August 07 - Elvis And Ginger In September

Ginger Alden will release her story with Elvis with a book release, 'Elvis and Ginger: Elvis Presley's Fiancée and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story' on September 4, 2014. 

From the publisher: 
For over three decades Ginger has held the truth of their relationship close to her heart. Now she shares her unique story, and while a lot has been written about the King, the Elvis we meet in this long-anticipated memoir is a revelation'. 'In her own words Ginger details their whirlwind romance - from first kiss to his stunning proposal of marriage. She details his exploration of Eastern religions, his perception of being a 'legend', his devotion to family and friends, and her attempt to know the insular group surrounding Elvis. And for the very first time she talks about the devastating end of it all, and the 50,000 mourners and reporters who descended on Graceland in 1977, exposing Ginger to the reality of living in the spotlight of a short, yet immortal, life.

August 06 - Elvis Rocks On Vinyl

The earlier announced CD "Elvis Rocks Little Rock" is out! This contains the concerts May 16th, 1956 and December 15th, 1956.

Bossa Nova Vinyl

Music on Vinyl has announced a new vinyl release of the 2003 CD collection "Elvis: 2nd To None". Due for release on September 2, 2014.

The classic "Elvis That's The Way It Is" is due on vinyl from Music On Vinyl on September 4, 2014 on four discs. 

Synopsis:
Originally released in November 1970, Elvis: That's The Way It Is combined eight studio tracks, recorded in Nashville, and four live concert performances recorded in Las Vegas during Presley's 1970 'Summer Festival' season at The International Hotel in Las Vegas. Elvis played dozens of times at The International Hotel in 1969 and 1970 over several number of weeks. Elvis was on a roll and making big plans - including a feature film and studio time in Nashville.

When Elvis arrived at RCA's Studio B in Nashville on June 4, 1970, producer Felton Jarvis had assembled a hot new session band featuring Elvis' on-stage guitar legend James Burton. Five nights of recording generated material for no less than three future albums and four singles, including Elvis: That's The Way It Is.

This brand new 4LP version, That's The Way It Is (Deluxe Edition) centers on one show at The International which was recorded and partially filmed by MGM. These show recordings are released for the first time in their entirety. The original RCA album is expanded with four single sides from the period, and a selection of "fly-on-the-wall" outtakes from the June Nashville sessions that produced the majority of tracks for the album.

With remastered audio and packed in a triple gatefold sleeve, this 4LP set includes a 16 page booklet with rare pictures and new liner notes.

180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
3-Fold Gatefold Sleeve         
Expanded Edition                     
16-Page Booklet       
13 Tracks Previously Unreleased
Remastered Audio
LP 1 and 2 = The Original Album (Plus Singles And Outtakes)

Lp 3 and 4 = August 12 – Dinner Show

The label also announced The release of a new 7 inch green vinyl single containing the "Viva Elvis Remix" of "Bossa Nova Baby", currently featured in a Heineken beer campaign The single, packed in a sixties style cover and limited to 1500 copies, is due for release on August 18, 2014. 

Tracks: Side A: Bossa Nova Baby (Viva Elvis Remix Version)
Side B: Bossa Nova Baby (Original Fun in Acapulco Version)

The single hit the charts in The Netherlands and is listed at #60 on the Dutch iTunes charts.

SEG Events Has Left The Building

Stig Edgren of SEG Events confirmed that he no longer has any association with the Elvis Presley shows. In his message regarding the issue, Mr Edgren wrote, "....however, we are no longer involved and you should check the Graceland website for any future touring plans." 

(Source: Elvis And His Music / ElvisMatters / Elvis Express / Music On Vinyl)

August 05 - The Young Man With The Big Preview

This is a preview of the budget re-issue of the “The Young Man With The Big Beat” box set which is due on September 15, 2015 from Sony Music.

(Source: Amazon)

August 04 - Elvis Muistamme Sinut

Finn Fan Productions released the Finnish Elvis Presley photo book entitled "Elvis – Muistamme Sinut – We’ll Remember You" from Elvis Presley’s former tour photographer Ed Bonja. The hard-cover book holds over 200 pictures on 196 pages with text in both Finnish and English decided in four chapters: “Elvis Live“, “Elvis And His Fans“, “Elvis And The Colonel“ and “Miscellaneous“. The book is available on-line from Ed Bonja and various fan clubs. 

A Listener's Guide

Out now on Amazon in paperback and Kindle version is the new book “Elvis Presley: A Listener's Guide” by Shane Brown. 

Synopsis:
... July 5th, 2014 saw the 60th anniversary of Elvis Presley's first commercial recording session, the night on which he cut That's all Right, the song that would launch his career. Less than six months later, on January 8th, 2015, will be celebrations for what would have been Elvis's 80th birthday. Since Elvis's death in 1977, hundreds (probably thousands) of books have been written about Presley, but very few concentrate on the most important thing: the music.

When I first became interested in the music of Elvis Presley as a teenager back in the early 1990s, the first book I bought was Elvis Presley: A Study in Music by Robert Matthew-Walker. It was hardly a hefty tome, but it did what I wanted at the time - it gave me some guidance through the minefield of Elvis's legacy which was then being issued, slowly but surely, on CD. 

Matthew-Walker's A Study in Music was/is an important book, and it seems rather strange that other full-length works of a similar nature did not follow it. Bearing this in mind, I hope that Elvis Presley: A Listener's Guide will manage to be a rather more thorough critique of Elvis's music. Working through from 1953 to 1977 one session at a time, one song at a time, the book discusses the remarkable (and yet often frustrating) legacy that Elvis left behind. All recordings released during Elvis's lifetime are discussed, as well as those released posthumously where appropriate.

Why do we need a new critique? Well, times change and opinions change with them. Our views on Elvis's music are still based on what critics wrote forty or more years ago. Of course, the critics who panned Elvis in the 1950s were quickly proven wrong as the years passed, but the accepted view of the 1960s and 1970s recordings is still based on contemporary reviews, often from rock critics who somehow couldn't see how or why Elvis was recording material outside of rock 'n' roll. As I discuss each session, therefore, I make reference to, and quote from, those contemporary reviews from the 1950s to the 1970s - around 170 of them - in order to put into context my own evaluation of the recordings.
This is not primarily a book of facts or figures - there are plenty of other works on the market that can supply those. What there isn't on the market is a "listener's guide" to Elvis's music, in which each and every master recording is discussed. I haven't written this because I think people should agree with my evaluations or thoughts but because, as we approach what would have been Elvis's 80th birthday, it seems important to take a fresh look at the one thing that seems to be ignored most: the music. The paperback edition is 6in x 9in, and will contain approx. 320 pages. A Kindle version is also available.

DVD Box

Due for release from Showshank Films on December 04, 2014 in France is the 6 DVD-box "Elvis – Édition Anniversaire" containing earlier releases from the label; the 1979 John Carpenter movie "Elvis","Elvis ’56", "Dans L’Intimité D’Elvis", "Les Derniers Instants Du King" and "Retour A Tupelo". 

(Source: The King's World / FECC / The King's World)

August 02 - Charts

The “Heart And Soul” compilation remains at #65 selling some 2,023 units. Total sales to date: 662,838 units. It also rose from #125 to #119 on the Physical Album Chart. Total Physical sales to date: 662,261 units. It also rose from #70 to #67 on the SMEI (Sony Music Entertainment International) Chart.

The concert recording “An Afternoon In The Garden” rose from #105 to #98 selling some 1,698 units. Total sales to date: 569,758 units. It also rose from #172 to #158 on the Physical Album Chart selling some 1,698 units. Total Physical sales to date: 568,748 units. It also rose from #86 to #82 on the SMEI (Sony Music Entertainment International) Chart.

The compilation “Elvis Inspirational” rose from #148 to #140 selling some 1,446 units. Total sales to date: 169,135 units.

The compilation “Elvis Country” dropped from #154 to #177 selling some 1,276 units. Total sales to date: 196,636 units.

The double CD compilation “The Essential Elvis Presley” dropped from #175 to #193 selling some 1,240 units. Total sales to date: 516,210 units.

The compilation “Elvis: 30 No.1 Hits” has sold 4,868,114 units to date.

The following DVD appeared on the Top Music Video Chart. “Elvis: He Touched Me” (Vol.1) drops from #40 to #50 selling some 161 units. Total sales to date: 222,140 units.

(Source: Various)

August 01 - Another Backdraft

This is a press-release we received from Backdraft:

Due to the enormous success of Backdraft’s Box set ‘Final Count to Midnight’ it appears that not enough copies were pressed which have left Elvis fans having to go without.

Since we are unable to process more copies of the box set due to logistical reasons, Backdraft will now release 2 separate products housed in a deluxe super jewel case.

A 2CD version and a separate DVD only release, both with different front covers, contain a deluxe 24 page booklet inside of each. We would like to point out that the content of the booklet in both of the releases are entirely different and that, the photographs and text information are not repeated to each of the releases. These are again in very limited supplies and dealers will be restricted on quantities.

In the meantime, the production team at Backdraft would like to thank Elvis fans from around the world for their enormous support on this and our past releases.

We will look forward to the near future when we will release a brand new unreleased soundboard (never before heard, not even as an audience recording) 
from the Las Vegas engagement from the Summer of 1970.

(Source: PEP / FECC)

July 31 - Charts

The 8 CD / 2 DVD box set for the classic "Elvis That's The Way It Is" concert movie has been released and on it's wat to the fans. The blu-ray edition of this movie is available too, the first review appeared on-line.

The unboxing of the set is available at: For Elvis CD Collectors.
The first review of the Blu-Ray edition of thuis movie is available at: Media Mike.
You van listen to the complete set om Spotify.

Charts

'Heart And Soul' rises from #184 to #182 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart for the week ending August 9, 2014. It also rises from #46 to #39 on the Catalog Album Chart.

The Best Of Elvis Presley

The TCB Limited label will release the CD / DVD-set "The Best Of Elvis Presley" containing the usual public domain hits and a documentary DVD.

CD 1: Heartbreak Hotel - Blue Suede Shoes - I Want You I Need You I Love You - Hound Dog - I Believe - Tutti Frutti - Love Me Tender - Treat Me Nice - Rip It Up - Too Much - All Shook Up - Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Mystery Train - Big Hunk O' Love.

CD 2: There's Good Rockin' Tonight - Loving You - Hot Dog - As Long As I Have You - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You - Paralysed - Party - Jailhouse Rock - Don't Be Cruel - Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do - I'm Counting On You - King Creole - Long Tall Sally - I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine - One Night

DVD:
The Journey.
(Source: FECC \ Brian Quinn \ Elvis Club Berlin)

July 30 - Christmas Comes Early

The Follow That Dream Collectors Label announced the August 2014 releases; "Best Of British - The RCA Years 1957-1959 with CD", "Elvis For Everyone!" in the Classic Album series and a vinyl re-issue of the FTD release "Hot August Night". The details:

Best Of British - The RCA Years 1957-1959 w/CD: 
This is Elvis, with the continuation of the British story now detailing his RCA releases from 1957 - 1958. As a companion to the critically acclaimed and highly successful ‘Elvis: The Best Of British - The HMV Years’, this book contains the full history of over fifty iconic Elvis songs initially released by RCA in Great Britain. Again, each song has been thoroughly researched to the same high standards and is graphically catalogued. Containing over 1000 illustrations, unpublished photographs and charts, together with rare items of memorabilia, this volume of ‘The RCA Years’ moves the story forward to explicitly reveal previously unknown facts and additional British connections to the songs. Within these 500 pages and amongst many formerly unknown fascinating facts, you will discover: The English pub that inspired an Elvis song! Exactly where and when Elvis learned to play piano! The real life characters contained within the lyrics of Jailhouse Rock! 

The CD included with this book features many first-time officially released Elvis tracks. Here, amongst his classic songs, are the songwriters’ demo recordings as Elvis first heard them, plus the message he recorded on his home answer machine! ‘The RCA Years (1957 - 1958)’ chronicles the meteoric rise in Great Britain of the ‘Sun King’ to the man who would ultimately be crowned ‘Artist Of The 20th Century’. Elvis innovated, others imitated! 

The CD first RCA single (RCA-1013): JULY 1957 1. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - 1:51 2. Loving You - 2:16 

SOUNDTRACK SELECTION OF MAGICAL MOVIE MOMENTS 3. Loving You - Movie Trailer - 1:12 4. Road Medley (Party / Teddy Bear / Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do / Hot Dog) - 2:04 5. Mean Woman Blues (Unedited stereo master) - 2:22 6. Party (Alternate movie lyrics) - 1:16 7. Lonesome Cowboy (Composite) - 3:06 8. JAILHOUSE ROCK - Movie Trailer - 2:05 9. Jailhouse Rock (Movie production version) - 2:59 10. Treat Me Nice (Laurel 101 - Take One) - 2:07 11. Don't Leave Me Now - (Everett demo #2 - Take One) - 1:29 12. Young And Beautiful - (Movie end version) - 2:21 13. KING CREOLE - Movie Trailer - 2:34 14. Turtles, Berries And Gumbo / Crawfish (Unedited movie opening medley) - 4:11 15. Steadfast Loyal And True - (Movie dialogue version) - 0:46 16. Lover Doll (EP version) - 2:15 17. New Orleans (Live nightclub version) - 2:01 THE RCA SINGLES * 18. Doncha' Think It's Time - 2:00 19. Don't - 2:51 20. I Beg Of You - 1:54 21. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - 2:16 SUN RECORDINGS: FIRST ISSUED ON RCA IN 1958 22. I Love You Because (RCA LP version) - 2:45 23. You're A Heartbreaker - 2:12 24. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') - 2:26 BONUS TRACKS: SONGWRITER DEMO RECORDINGS 25. Teddy Bear (Vocal: Otis Blackwell**) - 2:01 26. Don't Ask Me Why (Vocal: Jimmy Breedlove***) 2:08 27. Trouble (Singer unknown****) - 2:08 28. Hard Headed Woman (Vocal: Jimmy Breedlove**) - 2:06 29. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck (Vocal: Gus Coletti*****) - 2:12 CHRISTMAS SONGS: ISSUED ON ALL THREE FORMATS (45rpm, EP & LP) 30. Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - 1:54 31. Santa Claus Is Back In Town - 2:25 32. Elvis in Germany (October 1st 1958) and Interview edit - 1:32 33. Elvis' Answer Machine - :16

Hot August Night (180 gr. vinyl):

Side A 01 Blue Suede Shoes 2:25 (Carl Perkins) 02 I Got A Woman 2:43 (Ray Charles) 03 All Shook Up 1:54 (Otis Blackwell/Elvis Presley) 04 Monologue 1:14 05 Love Me Tender 2:28 (Vera Matson/Elvis Presley) 06 Jailhouse Rock/Don’t Be Cruel 3:05 (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)/(Otis Blackwell/Elvis Presley) 07 Heartbreak Hotel 2:22 (Mae Boren Axton/Tommy Durden/Elvis Presley) 
Side B 01 Hound Dog 4:48 (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller) 02 I Can’t Stop Loving You 2:37 (Don Gibson) 03 My Babe 2:28 (Willie Dixon) 04 Mystery Train/Tiger Man 4:18 (Junior Parker/Sam Phillips)/(Joe Hill Louis/Sam Burns) 05 Baby, What You Want Me To Do 2:05 (Jimmy Reed) 

Side C 01 Runaway 2:16 (Max Crook/Del Shannon) 02 Are You Lonesome Tonight? 3:04 (Roy Turk/Lou Handman) 03 Words 2:42 (Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb) 04 Yesterday/Hey Jude 5:58 (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) 05 Introductions 4:35 
Side D 01 In The Ghetto 2:48 (Mac Davis) 02 Suspicious Minds 7:20 (Mark James) 03 What’d I Say 3:49( Ray Charles) 04 Can’t Help Falling In Love 2:11 (Hugo Peretti/Luigi Creatore/George Weiss) Recorded live on stage at The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Midnight Show, August 25, 1969.

Elvis For Everyone - Classic Album Series:

This 2-disc 7” set celebrates 1965’s classic album “ELVIS FOR EVERYONE.” The original press release posted by RCA in August 1965 says, “This is the first Elvis Presley album since 1962 [POT LUCK] that is not a movie soundtrack album.” In this new album, Presley demonstrates great versatility by singing a wide range of songs, familiar and unfamiliar, slow ballads and hard-driving rock’’n’rollers. Only one of these songs has ever been issued before (“Summer Kisses, Winter Tears”). The lead off-song, “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” Is the title song of the new movie based on the life of Hank Williams., currently playing throughout the country … ..Varied repertoire and Elvis in top form make this really Elvis For Everyone.” Although it was complied from previously unreleased recordings, it appeared like a breath of fresh air to Elvis fans that had become somewhat tired of the formulaic soundtracks. 

The LP hit to the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic. This 2-CD classic edition features insightful essays, rare memorabilia and great outtakes! It also features the rare overdubbed version of “Wild in The Country” that featured maracas and additional bass guitar. Although, the source remains a mystery to this day, it was supplied to RCA-UK for its stereo version of the album as a replacement for “Summer Kisses.” This track had been issued two months before on RCA-UK’s unique album, Flaming Star And Summer Kisses. Apart from OPTIONAL MASTERS that could have been used, DISC 2 contains 23 Previously Unreleased Outtakes from the ‘60s.

DISC 1 THE ORIGINALALBUM
01 Your Cheatin’ Heart 
02 Summer Kisses, Winter Tears 
03 Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers 
04 In My Way 
05 Tomorrow Night 
06 Memphis, Tennessee 
07 For The Millionth And The Last Time
08 Forget Me Never
09 Sound Advice
10 Santa Lucia
11 I Met Her Today
12 When It Rains, It Really Pours

THE OPTIONAL MASTERS
13 Flaming Star
14 Wild In The Country (U.K.stereo LP version)
15 Lonely Man
16 Mama
17 Plantation Rock
18 Night Life
19 Do The Vega
20 Yellow Rose Of Texas/The Eyes Of Texas
21 What Now, What Next, Where To
22 Western Union
23 Blue River
24 Tell Me Why 

DISC 2 THE OUTTAKES
01 For The Millionth And The Last Time – take 2
02 Lonely Man – take 9
03 I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell – take 10
04 No More – take 9
05 Slicin’ Sand – take 10
06 I’m Not The Marrying Kind –splice of takes 5&6
07 For The Millionth And The Last Time – take 6
08 I Met Her Today – take 7
09 King Of The Whole Wide World – take 6
10 Home Is Where The Heart Is – take 12
11 RidingThe Rainbow – take 6
12 This Is Living – take 8
13 Something Blue – takes 5&6
14 Gonna Get Back Home Somehow – take 6
15 I Feel That I’ve KnownYou Forever – take 2
16 Fountain Of Love – take 6
17 Happy Ending – take 9
18 I’m Falling In Love Tonight – take 5
19 How Would You Like To Be – take 1
20 Bossa Nova Baby – takes 4&5 (2:34)
21 I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here –remake take 15
22 Vino, Dinero Y Amor – take 1

23 The Bullfighter Was A Lady – remake take 10

Christmas Comes Early

Here is the cover-art for the vilyl re-issue of the classic "The Elvis Christmas Album" on the vinyl label. This re-issue is due September 29, 20914 and comes with a download of the album.

(Source: The Elvis Shop London / FECC / Amazon)

July 29 - Words, Pictures And Blitz

The book "Elvis His Life In Words Pictures And Music" by Michael Heatley and Deke Leonard is due for release from Chartwell Books on September 4, 2014. The book comes with a 12 track CD. 

Blitz

The August edition of the Blitz magazine in Portugal has Elvis Presley on the cover and inside 13 pages dedicated to our man.


That's All Right

The Not Now Music vinyl re-issue of Elvis Presley's debut single "That’s All Right" / "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" was released.


(Source: Elvis Club Berlin / Elvis Clube "Burning Star")

July 28 - Out In Hollywood

The Elvis One "import" release "Elvis In Hollywood" was released. This CD contains mono-masters and outtakes from the "Girls! Girls! Girls!" movie-soundtrack with additional radio trailers and promo’s.

Tracks:
Complete Masters & Alternate Takes (Part 1): Where Do You Come From (Master Take With Count In) - Mexico (Dubbed Film Version) - The Bullfighter Was A Lady (Take 9) - I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here (Take 10) - El Toro (Take 2) / Original "Girls! Girls! Girls!" 

Mono Masters: I Don’t Want To - We’re Comin’ In Loaded - Thanks To The Rolling Sea - Where Do You Come From - Girls! Girls! Girls! - Return To Sender - Because Of Love - The Walls Have Ears - Song Of The Shrimp - A Boy Like Me, A Girl Like You - Earth Boy - I Don’t Wanna Be Tied - We’ll Be Together

Complete Masters & Alternate Takes (Part 2): If You Think I Don’t Need You (Take 9) - Earth Boy (Undubbed Film Version) - Plantation Rock (Take 17 + Vocal Repair) - If You Think I Don’t Need You (Take 10) - Blackstar (Composite Master take 13 &  Insert #1 Take 5)

Movie radio Trailers And Promo’s: Double Trouble - Live A Little, Love A Little - Charro! (Audio Featurette) - Charro! (#1) - Charro! (#2) - Charro! (#3) - Charro! (#4) - Charro! (#5) - The Trouble With Girls (#1) - The Trouble With Girls (#2)

Bonus Songs: Guadalajara (Backing Group And Choir) - Marguerita (Instrumental Take 6) - Shoppin’ Around (Instrumental Take 2 And 3) - Shoppin’ Around (Instrumental Take 4) - Plantation Rock (Instrumental).

James Shigeta Died

James Shigeta, who co-starred with Elvis in "'Paradise, Hawaiian Style" died at the age of 81. Hawaiian-born, he was, for a time, the biggest East Asian U.S. star the country had known for decades. His up-and-down career reflected the country's changing interest in films with East Asian themes, but, when called upon, he filled both A-movie starring roles and minor T.V. guest appearances with the same cool and classy style. 

In the 1966 Paramount movie 'Paradise, Hawaiian Style', James Shigeta played Danny Kohana, along side Elvis who played Rick Richards, and together they set up a charter flying service in Hawaii -- along the way Elvis makes some friends, romances some girls and sings a few songs.


James passed away on 28 July 2014 in Los Angeles, California, USA aged 81.

(Source: Elvis And His Music / Elvis Express)