Tuesday, November 30, 2010

November 30 - "Mother" Passed Away

Sri Daya Mata of Self Realization Fellowship passed away; she was 96. Elvis Presley was a student of Yogananda's Self Realization Fellowship, and became a friend of its then worldwide head, Sri Daya Mata, whom he affectionately referred to as "Mother." Elvis loved and respected her very much, and she cared for him deeply. Over the years they had many long private talks and meditations.



Elvis Presley’s Mercedes Up For Auction




The King of Rock and Roll’s personal Mercedes-Benz 600 is up for grabs at an auction run by Bonhams at Brooklands, Surrey. It is one of a handful of cars owned by Presley and registered in his name and has been lovingly restored. The five-door powder blue saloon has attracted a pre-sale estimate of up to £200,000.
It is being sold at the Important Motor Cars and Fine Automobilia auction at Mercedes-Benz World in Brooklands, Surrey, on December 6.

Elvis purchased the car, which was one of two Mercedes 600 he owned, in 1970 and kept it for two years before giving it to a friend, James Leroy Robertson. It was purchased by the vendor in 2005 from Robertson Motors Memphis, and exported to the UK.



(Source: ElvisMatters / Elvis Information Network)

Monday, November 29, 2010

November 29 - Christmas Tickets On Sale

Tickets went on sale for the 2012 U.K. "Elvis Presley In Concert" tour. The tour is made several stops throughout the UK, including stops in London and Glasgow. Members of EPE's official Elvis Insiders fan club could pre-order their tickets a few days earlier.


100% Love


Danish readers of the Familie Journal received the CD "Christmas" in the free "100% Elvis Series" with this week's copy of their magazine. The CD was released in cooperation with Sony Music.

(Source: Elvis Express / Familie Journal)



Sunday, November 28, 2010

November 28 - Christmas For Free In Georgria

Readers of the U.K. Daily Mail newspaper received a free "Christmas Peace" CD with today's edition of the newspapaer. This edition comes in a cardboard single sleeve and also promotes the "Viva Elvis" CD. 


In The Heart Of Georgia


The Audionics import label announced the release of the CD "In The Heart Of Georgia" containing a live recording from the mixing desk at the Macon Coliseum, Macon, GA from Thursday, April 24, 1975. 


Twelve years after the first release of this show on CD, Audionics delivers a more complete version of Elvis Presley's 1975 tour opener. This release is presented in a neat-looking digipack filled with many photographs taken during the April 24th Macon concert.


Charts Down Under



On the Australian Back Catalogue Chart the "The King" compilation dropped from #24 to #28 while the "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits" set climbed from #43 to #40.

On the Music DVD Top 40 the "'68 Comeback Special" drops one spot to #25.



Elvis-The man and his music #90

Issue #90 of the Fan favorites Elvis Presley magazine was released. It contains an interview with Liliane Montevecchi (King Creole), review of Viva Elvis and a factual review of the Sony box set and comparisons with the Franklin Mint version and more.

Flaming Star #62

Volume 62 of the lavish Norwegian fan-club magazine was released.

(Source: Daily Mail / ARIA / Elvis Australia / Flaming Star)





Saturday, November 27, 2010

November 27 - Christmas Again

The Venus Record import label announced the release of a second pressing of their "Christmas Today" 2CD-set from 2009. 


The "Red" disc features Nashville recordings from May 1971 with various out-takes, and undubbed masters taken while the "Blue" disc features the recording sessions for the album "Elvis Today" album. 


(Source: EP Gold)

Friday, November 26, 2010

November 26 - Viva Private Gold

The Straight Arrow import label announced the release of "A Private Audience With The King" with December 10th, 2010 as the release-date. It features an audience recording of the December 9th, 1976 9 P.M. show. 


This recording was originally released in 1991 by the PEAF label ("Tornado From Vegas"), but it was an incomplete version edited down to 70 minutes and the sound quality was below par. This release runs for approximately 84 minutes.


The CD package is completed with a 16-page booklet, including a rare collection of photos from the December 8th, 9PM show and liner notes written by a person who was there and describes the show in fascinating detail. 


Viva Gold


According to a posting on the FECC forum the "Viva Elvis" CD was awarded Gold in Sweden. It shipped 20.000 copies.


Viva Charts
  • "Viva Elvis - The Album" drops to #133 in it's second week on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with sales of 6,000 - down 58% since last week. 
  • On the Dutch Album Top 100 the CD droppen from #39 to #54.
  • In Belgium "Viva Elvis climbed from #36 to #38 on the Walonian Album chart while dropped from #21 to #42 on the Vlaanders album chart. 



Elvis Presley And Friends-X-Large Version

The Galaxy budget label released an "X-Large" 3CD edition of the "Elvis And Friends" CD set.


Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender 

The Documents (Music Alliance Membran) label released the 4CD box-set "Love Me Tender".

(Source: FECC / Elvis World Japan / Amazon)



Thursday, November 25, 2010

November 25 - Announcements

Sony Music Direct Mail Japan announced the release of a limited edition 5CD set "Elvis' Golden Story".


Wooden Heart


The Music Digital label announced the release of the 3CD-set "Wooden Heart" with January 4, 2011 as the release-date. 75 original recordings packed in a glossy slipcase. 


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

November 24 - The Godfathers Of Christmas

In the official Elvis Insiders newsletter the "Viva Elvis" CD was listed with the track "It's Now Or Never", which is not featured on the album. 


Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me


The Belgian ElvisMatters fan club announced the release of a free CD for all their members. A free and exclusive Christmas Card Deluxe CD with an Elvis track "Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me" and a free extra, the freshly recorded "If Every Day Was Just Like Christmas", by the Dutch singer Bouke. The CD comes with the Christmas edition of the fan club's magazine.




Godfathers Of Rock: The Top 10 Rock And Roll Managers


If drummers and bass players get lost in the media’s frenzy to focus on singers and guitarists, then have a little sympathy for the rock manager. Sometimes a svengali figure, sometimes a glorified accountant, sometimes a crook in rock and roll clothing, one thing is certain – every band needs a manager. Managers play an indispensable role in any band’s career, good and bad. Here are 10 of the most successful, colorful and, for the most part, musician-friendly managers in rock and roll history.


01. Colonel Tom Parker (Elvis Presley)


The role model for most of rock and roll’s subsequent managers, Parker was a natural-born huckster. He took the greatest talent in pop history to the top of the entertainment game with tactics he learned as a carny. In the circus, he entertained the crowds with dancing chickens, and critics might say he treated Elvis Presley much the same way through the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.


Parker was a cutthroat businessman, for himself first and his artist second. He was on a 50% commission with Elvis, at a time when 15-20% was the norm. He always demanded money up front, cultivated income from merchandising and totally controlled Elvis with the media. Directly after Elvis’ funeral in Memphis, Parker was in meetings to negotiate merchandise deals. An illegal American immigrant, Parker never allowed Elvis to tour internationally for fear of letting Presley out of his hands or control. But for good or bad, he was a devoted manager, always there when Elvis toured, played Las Vegas or made movies. He oversaw every aspect of the worldwide network of Elvis fan clubs, merchandise and record company deals.


The other managers are:


02. Brian Epstein (The Beatles)
03. Peter Grant (Led Zeppelin)
04. Malcolm McLaren (Sex Pistols)
05. Don Arden: (Black Sabbath, Gene Vincent, The Animals, Small Faces)
06. Andrew Loog Oldham (The Rolling Stones, Marianne Faithful, Humble Pie)
07. Allen Klein (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones)
08. Kit Lambert (The Who)
09. Simon Fuller (Spice Girls, Annie Lennox, Amy Winehouse)
10. Irving Azoff (The Eagles, Van Halen)


Complete Elvis Presley Masters Update
 
The limited edition first run of 1000 numbered units sold out very quickly and SONY Music just announced that the second edition is available for pre-order now and will be delivered to consumers in January 2011 (target date January 17th, target price: 750 $US). The second edition will be equal in quality and design to the limited edition first run but it won’t be individually numbered nor will it contain a limited edition certificate of authenticity.






(Source: Ultimate Guitars / Elvis Express / ElvisMatters)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

November 23 - Visa T-Shirts

It looks like the Thailand issue of "Viva Elvis - The Album" comes with an exclusive free promotional T-shirt. It looks like the album still only has the standard 12 tracks.


EPE introduced the new design for the new "Elvis Presley" Visa card. This card is only available in the united States.


Myrna Smith


Myrna Smith was sent from dialysis to the hospital and will remain there for several days. Myrna was sent to the hospital because her blood pressure was very low. There is a problem with the stent in Myrna's arm where the dialysis machine connects and they must surgically correct it. 


(Source: Elvis Express / UEPS)Publish Post

Monday, November 22, 2010

November 22 - How Great Thou Art Live

The Not Now budget label released the CD "Elvis Gold" with 50 tracks from the 1955-1960 era. 


How Great Thou Art

Elvis Unlimited mentioned that the Follow That Dream Collector's label would release the "How Great Thou Art" album as a 2 disc vinyl set which includes the original album plus ''Beyond The Reef' and outtakes.




100% Live

Danish readers of the Familie Journal received the CD "Live" in the free "100% Elvis Series" with this week's copy of their magazine. The CD was released in cooperation with Sony Music.



Another Charity Licenceplate



The Med Foundation has unveiled Elvis souvenir license plates. “When we first launched the authentic plate in 2005, by Tennessee law, we had to pre-sell 1,000 plates before they would make them,” said Tammie Ritchey, executive director of The MED Foundation since 2004.

Last week, The MED Foundation announced it has once again partnered with Elvis Presley Enterprises, this time to offer a souvenir license plate to meet the demand of Elvis fans living beyond the boundaries of the Volunteer State.

The Elvis Presley souvenir plate, priced at $19.95, is now available for purchase through The MED Foundation’s online store.

After the cost of manufacturing the plates, 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit the new Trauma Training and On-Call Center at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, scheduled to open at a yet-to-be-determined date in December.

The authentic Elvis Presley Tennessee license plates have already generated more than $100,000 for the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center.


(Source: Amazon / Elvis Unlimited / Familie Journal / Memphis Daily News)


Sunday, November 21, 2010

November 21 - Christmas Gift For U.K. Fans

The U.K. "Daily Mail" newspaper announced the givt in next week's Sunday edition. The newspaper gave away a CD featuring 15 of Elvis Presley’s greatest Christmas songs free inside every paper. 


The tracks on Christmas Peace, including White Christmas and Silent Night, are taken from the two albums of festive music recorded by Elvis Presley including a holiday single he released in 1966. 


Charts Down Under In Italy


On the charts Down Under in Australia "Viva Elvis" has dropped from its debut high of #45 to #75 in its second week on the chart while the Platinum Awarded release "The King" dropped from #19 to #24 and the "ELV1S 30#1 Hits" compilation remained steady at #43 in the Back catalogue Album chart. On the Music DVD Top 40 the "'68 Comeback Special" is listed at #24.



The Viva Elvis remix of "Suspicious Minds" was listed at #90 on Italy's Top100 digital download chart this week - with 216 in sales. The song is also listed on the national airplay chart, at #43. One other Elvis' song can also be found is in the Top 300, "Can't Help Falling In Love", at #158 (with 70 in sales).

"Viva Elvis" has dropped out of the New Zealand top 40 album charts after only one week on that chart.



John Wilkinson in Hospital 


John Wilkinson went into the hospital Sunday Morning with pains in the stomach. His doctors are optimistic about a complete recovery. So far, it looks as if John can return home by Thursday, just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving. 


(Source: ElvisMatters / ARIA / FECC)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

November 20 - Christmas In Omaha

The Boxcar import label released a fifth trailer to promote their "Elvis '77 - The Final Curtain" box-set. This  trailer focusses on the concert filmed in Omaha for the "CBS Special". 


The set is supposed to be a limited edition release of 1500 sets containing 6 DVD and 6 CD package promising unreleased footage and new complete soundboards, and a coffee table book - 400 pages (nearly 4 kilo unit).



Christmas Season Started At Graceland
 
The Holiday season started last night at Graceland with the yearly official lighting ceremony. The swith was turned on by Lee Dewize, winner of the last American Idol season. The new Viva Elvis soundtrack was used to create some suspense during the ceremony.



Elvis The Movie

With a delay of four weeks the German edition of "Elvis The Movie" was released.

(Source: FECC / ElvisMatters / Media Mart)



Friday, November 19, 2010

November 19 - Vinyl Charts Worldwide

The "Love Me Tender" duet by Elvis Presley and the Dutch Lisa Lois fell off the Dutch Tip Parade after 4 weeks, peaking at #17. This chart is the chart of singles that are close to entering the Singles Top 40. 


The "VIVA Elvis!" CD dropped from #13 to #39 on the Dutch Album Top 100.


Worldwide Charts


In the first week sales of "Viva Elvis The Album" entered several charts around the world:
#13 in Sweden.
#16 in Italy.
#21 in Belgium (Vl)
#38 in Belgium (Wa)
#29 in the United World Chart.
#36 in France.
#54 in Austria.



In Ireland the CD drops from #15 to #25 in its second week.


Other U.S. Billboard album charts


USA, Top LP's
#48 (new) Viva Elvis
#92 (re-entry) Elvis Christmas 


USA, Top Internet
#17 (new) Viva Elvis


USA, Pop Catalog
#12 (re-entry) Elvis Christmas
#37 (re-entry) It's Christmas Time


USA, Country Catalog
#3 (#15) Elvis Christmas
#20 (#14) 30 #1Hits


USA, Top Holiday Albums
#15 (#18) Elvis Christmas
#28 (re-entry) It's Christmas Time


USA, Seasonal Digital Holiday Songs
#17 (#23) Blue Christmas 


Viva Vinyl





Besides the numerous variable CD releases of the 'Viva Elvis', a vinyl release was released. The standard tracklist of 12 songs are mastered on this 180gr heavy vinyl release. This is the European pressing, a USA pressing will be available early December - with the same tracklisting.

(Source: FECC / Top 40 / ElvisMatters)


  

Thursday, November 18, 2010

November 18 - Heartbreak Haircut Nomination

The building at Chaffee Crossing where Elvis Presley, then an Army inductee, received his first military haircut is being considered for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.


Designated Building 803 on old Fort Chaffee grounds, the building is among 12 sites that will be considered when the State Review Board of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program meets Dec. 1 in Little Rock.


The building is home to the Chaffee Barbershop Museum, an attraction that commemorates not only the 1958 Presley haircut, but other historical events at the Army facility. The museum is restored to its appearance at the time of the haircut. 


Heartbreak Hotel


The Power Station budget label released the CD "Heartbreak Hotel". 



EPE buys Graceland office


JBC Financial Group has sold the office building located at 3716 Elvis Presley Blvd. in Memphis, TN to Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. for $1.1 million, or $357 per square foot. The Graceland company has occupied the property, and will continue to do so.  The single-story, 3,500-square-foot office property was constructed in 1976 on half an acre in the Airport submarket of Shelby County. 


(Source: Elvis Unlimited / Amazon Germany)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

November 17 - Elvis Live

Re-issued in France is the budget live CD "Live" containing Hayride recordings with four additional studio-tracks.


Elvis In Love


Released on the Brisia label in Germany is the budget tin-can "Elvis In Love" compilation with 22 ballads. 


(Source: Amazon / Elvis Presley Gesellschaft)



Tuesday, November 16, 2010

November 16 - Viva Japan

News broke that the Japanese edition of the "VIVA Elvis!" CD contained 14 tracks including "Love Me Tender" in a duet featuring Hikawa Kiyoshi and the JXL Remix of "A Little Less Conversation". 





Viva Sales


In the first week sales of 'Viva Elvis' The Album sold 13,381 copies in the U.S. In Canada, Viva Elvis sold 4,786 copies last week, and enters the album chart at #10. Sales in other countries:
#6 in Korea (2CD) 
#7 in Korea (1CD)
#13 in Sweden.





#16 in Italy.
#21 in Belgium (Vl)
#38 in Belgium (Wa)
#21 in New Zealand.
#21 in Norway.
#26 in Switzerland.
#29 in Denmark.

#29 in the United World Chart
#43 in Spain.
#48 in The U.S.
#54 in Austria.



The Elvis

The Japanese Elvis Presley Society published the winter edition of their "The Elvis" magazine.



(Source: FECC / Elvis World Japan)

Monday, November 15, 2010

November 15 - Viva Korean love

Danish readers of the Familie Journal received the CD "Love" in the free "100% Elvis Series" with this week's copy of their magazine. The CD was released in cooperation with Sony Music.



Viva Korea

Sony Korea released two versions of the "VIVA Elvis!" CD; one 2 CD set with 24 tracks packed in a CD-single slipcase and an 1CD edition in a standard jewel-case.

Blue Christmas

The "Blue Christmas" CD was released in Korea with an additional postcard.



40 Original Recordings


The U.K. based budget label released the 2CD 40 tracks budget compilation "40 Original Recordings".

(Source: eBay / Familie Journal / Amazon)




Sunday, November 14, 2010

November 14 - Touchdown!

The Touchdown Productions import label announced the release of their second CD; "All In A Blaze" featuring the complete and former unreleased show from December 12, 1975 in Las Vegas. 


The source for this audience recording release is new and of excellent quality, as the source was a first copy of the master tape, according to the release. This time the CD comes with a 16-page booklet with lots of rare and seldom seen pictures from Elvis first pre-holiday engagement in Vegas in 1975.


Viva Charts


The "Viva Elvis" debuted at #45 on this week's ARIA (Australia) album chart. In addition to "Viva Elvis", "The King" re-enters the chart at #70. In the U.K., "Viva Elvis" debuts at #19 (with 14088 copies sold) while Down Under in Australia the album debuted at #45 (with 1,231 copies sold) on the Australian Album Chart.



Ernst Jørgensen In Record Collector



Ken Sharp dide an interview with Ernst Jørgensen for Record Collector. Look out for the December issue!

For those eternal pessimists who say dreams don’t come true, they’re dead wrong, as long-time Elvis Presley compilation producer and music historian Ernst Mikael Jorgensen will proudly attest. Years in the works, The Complete Elvis Presley Masters (Sony/ Legacy) is the stunning result of one man’s dream.

A limited-numbered edition of 1,000, the 30-CD box set is the long-awaited comprehensive survey of Presley’s entire recorded work, presenting all 711 masters in chronological order and enhanced with the welcome addition of 103 essential rarities ranging from alternate takes (Blue Moon Of Kentucky and Shake, Rattle & Roll), home recordings (Earth Angel and Mona Lisa), studio jams (The Beatles’ Lady Madonna, It’s My Way (Of Loving You)/ I Can’t Stop Loving You), revelatory live cuts circa 1955-1977 (Tweedle Dee, Chuck Berry’s Maybellene, Hound Dog, Little Sister/Get Back, A Big Hunk ’O Love, Unchained Melody), movie versions (Treat Me Nice, One Broken Heart For Sale), studio rehearsals (Marie’s The Name), His Latest Flame, Viva Las Vegas) and much more. Digitally remastered via 24-bit technology, Elvis’ music has never sounded better.



(Source: FECC / Elvis Unlimited)



Saturday, November 13, 2010

November 13 - The Legacy Is Back

 RCA International announced the release of a Legacy Edition of the classic "Elvis Is Back" album on January 7, 2011. 

Friday, November 12, 2010

November 12 - From The Bin To The Auction Block

I12n a news item in todays edition of the UK newspaper, the 'Mirror', A law firm copy of Elvis Presley's will which was found in a bin is expected to fetch £1,000 at auction tomorrow. The paperwork was spotted by a worker at a lawyer's office during a clear-out in 1987 - 10 years after the King died - and he took it home. Also going under the hammer at Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes, Wilts, is a scarf worn by Elvis on stage and a lock of his hair.


Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said: "The will gives a fascinating insight into the private wishes of the king of rock and roll."


The auction house writes this about the auction piece: "Elvis Presley's last will & testament (law firm copy), this is the original copy from the mid 1970's that came from the law office that represented one of the Presley family members in the matter, the document was thrown out with Elvis' original signed Graceland purchase documents, Elvis' original signed Audubon Drive purchase documents and Elvis' original signed Circle G Ranch purchase documents. 


In 1987 the law firm purged their files, an employee of the firm took them from the trash and was told by the owner of the firm he could keep them. Marked "deceased", this was the law firms original copy from the mid 1970's and was used extensively during that traumatic period in 1977. An extremely rare piece."


100 Titres Du King


In France the release of the 5CD box-set "100 Titres Du King" was announced with January 10, 2011 release-date. 



Dutch And Irish Charts

The "Viva Elvis" album entered this week's Dutch Album Chart at #13 while the "Love Me Tender" duet by Elvis Presley and the Dutch Lisa Lois climbed from #22 to #17 on the Dutch Tip Parade.



On the Irish album chart for the week ending November 11th, 2010 "Viva Elvis" is a new entry at #15.


"Viva Elvis" enters the official Top 100 German Album music chart this week at #57.

Elvis 68 At 40 Softcover Edition



The softcover edition of Joe Tunzi and Steve binder's "68 At 40" was released with two months delay.
(Source: Google / Top 40 / Elvis Information Network / Amazon France)



Thursday, November 11, 2010

November 11 - Rocker's Gold

Rockwell Records announced a new vinyl release; "Rockers", boosting some of Elvis’s greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll recordings from the 50's. 



It will be available in two picture discs - limited to 1000 copies - and a strictly limited numbered edition in Gold vinyl edition of just 150 copies worldwide.


(Source: Elvis Express)








 

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

November 10 - Imports

Several new import releases appeared on the world wide web; the longbox sets "Elvis Bicentennial (1976)", "Blue Spanish Eyes (1974)" - both from from Wonderland Records - and the vinyl CD set "The Wonderful World Of Christmas". The latter comes with a 3D cover.



Concert - 100% Original

Released on the Weton budget label is the 3 disc box-set "Concert - 100% Original" with two CDs and one DVD.



(Source: Elvis Unlimited / Amazon)