as time progressed. Players were encouraged not to focus on instruments of their expertise, but rather to experiment with unfamiliar instruments. Often when a leadership role was assumed for a piece, it was manifest as an attempt to use an instrument in an uniquely expressive way.

The locale of each Elvis session was also influential. The three different homes where the sessions took place imposed different instruments, acoustics and environmental properties. Although the evenings were originally conceived as musical soirees, the gradual introduction of tea, cookies, pharmaceuticals and social commentary enhanced our sense of communal purpose, real or imagined.


Membership in Elvis quickly became exclusive and hence the numbers and personalities were important in shaping the music. New band mambers came, some left and some stayed. For posterity we wanted to document each session, and part of the definition became "two or more of a specific group playing together." Four at any one time was a comfortable maximum.

In 2002 - Elvis' 20th anniversary - there are ten "official" members of the band and many others who have had the priviledge/misfortune of sitting in for a session or two. Four are original members having played with the band since its conception in 1982 and nine of the ten have been with the band for at least 10 years - a remarkable testimonial to human endurance!

2. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ELVIS WAS A TRUCK DRIVER

The name of the band quickly emerged as a cliché evoking the total lack of commercial potential in the music. The principle of equal representation, and the loose guidelines designed to encourage performance freedom, tended to work against all the commercial precepts -- identification of a market, and the conscious creation of a product for that market's consumption. At no time did any band member have any illusion that this kind of music would interest anyone on a commercial level. Knowing this gave us freedom and provided the material for many good jokes based in fantasy.


The name of the band also created wonderful misconceptions of what kind of band we were and what kind of music we played. The logical assumption of non-band members was that we either re-created the music of Elvis Presley, or at the very least we played rock and roll music. Several band members delighted in this false assumption.

Another aspect of the band's name was that it was logically shortened to just Elvis when speaking to one another. Pretty soon the activity of getting together for a session became known as Elvising. We would therefore often use the word as a verb, for example, "Let's Elvis tonight".

3. ARE WE ROLLING, BOB?

Typically, an Elvis session would begin with a loosely defined but logically structured 'set-up' number. It was geared to achieving a maximum number of events with a minimum number of motions. We were still trying to understand electricity.


Sometimes the Elvis aura began to descend as early as the sound check. More often than not, the music itself sounded like the sound check. Cognizant of the power of our equipment, we shuffled instruments and sound-checked various configurations and levels. This information was frequently ignored while playing, but the important equilibrium was inevitably returned to.

Taping was suggested during our evaluation of one of the first sessions. Taping imposed a beginning and an end. This delineation was often by consensus, but the responsibility was also taken on arbitrarily by individuals. Also, the finite tape length imposed itself more than once. The more we began to conceptualize finite blocks of time, the more purpose and scope began to be defined for each piece.

With tape ready to roll the lobbyists for a warm-up number would make their pitch. On occasions when we were convinced, the group would move cautiously into a series of stretching exercises.

With a single micophone suspended from a cup-hook in the middle of the room and plugged into a single-track cassette deck, we were able to reproduce the Elvis "sound" - that of a live bootleg recording.

A few other inevitable events punctuated the sessions. Tapes ran out, equipment failed, people became thirsty or exhausted, band members succumbed to fits of uncontrollable laughter, the telephone rang -- and a band member called out for "more telephone". Pieces also came to an end on their own accord, resolved as statements or simply left hanging as unanswered questions.

Frequently, when a piece ended, we stopped the tape, took a few deep reflective breaths and a sip of tea, and tried to envision the next piece. A new direction often needed clear heads. However, sometimes consensus would call for an instant tape replay to demonstrate a useful excursion or to exchange compliments and pats-on-the-back. Other times the tape would roll on forgotten, capturing the wit or cynicism of the relieved players. Occasionally we continued to record purposefully, sensing something left unsaid, or a fresh idea imminent.

Typically we'd record five tunes encompassing one hour. A variety of moods were engaged and recordings would reflect:
1. something of the current individual and collective head-spaces (emotional)
2. something of the quality direction that various group members were working toward (academic/intellectual)
3. something of the hallucinogenic quality generated by the group's total encompass of its members at points in the evening.

Energy waxed and waned, but fortunately it tended to accumulate toward a subtle climax. This was frequently in the vicinity of the tape running out. Winding down was often a problem. Tea and a little medication and meditation helped. Occasionally a piano solo helped dispatch the band.

The presence of recording equipment and the act of recording the sessions had a significant effect on the performance. It helped introduce duration and hence structure into the individual pieces, and facilitated themes for entire sessions. It provided an important feedback facility which was used over the course of the evening and it facilitated comparison of emotions experienced during the performance with those projected into the world. This comparison proved to be an important part of our evolution.

Taping also provided band members with recorded music they could listen to in their cars on their way home after a session and during the week until the next session.

We have continued to tape our sessions from time to time and today there exists a library of probably a hundred or so hours of taped Elvis Was a Truck Driver music. Nobody seems to care.

4. GREAT MOMENTS IN ELVIS HISTORY

1982: Elvis Was a Truck Driver is formed.

1983: The Elvis Was a Truck Driver World Tour is planned for 1997. The tour is to begin in China and end with a finale on a raft in the South China Sea to commemorate Hong Kong's return to China. The world holds its breath.

1984: The Vancouver Province newspaper chooses Monica M as their "Sunshine Girl". In her profile, Monica names Elvis Was a Truck Driver as her favourite band. Elvis has its first (and only) mention in the local media.

1984: A friend of a friend of a friend of a friend did a radio show at one of the local universities and was black-mailed or bribed into playing one of our songs on his show. It was the only time that Elvis music was made available to the public. Although there was no public outcry, band members were very proud to hear their sounds on the radio.

1985: Neckties From Hong Kong is released as a single and hits the charts at #1 with a bullet.


1986: "ELVIS GOES ELECTRIC" is what the world press would have reported had the band changed instantly from acoustic to electric instruments. But the change occurred so slowly and subtly that the media were too preoccupied to notice. Fortunately the band was able to avoid a situation similar to Bob Dylan's electrification.

1987: Human Head Transplant Symphony is banned in North America. Riots break out in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Maple Ridge. Human Head Transplant Symphony is never released.

1988: The album Starve Your Granny is released featuring the hit single Shopping with the Contras.

1989: Elvis moves out of the Godwin Avenue studio and into their new studio at Alison's place. We're still there.

1990s: Elvis exchanges their cookie tins for a real set of drums.


1996: When the Elvis World Tour was announced in 1983 it was considered a safe plan because no one would have guessed that the band would still be together in 1997. But time has a way of surprising us and when 1996 came along it was time to plan the World Tour for the following year. Instead of planning the tour, we decided to cancel it. It was possibly the greatest World Tour that never happened. Dave says he has fond memories of the tour... but he can't remember them.

2000: The band moves out of Alison's basement and into a real rehearsal studio on Granville, in the heart (or is that groin?) of downtown Vancouver.

2002: Elvis Was a Truck Driver's 20th anniversary. Is there another Elvis World Tour in the making?

5. DOES ANYONE KNOW THE WORDS?

For the first year or so Elvis Was a Truck Driver had been primarily an instrumental band. Individual members had grown in their knowledge of the instruments and their ability to play them. Band members also grew in their knowledge of each other as musicians and their ability to play with and off of each other. For reasons unknown, perhaps out of experimentation, perhaps out of boredom, it was time to add lyrics.


Being aware of the unique nature of the band's music, unique lyrics were necessary and it was recognized that there was no better place for unique lyrics than the supermarket tabloids and the local community newspaper. At each session someone would bring a National Enquirer or local community newspaper, and the copy would provide a starting point, or a basic idea upon which to improvise. Sometimes the copy was used verbatum as lyrics. As the band matured, band members brought their own poetry and other writings to the sessions to use as lyrics.

6. Some of the LYRICS

all these lyrics © David McKelvey and Elvis Was a Truckdriver

SPOT THE TRENDS EARLY

Take it slow take it slow take it slow.
There's a season called "resort" ©
Take it slow.

Wedged just before holiday
And comin' right after spring
Spot the trends early and you're gonna swing
On in to the season called resort ©

Take it slow take it slow take it slow take it slow take it slow

You got a black duster coat coverin' a white trouser skirt
Its a big contender for the resort holiday spring flirt
Yes it's simple, sits basic, it's fabric adaptable to you
Spot the trends early the trends early
And you're gonna swing on through

Cool your thermostat with some day time ware
You gotta major length and peepon shine,
No gel in your hair
Lookin' ahead to beaded embroidery don't flash it all in one bed
Just spot the trends early and you'll be a whole year ahead.

Spot the trends early © spot'em and you'll see
Spot the trends early © spot'em and you'll be
Spot the trends early © spot'em where they're gonna bleed
Spot the trends early © season's in resort

Spot the trends early there's a season called resort
Just wedged in before holiday and right after spring
Spot the trends early © and you'' ll be a whole year ahead
Spot the trends early © just take a step outta bed
Spot the trends early © come and sit on my leg
Spot the trends early © and we'll lay a big egg
Spot the trends early © there's a season called resort
Spot the trends early © gonna be a big cavort
Spot the trends early © and we gonna get down

Spot the trends early ©
You don't have to spend it all in one place
Split it up go here go there for a 10th of the pace
Take a stitch make a daytime look
It's not gonna be too cold
With what you already lost
You're not gonna be TOO Bold

The continental traditional feels are gonna be right the fuck OUT
Shrimp and peach and all galore are gonna be right the fuck IN
We're gonna have a resort holiday spring
All purpose ware that's gonna be OUT and IN
Spot the trends early.



I LOOKED THE AYATOLLAH RIGHT IN THE EYE

I looked the Ayatollah right in the eye.
You gotta kiss my ass Translation. "good morning."
Hoji got Pravis by the beard
Teeth are stickin' plum out of his badass face
Know what i mean?
You're closer than the rest to the action
Bottle of wine and a crayfish plate'll take the words right outta your mouth.
I shaked his hand good and he started spillin it all.
Billboards on sunset boulevard and we're 99% home.

I saw the glitter in his eye.
He dug cruz shit at me,
Then "Oh Tod You're a genius but where's Castro's ID?
The Ayatollah a classic picture. He can take a photie without a camera
Go Yankees Go Yankees Go
It's in the bag Bob
It's in the bag
I looked the Ayatollah right in the eye.




IMAGINE A DAY AT THE END OF YOUR LIFE

sometimes i feel totally subsumed by it ALL
the wife the two kids i only wanted FIVE
Drugs and drink and disfigurement
allison she's too PLAIN
And denise has talent but she married too young gave it all UP
Afternoons at the remington,
haystacks and Massmurder Balls
Mysteries being written as we drive across the US
And what does it get us but a dirty hotel room
Filled with typewriter output and pale pillow paper
I'm spoiled by Harriet's fun

We got a dirty dozen policeman for library acquaintances
Everybody undervalues my time
The girls are good natured but I don't notice a thing
Now Michael he's the latest problem
Take the trip its too blurry
Don't give us any trouble and take off that furry
Face that looks like it just got in from a pretty wild west

I drove out in the woods to Batesville
Just to look at the BIRDS
The sky was blue the tree was bark
Why isn't everybody walking' around the same way I am mortally mystified
40 years of marriage why can't i commemorate that with anything but a hospitalization program
You're not decrepit, you're not in pain
Nothing's happening at all the ground is solid
Can't you see you're only a temporary phenomena
SO imagine that you aren't there any longer
Earlier in the evening the silver flys had been required
They get back then suddenly you fuck it all up
From the sky like fallen leaves at once consumed
Imagine that day at the end of your life
I drove out in the woods to Batesville
Just to look at the BIRDS

But it's getting cold and the colour's going fast
From the leaves.
There's a few
far©a©field missing persons that we don't know about
Don't talk to relevance to me cause I got nothin' but Memories of collections of stamps from a different time.
Imagine that day at the end of your life
I drove out in the woods to Batesville
Just to look at the BIRDS


WANDERING WITH THE SWANS

Wandering with the swans
One bird to fly
One bird to keep
Held close with your souls
Take some care now
Some things take more than one day
More than a rented sword
More than a tent pitched
Lightly
On the edge of an idea
More than a half act play
(So) Sharpen your step
Think before you write
But write
The swans won't sing again.....
Till after the intermission.



WATCHING AND WASTING

Watching and wasting
Dutiful and beautiful
Watching and wasting
Conforming while performing
Watching and wasting
All just so and oh just oh
Watching and waiting
Taking all the steps
All of the precautions
Two at a time
Watching and waiting
Never feeling the strings
The strings all those things
Just watching and waiting
For what can't come
If you're watching
or
Waiting.


PANORAMIC BLUE GOAT

Panoramic blue glow
covers another TV night
Listless chipping
a heart bleeding quietly
in the refrigerator.

Spiders are eating
the life
that used to be in this place
Laughter startles the mold.

Don't make any noise
This is all there is
Reading a sentence
Punctuated by
Washing the car
Feeding the dog
Washing the dog
Feeding the car
Switching channels
Buying a Polaroid
Putting it in a drawer
Never using it again
Painting even in the corners
A list too big to count

And not a damn thing on it.

....