The Audio Vaults budget label announced the release of the 3-CD set 'The Complete US & UK Singles Collection 1954-1962' with November 20th as the release date.
Synopsis: A 3-CD collection of all the singles released in the USA and U.K. from 1954 - 1962 plus as a bonus the 'GC Snare It Up Mix' of 'King Creole' as mixed with extra instrumentation by Gary Clark in 2012.
Disc 1: 1.That's All Right Mama 2.Blue Moon Of Kentucky 3.Good Rockin' Tonight 4.I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine 5. Milkcow Blues Boogie 6.You're A Heartbreaker 7.Baby, Let's Play House 8.I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone 9.Mystery Train 10.I Forgot To Remember To Forget 11.Heartbreak Hotel 12.I Was The One 13.I Want You, I Need You, I Love You 14.My Baby Left Me 15.Hound Dog 16.Don't Be Cruel 17.Blue Suede Shoes 18.Tutti Frutti 19.I Got A Woman 20.I'm Counting On You 21.I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') 22.I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) 23.Tryin' To Get To You 24.I Love You Because 25.Blue Moon 26.Just Because 27.Money Honey 28.One Sided Love Affair 29.Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Disc 2: 1.Shake Rattle And Roll 2.Love Me Tender 3.Anyway You Want Me (That's How I Will Be) 4.Playing For Keeps 5.Too Much 6.All Shook Up 7.That's When Your Heartaches Begin 8.(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear 9.Loving You 10.Jailhouse Rock 11.Treat Me Nice 12.Paralyzed 13.When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again 14.Party 15.Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do 16.Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) 17.Santa Claus Is Back In Town 18.Don't 19.I Beg Of You 20.Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 21. Doncha Think It's Time 22.Hard Headed Woman 23.Don't Ask Me Why 24.One Night 25.I Got Stung 26.How Do You Think I Feel 27.King Creole 28.Dixieland Rock 29.I Need Your Love Tonight .
Disc 3: 1.(Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I 2.Big Hunk O' Love 3.My Wish Came True 4.Stuck On You 5.Fame And Fortune 6.It's Now Or Never 7.A Mess Of Blues 8.Are You Lonesome Tonight 9.I Gotta Know 10.The Girl Of My Best Friend 11.Make Me Know It 12.Surrender 13.Lonely Man 14.I Feel So Bad 15.Wild In The Country 16.(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame 17.Little Sister 18.I Can't Help Falling In Love 19.Rock A Hula Baby 20.Wooden Heart 21.Tonight Is So Right For Love 22.Good Luck Charm 23.Anything That's Part Of You 24.She's Not You 25.Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello 26.Return To Sender 27.Where Do You Come From 28.Elvis Speaks - The Truth About Me 29.King Creole (Remix)
The weekly global Elvis Presley chart update. Little movement again, but radiostations and streaming services are gearing up for Christmas as the classic 'Blue Christmas' re-enters the chart.
U.S. Billboard charts:
Billboard Top 200 Album chart: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' dropped from #170 to #174.
Billboard Top Holiday Album chart: 'The Classic Christmas Album' dropped from #8 to #11.
Billboard Top Rock Album chart; The Essential Elvis Presley' climbed from #28 to #26.
Billboard Top Country Album chart; The Essential Elvis Presley' climbed from #22 to #20.
Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales: 'Blue Christmas' re-entry #44.
Official U.K. charts:
Official U.K. Album chart: 'The 50 greatest Hits' dropped from #75 to #81.
Official U.K. Streaming Album chart: 'The 50 greatest Hits' dropped from #05 to #54.
Official U.K. Music DVD chart: 'Elvis The Searcher' climbed from #45 to #39.
Official Scottish charts:
Official Scottish charts: 'Party' dropped from #43 to #61.
(Source: official Chart Company / Billboard / U.K. Mix)
Due for release from the Dutch Permafrost Publishers on November 20, 2020 is the 248-page book 'Little White Wonder' by Charles Beterams.
The book, limited to 500 copies, documents the start of the Dutch bootleg scene in the early seventies and includes the story behind the first (Dutch) Elvis bootleg LP 'Please Release Me' and single 'My baby Is Gone', both sold at the European Fan Club Convention in Luxembourg (which was featured in the movie 'Elvis: That's The Way It Is').
The book will be published in a Dutch and an English version and comes with a 7-inch single featuring radio fragments.
Synopsis:
Suddenly in 1970, they are all over the place. Illegally released records with unknown Dylan material, an unreleased Stones concert and a six-sided report of the Kralingen festival in Rotterdam. The established music industry is dismayed, the press loves it, and music lovers from all over the Netherlands flock to bookshops, dodgy stores and the Amsterdam Waterlooplein market to buy these so-called white records. Despite music playing a prominent role in the socioeconomic change that has been taking place in the Netherlands since the late sixties, it is with the emergence of these white records – the term bootleg is rarely used in the Netherlands in those days – that everything comes together. Yet this fascinating and pivotal phenomena has remained largely unexplored. Until now.
In 'Little White Wonder' Charles Beterams unravels the mysterious tale behind the Dutch white record phenomena, talking with those who produced the records, those who bought them and those who fought them. Their story – often told for the very first time – is every bit as gripping and revealing as the societal upheavals that accompanied their appearance. From the underground, clandestine activities of idealistic hippies and timid students to canny entrepreneurs, the production of white records exposed a gap in Dutch legislation that enabled enterprising mavericks to get – often with permission from copyright organisation Stemra and even a helping hand from broadcasters – their decidedly unkosher records pressed, both in the Netherlands and abroad.
'Little White Wonder' is also a tribute to those who, on the cusp of great change, had the vision to tread unexplored paths – on both sides of the law – without necessarily sparing themselves. Their actions still resonate today in a music industry that is much more accessible than was envisaged at the end of the sixties.
Get Back
The STAR import-label announced the release of 'Get Back', a new volume in their 'Fantasy Series' featuring footage from 1971 and 1972.
From the press-release: Imagine you could "Get Back in time" ...
Last summer STAR surprised fans worldwide with the release of the 'And I Love You So' DVD, never before we had seen a concert from '76 in this quality and of course a follow up had to be done.
This time they chose footage from 71/72. Elvis is in great shape, not only his amazing voice but the moves and spirit he brings on stage,unfortunately was probably the last time fans got to witness this.
Lots and lots of rare footage has been combined to make an incredible one hour show with 23 complete performances. With more close ups and better quality than the first volume.
Just listen to an outstanding version of 'What Now My Love' which is probably better then the later released 'Aloha' version since it has more feel to it.
Just enjoy how great he looks during the title track 'Little Sister/Get Back'... does it get any better than this folks? Just watch his moves during "Suspicious Minds" Just catch his "Hound Dog's" he is throwing in the crowd. Just be amazed when he takes of his jacket for an outstanding 'Lovin' Feelin'.
The energy he puts in every song, makes this one of the best releases of the last years. Also included are some rare 1972 rehearsals from the 'On Tour' files.
Tracks:
Burning Love - Rehearsal
Separate Ways - Rehearsal
Recorded Live On Stage 1971/1972:
Also Sprach Zarathustra
See See Rider
I Got A Woman/Amen
Johnny B. Goode
Until It's Time For You To Go
Proud Mary
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
You've Lost That Loving Feeling
Polk Salad Annie
Little Sister/Get Back
I'll Remember You
Love Me
Blue Suede Shoes
All Shook Up
Heartbreak Hotel
Hound Dog
Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel
Love Me Tender
What Now My Love
Suspicious Minds
How Great Thou Art
One Night
It's Now Or Never (incomplete)
You Gave Me A Mountain
Lawdy, Miss Clawdy (incomplete)
Can't Help Falling in Love
Closing Riff
Bonustracks:
That's All Right
The Impossible Dream
I Can't Stop Loving You
Roustabout at the Fair, Too Good To Be True
The CMT import-label released the 2-CD ‘To Good To Be True - Live Chronicles volume 3’ and ‘Roustabout at the Fair’ in their ‘Spliced Takes’ series.
Let's hope the label corrects the typo in "to(o)".
From the press release: After his '69 comeback on stage Elvis wanted more. In 1970 there were two more seasons in Vegas, both were partly recorded for a live release (‘On Stage’ and ‘That's The Way It Is’).
Lots and lots of songs were tried out, some stayed in the show, some were only song once.
The title of this new CMT album lives up to their name, since it has an amazing collection of live songs, presented on 2 discs, one for the February Season, and one for the August Season. Like the previous releases in this series, the edits make it sound like it is one great live show, which would be "To Good To Be True"
CD 1: All Shook Up (26.01.1970 OS) - True Love Travels On A Gravel Road (26.01.1970 OS) - Blueberry Hill / Lawdy, Miss Clawdy (23.02.1970 CS) - It's Now Or Never (23.02.1970 CS) - Don't Cry Daddy (18.02.1970 DS) - Kentucky Rain (Spliced Version 16.02.1970 DS / 19.02.1970 MS) - The Wonder Of You (19.02.1970 MS) - Sweet Caroline (17.02.1970 DS) - Proud Mary (19.02.1970 DS) - Walk A Mile In My Shoes (16.02.1970 DS) - Polk Salad Annie (17.02.1970 DS) - C.C. Rider (18.02.1970 MS) - Release Me (19.02.1970 MS) - Long Tall Sally (Spliced Version 19.02.1970 MS /18.02.1970 DS) - Hound Dog 15.02.1970 MS) - Let It Be Me 16.02.1970 MS)
CD2: That's All Right (12.08.1970 MS) - Just Pretend (12.08.1970 MS) - The Next Step Is Love (10.08.1970 OS) - I Just Can't Help Believing (10.08.1970 OS) - I've Lost You (11..08.1970 DS) - You've Lost That Loving Feeling 12.08.1970 MS) - One Night (12.08.1970 MS) - Blue Suede Shoes (12.08.1970 MS) - Patch It Up (10.08.1970 OS) - Little Sister / Get Back (12.08.1970 MS) - I Was The One (12.08.1970 MS) - Bridge Over Troubled Water (11.08.1970 MS) - Stranger iI The Crowd (13.08.1970 DS) - Something (11.08.1970 DS) - Twenty Days And Twenty Nights (12.08.1970 DS) - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (10.08.1970 OS) - There Goes My Everything (11.08.1970 MS) - Make The World Go Away (13.08.1970 DS) - Suspicious Minds (13.08.1970 DS) - Can't Help Falling In Love (13.08.1970 DS)
Bonus Songs: Folsom Prison Blues 14.08.1970 MS) - I Walk The Line (14.08.1970 MS) - Sweet Inspiration (20.08.1970 MS) - When The Snow Is On The Roses 24.08.1970 MS) - Oh Happy Day (14.08.1970 MS)
‘Roustabout at the Fair’ is another nice “spliced" album with lots of surprises, this time the producers choose to use both ‘Roustabout’ and ‘It happened at the World’s Fair’. Combined you get a new fresh album which sounds like it's brand new mainly due to the clever edits which also brings extended and very different sounding versions of master tracks.
Just listen to the incredible version of ‘Roustabout’ with a running time of 5.01 minutes, including 8 different takes to make a very nice new track. ‘It's A Wonderful World’ has a longer intro and sounds very different due to the different mix, and also ‘Big Love Big Heartache' sounds very different although there was only one take to work with.
Fans of the series will know what to expect and will again not be disappointed by this nice release. The artwork also combines the two movies in a clever way.
Tracks: Roustabout (Spliced Take 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 7, 10, 12) - Take Me To The Fair (Spliced Take 5, 5, 7) - It's Carnival Time (Spliced Take 9, 12) - I'm A Roustabout (Extended Master) - One Broken Heart For Sale (Spliced Take 2, 3, 1) - One Track Heart (Extended Master) - Hard Knocks (Spliced Take 4, 11) - Beyond The Bend (Spliced Take 1, 2, 3) - Little Egypt (Spliced Take 21, 15, 15) - How Would You Like To Be (Spliced Take 3, 4) - Carny Town (Extended Master) - It's A Wonderful World (Extended Master) - A World Of Our Own (Extended Master) - Poison Ivy League (Alternate Master) - Cotton Candy Land (Spliced Take 3, 4) - Relax (Spliced Take 12, 13) - I'm Falling In Love Tonight (Spliced Take 7, 8) - Wheels On My Heels (Extended Master) - Big Love, Big Heartache (Spliced Master) - They Remind Me Too Much Of You (Spliced Take 6, 1, 4, 4) - There's A Brandnew Day (Extended Master) - Happy Ending (Spliced Take 4, 6)
(Source: PermaFrons Publishing / Elvis Club Berlin / FECC)
The Danish Memphis Mansion updated their 2007 book 'Inside Graceland' by Megan Murphy, Henrik Knudsen and Soren Karstensen. This second edition is a Danish 100-page hardcover book with an updated design featuring photos from the Sherif Hanna collection. It should be available in 14 days.
In the Movies: Elvis Presley
G2 Entertainment released a paperback version of Timothy Knight's 'In the Movies: Elvis Presley' in Europe.
Synopsis: Although he starred in 31 films and was ranked a top-10 box office draw for six consecutive years, Elvis Presley has never gotten his full due from film critics and historians, who often dismiss him as a singer, moonlighting on the silver screen, rather than a bona fide movie star. Yet the Tupelo, Mississippi, native known as "The King" enjoyed far greater success on-screen than any rock and roll star who followed his lead to Hollywood.
Perhaps if he had ignored the Svengali-esque counsel of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and continued starring in dramatic, commercially risky films, instead of formulaic musical comedies, Presley might have become as electrifying an actor as he was a performer.
But for most of his 13-year film career, Presley starred in light-hearted escapist fare that left many critics cold. That said, the best of these musical comedies -- Blue Hawaii(1961), Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) and Viva Las Vegas (1964) -- are infectiously entertaining popcorn films, brimming with catchy songs and exuberant energy. Only the most hardened curmudgeon can resist Presley's sizzling duet with Ann- Margret in Viva Las Vegas. Or his easygoing rapport with Shelley Fabares in Clambake (1967), one of three films he made with the actress he called his favourite leading lady.
Billy Joe Shaver Died
Billy Joe Shaver, the Texas singer-songwriter who was a key player in the Outlaw Country movement, died. He was 81.
Elvis Presley recorded 'You Ask Me To', written by Billy Joe Shaver and Waylon Jennings as the closing song on his 1975 'Promised Land' album. It also appeared with an alternate arrangement on Elvis' posthumous 1981 'Guitar Man' album.
Tinseltown Troubadour Vol. 2 Released
The new release 'Tinseltown Troubadour vol. 2' has been released.
From the press release: 'Tinseltown Troubadour vol. 2' is yet another wild 'n' crazy joyride through Elvis' movie years! This new release offers a fresh take on Elvis' movie output through the use of alternate takes, movie versions, film dialogue and movie promos. Highlights include an alternate, more rockin' version of 'It Won't Be Long' with just bass, drums & guitar, which gives the song a new lease of life, and there's also that delicious, über-cool movie version of 'C'mon Everybody', now in better sound than before.
As with volume one, all songs are presented in dynamic mono, which makes everything sound ballsier than before, much like the jukeboxes of the time.
Packaged in beautiful digipacks with rare color pix, 'Tinseltown Troubadour vol. 2' is a smooth-groovin', fast-movin', hip-shakin', shagadelic collection of Elvis Movie Magic that you just gotta have!
(Source: Amazon / Memphis Mansion / Conqueroo / Elvis Information Network)
Stan Kesler, the Memphis musician, songwriter, producer and label owner, died. He was 92.
Elvis Presley recorded five of his songs 'I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone', 'I Forgot To Remember To Forget', 'Playing For Keeps', 'Thrill Of Your Love' and 'If I'm A Fool (For Loving You)'.
Chips Moman: The Record Producer Whose Genius Changed American Music
Due for release from the Sartoris Literary Group on December 10, 2020 is the 350-page hardcover book 'Chips Moman: The Record Producer Whose Genius Changed American Music'.
Synopsis: Chips Moman's genius began in the studio, where he instituted technical innovations that forever changed the recording industry, but it expanded from there with an uncanny ability to recognize hit songs when he heard them as rough demos, and then blossomed with an unsurpassed string of hit records. He was a co-founder of Memphis's Stax Records. Moman rescued Elvis Presley's career with his recordings of 'Suspicious Minds' and 'In the Ghetto', and he provided Willie Nelson with one of his most memorable signature songs, 'Always on My Mind'. Not bad for a Georgia country boy who dropped out of school in the eighth grade and hitchhiked to Memphis in search of the American Dream.
By any measure-sales, multi-genre capability, number of hit records, technical innovation, artistry, etc.-Lincoln "Chips" Moman was the most important record producer in American history. With several hundred hits to his credit in pop, country, rhythm & blues, and rock, both from record production and songwriting, Chips Moman is legendary within the music industry. This biography is the story of his life.
Devil in Disguise Video
Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, released the first official music video for Elvis Presley’s '(You’re the) Devil in Disguise'. First released as a single in 1963, the song continues to garner new fans especially during the Halloween season.
The new video was created by illustrator, animator and director, Jimmy Simpson.
In addition to the music video, “(You’re The) Devil In Disguise” is also a part of the new Elvis Instagram filter & Facebook lens. This filter/lens lets the user toggle between an angel, a devil and Elvis, all with a shake of the head – perfect for Halloween!
Three new 10-inch vinyl re-issues of classic LP's are due on colored vinyl: 'Elvis Golden Records' (Japan), 'Y Su Conjunto' (Chili) and 'Good Rockin' Tonight' (France). The LP's come on red, green and pink vinyl, all limited to 250 copies each.
Tracks Elvis Golden Records:
Side A: I Need Your Love Tonight / Wear My Ring Around Your Neck / My Wish Came True / I Got Stung.
Side B: A Big Hunk O' Love / One Night / (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I / Doncha' Think It's Time.
Tracks Y Su Conjunto:
Side A: Blue Suede Shoes / I'm Counting On You / I Got A Woman / One-Sided Love Affair / I Love You Because / Just Because.
Side B: Tutti Frutti / Tryin' To Get To You / I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) / I'll Never Let You Go / Blue Moon / Money Honey.
Tracks Good Rockin' Tonight:
Side A: Good Rockin' Tonight / I Don't Care, If the Sun Don't Shine / That's All Right / Blue Moon Of Kentucky.
Side B: Baby Let-s Play House / I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone / Milkcow Blues Boogie / You're A Heartbreaker.
The new Lauderdale Records import label released their first two titles ‘Tinseltown Troubadour Volumes 1 and 2’. Is the new label capable of delivering something new and interesting for Elvis fans?
Design
Compliments to the designer for a very clean, bright and modern approach to Elvis. I liked the design straight away. But to use the same design for two titles … Another issue about the design is the lack of information in the digi-pack on the alternate versions of the songs used in these compilations. I like to know what I'm listening to.
Content
According to the press release these limited editions compilations feature a "fun and dynamic mix of movie versions, studio outtakes and alternate mixes" and "cool movie dialogue and promo spots, freshly mixed and edited in glorious mono".
With the well of new Elvis material all dried up, bootleggers turn to rehashed, themed or "fun" compilations adding all kinds of audio like commercials, studio banter, quotes and so on to the musical content. These two CDs fall in the latter category mixing various audio snippets and movie dialog with a selection of songs recorded between 1956 and 1968, both masters and alternate takes.
While the concept OK for a fun-compilation and possibly a nice listening experience, these kind of compilation stand or fall with the selection of the songs. And here the producers could have, or should I say should have, done better.
Music will always be a matter of taste, and in this concept about finding the right mix between the audio fragments and songs. But there really is no excuse to mix classics like ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘Party’, ‘Loving You’, ‘Mean Woman Blues ‘, ‘Dirty Dirty Feeling’, ‘King Of The Whole Wide World’ or ‘Teddy Bear’ with mediocre material like ‘The Love Machine’, ‘There´s Gold In The Mountains’, ‘Slicin’ Sand’ or the classic ‘Smokey Mountain Boy’. You simply have to press the ‘next’ button too often to enjoy these releases.
Conclusion
These CDs look great, the idea has potential, but unfortunately the selection of songs left much to be desired for a pleasant listening experience. Let's hope the content on future releases will be as good as their design.
Due for release on December 4, 2020 is a 10-inch colored vinyl re-issue Japanese 'Elvis Golden Records' containing 8 of the 10 tracks from the legendary '50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong' hit compilation. It it limited to 500 copies and comes on two-tone gold opaque and violet transparent vinyl.
The Official Elvis Presley Fan Club of Great Britain released the book 'Elvis And More: The Spoils of War'.
Description: This is the autobiography of the world’s most well-known fan club president, Todd Slaughter, not through celebrity but because of his unforgettable name. His encounters with the rich and famous occurred – not that anyone wanted to meet him, but everyone wanted to talk about Elvis.
Conceived on the battlefields of Flanders (coastal Belgium) during WWII, adopted into poverty by loving parents, and growing up in the cosmopolitan East Midlands city of Leicester, this is the story of one man’s determination to promote and preserve the legacy of Elvis Presley.
Todd’s passion for Elvis is unquestionable. His achievements for Elvis, for the Official Elvis Presley Fan Club of Great Britain and its members are remarkable. His involvement with entertainment industry moguls is unbelievable. Despite bad luck, bad health and bad people, Todd has survived to tell a remarkable story.
All proceeds to the Royal Papworth Transplant Hospital.
(Source: Official Elvis Presley Fan Club of Great Britain)
The Danish Memphis Mansion announced the release of a 30th Anniversary LP to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Elvis News Denmark fan club. The LP, limited to 300 copies, contains remastered 12 songs selected by fan club members. It comes on gold colored vinyl with black spatters, housed in a gatefold cover. The release-date is December 2020.
Tracks: Ready Teddy / Don't Be Cruel / Lawny Miss Clawdy / Wear My Ring Around Your Neck / One Night / Jailhouse Rock / All Shook Up / Treat Me Nice / I Need Your Love Tonight / Young And Beautiful / Paralized / Love Me Tender.
Heartbreak Hotel Lyrics
The original handwritten lyrics to the classic 1956 Elvis Presley hit song Heartbreak Hotel will all come up for bid in Weiss Auctions’ major online-only auction planned for November 19th-20th.
Description: Heartbreak Hotel was written in October 1955 by Mae Boren Axton, a high school teacher with a background in musical promotion, and Tommy Durden, a Jacksonville singer-songwriter.
The lyrics were inspired by a newspaper account of a man who committed suicide by jumping to his death from a hotel window, leaving a note that said, “I walk a lonely street.” Axton presented the song to Presley and he loved it, recording the hit in January 1956 for his new label, RCA Victor.
Axton and Durden’s signed lyrics, in pencil with corrections, is a rare slice of rock’n’roll history.
(Source: Elvis News Denmark / Anthony Stuchbury / Weiss Auction / EIN Presswire)
Sony Legacy released a lyric video of 'Funny How Time Slips Away' to promote the upcoming 'From Elvis In Nashville' album.
Recorded in one single take, Elvis puts his soul into this perfect bluesy rendition of the Willie Nelson classic. Matt Ross-Spring's new remaster adds even more emotion with Charlie McCoy's organ neatly counterpointing James Burton's fine guitar playing.
Elvis Connection
McCartney hadn’t planned to release an album in 2020, but in the isolation of “Rockdown,” he soon found himself fleshing out some existing musical sketches and creating even more new ones. Before long an eclectic collection of spontaneous songs would become McCartney III: a stripped back, self-produced and, quite literally, solo work marking the opening of a new decade.
He recorded the record earlier this year in Sussex and it’s mostly made up of live takes of Paul on vocals, guitar, piano, drumming and more. Among the vintage instruments Paul plays is the double bass that belonged to Bill Black, who played the instrument in Elvis’ original trio.
City of Memphis vs. EPE
The city of Memphis won another legal battle Thursday against one of its more notable corporate citizens, Elvis Presley Enterprises, the owner of Graceland.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Samuel Mays dismissed EPE's suit against the city of Memphis.
In it, Graceland's owner alleged that the city of Memphis had told the city's office of planning and development not to consider plans for Graceland's expansion in retaliation for EPE's previous lawsuits against the city. The office of planning and development held off considering the plans due to litigation over whether tax incentives could be used for an arena at Graceland
EPE and the city have been embroiled in legal disputes for the better party of two years over whether Graceland could expand and build an indoor arena with public incentives. The city of Memphis has maintained that taxpayer funds can't be used to subsidize an arena because that would violate the noncompete clause in the city's agreement with the Memphis Grizzlies. At each turn, the city of Memphis has won, though an EPE appeal remains pending in the Tennessee Supreme Court.
(Source: Elvis Information network / Elvis The Music / Express Commercial Appeal)
The Lauderdale Records import label announced the release of volume 2 of 'Tinseltown Troubadour', a 33-track compilation featuring a 'fun and dynamic mix of movie versions, studio outtakes and alternate mixes' and 'cool movie dialogue, movie dialogue and promo spots, freshly mixed and edited in glorious mono' according to the text on the cover (the same text and cover as on vol. 1).
Tracks:C’mon Everybody - Loving You - Blue Hawaii - Your Time Hasn’t Come Yet Baby - One More Day - Teddy Bear - A Boy Like Me, A Girl Like You - Take Me To The Fair - Happy Ending - It Won’t Be Long - Mean Woman Blues - Spinout - Adam & Evil - Spinout - I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here - She’s A Machine - Long Legged Girl - Bossa Nova Baby - Stop Where You Are - Rock A’ Hula Baby - There’s No Room To Rhumba - Drums Of The Islands - What A Wonderful Life - You Can’t Say No In Acapulco - Big Boots - Slicin’ Sand - Smokey Mountain Boy - Girls, Girls, Girls - Catchin’ On Fast - Follow That Dream - Long Lonely Highway - King Of The Whole Wide World - Meanest Girl In Town - You’re The Boss - Hey Little Girl
The 'The Wonder Of You' album by Elvis Presley and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was certified Double Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (B.P.I.) for selling over 600,000 copies (streams plus digital downloads plus physical sales) since October 21, 2016.
Author Tony Plews shared an update on the publication of his book 'Walk A Lonely Street - The Tale of Heartbreak Hotel' which has been a few years in the making. The original release was planned in 2016.
The manuscript is ready and resides with the proofreader and the last copyright details are under negation. If all progress smoothly, it is the intention of the author to publish the book December 2020.
Synopsis: This is the first book to answer the last great mystery of rock 'n' roll: who was the anonymous man whose death inspired Elvis Presley's first hit record? It is a story that spans over one hundred years and involves scores of singers and their songs, uncovering the truth, placing events in context and revealing the astonishing depth of Presley's artistic vision and achievements.
This is the cover-art for the upcoming 'From Memphis to Taipeh', an Asian vinyl reference book by Ferry van der Werf and Dick Dekker. The book, containing 500 plus entries on 500 plus pages, is set for release January or February 2021.
While working on the book we very soon we found out that we had run right into a wasp’s nest of countless titles, flying in from everywhere. We could never tell this epic story in just a single volume. So we decided to limit our coverage to 10” and 12” records from six major Asian countries: Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Other countries and formats will just have to wait for Volume 2, and perhaps even a Volume 3!
Hits Sings Hits From the Movies
The Miracle Surface label released the LP 'Elvis Sings Hits From His Movies'. This compilation of alternate takes comes on blue vinyl housed in a gate-fold cover.
The MfX import-label released various versions of the ‘Smooth Chicago Nights’ vinyl / CD set featuring soundboard recordings from the October 14th and 15th 1976 concerts as recorded in Chicago.
The set comes in four different versions on various colors of vinyl in various packages with various kinds of bonus items like CDs, tote-bags, art-cards, certificates, foldable water bottle, cassette and more.Elvis In Bronce
The new statue of Elvis Presley, which will be placed at the American Bridge in the German Town Bad Nauheim is ready. The statue is set to be unveiled January 8, 2021.
Sony Legacy released another preview track from the upcoming 'From Elvis In Nashville' 4-CD and 2-LP set, takes 3-4 of 'Mary In the Morning'.
Elvis 4 Films
Paramount Pictures France announced the release of the 4 DVD set 'Elvis 4 Films' featuring the movies 'G.I. Blues', 'Sous Le Ciel Bleu d'Hawaii', 'L'Homme A Tout Faire' ('Roustabout') and 'Bagarres Au King Creole'.
This set features the same cover art as the 'Elvis 5 Films' set from the same company released May 2020. That set also featured 'Fun in Acapulco' and 'Girls! Girls! Girls!' but committed 'King Creole'.
Home Is Where The Heart Is
Finally due next week is the Memphis Mansion picture disc release 'Home Is Where The Heart Is'. The picture disc features the images of fans that supported the Memphis Mansion during these hard times.
Side One:
1.Home Is Where The Heart Is (original edit stereo master)
2.Introduction / I’m Counting On You
3. Elvis speaks / I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
4. Elvis speaks / Party (Alternate Master)
5. Elvis speaks / As Long as I Have You
6. Elvis speaks / I Will Be Home Again
Side Two
1. Shoppin’ Around
2. Elvis speaks / I Want You With Me
3. Elvis speaks / I’m Comin’ Home
4. Elvis speaks / Ku-u-ipo
5. Elvis speaks / Because Of Love
6. Elvis speaks / I Got LuckyVerstuurd vanaf mijn iPhone
Elvis Sings Hits From His Movies
The Miracle Surface LP 'Elvis Sings Hits From His Movies' should be available next week too.
(Source: FECC Forum / Sony Legacy / Elvis Club Berlin / Memphis Mansion)
Elvis collector and author Carlos R. Ares recently announced the release of his new book 'Elvis @ Argentina 1963-1969'.
The book is currently at the printer and should be available this November. Here is a (p)review:
One of the best parts of being an Elvis fan is collecting Elvis’ music. We usually start-off young with budget and local releases. How great was the discovery of that old or exotic record you missed, simply because you were born too late or lived in a certain corner of the globe?
For many fans the releases from Japan, Asia, Africa and South America are highly collectable because they differed from the main USA, UK or German releases. In this book, Carlos R. Ares takes us back in time to the years 1963 to 1969 documenting Elvis’ impact in Argentina between 1963 and 1969.
This book is the follow up to the Elvis: Argentina 1956 / 1962 book published in 2018. Let’s see what this Argentine trip down memory lane holds for us.
Design
The design of this 200-page hardback book is one of its main selling points. It is colorful with a lot of eye-candy and yet easy on the eye.
Each year has its own chapter and the design follows the content of the chapter using (style) elements from the movie and music memorabilia shown.
The author and designer clearly chose not to make this an encyclopedia on Argentinian record releases, but an entertaining read for fans and collectors.
The text – in English – is a good addition to the graphic content and helps the reader's understanding of all the Spanish newspaper clippings and promotional material.
Content
The book is an illustrated chronology of Elvis @ Argentina for the years 1963 to 1969, covering all Argentinian Elvis music and movie releases – on many formats – with additional background information and illustrations placing these releases in the proper (social) historical context.
The book opens with the “Street Fighting Man” from ‘Kid Galahad’ and ends with “That Idol” and the ‘From Elvis In Memphis’ album. In between we get all information on 17 movies, 12 LPs, 26 singles, 3 EPS and one 78 RPM acetate released in Argentina between 1963 and 1969.
These years include titles such as ‘Girls! Girls! Girls!’, ‘Pot Luck’, Golden Records Vol.3’, ‘Harum Scarum, ‘Elvis’ (The ’NBC TV Special’) and ‘From Elvis in Memphis’. We all may have our perspective on the (artistic) quality of our man’s work, but he certainly was very productive.
As a fan it is interesting to learn how Elvis was received and represented in other countries. These original newspaper clippings and promotional material illustrate this. The author did not wear ‘pink glasses’ he added both the (very) critical and positive opinions on our man’s work.
Reading the original reviews, the appreciation of Elvis’ sixties output is pretty much the same across the globe: a worn-out formula with pretty girls, Elvis, fluffy music and some light comedy as the main ingredients. A quote from the book from a movie executive after seeing ‘Harum Scarum’: “Elvis movies don’t need titles; they could be numbered”.
The little details, background stories and different South American designs make this book an interesting release. And the book holds many. You just got to love the language, the writing, and the designs.
The book is obviously written by an enthusiastic fan and collector. A fan reminiscing about the early days of discovering and collection Elvis while sharing (background) stories and nice little details.
The illustrations with many original and altered known designs from the authors collection will make you jealous.
A few examples:
Would The Colonel have known - or should I say have allowed - that the great ‘Return To Sender' was used as a B-side to benefit local rock ’n’ roll singer Johnny Tedesco's native version?
Do collectors of South American vinyl know that this single was released in very limited numbers on 78 RPM (as an acetate)?
The classic ‘In The Ghetto’ was released on single as 'En El Barrio De Los JudÃos' which translates as ‘In The In Jewish Neighborhood'.
The LP ‘From Elvis in Memphis’ was mixed down from stereo to mono by Argentine technicians because back then monaural records were still popular in Argentina? This mix sounds quite different from the one most of us know.
Conclusion
This book is not only interesting for fans interested in Argentine Elvis releases, but for Elvis fans in general. Besides a nice trip down memory lane by South American fan and collector Carlos R. Ares, to which many fans can relate, this book is a nicely illustrated chronology of Elvis @ Argentina covering most of the sixties. It is a collector’s guide to everything Elvis Presley from Argentina at the same time, including some interesting and very rare items for the serious collectors.
Hopefully there will be a next installment in this series as the seventies bring us a new and different Elvis. I’m curious to find out how "that idol" was presented and marketed in Argentina.
Here is a preview of what to expect:
For more information on the book, and how to order it contact the author by mail at Elvis.Shop@gmail.com or on Facebook at: "elvis.shop.argentina".
