Interview with the president of the Official Elvis Spain Club: Joaquín Luque

Tens and tens of thousands of Elvis fans around the world are responsible for keeping the King alive every year through commemorations, celebrations and concerts; Last weekend, the Sauce Hotel had the honor of receiving and hosting members of the Spanish Elvis Presley fan club.

It is now the third year that we have welcomed them, so there is confidence: Elvis’s music plays over the hotel’s pipe to create an atmosphere before the party at Las Armas, we help them iron their shirts with frills and we take photos with them and their toupees.

Even some Beatlemaniac from the Sauce team tries to poke them but, as elegant as Elvis, they have an answer for everything: “John Lennon already said it: before Elvis, there was nothing.”

Joaquín Luque

This week the annual convention of the Official Elvis Club of Spain is celebrated. The Summer Festival has already become a classic for El Rey fans in our country, and Saragossa is on its way to becoming a permanent venue. For a few days, toupees, sideburns and a rockabilly aesthetic walked around the Sauce cafeteria.
We have had the opportunity to meet some illustrious fans in person and to chat with one of the club’s managers and a real eminence about the figure of Elvis. We are pleased to introduce you to Joquín Luque.

You are the official Elvis club of Spain, recognized by Graceland and with more than twenty years of history. How did the idea of the club come about?

The idea of the Club arose in 1991, from a group of friends from Badalona, who met every year on the anniversary of his death, and who finally decided to found the Club in March 1991. From that moment until now, the Club has been advancing, it has been getting bigger and bigger and, for a couple of years, with the new board of directors, we have experienced an expansion like never before, with the celebration of the annual meeting in Saragossa, and, last year, offering fans the chance to see Elvis’ original ’70s band, the TCB Band, live.

Is there as much love for The King in Spain as in other countries?

Unfortunately for us, the Elvis fandom in Spain, compared to other European countries, is clearly inferior…due to many reasons…Elvis did not enter Spain with the force that he did in other countries, partly due to the dictatorship, and when He finally entered, it was late, since it almost coincided with the arrival of the Beatles. Even so, what we have noticed in recent years is more respect for his figure and for his music, something that did not happen, for example, 20 years ago. Elvis is better known now than before, and that also creates a fandom.

Elvis is a complex figure, with multiple facets. Which Elvis do you like more, the one from Memphis or the one from Las Vegas?

Personally I can’t decide on an Elvis stage. If I have to admit that between 1968 to 1973 is one of the stages that I like the most, from the Comeback Special to the Aloha From Hawaii, in just 5 years Elvis evolved a lot… but each stage has its positive things… and its negative things. .there is no possible decision…even in his time in Hollywood we can highlight many themes.

The one with the jeans and t-shirt or the one with the sequin suit?

For me, Elvis was always very different, he already was in the 50’s, although perhaps he is not appreciated as much, but he stood out a lot in his way of dressing…the 70’s and his jumpsuits are nothing more than a projection of his clothing in the 50′, combined with his love for karate, and with the style, let’s call it special, that enveloped, in all aspects, the decade of the 70’s.
Regarding his career, I think I have already answered it in the previous question.

Blue suede shoes or In the Ghetto?

It depends on the moment, both are great songs, whatever version they are.

Why did you choose Saragossa for this Summer Festival?

When planning the Summer Festival, we decided on Saragossa because of its strategic location. We know that fans from the South Zone are a little far away, but the entire northern part, Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country… are practically the same distance. Furthermore, we found an ideal place for what we wanted to do, and after the first edition, we realized that another of the factors that influence the success of this festival is the hospitality with which all the people welcome us when we arrive in Saragossa, Apart from that touristically, it is a very attractive city. Our intention is to be able to continue holding the Summer Festival in Zaragoza in the coming years, although it depends on many factors.

Travelling through Spain with a group of Elvis fans, they have had to tell you a thousand anecdotes. What is the strangest thing that has happened to you in a hotel?

Maybe not here in Spain, but last year in Memphis it was common to see Elvis’s first drummer, DJ Fontana, at our hotel, having breakfast at our hotel…he liked having breakfast there more than at his, and every morning we saw him crossing the street to our hotel.

What absurd object cannot be missing from his suitcase?

Well, I couldn’t say… but what never fails is an Elvis t-shirt, and his music, of course.

How do you see Saragossa hosting this type of event?

As I have mentioned before, I think it is an ideal city, due to its geographical location, its tourist interest, and because of how well you always treat us.

Is there a fan of Elvis in the city?

We have some partners in the region, and we hope to increase the number in the future. In fact, there is even a tribute group, that of our partner Carlos Gargallo, called El Bis y los Preslis, which has performed in the three editions of the Summer Festival that we have held in Saragossa.

How many fans are you and how many have come?

In the fan club we have about 700 members, but the club itself has 5,000 followers on Facebook. About 100 members have come to this meeting in Saragossa.

How does the Elvis Fan Club work in Spain? What have you achieved?

We operate in a very simple way: those who become members pay 25 euros per year and have the right to exclusive material, 4 magazines and discounts on events, in other words, those who do not become a fan do so because they do not want to. In 2012, 2014 and 2015 we brought the original Elvis band to Barcelona. We were with them and they love the fans and sharing stories with them. Additionally, we organize trips to Memphis.

Is there any member of the fan club who has attended an Elvis concert?

There is a member from Barcelona named Angels Rosell who saw him in ’76 in Long Beach. This year she was not able to come to the Saragossa meeting because she was sick.

Your colleagues have tipped us off that you are good at imitating Elvis in the karaokes you organize…

I’m a karaokist, all Elvis fans like to sing. Those of us on the board have sometimes gone to a rural house and spent late hours singing karaoke… Of course all the songs we sang… were by Elvis!

How has El Sauce ended up being your meeting point?

The first year we were looking for a hotel and we ended up here by chance, but since then we have always returned. The treatment is great and we are here like family. From the beginning Maribel helped us find a charity association to donate the proceeds from the material raffle, which now goes to the soup kitchen of the El Carmen parish, and there are several directors who look forward to coming every year to eat the tortilla of potato. Yesterday at breakfast one of them was sending photos of the omelet via WhatsApp to all of his friends.

What do Elvis fans have in common?

Absolutely nothing. There are fans who are 22 years old and others who are 80. Although when Elvis was alive this also happened. Entire families went to his concerts. There are people who could even be at odds over political and other issues, and Elvis is the only thing that unites them.

A Martian lands on Earth and asks you who Elvis is. What do you answer?

He would tell you that he is the biggest music star that has ever existed. There is nothing that can compare to it. There is no other artist who can bring together so many people around his musical legacy. In 2017 it will be 40 years since his death, and about 70,000 people are expected in Memphis from all over the world.

Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the Elvis Fan Club. We will be happy to welcome you again!

I don’t know how we will celebrate, but what is certain is that we will come here! As long as we continue to hold the annual meeting, we will hold it in El Sauce.