Rockin' & Rollin'! with Simon from Rockabillaque- PINNED Podcast: Episode 26

Come join me and Simon as we talk about Rockabilly weekenders, his experience in the entertainment business and even an experience any Elvis Presley fan would love!!!!

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About  Simon Cantlon
 Vive Le Rock Productions, producer of the Rockabillaque festival. 

 He have worked for over 25 years in the entertainment industry initially working in radio, publicity, and band management before transitioning into digital media bringing him into the world of television, music artists, and live music. I worked on many TV shows including American Idol, Weeds, So You Think You Can Dance, Californication, and so on. I have also worked with Elvis Presley Enterprises, David Beckham, Adam Lambert, The Spice Girls, Carrie Underwood, and more. He was nominated for an Emmy for my work on the television show Dexter. After leaving the corporate entertainment world he  went solo and started producing festivals and events including Rockabilly On The Route and now Rockabillaque which is now in its 8th year and is in two states, with plans to expand even further with more Rockabillaque's. 

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For more information
www.rockabillaque.com
www.vivelerockproductions.com


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Transcript

Miss Pinup Miami: 0:04

Hello, and welcome to episode number 26 of the PINNED podcast. I'm your h st Pinup Miami and at the in podcast we talk about mod rn topics with a vintage fla r. Thank you so much for click ng on this video. If it's y ur first time or listening to us on the podcasting, podcast ng stations, I appreciate that ou click that hope you like nd subscribe and listen for mo e. And if you are returning, I w nt to say thank you so much. It means so much that you re listening. And a special th nk you to everyone that reached ut to me on last week's episode. It was all about me episode ab ut because it was my birthday we k. And I want to say thank you ll for listening in and donat ng all the donations that I've ot in go right back into my cr ft and to making more content or you guys and I really appreci te it. So thank you from the bot om of my heart. And make sure t at you follow the pin podcast at the pin podcast official on Instagram if you haven't alre dy and my personal Instagram Pi up Miami. And if you feel f st enough, you can send me a t xt 18334a pin up. It could e anything that you want on t e show any guest suggestion, anything is really appreciat d even a joke. And before we g t started with an amazing gue t that I have for you today, f you're watching us on YouTub, you'll see him on the scree. But I am going to talk abo t today's sponsor for the episod. It is I say Luna Miami. You gu s love this headpiece that I m wearing if you're watching n YouTube, or you can catch her n Instagram at Luna Miami. She t e sponsor of today's episode a d she creates beautiful he d pieces that are both floral. A d based on her art. She's a loc l artist in Miami and all her a t is very great like a burri o style. She does earring, purses, everything handpaint d so make sure to check her o t and her website is at the Lu a miami.com and I will put h r info in the link below. N w today's guest is Simon Catl n from Viva rock productions a d the producer of rockabil y festival. He is an extraordina y man has done so much in his li e and was nominated for an Emmy, I learned this. Welcome to t e podcas

Simon Calton: 2:23

Thank you for having me.

Miss Pinup Miami: 2:24

Thank you. So I'm excited to have you. I had the pleasure of hosting a pinup contest when you had the rockabilly key here in Florida, or your this year it feels like forever ago but earlier this year, just seemed like a lifetime ago. So you have a very impressive like history. Simon is there like can you give us like a little synopsis or bio for my listeners?

Simon Calton: 2:50

Sure. I've been working entertainment industry for 20 something years I worked in digital media marketing record labels. I worked for different TV shows including American Idol, say thinking dance, Dexter, California keishon. And about 42. Other TV shows a lot of them you probably haven't heard of or don't want to hear from they're not. There's a lot of stinkers in those mixes as well. And I've worked with music artists, everything from a lot of American Idol artists, obviously, like Carrie Underwood and but even with the Spice Girls and Annie Lennox and stuff like that, I also work for Elvis Presley enterprises, because of my last sort of corporate job. In the entertainment industry, I've done a lot of different stuff. Related I, you know, just done that as much as I can be in the industry to get as much experience as possible. And then when I turned 40, I left everything behind and traveled the country for a year and decided to settle in Charleston, South Carolina, where I now produce festivals and events and do marketing and social media branding and all that stuff. But yeah, the we had the I had the honor of having you involved in rockabilly Q. When it came to Florida last this year, I think the last year, it does feel like

Miss Pinup Miami: 4:19

myself, I thought the same thing.

Simon Calton: 4:21

Seems like a life It seems like a long time ago. I'm pre COVID. I did my I did my first year of rockabilly q in Florida. And that was this past February. But it does seem like a while ago, but it was great. And I'm really excited to do it again. Hopefully we get to do it next year. I just don't know when yet.

Miss Pinup Miami: 4:43

And what got you into rockabilly?

Simon Calton: 4:46

I've always been I've been a huge music fan my whole life ever since I was a kid. I would start listening to an artist find out who their influences were, and go and buy the records for the because before that when I was a kid, there wasn't Spotify. And, you know streaming music and all that you would actually go to the record store and buy that or listen to it on the radio and try and record it with a cassette player and try to cut out the DJ so you can get the song. But uh, yeah, I, I bought up a bunch of 45 when I was a kid, and I had a little Fisher Price record player, and I gravitated towards a particular 45 probably the most and it was Jean Vincent's be bop a Lula. And I think woman love was on the side. And I love that be Vava'u like it was such an eye. That was my first sort of introduction. But even before Elvis, that was my first introduction to what I guess would be rockabilly music. And I loved it. I thought it was like the coolest thing ever. Unfortunately, I pretty much destroyed I still have the 45 but I pretty much destroyed it because she gave me these 45 when I was like seven years old, which I kind of like wish she hadn't but you know, cuz I pretty much destroyed all of them playing them, you know, scratching and playing? Yeah, I didn't know how to maintain records and stuff at the you know, when I was a kid. Um, but yeah, I was like that sort of was my first sort of, like love of rockabilly music.

Miss Pinup Miami: 6:12

And then you with rockabilly fee for somebody that hasn't heard of it, how would you describe it? It's a car show, it's a concert. It's a whole, it's a whole lifestyle brought into one event?

Simon Calton: 6:24

Yeah, it's an experience. I mean, obviously, properties need to be paid to the, you know, Viva Las Vegas was the sort of the originator of what is the modern day rockabilly festival and that was definitely a huge influence. If anybody who puts on these bits says it wasn't and they'd be lying. Um, and, you know, so I took it and made it my own but it you know, it's a it's a it's an outdoor event that has classic cars, motorcycles, pinups, you know, rockabilly music, Honky Tonk. You know, it has different various contests, including tattoo if you're in a moustache, as vendors, it has, you know, dancing, it's a whole day of, you know, fun filled day of action packed fun. And you know, the thing about it too, is that my particular festivals are free. And no one else that I know of is doing a rockabilly festival for free, and in the United States, and there's nothing wrong with ticketing it, honestly, it makes better business sense, but, but I like the idea of doing a free event. I like the idea that people can come in there, they just can come enjoy the day, they don't spend any money if they don't want to. Hopefully, you know, they get some food and drinks and buy some teachers and stuff they don't they get to see some great live music and, you know, see some fun things like the pinup contest and, you know, see people dancing or dance themselves or whatever. But yeah, it's like it's it's definitely a try to make it an experience that people walk away from and want to come back again, year after year.

Miss Pinup Miami: 7:57

And sing or dance. Yeah.

Simon Calton: 8:01

One of the behind the scenes guy, I mean, I don't mind getting on stage and stuff. But I definitely I like to, I like to be behind the scenes, other other people that are, you know, bring their talents to, you know, shine and be in the spotlight. That's more I want to shine the spotlight on people. And you know, and let them and let her do the thing. That's my thing.

Miss Pinup Miami: 8:23

I have two questions from from, from Instagram, that have to do with the Charleston rockabilly. How is it working with the city? Is it complicated or?

Simon Calton: 8:36

No, the city loves it. In fact, the mayor of North Charleston where I do the festival and rockabilly cue in Austin is now in its, well, this would have been the eighth year. So next year will be the eighth year. And I do this in the neighborhood of Park circle, which is a neighborhood in North Charleston, South Carolina, which is part of Charleston, and is a mid century neighborhood has a little Main Street with restaurants and bars and breweries. And we closed the whole neighborhood down and the city loves it. The mayor actually is it's his favorite event. unofficially, of course, but it's his favorite event of the year. And he has about 20 classic cars that he keeps in the warehouse. And he brings out about four to six classic cars every year to be in the to be in the festival. And he has a particular spot. And you know, he gets it every year and he even did a promo video last year for the for the festival, like showing off his cars and talking about you know how much he loves, you know, mid century culture and yeah, so it helps with the mayor is a fan of your event for sure.

Miss Pinup Miami: 9:43

I hope one year I go. Oh yeah,

Simon Calton: 9:46

hopefully we hopefully we get to get you out next year. You know, obviously we had a little stumbling block this year, but hopefully epitope conscious next year here so

Miss Pinup Miami: 9:56

and how so the rapid mini queue in Charleston has been going on for eight years just noticed any difference in the community that arise in in rockabilly?

Simon Calton: 10:07

Yes, for sure. The first year was maybe two blocks, and we had 1500 2000 people come out. And there was a couple people that dressed up. Other than that, there wasn't a lot of like people getting into it, people loved it. And it was, you know, everyone, you know, they came love it and tell everyone about it, you know, word of mouth, as you know, word of mouth is huge thing. And since then, we've grown it, obviously. And now we close down most of the neighborhood, it's we closed outside streets, and it's a big endeavor. It's definitely the most unique rockabilly queue, because it's in its mid century neighborhood, the rockabilly queues going forward are going to be at casinos. And actually, I, my plan is to do about four or five of them across the country. I just got approved last week for a national trademark for rockabilly cue. So I am hoping in the future to expand not just have Charlson in Florida, but have them elsewhere as well.

Miss Pinup Miami: 11:09

Oh, that's exciting. And I also love that it's on the East Coast, because a lot of the rockabilly culture is always the first thing people think about is the West Coast. That's why I love going to be my east. Three years ago, I'm actually one Miss Viva east. And that was a great festival because it was on the east coast. And it's a whole different kind of vibe. And, and I just love it. And I love the event here. So that's why I can't wait for you to grow and expand because I don't.

Simon Calton: 11:37

Yeah, definitely I have I have a plan. And I plan to do them in places where I you know, I'm not trying to compete with any other rockabilly festivals, they will be in the areas that are not currently like there's nothing you know, in that area that it has to fit has to fit the brand. But also, you know, I'm excited about expanding. So I have ideas, but I'm not gonna

Miss Pinup Miami: 11:58

regulations. I'm so excited for you. So why did you decide? Because one of the questions was, I'm just gonna skip as I go, Hey, why did you pick Florida first to expand?

Simon Calton: 12:11

I

Miss Pinup Miami: 12:12

was an opportunity thing.

Simon Calton: 12:14

Well, I picked Florida because I knew so I just somebody that works for the casino, who used to live here. And he reached out to me and he was like, we want to do a rockabilly classic car, you know, pinup event here at the casino. And I've been telling the owners about rockabilly cue and how amazing it is, and all this stuff. And I would love to work with you to bring it in and how it sort of happened. And it was a it was a big success. I mean, like, for first year, I mean, I was very impressed by the culture in Florida like rockabilly, classic cars, pinups, vintage motorcycle culture is huge. And Florida, more so than in South Carolina. I mean, there's a culture here, but I think a lot of people come here because they just enjoy the event. Like they love to just, you know, in Florida, there's more of a actual, like, thriving culture. I mean, as you know, living there, but yeah, so it was it makes sense. And it kind of opened the door for I was like, Well, you know, casinos fit the branding, for sure. And I love you know, it's not, they're a great partner. The Seminole casino was fantastic to work with, and I look forward to working with them for next year. Obviously, we had to postpone next year's, but we're working to figure out a date, we're waiting to sort of see where things go, you know, but there's big black, I will tell you that the rockabilly queue in Florida, if it happens in 2022, or 2020 2021, Ah, no, no, I want to happen in 2021, like knock on wood get out there into the universe. But there's some big announcements with it, and it's gonna be bigger. That's all I can tell you is that it's definitely no bigger. There's plans to expand it in different ways. But we have to sort of wait and see you know, what the temperature you know, how things are going and everything. Obviously, there's a lot going on, but hopefully this you know, within the beginning of the year, we can start figuring out and we're able to start planning things again.

Miss Pinup Miami: 14:16

And you think that it's a perfect spot cuz most of the South Florida is not that big as west coast of Florida and Central Florida. So take a perfect like little hutches like everyone being able to meet there. So that's

Simon Calton: 14:29

exactly yeah, it's not too far of a drive. It's not too far from Miami. And many, many cities can get there within a couple hours of me. So

Miss Pinup Miami: 14:37

I get to see my central Florida friends, my West Coast friends.

Simon Calton: 14:41

Yeah, definitely. It's a great idea. I love to doing that. Man. I'm excited to do it again. I was bummed. We couldn't do it in February, but obviously, you know, it makes sense. So yeah.

Miss Pinup Miami: 14:52

So I want to know about your Elvis Presley enterprise experience.

Simon Calton: 14:58

So I I definitely am obsessed with Elvis I have a lot of Elvis paraphernalia I've read a lot of different books and listen You know, I'm I have a slight obsession with Elvis and I worked for a company, a virgin company called 19 Entertainment. And they Oh owned Elvis Presley enterprises when I worked there. So I got to start diving in. And we actually were developing an app and never happened, but it's going to be a karaoke app. And I wish it would have been really cool because literally, like, you would have been able to, like sing along with Elvis and Elvis was gonna, like perform next to you and stuff. But apps are, you know, a hard thing to develop and get, you know, through to the final stages and all that. But one of the benefits of me doing that is that they found out that I'm a big Elvis fan, and I worked on American Idol and all this different stuff. And they asked me to be a judge for the International Elvis tribute contest one year for Elvis week, which is an August, and that's a, you know, memorial for his, his his death and all that stuff, and have a huge celebration. And you just think contests and all this stuff. And the tribute artists, they compete all over the all over the world for a year and they pick the best ones. And they come and compete at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown. So I got to come and be a judge for that, which was really, really cool. And but then the next year, they asked me to write the introduction, introductory article for Elvis weeks program guide. So I got to write an article about Elvis that was featured in the program guide that literally hundreds of 1000s of people saw and read and, and all that. But they told me, I had to write it in a week. So it's definitely not my finest writing efforts. And at the time I was producing I used to produce a festival in New Mexico before rockabilly Well, actually, I started at the same year as rockabilly cue, but it was the original one. It was called rockabilly on the route. It was in a little route 66 town called to carry on in New Mexico. And we basically took over the whole town for a week, like we had a parade and burnout. And the convention center had shows and we had shows at diners and barbecue joints and stuff all over town, we sold out every hotel motel, and it was a ton of fun. But after five years, we decided to retire it. It was hard for me because of love the distance and my co producer didn't want to do events anymore. And it just was like it had run its course and five years was great. But at the time. It was a week before I had to go to New Mexico to do this event. And it was like, Yeah, it's a big endeavor. And I they basically contact me and they're like, we want you to write the feature article, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, Oh my god, it's amazing. Like, we need it in a week. And I was like, Oh my god, I had to like, pull together this article. And I'm not like a seasoned writer, you know. So it's like, I had to like, you know, but I had friends that were editors and stuff that helped me kind of craft it. But it was really an honor. And it was very, very cool. That I got to write a feature article and it's like, you know, the program guy did pass out the event. Yeah, it was really, really cool. But I have to say one of the like, shivers up my spine moments was when because I was there as a judge the year before they gave us like a private tour of Graceland. I've been to Graceland million different times. But they let me walk the grounds at night of Graceland by myself. And so this is before the candlelight vigil and all that. So I'm literally walking across, you know, around the property. I'm like, Oh my god, this is like the land that Elvis walked and lived and, you know, ran his go karts and romanced women and, you know, like, did a million different things. It was just like, it was just really cool. Because like, I think he's, he was an he was an amazing artist. So it definitely, like made me feel like you know, like I felt the energy and the presence or whatever. And it was just a really cool like I fan I definitely was a fanboy that day and fanned out. And I got to be at the beginning of the candlelight procession and go through you know, the all that. And that was really amazing to see all the fans that you know, come out for that and pay tribute and it's very moving. You know, I recommend I recommend anybody should go to Graceland at least once. It's an all day experience. For one thing. Have you ever been to Graceland? No.

Miss Pinup Miami: 19:27

One day, one day I'll go

Simon Calton: 19:30

set aside a whole day because it is literally like, it's not just the it's not just the house. They have. They have the airplane museum. They have museums for his films. They have the gift shops, they have a theater that shows his movies, they have live music, they have it. It's like I ever I took a friend of my co producer in New Mexico I took her years ago. And I was like, we have to set aside a whole day while we're in Memphis to go to this. It's not just like, we're going for like three hours like it's it and but we were doing And she's like, she was like, it was like nine o'clock by the time we actually left the grounds or whatever. And we went there at like 10am in the morning. And she's like, you weren't kidding. Like this is so full day experience like, and you had to you have to go to the unofficial gift shops to because that's where you find a really great stuff. Like the official merchandise is great. But you can find like I have a pink satin 1980's, we both do fan club jacket that has like embroidery on the back. And it has the name of the fan club and all that. And me and her bought matching jackets. And we actually wore them to their pink satin. And we wore them to Dollywood. And people there thought we were performers at Dollywood. And they kept me up and asked us about schedules. And like where do we go to find this? Like No, we're actually just here for the $10. But people literally thought we were performers because we were wearing these shiny pink satin jackets and stuff. It was really funny. But yeah, and then years before that I had been working. When I was in college, I worked at a bookstore in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Memphis mafia members of the Memphis mafia just put out a book called Elvis Aaron Presley. And they were doing a little book tour and they made an appearance at a bookstore in. in Pittsburgh, and my, the bookstore I was working at was supplying the books and part of the promotion or whatever. So I immediately requested I get to be at the event and I get to help you know, I bring the books in and I hand them the books, the sign and all that. So I got to hang out with the Memphis mafia for like four hours, enter with them and have drinks with them. And they told me all these stories and like, I mean, it was it was amazing. Like, I mean, that was like 23 24th time. And I was literally like, this is amazing. Like, these guys were his best friends and I'm hanging out with them. And it was really cool. So I've been lucky to get to experience some really cool like, Elvis stuff, you know?

Miss Pinup Miami: 21:55

His whole story is your face like if you guys are not watching on YouTube, this segment cuz he's like bright eyed, like bright eyed and smiling.

Simon Calton: 22:04

Yeah, no, no, yeah, no, I get really excited about stuff like that. Like I really geek out and I have all kinds of like weird I have all kinds of quirky Elvis are there's this huge I have a print screen this there's this artist named Mr. brainwash, which he did a documentary about and he is a prodigy, a Sikh, apparently like a prodigy of Banksy. Then, you know, the graffiti artist. And he did this movie called access to the gift shop. It's a documentary on him and everything. And at the end, his big art exhibit of the documentary is based on was in Los Angeles. And the first 200 people that went to the event got a signed lithograph that was he actually added some paint elements to it and signed it right then and there. He was this real eccentric character, I highly recommend the documentary. It's called execute. And his name is Mr. brainwash, but the the lithograph he was his art was it's a picture of Elvis probably from I'm looking at it right now, but probably from one of his cowboy movies from the late 50s. And he's cradling a fisher price machine gun. And he and and there's like splatters of paint at the bottom and stuff, but it's like this huge. I might be able to let me see if I can. Let's see if we can do a little special. You the Yeah, here we go. That's it. Oh, there

Miss Pinup Miami: 23:23

you go. Oh, so cute. Yeah. So

Simon Calton: 23:26

he's a fisher price machine gun. So he uses sort of well known mural graffiti mural artists and they made this documentary about him and everything. And then the whole thing is whether he was Banksy real life and this guy was actually like, you know, he's a very eccentric character and stuff. He's done making album this guy's done album covers he did Madonna's like greatest hits album cover and stuff. Anyway, so I got to be one of the first 200 people and I got this print. This you know, like, Walton original video actually is numbered and everything. Wow. Yeah. So yeah, that's one of my that's one of my prized possessions. If there was a fire I probably that probably.

Miss Pinup Miami: 24:04

And you have it right in front of you secrecy it every day. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And do you have any like, top like if you had to name your top three Elvis songs.

Simon Calton: 24:14

A rocker hula baby crawfish. These are just ones that popped into my head. Gosh, a Heartbreak Hotel. I want you I need you. I love you. Um, I think I want you I know you love he's one where he talks in the middle. And it just like makes you a kid. Just like he's like just talking to the woman of his of his attraction or whatever. And it's just amazing. Uh, yeah, doesn't probably like some of the some of my favorites. I love

Miss Pinup Miami: 24:48

suspicious minds.

Simon Calton: 24:50

So this is mines is a classic for sure. There's one that I always forget the name of that's like really, really great. And it's almost like Sinatra esque and I'm completely blanking on the name but it Anyway, there's there's a lot I, the thing is I've listened to Elvis for so long that I that it wasn't him all the time now, but he's a million of my mixes and stuff. But it's because the popular stuff I listened to so much that like, the more like, I even like the soundtrack, the soundtrack stuff is the more obscure stuff is actually really great even when he was doing stuff that was subpar of his talent. It still was amazing. Like, artists would do anything to do his subpar material like heavy like it's even it's like, weird soundtrack songs are amazing. So yeah, so I like you know, like rockabilly baby or crawfish or King Creole, I love King Creole, even Las Vegas is a great song. The guy soundtrack stuff is amazing, even it's 70 stuff is, you know, is pretty phenomenal. I mean, it gets a bad rap, you know, he wasn't in the best shape of his life or anything. But he did some great stuff. And his voice wasn't at peak for either, but he still did some, you know, great stuff in the 70s

Miss Pinup Miami: 26:02

people would choose it, you know, it would be cool in the future when technology gets better at rockabilly. Q You have a hologram of Elvis?

Simon Calton: 26:10

Yeah, yeah, well, I'd have to go through the state on that. That's not

Miss Pinup Miami: 26:16

to be a dream one day, you know?

Simon Calton: 26:20

Well, you know, my dream job is the people that it's so geeky, but there's people whose job is to work in the archives. And they go through the archives, and they, you know, they, they make notes about it and the ark, they, they figure out where there's going to be put out because they rotate installations at all at Graceland all the time, because they have a whole department. And it's like eight people and their job full time jobs is to go through and people donate stuff to like, there's donated stuff to the archives people pass away and all that. And they just they get stuff that to enter into the archives. They research it, they you know, make notes about it, they you know, all this different stuff. And there's this huge, I mean, they have like a warehouse just for archives. And the amazing thing about him is that I don't think there's any foresight, he just didn't like to get rid of anything. He had a warehouse even when he was alive. And I didn't know that. Yeah. And literally, they just would put stuff in that, like he would just put it was almost like any world and you were always another one. You just put things into a warehouse all the time. Yeah, he would literally put in, like furniture that they you know, when they bought new furniture, the old furniture would go to the warehouse, like there was all this different stuff. So there was a whole warehouse of stuff. And in fact, when he died, one of the reasons why they I'm sorry, I'm going off on this tangent, but you tap into my? Well, so one of the reasons. One of the reasons why Graceland became a museum, is because in the early 70s, Colonel Tom Parker, who was you know, one of the most legendary managers, who was also a sob and a con artist, and, you know, there's a million things you can say about Colonel Tom Parker, his manager, but I mean, he did a lot of good things, too. I mean, he helped make Elvis who he was, but Elvis also had bigger, you know, bigger part in that, but the man was a con artist, and, you know, do all kinds of things. But one of the things that happened is that by the early 70s, Elvis was pretty much bankrupt. Elvis spent money like no tomorrow. And you know, like me, he just didn't, there's no, I mean, he was buying people cars and flying around on a private plane, and you know, doing all this different stuff. So it got to the point early 70s, where they were desperate for money. So, Colonel Tom Parker made a deal with RCA Records to sell his part of the publishing to them for $2 million. So when Elvis died, there was no money coming in because he wasn't performing. The only way he stayed afloat in the 70s was basically performing and merge and all that kind of stuff. But so the estate was in dire need of like, if they were going to keep Graceland going, and his family in there, you know, they have certain standards of living, you know, Priscilla Lisa Marie and his father and his cousins, and you know, whoever. And Priscilla is the one who had I think the idea of turning it into a museum and she had the foresight, and she should be getting a lot of acclaim for it, because she really did have the foresight of like, let's make Graceland into a museum and generate money coming through because they make all the publishing money was gone. So the only money they make now is through Graceland merchandise, which obviously is probably a nice chunk of change. Publishing after 1972 and, and that's it, like they make nothing out there. There's no other money. They don't get any money from anything before that, like RCA owns 100% for publishing. And so, but one of the funny things she did was the furniture that was in there was a lot of it was his current VR. Who was a beauty queen who was with him? I'm not gonna say she was just with him because she was Elvis. But I mean, he wasn't because he was Elvis. But I don't think it was a real like love story, you know. So. And there's a there's a whole story about that, too. But Priscilla did not want the furniture to the main furniture and like the dining room, living room and the music room. Were all secure 70s like, and they were all decorated by his current girlfriend fiance. So thankfully, he had put all the furniture that was that persona decorated with in the storage. So she brought it all back in and turned it back into the 60s. And when she lived there, she's like, if we're returning to the museum, it's going to be my my version of bracelets, other than the jungle room, the jungle room in the pool room and all that are still pure 70s which is great because they're so decadent and over the top and everything. But there's a very nice classy style to the dining room and the living room in the music room, very 1960s and it's a really cool style actually have reproductions of the peacock stained glass they have in the music room, hanging in my window. But anyway, so I could go on and on and on about

Miss Pinup Miami: 31:19

I learned a lot of things I didn't know all these things about I didn't know about Have you ever met Priscilla?

Simon Calton: 31:24

That would be cool. Have you know but I did work with I we were in the same room together but no like we were I worked on American Idol and she would come to shoot come to Arizona. But in LA you don't you know, you have to be professional. You don't walk up the talent like I you know, I worked with all the work of Jennifer Lopez. I worked with Simon Cowell I worked with, you know, but I didn't work with them. Like one on one. I just we work for the same company. But no, she was there. I just never you know, I'm not gonna bother her like she's, you know, she's Priscilla Presley. Like if she wants to talk to me she can. Otherwise Yeah, leave her alone. But I did have to deal with Lisa Marie's. Because Because we managed Elvis Presley enterprises, we had to deal with everything under the sun. And to show how crazy people are and too much time on their hands. Lisa Marie's assistant will call me two to three times a week. And because I handled digital media, so I oversaw the content, I developed content for mobile for behind the scenes for iTunes, whatever it was, we were doing, I sort of oversaw it for it entertainment. And her assistant would call me a couple times a week, because there was all these fake profiles coming up on Facebook, like people put up in personation profiles, not just for Lisa Marie, but for like her husband, her kids. I was like, Who has time to do that, like, and is there enough? Is there enough of a demand for people to like, you know, like, people are impersonating them?

Miss Pinup Miami: 32:47

scamming, maybe?

Simon Calton: 32:48

Yes, yeah. Like, Oh, you want to book me? Well, here prepaid blah, blah, blah. I don't know. But it was just weird. I mean, there was dozens of these pages that we had to yank down. And, and yeah, Lisa Marie was with a little bit like, like, I don't think people would tell her about or whatever. And she'd get all upset about it or whatever. And I'm sure it's weird. Like, I can't imagine people creating fake profiles of me. You know, my leggings disappeared. I think I

Miss Pinup Miami: 33:15

thought something funny. So somebody did that to me on like, one of those dating websites telling me that they saw me on there.

Simon Calton: 33:25

That's weird. Myself. Look, give me one second. I wanted to

Miss Pinup Miami: 33:32

know, I love those stories.

Simon Calton: 33:35

Yeah, I mean, I have so many. So it's kind of crazy.

Miss Pinup Miami: 33:40

And I have two more questions that I forgot to ask here. Sorry for the grainy

Simon Calton: 33:45

video footage now.

Miss Pinup Miami: 33:48

So for rocketman again, with the bands, a couple of people had questions about the bands. Have you had any bands have any crazy demands?

Simon Calton: 33:59

I mean, I probably wouldn't say anything, just because I probably could look them again. So no, no one actually, I have to say for the most part. It's a phenomenal, especially in this community. I have to give a lot of accolades to the bands because it's they definitely are very supportive of the events that especially rockabilly events, I think, because it's like that's their, their genre. But they they're, I mean, they're I can't think of anybody that is like that was really, I mean, there's been some crazy stories, but they weren't related like there was so we booked into the festival in New Mexico. We booked Lee rocker of the stray cats, and he was coming into town and his planet arrived late and this is a town that is like a small route 66 town and the only things you can do are flying to Albuquerque or Amarillo. So you have a couple hours to drive. So they flew in Amarillo, I think him in his band, and they were driving in town they were going to hotel room and they were changing and stuff. They were literally like three hours. Before they had to perform like it was a very tight turnaround. And they got to the hotel. And they somebody had and it's like, it's a very classic route 66 strip of hotels and diners and summer have been restored. Some of them are, you know, are close. But it's like you can kind of see the old signs and everything. It's a beautiful little strip, it's definitely like a great tourist attraction to like, stop, take photos. And there's some really great hotels, but they were staying at this one hotel, the motel Safari, and across the street with the blue swallow. And somebody a client called in a bomb threat to the blue swallow hotel. an hour before, there's just before, so the police close down the SWAT team and everything, the whole, the whole section, like the whole two block radius around the hotel, when we had to get the rocker and his band out of the hotel and to the convention center to perform. And so we devised a plan with the owner of the hotel because you couldn't get they weren't allowing any cars in but people could walk out. So finally after figuring it out and everything we had the band walk out home, even when carrying their interest and stuff walked in like two block radius passed, this section was closed down. And I just went personally picked them up just since I was like always go get them and everything and bring them to Convention Center. And in the last time I saw, we booked I booked a rocker at rockabilly cue and I made a point of saying, hey, you remember, I got to know bomb threats this time. It was fun. Yeah, it was really crazy. Like, oh my god, like, I'm so sorry, you came to town and there's a bomb threat. But yeah, we had to, like sneak them out. Like it was like cuz nobody was supposed to really leave that we did, because they weren't released was to walk out like everyone was supposed to stay in the section. They were in, like the closed off area. But somehow that owner, I knew the owner of the motel and I got him to get a walk out and kind of like sneak around the side of the building or whatever. So that I could come around and pick them up, like couple blocks away. But But yeah, I mean, honestly, there's no, there's not a lot, there's no Diem and they're all pretty genuinely even the biggest ones are genuinely just so like, happy to be there. And like give the best show and you know, thankful that, you know, people are doing these kind of events around the country. And you know, and it's grown. I mean, if you think about the last like, five, when I started doing it, there was Viva Las Vegas. And there wasn't a lot of other like big events. And since I've started doing there's also Nashville Boogie, there's the you know, the New England shake up. And then there's Viva east and you know, so it's like, it's all like, grown and gotten so much bigger. And it's great that this culture is like thriving, you know, and there's some people that are just like, oh, rockabilly, like who, who is, like, you know, I didn't even know that was a thing anymore. Oh, I actually, it's an international thing. And there's like, 1000s of bands, and there's festivals all over the world. And, like, 1000s of people come to these events. And I was like, so yeah, pretty thriving, like, just not in your wheelhouse doesn't mean it's not happening, because it's, it's, it's out there. Like it's, it's definitely a big thing. So I'm excited to be a part.

Miss Pinup Miami: 38:15

And I'm excited to be a part of it, too. Yeah, exactly.

Simon Calton: 38:18

I'm glad that you got to get connected. And you've been, you know, you kicked ass independent contest. You've been doing all those great Facebook Lives. And yeah, I love that. I think that the community is very supportive of each other. And I think that's really, really great. And it really means a lot to me, like when bands come and they say we had the best time and all that it means everything to like, and you know, and I want not just the people coming to the event to have a blast, I want the bands that blast I want people that are you know, hoping to put on the contest to have a great time to like, like, be in February. I want everyone to have like, I want it to be an event that I would go to and have a good time. Like I want you know, like I want it to be an experience that people love. So I'm really glad I get to do it. So it's like I'm a pretty I consider myself pretty lucky, though.

Miss Pinup Miami: 39:03

You aren't. And I'm lucky that you brought it to Florida.

Simon Calton: 39:11

Yeah, hopefully we get to do it next year. I really hope so. So

Miss Pinup Miami: 39:13

yes. Any questions for me?

Simon Calton: 39:18

I mean, not nothing off the top of my head. Happy Birthday again. Happy belated birthday. I am glad to have you be a part of rockabilly IQ. I think what you're doing is kick ass so I love your lighting and I need to get some light I need to get my own little lighting. I need to get backdrops and if I started doing more online stuff, any backdrops and special

Miss Pinup Miami: 39:42

for you have you ever need any I'm self taught but I like to think that I've got it down pat.

Simon Calton: 39:48

No, yeah, you you. I mean, I've seen when you first started redoing this stuff, you've come a long way and like six months or a month so yeah, it looks I mean you literally look like you're hosting like a professional. You Like this is like, it looks like you're on Sirius radio right now. So and I look like I'm in my bedroom.