ELVIS

[monkee knutz]

Who's got some extra loot??
http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/28284372

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Happy Birthday, King.


I’m not that big a fan of “alternate takes”. I have all the Elvis box sets and think I have enough of them, thus I haven’t really pursued any of the studio releases of the FTD label, aside from the fantastic “On Tour” rehearsals and “6363 Sunset”. I also have the “Memphis Sessions” which turned me on to the barebones (and in my opinion superior) version of “The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”. I never liked this song until I heard it without the overdubs. Now it’s one of my favorites.

Anyway, I was wondering if there are any other mandatory “must-here” outtakes along this line that I should seek out first. Can someone point me in the right direction with a list of their own personal faves?

[Jeff Mason]

I can think of three essential outtakes releases:

1) Essential Elvis 4 -- the best of the outtakes from Nashville 1970, with unedited versions of Got My Mojo Workin, I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water, and Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On.  Great great stuff with only the core studio band. I also like The Nashville Marathon, but it is largely the ballads and not as essential.  I wouldn't start there (unless you love stuff like "Sylvia".  But the ballads from TTWII make it worthwhile).

2) Essential Elvis 5 -- Many of the 1973 Memphis sessions sounded much better stripped of overdubs.  The whole thing made me much more impressed with this period of Elvis' career.

3) Jungle Room Sessions.  IMO the ONLY way to listen to this music.  These were the worst OD's of Felton's Elvis productions, and this captures the true feel of this music.  Most essential of all outtakes IMO.

Notice that in all of these cases I list "lack of overdubs".  That's why the post comeback special outtakes are so much more interesting.  To me, the earlier stuff is not that much different from the released versions in most cases since the earlier stuff was live in the studio for all tracks.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Thanks Jeff. I too prefer his 70’s material. As a matter of fact, I forgot to mention that I have the Jungle Room Sessions, the Nashville Marathon and all of the “Essential Elvis” CDs, so your comments are right on. There’s a plethora of good material on those releases. I agree that the early stuff is mostly the same as the final product, thus I have not investigated the FTD releases of this material. I had “Out in Hollywood” for a spell but sold it. I’m hoping for another “mind-blower” like the raw version of “Grass Won’t Pay No Mind”.

[mark goddard]

Easter Special without a doubt !!!.i cannot believe this is one of the worst selling FTD's ??..the gospel stuff is unbelievable .

[mark goddard]

also the So High and studio B FTD's are awesome ......Tomorrow is a long time - take  2 from So High is unbelievable.

[I. Spaceman]

How about You'll Never Walk Alone Take 1?? That killed me, man.

[Rocker]

2) Essential Elvis 5 -- Many of the 1973 Memphis sessions sounded much better stripped of overdubs.  The whole thing made me much more impressed with this period of Elvis' career.

You're so right.  That "Raised on Rock" album could have been a truly great album, but it wasn't done very well (tracklist-wise) and unfortunately Elvis sounded not very interested in some of these songs. But still "Promised Land" is one of his very best albums imho. The titletrack should have been on "Raised on Rock" and "For ol' times sake" on "Promised land", which then, of course, would have had another name....

[mark goddard]

Hey Ian , have you heard the new FTD's yet ??...i think i will pick up Loving you , since i held off last year from buying the  remaster.

[I. Spaceman]

Yes, got em both.
I think I'd like em more if I wasn't a bootleg collector.
I believe there 5 tracks total across 3 discs that I didn't have already!
But they're still great. Southern Nights is a cool mix CD from early-mid 75 soundboards.
Loving You is very nice, but you'll get sick of the theme long before it ends.
I would say take stock of what FTD's you don't have, and get the best of those before either of these.

[Jeff Mason]

Given the Essential Elvis 2 and the box set -- what stuff is on Loving You that we didn't have (on legit releases)?  Seems kinda weak to me.

[I. Spaceman]

There's a whole ton of Loving You stuff spread out on myriad releases.  Essential 1, Today Tomorrow And Forever, 50's Box, Platinum, Close Up, Flashback FTD, Silver Screen Stereo FTD etc. The value here is that all the stuff is collected in one place.
Nothing is duplicated from Essential 2 as those sessions were for the "bonus tracks" on the original album, and in keeping with the FTD movie series, no alternates are included for those. A mistake IMO, as the Essential series is out of print and who knows when the chance will arise to showcase those tracks again.
If you don't have the all boxes and bootlegs, it's a worthy purchase. It has All Shook Up including E's count-in.

[Jeff Mason]

Maybe I will wait for Ian's master release.   

I have managed to acquire all of the FTD's on MP3 at this point, and I have about 12 in actual CD release form.  Between that, I think I can handle not getting this one.

[I. Spaceman]

Yeah, you'll have all this stuff soon enough!

[Joel5001]

I've been reading "Last train to Memphis", and I didn't realize how often Elvis performed live at the beginning of his career.  Have there been releases of any of the early live material?  If so, what should I seek out first?  Also, are there any particular releases of his Louisiana Hayride appearances that I should look for (or avoid)?

Thanks!

[I. Spaceman]

How about my complete Elvis soundboard collection that contains every available pre-army live recording available on 1 disc? Yes, this CAN be yours, for the asking.

[Jeff Mason]

How about my complete Elvis soundboard collection that contains every available pre-army live recording available on 1 disc? Yes, this CAN be yours, for the asking.

I'm asking, I'm asking!!!!

[I. Spaceman]

Man, you know you're gettin' this stuff!

[Jeff Mason]

 

[Rocker]

On another note, the recording studio where Elvis recorded "Heartbreak Hotel" in the 50s in Nashville will be destroyed. This right after Heartbreak Hotel being no.1 on the charts again...

[Chance]

No, Elvis recorded "Heartbreak Hotel" in New York. Also did "I Got A Woman" and I think another one during those sessions. ("I Want You, I Need You"?) And yet, strangely, it wasn't until '72 that he actually played the City. Was anything else of note recorded there? Doesn't strike me as one of the legendary studios, at least we can be thankful it's not Sun biting the dust.

I think I heard the guy who owns the property runs an auto repair yard or something, and needs more space for the cars.

How about my complete Elvis soundboard collection that contains every available pre-army live recording available on 1 disc?

FFFTTUUNNGG!! BULLSEYE!!!

[andy]

How about my complete Elvis soundboard collection that contains every available pre-army live recording available on 1 disc? Yes, this CAN be yours, for the asking.

Holy cow.

[I. Spaceman]

No, Elvis recorded "Heartbreak Hotel" in New York. Also did "I Got A Woman" and I think another one during those sessions. ("I Want You, I Need You"?) And yet, strangely, it wasn't until '72 that he actually played the City. Was anything else of note recorded there? Doesn't strike me as one of the legendary studios, at least we can be thankful it's not Sun biting the dust.

I think I heard the guy who owns the property runs an auto repair yard or something, and needs more space for the cars.

How about my complete Elvis soundboard collection that contains every available pre-army live recording available on 1 disc?

FFFTTUUNNGG!! BULLSEYE!!!

Hate to disagree my friend, but Heartbreak was recorded in Nashville, along with 4 other tracks on January 10-11, 1956.
The next session was in New York on January 30-31, and E recorded Blue Suede Shoes, My Baby Left Me, One-Sided Love Affair, So Glad You're Mine, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry and Tutti Frutti.
3 days later, he returned to record Shake Rattle And Roll and Lawdy Miss Clawdy.
The day after the infamous Steve Allen performance, on July 2, he recorded Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel and Anyway You Want Me.
Besides the live Madison Square Garden show, he never recorded in New York again.

[Chance]

Hate to disagree my friend, but Heartbreak was recorded in Nashville, along with 4 other tracks on January 10-11, 1956.

Whoops, okay. Sorry Rocker, my bad. Time to reread "Last Train." There's a famous set of pictures of Elvis recording in New York in January, somehow I always thought those were the "Heartbreak" sessions.

[Chance]

Just had to post this, what a killer shot, captures it all...