The shocking nature of the fan account frames Frow’s concern with method in an understanding of dead celebrity, by engendering a sense of bewilderment of Elvis fandom. Much of the “cult” work on Elvis pathologizes fans. For example, Joyrich in her article “Elvisophilia: Knowledge, Pleasure, and the Cult of Elvis (1993),” argues fans avid desire to accumulate Elvis possessions amounts to a form of addiction. Such studies highlight the reductionism inherent in pathological accounts of fan action and cloud an understanding of emotion and action in deviance.
Elvis Culture: Fans, Faith and Image, by Erika Doss, aligns closely with Rodman, but has the benefit of ethnographic data. According to its author, this book “concentrates on Elvis fans and considers the intensity of their responses” (1999, 30) and aims “to explore and analyze the meaning of Elvis Presley’s image—his face and his body—in contemporary American culture” (1999, 22). The image, which Doss never fully defines, is the analytical and structural focus of the book. Analytically, the book examines different sightings of the image, particularly in connection to Presley’s residence, Graceland, and especially related to Elvis week. Structurally, the book focuses on different facets of Presley’s image, such as Saint Elvis and All White Elvis. I would suggest this structuring is the strength of Doss-it allows …show more content…
The area of fan studies generally well regards this book (see Duffett 2003; 2013a; Hills 2002; 2014; Sandvoss 2005). Cavicchi, unlike Rodman and Doss, would not declare celebrity music Fandom-as-Religion, distinguishing his work from the aforementioned scholars, but he writes fandom does have structural parallels to religion. Both involve the pursuit of meaning and community, he says, and both “center around acts of devotion, which may create similarities of experience” (1998, 51). Cavicchi
Elvis Culture: Fans, Faith and Image, by Erika Doss, aligns closely with Rodman, but has the benefit of ethnographic data. According to its author, this book “concentrates on Elvis fans and considers the intensity of their responses” (1999, 30) and aims “to explore and analyze the meaning of Elvis Presley’s image—his face and his body—in contemporary American culture” (1999, 22). The image, which Doss never fully defines, is the analytical and structural focus of the book. Analytically, the book examines different sightings of the image, particularly in connection to Presley’s residence, Graceland, and especially related to Elvis week. Structurally, the book focuses on different facets of Presley’s image, such as Saint Elvis and All White Elvis. I would suggest this structuring is the strength of Doss-it allows …show more content…
The area of fan studies generally well regards this book (see Duffett 2003; 2013a; Hills 2002; 2014; Sandvoss 2005). Cavicchi, unlike Rodman and Doss, would not declare celebrity music Fandom-as-Religion, distinguishing his work from the aforementioned scholars, but he writes fandom does have structural parallels to religion. Both involve the pursuit of meaning and community, he says, and both “center around acts of devotion, which may create similarities of experience” (1998, 51). Cavicchi