September 16 - Summer Festival

The Miracle Surface label announced the release of the LP ' Summer Festival' containing the January 27, 1971 show as recorded in Las Vegas. This show was previously released as 'All Things Are Possible' on the DAE import-label. 

Side A: 2001 Theme - That's All Right - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Love Me Tender - There Goes My Everything - Sweet Caroline - You've Lost That Loving Feeling - Polk Salad Annie - Only Believe - How Great Thou Art

Side B: Band Introductions - Johnny B Goode - The Wonder Of You - Something - Make The World Go Away - Love Me - One Night - Blue Suede Shoes - Hound Dog - How Great Thou Art.

(Source: Elvis Telegraph)

September 14 - Songwriter Al Kasha Died

Oscar winning composer and songwriter Al Kasha died. He was 83. He co-wrote Elvis Presley's 'Your Time Hasn’t Come Yet, Baby' with Joel Hirschhorn for the 1968 'Speedway' soundtrack album. 

House Sold

Elvis and Priscilla Presley's Monovale Drive home was sold for US$ 20 million. 

Elvis purchased the home at 144 Monovale Drive in December 1970, three years before he and his wife, Priscilla, divorced. Priscilla lived at the home with daughter Lisa-Marie following her and Elvis' separation in February 1972 until the home sold in July 1975. 

(Source: Twitter / A Digest / Elvis Information Network)

September 13 - Smooth Chicago Nights

The MxF import label announced the release of the 'Special Deluxe Combo 2-LP and CD set 'Smooth Chicago Nights' in their Special Products series with the end of September as the release-date. 

The original press release (mind the English): To be released soon (End of September) from the "MxF" label for the first time in vinyl, with both of the October 14th and 15th 1976 shows and the ambiance recording of the complete second Chicago show included as a bonus. 

After shedding some extra weight the man as suggested by the title presents himself in the best way possible considering the past year. Surprising even the journalist to be able to fit again in his 1975 jumpsuit. The Chicago nights are the first stop of the October tour and for the first time in the year, Elvis presents himself at the top of the game. He delivered two solid shows working hard on the stage that he threw up for exhaustion after it.

At the same time, we are glad to include as a bonus CD an unreleased Ambiance Recording of the complete concert of the second day in Chicago. The sound is decent: if you want to live the atmosphere of an Elvis concert in 2020 this is the right tape. We can guarantee that Elvis was greeted with incredible enthusiasm; the popularity in the live scene at the end of 1976 is still at its maximum level.

For The first show Elvis is wearing the Inca Gold Leaf suit looking a lot slimmer. He gave a strong concert but problems with the sound in the stadium was a big let down and Elvis could hardly hear anything during the first half of the show. The second show of the tour was in the same stadium and was strong as the day before from Elvis with some variation in the songs list.

The shows are very enjoyable with Elvis's performance very easily delivering soft and sensitive ballad like “And I love You So” and You Gave Me A Mountain or great rock blues songs like “Steamrollers Blues” and Polk Salad Annie at the end of the second show also a real surprise with the attempt to the classic Blue Christmas.

About the bonus CD, the sound is good for an ambient recording, a dynamic tape with a good definition of the background music and for sure you can live the atmosphere of an Elvis concert in the seventies. We hope you can enjoy the final result. 

The set comes in four variations:

• A black vinyl 2-LP housed in a gatefold sleeve, limited to 200 copies.
• A white vinyl 2-LP housed in a gatefold sleeve, limited to 100 copies.  
• A blue vinyl 2-LP housed in a gatefold sleeve limited to 100 copies.  

All the three versions come with a bonus CD and an exclusive LP-sized art card, available in three variations.

The label - identifying itself as the VV import label in the press release - also announced the release of a Limited Boxed Edition of 14 copies - including a test pressing  of the album. 

LP 1 Soundboard Recording  - October 14th, 1976  8.30 PM

LP 1  - 14.10.1976  8.30pm (SB)

Side A: See See Rider - I Got A Woman / Amen - Love Me - If You Love Me - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - All Shook Up - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - And I Love You So

Side B: Fever - Polk Salad Annie - What’d I Say / Johnny B. Good - Love Letters - School Day - Hurt - Love Me Tender - Hound Dog - Funny How Time Slips Away - Mystery Rain / Tiger Man - Can’t Help Falling in Love                                     

LP 2 - 15.10.1976 8.30pm (SB)

Side C: Amen / I Got A Woman - Love Me - If You Love Me - You Gave Me a Mountain - Help Me - Jailhouse Rock - All Shook Up - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - And I Love You So

Side D: Steamroller Blues - Intros / Early Morning Rain - What’d I Say / Johnny  B. Good - Drums Solo - Bass Solo - Piano Solo - Electric Piano Solo - Love Letters - Intros / School Day - Hurt - It’s Now Or Never - Blue Christmas - Can’t Help Falling In Love

CD - 15.10.1976 8.30pm (AR):

Opening / See See Rider - I Got A Woman / Amen - Love Me - If You Love Me - You Gave Me A Mountain - Help Me - Jailhouse Rock - All Shook Up - Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - And I Love You So - Steamroller Blues - Intros / Early Morning Rain - Johnny B. Goode / What’d I Say - Drum Solo - Bass Solo - Piano Solo - Electric Piano - Love Letters - School Day - Hurt (Part) - Hound Dog - It’s Now Or Never - Blue Christmas - Can't Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

(Source: FECC)

September 12 - Charts September 2020 - Week 2

The weekly global Elvis Presley chart updates. Elvis's albums dropped in the U.S. and U.K. with the exception of the Billboard Country Album chart.

U.S. Billboard charts:

• Billboard Album Top 200 chart: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' dropped from #174 to #177. 
• Billboard Top Christian Album chart: 'Elvis: Ultimate Gospel' dropped from #41 to #47.
• Billboard Top Rock Album chart: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' dropped from #24 to #33.
• Billboard Top Country Album chart: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' climbed from #21 to #20.

Official U.K. charts:

• Official Album chart: 'The 50 Greatest Hits' dropped from #61 to #66.
• Official Streaming Album chart: 'The 50 Greatest Hits' dropped from #44 to #46.
• Official Music DVD chart: 'Elvis The Searcher' re-entry at #37.

The Rolling Stones clinch this week’s Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with 'Goats Head Soup' setting a new record becoming the first band in Official Chart history to score a Number 1 album across six different decades. Elvis Presley managed No. 1s in five separate decades. 

The Rolling Stones now have 13 Number 1 albums (including reissues Exile On Main St and Goats Head Soup), putting them equal with Elvis. Only The Beatles have achieved more Number 1 albums in the UK (16 plus reissues).

(Source: U.K. Mix / Official Chart Company)

September 11 - Filming To Resume

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic - delving into the dynamic between Presley and his manager Colonel Tom Parker - is set to resume filming September 23rd in Australia after production was shut down back in March due to the coronavirus outbreak after Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus.

Cinema

From Friday September 11 - Tuesday September 15 'Elvis: That's The Way It Is' is shown in select Cineplex theaters. in Canada. 

(Source: NME / FECC)

September 10 - Classics From Memphis to Taipeh

Here is a small preview of the upcoming Asian Elvis vinyl book 'From Memphis to Taipeh'. The book will be a reference guide to the colorful magic of Elvis' Asian vinyl.

Grandes Clasicos

The 3-DVD set 'Elvis Presley - 3 Peliculas Grandes Clasicos' featuring the movies 'Loving You', 'Frankie and Johnny' and 'Clambake', was released.  

(Source: Kempo Dick on Facebook / Elvis Club Berlin)

September 07 - A Tinseltown Troubadour Died (Updated)

The Lauderdale Records import label announced the release of the CD 'Tinseltown Troubadour'. 

From the press release: 'Tinseltown Troubadour vol. 1 and 2' are two new releases with a difference. Both offer a wild 'n' crazy joyride through Elvis' movie years, in a fresh and exciting new way. 

Both CDs contain 30+ tracks, with each CD containing an 80-minute blast of movie versions, studio outtakes and alternative mixes, as well as rare promo spots and memorable movie dialogue. Everything has been freshly edited and mixed in glorious mono, and you’ll notice right away that these songs sound way groovier this way. 

There are surprises a’ plenty on these releases, including a cleverly edited version of 'Angel' that begins solo, but then slowly turns into a full band version, as well as a truly gorgeous 'As Long As I Have You'. And remember, all the elements used are original.

Packaged in beautiful digipacks with rare color pix they promise two  smooth-groovin', fast-movin', hip-shakin', shagadelic collections of Elvis Movie Magic that you just gotta have! "That ain’t cheap tactics, honey. It’s just the beast in me".

Tracks vol. 1: : Blue Suede Shoes; Slowly But Surely; Put The Blame On Me; I Don’t Wanna Be Tied; G.I. Blues; Night Rider; I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell; The Love Machine; There’s A Brand New Day On The Horizon; Harem Holiday; Almost Always True; Party; Shoppin’ Around; We’ll Be Together; Kissin’ Cousins; Angel; Doin’ The Best I can; Kissin’ Cousins; Summer Kisses, Winter Tears; Slowly But Surely; There’s Gold In The Mountains; If You Think I Don’t Need You; The Lady Loves Me; Let Yourself Go; A Dog’s Life; A Little Less Conversation; Britches; Lonesome Cowboy; Poor Boy; Let Me; Beyond The Reef; Loving You; One Broken Heart For Sale; Ft Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce; Dirty Dirty Feeling; Tonight Is So Right For Love.

Tracks vol. 2: 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.

Michael Rose Died

Author and producer Michael Rose died. In 2008 he produced the documentary DVD 'Elvis: Return To Tupelo' and in 2011 the Follow That Dream release 'Elvis Presley – A Moment in Time, 4 Days in ’56'. 

(Source: Elvis Shop London / Phoenix Elvis Forum)

September 05 - Charts September - Week 1

The weekly global Elvis Presley chart update. Little movement on the charts (again), Elvis standard compilations continu to sell steadily.

U.S. Billboard charts

• Billboard Album Top 200 chart: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' dropped from #155 to #174.
• Billboard Top Christian Album chart: 'Elvis: Ultimate Gospel' climbed from #44 to #41.
• Billboard Top Rock Album chart: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' dropped from #18 to #24.
• Billboard Top Country Album chart: 'The Essential Elvis Presley' dropped from #19 to #21.

Official U.K. charts:

• Official Album chart: 'The 50 Greatest Hits' dropped from #57 to #61.
• Official Streaming Album chart: 'The 50 Greatest Hits' remained steady at #44.
• The 'Elvis Lives - Live From Memphis' DVD and 'The Elvis Collection' DVD-set dropped off the Official Music DVD chart.  

Official Scottish charts:

• Official Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped from #41 to #89.

(Source: UK Mix / official Chart Company)

September 02 - Graceland Wall Clean(ed)

Graceland took care of business, the graffiti on the Graceland walls have been removed.

The graffiti covered up many of the hundreds of tributes to the music icon handwritten by fans on the wall over the years. By mid-morning on Tuesday, workers with power-wash equipment were removing the slogans and by Wednesday it was all cleaned and removed.

Priscilla Presley expressed her disgust at the vandalism: 

"Concerning the graffiti at Graceland, I’m absolutely horrified that those in our own city disgraced the walls surrounding Graceland. I’m saddened by acts like this and appalled by this behavior. We were able to clean all the graffiti off thanks to our dedicated crew".

Graceland has put on extra security to protect the wall from vandals ... or was it Elvis who took care of business? :-) 

Rethinking Elvis

In an interview with the Elvis Information Network Mark Duffett, author of 'Elvis Roots, Image, Comeback, Phenomenon', announced that he is working on a book for Oxford University Press called 'Rethinking Elvis'. 

The book is written by a number of academics contributors and should be released in 2021.

Visit >>> the Elvis Information Network to read this interesting interview. 

(Source: Facebook / Elvis Information Network)

September 01 - Graceland Wall Vandalized

The stone wall outside Graceland, where Elvis fans write their names and tributes to The King, and Levitt Shell in Overton Park were vandalized. 

Someone spray painted “black lives matter”, “'defund the police'” and other slogans in black and orange letters on the stone wall around the mansion where Elvis lived for 20 years, until his death.

(Source: WMC Action News 5)