October 17 - Elvis April May '59

Visual Elvis biographer Paul Belard published another volume in his ongoing biography series through Linden Press, this time focusing on the months April and May 1959. 

The description for the 218-page softcover reads: Early in March 1959, while serving in Germany, Elvis bought a guitar and rented a piano and relaxed at home while on leave, playing both instruments, listening to records and reading fan mail. On April 10, in celebration of the eighteenth anniversary of the 3rd Armored Division, an open house took place at his base. He was involved in guiding visitors. 

Early in May, an extensive photo shoot took place in Frankfurt. Several of the pictures will be used on forthcoming record sleeves. Close to 220 pages, the book is chock-full of rare and not so rare pictures, all of them retracing his life during these two months.

The book, and all other volumes in this series, are available from >>> Amazon (associate link) or directly from the author. You can >>> contact him here by mail.

Die letzten Geheimnisse der Presleys

The October 17th edition of the German Stern magazine features Elvis, his daughter and his granddaughter on the cover. Inside the article 'The Last Secrets of the Presley's', an interview with Riley Keough and more.

(Source: Paul Belard / Amazon/ Elvis Club Berlin / Stern)

October 16 - Ooh Las Vegas

The Millbranch Music import record label announced the release of the CD and DVD set 'Ooh Las Vegas' featuring a soundbooth recording of the February 11, 1973 Midnight Show performance is Las Vegas and previously unreleased video footage on DVD. 

Publicity stated: Millbranch Music is back with a very strong CD and DVD combo containing unreleased “Soundbooth” Audio and Video (in unbelievable, simply stunning quality)! And we are completely focused on Elvis' first “After Aloha from Hawaii” Las Vegas engagement in early 1973!

'Ooh Las Vegas' is a CD and a DVD in a deluxe 2-panel Digi-Pack. We are delighted to be able to present a completely new show on CD (February 11th, 1973 - Midnight Show). Recorded by UK's super fan Rex Martin, we are able to fill another hole in all our collections of Elvis´ Las Vegas concert legacy! 

And we are lucky for sure, since this recording - taken from the original cassette tape - presents an absolutely complete show in stunning “Soundbooth” quality. Starting with music from Joe Guercio's Orchestra about half a minute before the 'Also Sprach Zarthustra' Intro begins, you can even hear a couple of female voices greeting Rex Martin (and a little bit of conversation between them). He clearly had already built up and running his recording devices (both audio and video). Then there is the complete show until the very end, when you hear the announcer talk about the souvenir stand in the lobby. It doesn't get much better!

The DVD presents Millbranch's typical premium quality approach. You'll get more than 90 minutes of Video material, also including a great documentary about Elvis' early 1973 appearances, with both information and entertainment. But most of all you will get unreleased Video! See extremely rare footage in stunning quality with Elvis appearing in his Blue Pinwheel suit! And so much more! Quality wise this DVD easily represents the best picture quality of any Las Vegas 8mm footage that has been seen before.

CD: Orchestra Introduction / Also Sprach Zarathustra - See See Rider - I Got A Woman / Amen - Love Me Tender - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Steamroller Blues - You Gave Me A Mountain - Fever - Love Me - Blue Suede Shoes - Heartbreak Hotel - Johnny B. Goode - Hound Dog - What Now My Love - Suspicious Minds - Introductions - Introduction Of Jack Lord / Hawaii Five-O Theme - I'll Remember You - I Can't Stop Loving You - An American Trilogy - Can't Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp / Announcements

DVD:

1. An American Trilogy (different Camera angles) – January 12, 1973
2. Ooh Las Vegas (Documentary)
3. Elvis At The Hilton (8 mm footage with sound) – February 10, 1973 MS
4. Elvis At The Hilton (8 mm footage with sound) – February 12, 1973 DS
5. Elvis At The Hilton (8 mm footage with sound) – February 15, 1973 DS
6. Elvis At The Hilton (8 mm footage with sound) – February 17, 1973 DS
7. Elvis At The Hilton (8 mm footage with sound) – February 17, 1973 MS
8. Elvis At The Hilton (8 mm footage with sound) – February 18, 1973 MS
9. Elvis At The Hilton (8 mm footage with sound) – February 20, 1973 MS

70th Anniversary

The Elvis' Angels Fan Club will celebrate the 70th anniversary of Elvis' debut on the Louisiana Hayride radio program with a short ceremony on the steps of the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium.

On October 16, 1954, 19-year-old Elvis Presley made his first appearance on the Louisiana Hayride. The show was broadcast live every Saturday night from the Auditorium in downtown Shreveport and was heard throughout much of the southern and western United States. This performance certainly helped Elvis Presley's career.

The ceremony will include a proclamation from Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux declaring October 16 "Elvis Presley Day."

At 7:30 p.m., a program honoring Elvis will be held on the Louisiana Grandstand.

(Source: Millbranch / UEPS / Schreveport Times)

September 14 - Elvis Vinyl

This coming Saturday Dutch fans can by a previously unannounced Elvis LP at the Lidl supermarket. Also available is a budget 5-CD-set, released last year. 

On Elvis Club Berlin more details were posted: The LP is titled 'Elvis Presley - Live Radio Broadcast' (also known as 'Elvis Presley - Live In Las Vegas 1970') from 2023. 

Tracklist January 26, 1970 Opening Show: All Shook Up - That's All Right - Proud Mary - Don't Cry Daddy - Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel - Long Tall Sally - Let It Be Me - I Can't Stop Loving You - Walk A Mile In My Shoes - In The Ghetto - True Love Travels On A Gravel Road - Sweet Caroline - Polk Salad Annie - Introductions By Elvis - Kentucky Rain - Suspicious Minds - Can't Help Falling In Love.

(Source: Facebook / Elvis Club Berlin)

October 12 - Kissin' Cousins From New Zealand

Due for release from an unknown record label are Limited Edition colored vinyl re-issues of the New Zealand Christmas EP's volumes 1 and 2 as first released in 1957.

Publicity stated: Although in small amounts, New Zealand did their own exclusive cover of the 1957 Christmas album and for approx. 4 years in a row used the same cover. They never released a Christmas LP until the mid 60's, when all they did was copy the USA sleeves. Why on earth did they not release theirs using their original sleeve? 

Well, here is what could have been, using just the eight Christmas songs in pristine sound and true Mono.  

Volume 1 - Side A: Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Here Comes Santa Claus.
Side B: White Christmas - I'll Be Home For Christmas.

Volume 2 - Side A: White Christmas  - I'll Be Home For Christmas.

Side B: Blue Christmas - Silent Night.

Kissin' Cousins 60th Anniversary Edition 

 

The Infinity import record label released the follow up to the 'Roustabout - 60th Anniversary' CD: 'Kissin' Cousins - 60th Anniversary Edition'. 

Publicity stated: At Infinity Records, we are proud to present a limited 2-CD edition of the 'Kissin' Cousins' soundtrack to celebrate the incredible talent involved in these sessions. Often overlooked, the music features members of the legendary Nashville A-Team, along with long-time contributors to Elvis's sound, including Scotty Moore, D.J. Fontana, and the sensational Boots Randolph.

These discs contain rare, previously unreleased RCA masters in both stereo and mono, making them a must-hear for fans! The sound quality is exceptional, prompting curiosity as to why these tracks were discarded. Don’t miss the stunning 'Anyone (Could Fall in Love With You)' and the lively 'Smoky Mountain Boy', among other highlights. 

Additionally, we've included a selection of movie outtakes featuring rare and unreleased movie masters sourced from acetate and "track" recordings intended for Elvis's vocal overdubs. This collection showcases the extraordinary work of the musicians, along with a demo of 'Kissin' Cousins' by Malcolm Dodd, complemented by the session of 'Echoes of Love'.

Despite a dip in material quality, 'Kissin' Cousins', still achieved a respectable No. 11 spot on the Variety National Box Office Chart, while its soundtrack reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top LPs Chart.

CD 1: Kissin' Cousins (No. 2) - Smokey Mountain Boy - There's Gold In The Mountains - One Boy, Two Little Girls - Catchin' On Fast - Tender Feeling - Anyone (Could Fall In Love With You) - Barefoot Ballad -  Once Is Enough - Kissin' Cousins - Echoes Of Love - (It's A) Long Lonely Highway - Kissin' Cousins (Hillbilly Vocal Overdub) -  Catchin' On Fast (Unedited Master) - Kissin' Cousins (Regular Vocal Overdub) - (It's A) Long Lonely Highway (Take 1, Single Master) - There's Gold In The Mountains (Track, Take 1 - 2) - Echoes Of Love (Take 1) - Kissin' Cousins (End Title - Movie Master) - Barefoot Ballad (Movie Master) - Once Is Enough (Movie Master) - Smokey Mountain Boy (Movie Master) - There's Gold In The Mountains (Movie Master)

CD 2: Tender Feeling (Vocal Overdub, Take 1) - One Boy, Two Little Girls (Track, Take 2) - Echoes Of Love (Take 2, 3) - Once Is Enough (Track, Take 1) - Echoes Of Love (Take 4 - 7) - Echoes Of Love (Take 8, Alternate Master) - Tender Feeling (Track, Take 1) - Kissin' Cousins (Unedited Master) - Echoes Of Love (Take 9) - Kissin' Cousins (No. 2, Track, Take 1) - Pappy, Won't You Please Come Home (Sung By Dolores Edgin) - Anyone Could Fall In Love With You (Track, Take 4) - Kissin' Cousins (No. 2) - Smokey Mountain Boy - There's Gold In The Mountains - One Boy, Two Little Girls - Catchin' On Fast - Tender Feeling - Anyone (Could Fall In Love With You) - Barefoot Ballad - Once Is Enough - Kissin' Cousins - Echoes Of Love - (It's A) Long Lonely Highway - Kissin' Cousins (Demo by Michael Dodd)

(Source: Chris Giles / Pascal Matteo)

Elvis Fans for Elvis Fans

Our fellow Elvis Presley fan Jean Francois Jubinville, needs our help. He is facing health problems. And as a person with a heart condition, he has repeated fainting spells, which has considerably affected his quality of life. He can no longer go to the supermarket or do his shopping (or to the record store for an Elvis release) like he could before.

To improve his mobility and regain some autonomy, he needs a four-wheeled scooter. This equipment will allow him to move around safely and resume daily activities that he miss so much.

Unfortunately, the cost of a quadricycle is high, and therefor he is asking for our help to raise the necessary funds. Every contribution, however small, will be a great help.

You can visit his >>> Go Fund Me page and help a fellow fan. 

Thank you, thank you very much!

Review The Follow That Dream Sessions (Updated)

Hot on the heels of their ‘King Creole’ LP, the Miracle Surface import label has released another alternate take soundtrack set, ‘Follow That Dream - The Complete Sessions’. More importantly, the label claims this CD contains the Master Takes in real stereo. Until now, the stereo versions of these Masters were thought to be lost, Ernst Jorgensen only recovered the empty tape-box.

 
Are we in for a unique listening experience, or is it too good to be true (stereo)?


Design

The design of this CD is appealing, thanks to the classic look and typography on the front and the film-reel design on the back. 

The 8-page booklet is filled with illustrations and liner notes detailing the movie and the songs from the soundtrack. However, next to the very small font size, one thing is missing: the details of the DAT tape the label found and used for this album. The disc itself is a golden CD, a nice extra from the label. 

 
Content
 
The main reason to buy this CD is the real stereo version of the Master recordings, which are supposed to make their debut here! We already had the Outtakes in Stereo, but unfortunately, I don’t believe these are the missing Stereo Masters. Sorry for the spoiler.
 
Listening to the CD - which presents the songs as a session, complete with chatter and count-ins, some new to me - it becomes obvious that the material comes from various sources. There’s simply too much variation in audio quality between the Alternate Takes and the so-called ‘Stereo Masters’, as well as between the different songs recorded during the same session. The audio presentation isn’t consistent. Here are some examples to illustrate this:
 
On ‘Follow That Dream’, the piano moves from the left in the Outtakes to the center in the Master. In the Extended Version of the song, which is included as a bonus, the backing vocals shift to the left.
 
The sound of the Alternate and Master Takes differs too much for them to come from the same tape. It’s possible that the DAT tape the producers found contained only the Outtakes, and they added the Masters to create a complete session. However, the information provided doesn’t clarify this. It appears that the count-ins before the Masters, and a short False Start before 'Sound Advice' are in new to this set. It doen have the complete session running at the correct speed for the first time, where it was running slightly too fast on 'Keep Following That Dream' and the Memory (Czech fan club) CD. On those CDs, the tapes used had the count-ins for the masters, along with the masters, all cut from the session tape, which is what existed in RCA's vaults at that time, but here even those count-ins are here. So the producers did find something new. 

For the Masters the producers stated online: "I can tell you that the Masters are not DES created. The sessions is taken from a DAT tape. A copy of the tape. With some bits not on the bootlegs and die is right speed. The Masters we have taken from a real tape. But in not a good shape. We have tried to  clean it. It was  unbalanced in quality." 

Note: Picture from producers. William is the first name of Owen Bradley. Together with Chet Atkins and Harold Bradley he founded the RCA Studio A in Nashville. Owen Bradley was associated with what was known in Nashville as the A-Team. Members included Harold Bradley, Grady Martin, Bob Moore, Hank Garland, and Buddy Harman. Bob Moore, Hank Garland, and Buddy Harman were all at the "Follow That Dream Session.

That said, the Outtakes do sound like they came from a DAT tape; the sound and feel are similar to several import releases from years ago that featured Outtakes from various studio and soundtrack sessions, like ‘The Pot Luck Sessions Volume 1’ (Bella Records, 2004, the same label that did a ‘Follow That Dream Sessions’ CD in 1993, but which can’t match the audio on this new CD) or ‘Avventura In Oriente’ (Victorola, 2018). Therefore, it’s possible the producers of this CD found a DAT tape containing transfers of the Outtakes - without the Master Takes - that somehow escaped the RCA, BMG, Sony vaults back in the day.
 

On ‘I'm Not the Marrying Kind’, you can hear digital artifacts or an echo on Elvis' voice, something that can happen when using Digitally Extracted Stereo technology (DES). Just like in the title song, the piano moves from the left to the center in the Master after the Alternate takes.
 
From the ‘Angel’ session, Take 3 seems to be missing, but that’s not an error here; it simply wasn’t announced during the original recording session. However, some songs do contain errors, such as brief skips. For example, listen to take 3 of ‘Follow That Dream’ or take 6 of ‘What a Wonderful Life’.

The Master of 'What A Wonderful Life' (Take 7) used on this release does not match the Master as released originally in the Mono version we know. On that Master, at two minutes in, Elvis sings "I’ve got neighbours, I’ve got friends, (just about) anywhere the rainbow ends". If you listen to the lyrics you'll hear that "just about" is missing on this release. And before the fade Elvis sings "it’s a crazy life" that is also missing here. On the fade out, here he sings "oh what a life" on the original Mono Master he doesn’t.

Keith Flynn concluded: Apart from the False Start before the Master of 'Sound Advice', which they stated in the blurb for the CD, and the take announcements, we also now get a new False Start before the Master of 'I'm Not The Marrying Kind' and we get the complete Take 7 of 'What A Wonderful Life', and it now confirms that the Master we know was a splice of Takes 7 and 6.

This alone would have been a great selling point for the CD, if the producers had even realized what they had!

The word "six" before the Master of 'Follow That Dream' has been spliced in from another take. Sounds like the word "six" from Take 6 of "What A Wonderful Life".

 
It’s possible that the producers used the recently created Stereo Masters by the Memphis Recording Service (‘Follow That Dream’ CD / vinyl EP, 2024) for this release, as we hear a knocking sound in the intro that only appears there. The acoustic guitar in ‘Sound Advice’ also moves around, although it should remain centered as it was during the original session. For comparison, listen to the outtakes of ‘Follow That Dream’ on the FTD collector’s label.
 
Conclusion
 
So yes, the publicity was too good to be “Real Stereo”, unfortunately. However, the compilation itself is a complete package, and both looks and sounds good. And without realizing it, the producers gave us the complete Take 7 of 'What A Wonderful Life'! 

The lingering question remains: “Who recorded what on the DAT tape that the label found, and what did the label do (or not do) with these recordings?”

 
Thanks to Rogier van Luyken for the input and investigative work for this review. 

The CD can be ordered by mail from the >>> Miracle Surface. 

October 12 - Charts October 2024 - Week 2

Another slow week for Elvis in the U.S. with Elvis' releases pretty much at the same positions as last week, in Greece Elvis' lost more than just a few places unfortunately. 

Official U.K. charts:

• Official Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped 3 spots, from No. 54 to No. 57. 
• Official Streaming Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' remained steady at No. 44.
• Official Physical Singles chart: 'Welcome Home Elvis' dropped over 17 places, off the chart from last week's placing at No. 83. 
• Official Music Video chart: 'The King of Rock and Roll' fell of the chart after last week's re-entry at No. 30.

Irish IRMA charts: 

• Official Irish Album chart: 'ELV1S 30#1 Hits' climbed 4 places, from No. 81 to No. 77. 

Billboard charts:   

• Billboard Top 200 Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped 8 places to No 191.  
• Billboard Top Country Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped 1 spot to No. 34.  
• Billboard Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' remained steady at No. 45. 

October 12, 2002, twenty five years after Elvis’ passing the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' album entered the Billboard album chart. And in 2024, the album is stil present.

Greek charts:

• Greek IPFI Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped off the Top 75 chart from last week's No. 45 position.

Extra charts this week, for the Lisa Marie Presley biography. On Amazon's Best Sellers Rank the book is: 

• # 1 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
• # 1 in Love & Loss
• # 1 and #2 in Memoirs (Books)
• # 1 #2 and and #3 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies

(Source: Billboard / Official Chart Company / IRMA / UK Mix Forum/ IPFI / Amazon)

October 11 - Elvis On Record 2 Released

Paul Alner's 692-page hardcover book 'Elvis On Record Volume 2' has been released. 

This second book in the series - volume 1 was released earlier this year - covers the U.K. Releases from 1966 to 1981.

The book is available through >>> Elvis 4 Sale. 

(Paul Alner on Facebook)

October 10 - Welcome The King To The Rodeo

Just released by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo import record label is the Limited Edition LP / CD set '38th Annual Houston Livestock Welcomes The King To The Rodeo'. This combo package contains a remastered version of the audience recording of the March 1, 1970 7 PM Show and is limited to 125 copies. 

Publicity stated: Experience the magic as Elvis delivers an unforgettable, electrifying performance in one of the most iconic concerts. Feel the energy, hear the hits, and witness history in the making at the biggest show in Texas. Remastered audience recording to achieve the best sound for this unique show that marked the closing of Elvis’ performances at the Houston Astrodome in 1970.

Side A: Opening - Blue Suede Shoes / I Got a Woman / Long Tall Sally / Elvis welcomes the audience / Don’t Cry Daddy / Heartbreak Hotel / Hound Dog / Love Me Tender / Kentucky Rain / Release Me

Side B: Walk a Mile In My Shoes / I Can’t Stop Loving You / Polk Salad Annie / Group Introductions / Suspicious Minds / Can’t Help Falling In Love / Outro / Love Me Tender (Instrumental).

Rejects Volume 1 - 1954 - 1959

On the back of their recent 'Follow That Dream - The Complete Sessions' CD the Miracle Surface import record label announced the release of the LP 'Rejects Volume 1 - 1954 - 1959' as "coming soon", but no this year. More information when available. 

(Source: FECC / Miracle Surface)

Review Love Me Tender and Corazón de Madera 45's

Two new novelty re-issue 45’s from France, or should I say Belgium and Spain?

Continuing their worldwide hit-single and Extended Play re-issues, the French V.P.I. record label has re-issued a collectible single from Belgium: ‘Love Me Tender.’ And collectible it certainly is when I look at the £475 price tag at the Elvis Shop London.

Design

This single comes as close to the original 1957 version as it gets. If you pick the black version, the only difference is the color of the label on the vinyl; everything else is a 1-to-1 reproduction. There isn’t even a reference to the V.P.I. label, just RCA and Disel, the company that pressed the Belgian singles.

For fun, I picked the yellow vinyl, matching the font color on the cover. Housed in a cardboard cover and white paper inner sleeve, the label paid attention to the details.

Content

Elvis’ first movie didn’t get a full soundtrack album, just the four songs from the movie on single and Extended Play. Based on the ‘Aura Lee’ Civil War ballad, ‘Love Me Tender’ was a fan favorite from day one and topped the charts worldwide shortly after its release in 1956. Let’s be honest, following Elvis’ version, many covers followed, but few could stand in the shadow of his performance.

Being the “Rock and Roll rebel,” this song must have won over some of his female fans’ mothers, while the more upbeat country-themed songs like ‘Let Me,’ ‘Poor Boy,’ and ‘We’re Gonna Move’ probably appealed to the girls' fathers, making Elvis a household name.

Corazón de Madera

Together with the single above, we got a Spanish version of ‘Wooden Heart,’ titled ‘Corazón de Madera,’ from 1962. This marks the second re-issue of this song, following the release of the 1961 edition last year.

Design

When I reviewed that single, my only remark was that the label could have gone back to the first of the five different releases of this single as issued by RCA Spain in 1961 and 1962, but the label went the other way, picking the fifth version.

Looking at the design of this single, it surprised me how modern it looked, especially when compared to the other four editions, which have a typical sixties or even 1957 LP design. 

Again, it’s a faithful reproduction, with only the catalogue number missing from the front. And if I have to be critical, the images could have been a bit sharper, but if that’s all I can find to critique…

Content

As for the music, I gave the B-side a few more spins than the title track, which is too folky for my taste. It always surprised me what a big hit ‘Wooden Heart’ was on this side of the Atlantic so shortly after the war. For the color, I picked the red vinyl, again, matching the cover.

Conclusion

These novelty records are fun additions to any collection and will look great playing on your record player or jukebox. I’m curious to see if the label will eventually release all the variations of the ‘Wooden Heart’ single to complete the collection.

Availability

You can order >>> 'Love Me Tender' and >>> 'Corazón de Madera' from the French V.P.I. web-shop or from Bennies Fifties, >>> 'Love Me Tender' and >>> 'Corazon de Madera' .

If you like these re-issues, the label has already announced the November 15, 2024 release of the >>> U.S. ‘Peace in The Valley’ EP and the >>> Italian ‘Il Re Del Rock & Roll’ single. I’m especially looking forward to the latter, as the cover is in my Top 5 all-time favorite designs.

October 08 - The Last Tours Released

The Follow That Dream collector's label released the 'Elvis - The Last Tours' 4-CD-set. This 5-inch digipack features a selection of performances from February 1977, as recorded by the engineer. 

The set contains recordings from the West Palm Beach (February 13), St. Petersburg (February 14), Montgomery (February 16), Columbia (February 18), Johnson City (February 19) and Charlotte (February 20/21). All recordings are Mono. 

If you order 'Elvis - The Last Tours Vol. 1' 4-CD-set from the Danish Memphis Mansion you get a bonus CD containing all the Kasey Casem radio promo spots from 1977. Both bonus items are limited to 100 copies. 

CD 1 - West Palm Beach, Florida: Little Sister - You Gave Me A Mountain - Blue Suede Shoes - O Sole Mio / It’s Now Or Never - My Way - All Shook Up - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - And I Love You So - Fever - Blueberry Hill - Hurt - Hound Dog - Jailhouse Rock - Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

 St. Petersburg, Florida: If You Love Let Me Know (Late Start) - You Gave Me A Mountain - O Sole Mio / It’s Now Or Never - All Shook Up - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - And I Love You So - Fever - My Way - Blueberry Hill - Love Letters - School Day - Hurt - Hound Dog - Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

CD 2 - Montgomery, Alabama: You Gave Me A Mountain -  O Sole Mio / It’s Now Or Never - Little Sister - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - My Way - Polk Salad Annie - Hurt - Hound Dog - Where No One Stands Alone - Unchained Melody - Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

Columbia, South Carolina: Fairytale - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - O Sole Mio / It’s Now Or Never - Trying To Get To You - Little Sister - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - Are You Lonesome Tonight - That’s All Right - My Way - Release Me - Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

CD 3 - Johnson City, Tennessee: If You Love Let Me Know (Late Start) - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - O Sole Mio / It’s Now Or Never - Little Sister - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - My Way - Hurt (Late Start) - Polk Salad Annie - Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

Charlotte, North Carolina: Love Me - Fairytale - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - O Sole Mio / It’s Now Or Never - Little Sister - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - My Way - How Great Thou Art - Hurt - Hound Dog - Unchained Melody - Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

CD 4 - Charlotte, North Carolina: Are You Lonesome Tonight (Late Start) - Reconsider Baby - Love Me - Moody Blue - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - O Sole Mio / It’s Now Or Never - Little Sister - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - My Way - Release Me - Hurt - Why Me Lord - Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

Order 'The last Tours Vol. 1' 4-CD-set >>> from the Memphis Mansion and get the bonus CD.

If you pre-order the delayed 'California Holiday' 2-LP >>> from the Memphis Mansion there is a bonus 45 RPM waiting for you.

Stereo For Christmas

The MRS re-issue of 'Elvis' Christmas Album' which comes on CD and on 180 Gr. Chrystal white spattered vinyl with glitters, has been released.  

The LP can be ordered from >>> Amazon (associate link).

(Source: Henrik Knudsen)

Review Back in L.A. LP

Alongside the release of the ‘New Script, Same Stage’ 2-LP set, the Millbranch import label also issued ‘Back In L.A.’, a deluxe double LP set featuring the May 11, 1974, evening show performance. 

The publicity for this release stated: “During the production of our album ‘Kansas City Revisited’, we were amazed at what can be achieved with modern studio techniques and the expertise of our recording engineer to restore these types of recordings.”

 
Having enjoyed their previous releases, I found this reason enough to pick up their latest offering of this L.A. performance, now making its debut on vinyl.
 
Design
 

Like the aforementioned ‘New Script’ album, the Millbranch label went all out with this deluxe package, and “deluxe” it certainly is! It comes in a modern-designed gatefold sleeve featuring Elvis on the cover, stepping toward the viewer and looking directly at you from the stage. Although I wish a sharper version of the cover image had been available, as this one is a bit grainy, it still captures the essence.
 

Inside, you'll find more pictures and memorabilia. The great black-and-white shot of Elvis performing showcases how simple the stage setup was in those days. essentially just a specially built stage with a curtain in front to make it look more appealing. There were no massive stages or light shows back then; Elvis had to carry each show (with a little help from his musical friends, of course).

 

The package includes printed inner sleeves that detail the meetings with Led Zeppelin, who attended this show, and excerpts from a 1956 interview with Lou Irwin when Elvis first performed in Los Angeles at the Shrine Auditorium. The interview is included on the LP as a bonus, along with  ‘Trying to Get to You’ and ‘The Wonder of You’ (both improved versions) from his 1970 performances at the “Fabulous Forum,” as it was locally known.
 
To top it off, the producers added a 20-page, LP-sized booklet covering Elvis’ L.A. performances in pictures,  you’ve got to love those screaming girls from the '50s and the fringe suit from the '70s, along with text. It’s great to read comments from newspapers, like “Elvis Presley will have to clean up his show - or go to jail,” reminding us how it all started.
 

I opted for the clear vinyl for this album, and I have no complaints. The 150 Gr. vinyl is flat, as it should be, and plays with little noticeable noise or static. I love how the clear vinyl appears to be spinning backward when played.
 
Content
 
This concert has been released before on various bootleg labels, such as ‘City of Angels’ (Audionics, 2015), and officially on the Follow That Dream collectors label as ‘Live In L.A.’ (2007). It has been reviewed several times.
 
For this release, the producers returned to their tape transfer of the original reel-to-reel soundboard tape. Although the tape isn’t in top condition, the experienced audio engineer from Holland who worked on the audio, managed to improve the sound significantly, and stayed true to the original Mono sound,  not using DES this time. Using expertise gained from her work on the Kansas City performances, this concert now has more depth than the previous releases. The producers managed to add some warmth to the overall sound, and blended Elvis' voice in better with the musicians. 

Thanks to vinyl mastering, the sound is more voluminous, resulting in a fuller experience. And with the speed corrected, Elvis’ performance sounds more energetic than in earlier versions.

 
Unfortunately, the original tape has some flaws, and some limitations are still noticeable; the sound remains a bit sharp, and the performance could benefit from more bass. Just listen to ‘Suspicious Minds’ or the finale of big show numbers like ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’, and you’ll hear it. However, what wasn’t recorded can’t be added later. Thankfully, the crowd’s atmosphere is present, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the performance.

 

Elvis, too, contributes to this enjoyment, as he was in great shape and mood for the show, both vocally and physically. With members of Led Zeppelin in the audience, he interrupts ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ to tell his musicians, “Wait a minute… If we can start together, fellas, because we’ve got Led Zeppelin out there… Let’s try to look like we know what we’re doing, whether we do or not!”
 
On these two vinyl discs, we get a listenable show, much in line with what we know from the March 1974 tour, with the setlist hardly changed, but with Elvis in better shape and spirits. Some highlights include ‘Love Me’ and ‘Why Me Lord’, both featuring reprises, and ‘Steamroller Blues’, with Duke Bardwell on bass.
 

On ‘Hound Dog’, Elvis humorously remarks, “You guys weren’t together, man! I ain’t gonna take the blame for it!” showing there’s still some work to be done to impress Led Zeppelin. ‘An American Trilogy’ is a standout performance, including the L.A.-specific lyric “look away, Disneyland.”
 
Conclusion
 
This reissue of the 1974 L.A. performance is an upgrade from previous versions. The show is entertaining, the package is impressive, and it can easily compete with Jimmy Carpenter’s work for the Follow That Dream label. While the audio is better than before, it’s still not perfect, but it’s as good as it gets given the source material.
 
Overall, it’s "A Whole Lotta Love" from me for delivering a deluxe package like this!

You can order the 'Back in L.A.' Deluxe 2-LP from >>> Bennies Fifties.

October 08 - From Here to the Great Unknown

The book 'From Here to the Great Unknown - A Memoir' by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough, has been released and climbed to No. 1 on Amazon's best-seller list. 

Description: Born to an American myth and raised in the wilds of Graceland, Lisa Marie Presley was never truly understood, until now. Before her death in 2023, she’d been working on a raw, riveting, one-of-a-kind memoir for years, recording countless hours of breathtakingly vulnerable tape, which has finally been put on the page by her daughter, Riley Keough.

Keough listened to many hours of tape recordings her mother had recorded for the book. “She listened as Lisa Marie told story after story about the unconditional love she felt from her father, about being upstairs at Graceland, just the two of them, a sanctuary from the chaos of her life,” according to Random House.

The 304-page book also will address “Lisa Marie’s complicated relationship with her mother Priscilla” and about growing up in the public spotlight including her marriages to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage. Presley also talked about “the shattering loss of her son, Riley’s brother Benjamin Keough, to suicide.”

Keough said in a statement, “Few people had the opportunity to know who my mom really was, other than being Elvis’s daughter. I was lucky to have had that opportunity and working on preparing her autobiography for publication has been a privilege, albeit a bittersweet one. I’m so excited to share my mom now, at her most vulnerable and most honest, and in doing so, I do hope that readers come to love my mom as much as I did.”

Also set for release on that date is an audiobook edition including what Random House says are “never-before-heard recollections in Lisa Marie’s own voice.

Random House indicated that Keough “carried a guilt” that the memoir had not been finished at the time of Presley’s death and feared the world “would never know the loving, joyful, and caring woman that she knew and grieved”.

About the authors: Lisa Marie Presley was a singer and songwriter who was born in Memphis and raised at Graceland as the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. She released three studio albums throughout her music career, 'To Whom It May Concern', 'Now What', and 'Storm & Grace', the first of which was certified gold. Lisa Marie passed away in January 2023.

Riley Keough is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Independent Spirit Award-nominated actress. She is known for her work in 'Daisy Jones & the Six', 'Zola', and more. She also co-directed 'War Pony' (2022), which won the Caméra d’Or for best first feature at Cannes, and cofounded the production company Felix Culpa with Gina Gammell. She is the eldest daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and sole trustee of Graceland.

The book will also be published in translation in 8 additional languages, including: Spanish by Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, German by Penguin Verlag, Portuguese (Brazil) by Rocco, Dutch by Spectrum Life, Finnish by Johnny Kniga, French by JC Lattes, Polish by Marginesy, and Estonian by Tanapaev. Other languages to follow.

The audiobook edition is narrated by Riley Keough and celebrated actor, Julia Roberts with several audio pieces from the cassette-tapes that were recorded by Lisa Marie Presley and used by Riley Keough to finish the book.

When you purchase the new Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough memoir through Elvis Presley's Graceland for an exclusive signed lithograph by Riley. 

Elvis author Alana Nash posted on Facebook "I found Lisa and Riley's book profoundly moving. Still, lots of things go unsaid, including Lisa’s difficult split from Scientology, her contentious custody battle with Lockwood (ongoing at Lisa’s death), and Priscilla’s audacious lawsuit against her granddaughter for control of Lisa’s estate. Tellingly, there are no pictures of Priscilla in the book.

I loved little glimpses into her relationship with Elvis, too, like this one, which got cut from my piece for length: "He once smacked her hand (“I felt like my life was over”), and later, she awoke from sleep to find him standing next to her bed. “He was holding a puppet, a basset hound, making it mouth the words while he sang ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ to me.” When he was done singing, my dad hugged me and said he was sorry.” 

Even if I were not interested in Elvis, and if I had not met and interviewed Lisa, I would find much of this book unforgettable. I know it will stick with me for a long, long time."

You can pre-order the book from >>> Amazon (Associate link).

Best Sellers Rank in Amazon Books as of 11.31 am ET, October 11, 2024

# 1 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

# 1 in Love & Loss

# 1 and #2 in Memoirs (Books)

# 1 #2 and and #3 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies

October 07 - Cissy Houston Died

Acclaimed gospel singer and two-time Grammy winner Cissy Houston died. She was 91.

Houston, born Emily Drinkard and the mother of the late Whitney Houston, was in the well-known vocal group, the Sweet Inspirations. With the Sweets and solo, she sang backup for artists like Otis Redding, Lou Rawls, The Drifters, Dionne Warwick, Van Morrison, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Chaka Khan, Dusty Springfield, Beyoncé, Paul Simon, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin and many others. 

Elvis Presley invited the quartet to sing backup during his now-legendary series of Las Vegas concerts. It was during Cissy Houston' s soprano obbligato on 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' that Elvis started laughing at the mid night show on August 26, 1969. Elvis changed the lyrics to be funny, and then cannot keep a straight face the rest of the song. He seems to be somewhat amused by the soprano performance by Cissy Houston's who sings her part perfectly. This performance was released on the Elvis Aron Presley 8-LP box set in 1980, and as a single.

After those shows, Houston said, "we would jam with him for an hour, singing gospel. He really loved it, had a feel for it and was tickled to have four 'church sisters' backing him up." 

As a token of his gratitude, Presley (whom Houston's husband affectionately called Elvis Pretzel) presented Houston with a bracelet engraved on the outside with her real name and on the inside with his pet name for her: "Squirrelly". 

Cissy Houston contributed to the "Where No One Stands Alone" album.

(Source: NY Times / LA Times / Facebook)

Review Golden Elvis

In October 2023 RDM-Edition released the first album in their ‘Mono II Stereo’ CD series, and now, a year later we hold the 4th CD in our hands. Being fans from the first moment, we looked forward to this coupling of the first two volumes Elvis’ classic Golden Albums. 

 
By Rogier van Luyken and Kees Mouwen
 
Design
 

With a title like this, the attractive design is spot on, it doesn’t get more “golden” than this. Designer David Parker hid elements from all of ‘Elvis’ Golden Records’ LPs throughout the design. For us (knowledgeable) fans the task is to spot them. 

He also wrote the liner-notes which amply cover the history of the albums featured on this compilation, providing the context behind these songs. In line with the title of the album, the CD isn’t a replica vinyl CD, but a gold plated CD, a nice detail. 
 
Content
 
The history of ‘Elvis’ Golden Records’ is well known - if only because volume 1 is considered to be the first ‘Greatest Hits Album’ to be released - and volume 2 because of its iconic cover. In a review for AllMusic, Bruce Eder commented on volume 1: “Each of the 14 songs had earned a Gold record award for a million sales, a record unequaled at that time by anyone else in Rock and Roll ... Elvis' Golden Records does give a bite-sized glimpse of where Elvis had come from and where he was going (for better or worse) musically on the eve of heading into the Army.” If this would have been Presley’s musical legacy, it would have been legendary! Fortunately we know he was to become even more successful returning to music and movies 1960.
 
The main reason to buy this album is of course the new Stereo mixes by Anthony Stuchbury, created from the original Mono versions. Stereo versions of these albums have been released on CD before (1984), using the “electronically reprocessed stereo” sound, but even RCA retracted these and replaced them in the original monophonic versions as the simulated Stereo versions simply weren’t good enough. 

But now, 40 years later, we get these albums again, but as newly created Stereo Mixes. And this time around, they sound as they should! As on previous releases by this producer, these mixes were not created using “Digitally Extracted Stereo” techniques to create stamps of each element and placing the instruments and backing vocalists to the right of left speaker and Elvis in the middle to create a stereo effect. No these mixes were created using various tools - and a set of “golden ears” as the producer stated in an interview, not wanting to give his secrets away - mixing of all the vocals and instruments in their proper place, consistent with the original Masters recorded at the sessions, to present an authentic analogue stereo sound. 
 
This is where these mixes differ from most new stereo mixes. On some songs you hear that Stuchbury managed to add real depth to the listening experience, that is something else than creating a stereo effect. And of course the producer made some ‘producer’s choices’ when he thought that would benefit the presentation of the song, but this has been the standard ever since Sam Philips added his slap-back effect relaying his recordings through an extra tape-recorder to make his songs sound fuller. 
 
The audio on this disc sounds very fresh as it has been cleaned where possible, without losing the original elements. Listening to other mixes - and with respect to those producers, as it is always hard to use new technology on old and classic recordings without having access to the original tapes, which weren’t always released without faults - we don’t hear any artifacts, echo’s or reverb as on other newly created mixes. 
 
Some examples of the above is the mix of 'Any Way You Want Me' which does not sound as spatial as some of the other songs on this set all elements more or less mixed together behind Elvis. This is because the original version of this song was recorded / released too loud and a little distorted, so there was no perfect master available. And what about that squeaky sound in the background of ‘Don’t’ which the producer left in. That is DJ Fontana’s  foot-pedal, which could have used some WD-40 oil. 
 
But enough on the mastering and mixing of these classics, we buy these new mixes to enjoy Elvis of course. Here are some of the observations we made while listening to this compilation of compilation albums:
 
There is some overlap on some on songs with previous ‘Mono II Stereo’ releases such as ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Don’t Be Cruel’, ‘Too Much’, ‘Love Me’ and others. So far, we presume that these are the same masters used for the previous releases that are also used for this new release. However, they do fit in the concept of this album of course: a great collection of songs that doesn’t want to make you skip any of the titles and just play it straight all the way through. 

There are some glorious ‘Mono II Stereo’ songs on this new release and they are no less than a true work of art by Anthony. Although released before, ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ is guaranteed goosebumps as Elvis’ voice shines so wonderfully; it is as if he’s standing next to you in the room. 

Among the new material presented here, some stand out among the others. ‘Loving You’ sounds nothing short of amazing (warm, rich and Elvis’ voice sounds out of this world), ‘Treat Me Nice’ is a highlight, it's like you never heard before and could have been recorded yesterday. ‘That’s When Your Heartaches Begins’ really benefits from Anthony’s craftsmanship and he lifted the master to a whole new level. The same goes for ‘I Beg Of You’ and ‘Doncha’ Think It’s Time’, these are now our to go to versions from now on! 

A couple of songs do not match the outstanding ones as just summed up. Besides the afore mentioned ‘Anyway You Want Me’ there is also ‘A Fool Such As I’ that seems a bit lower in volume compared to other tracks and lacks a bit of bass / warmth. Same goes for ‘I Got Stung’. All in all Anthony delivers another work of art and let’s a whole lotta songs shine like never before. 

An importsant note, to enjoy this release in the best possible way we advise you to play it on a loud volume though a good stereo-set in your living room, not on a computer or through (small) headphones. 

Conclusion
 
It is amazing what technology can do, but that couldn’t happen without the care and observant detail for where everything should go on the final master. Our compliments to Anthony Stuchbury and David Parker for the presentation of the audio and package, and to the RDM-Edition for releasing this album like this. It can easily compete with the (mono) releases on Elvis’ official record label, which strangely still hasn’t embarked on a Mono to Stereo release. But hey, who are we kidding, this album actually blows the originals out of the water as this ‘Golden Elvis’ really shines. 
 
And yes, we do realize that these are alternative mixes, not replacing the originals, but it simply offers a great new listening experience, matching today’s stereo audio standards, but without losing the original analogue Elvis sound. 

Go to the >>> RDM-Edition website to listen or pre-order the CD for just 15,00 Euro!