The Smiley Smile Message Board

I was lucky enough for christmas to get the 3 FTD book's !!!....Flashback is beautifully done with a great cd of outtakes from the 50's. haven't opened the rockin across texas yet ...can't wait to dig into that one . The that's the way it was book is also nice, but a little short and it seem's they had to work with some under exposed negative's. but overall very nice and the cd of outtakes is very nice.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You must have been a good boy this year!!!!!
Those are three of my favorite books!

I got the '68 Comeback Special Special Edition DVDs.  :D

DAMN!!!!!!! Santa likes you! Dig in and let us know your thoughts.

So far I've only watched the original Special, and the first sit-down show.  After watching E perform "If I Can Dream", I can understand why he never performed it in concert.  I think it would have taken too much out of him to sing that song night after night.

By the way, I also got the "Last Train to Memphis" by Guralnick.  I must have been a good boy this year.

Last Train too? My lord, son, you got some good times a-comin'!
The Springsteen DVDs I got were my favorite gift from Santa this year!

 ;D

I got my wife the Elvis '68 CS for Christmas. She loves Presley.  ;D

Great. Tell her to post here, then!

 >:(  I got a rock.

(Plenty of Elvis on my list, none of which made it under the tree. GRRRR.)

What Elvis did you want?

I don't think she's ever posted on a message board in her life, Ian, although we did meet online. haha.

When will "On Tour" come to DVD? When, Lord, when? I want all the outtakes. All of 'em. I want to see tons of "He Touched Me" rehearsal footage.

Try emailing Ernst Jorgensen. He's the major domo in charge.

There's no footage of He Touched Me, unfortuately. That was the year before EOT.
There is a gigantic grassroots campaign to get EOT out in a deluxe edition.
Hours of outtakes from the film have recently leaked, though.

Jorgenson has nuttin' to do with it. MGM owns it, and they are the ones to email.

I got a couple Elvis related items for X-mas this year. I got the Life In Music book and On Tour - The Rehearsals. I haven't absorbed the CD yet, but the book has been a great help in putting my Elvis onto my portable audio player by session date. Although, I still have to use it in tandem with the elvisrecordings.com site.

That wasn't enough so I got myself the Kevan Budd remasters of the first three albums. I also picked up the Elvis '56 CD. I'm not exactly sure why.

Also, anyone know the best CD source for the master of A Big Hunk O'Love?

Wait'll you check out my complete studio recordings MP3 set I'm distributing next month. EVERYTHING available, from all official and bootleg sources.
The original late-80's CD issue of E's Golden Records Vol. 2 is a fine source for the Hunk master.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that complete studio recordings MP3 set you're working on. That's gonna be great. I've never even heard the single version of I'm Yours.

I forgot to mention that Kid Galahad was on TCM on Saturday morning. I hadn't seen it yet. I thought it was pretty good. So far the only Elvis movie I haven't cared for too much was G.I. Blues.

Also, to add to my pathetic loser credibility, I rented the 68 Comeback DVD earlier this month from Netflix and was unable to make very far into it. The fake stereo really bugged me. I tried hitting the mono button on my preamp, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the sound and why anyone would bother getting the right tapes and then doing that to them. In 2004, even. Even, even. Sheesh.

Peter, did a copy of "The American Sound Sessions" ever make it to you? You were the last guy in line for that, and the last I checked, it was down to you and the guy before you still waiting.

Hey, I did get an Elvis item for Christmas, Amazon had a late delivery. As we speak, I'm listening to the expanded "That's The Way It Is." Are the original album tracks remixed, or is it just advances in digital mastering that make this sound so deep and clear? To use a tired cliche, "it sounds just like they're in the room with you." They made some good choices too, in the songs they've added to the lineup, it keeps the feel and flow of the record pretty nicely. Still working through discs 2 and 3. Listened to part of the concert yesterday, the highlights of which are phenomenal, but it sounds to me like he's already begining to approach some of his fifties oldies as novelty songs rather than something deserving the power he gave them in 68 special. I guess the idea was that he'd be cheating his fans by not including them, but you can tell the oldies didn't represent what he was about anymore, and he wasn't out to do much with them. Too bad he couldn't have taken a shot at doing a show with all new material, as Neil Young did with "Rust Never Sleeps" and the Beatles attempted to do with the original "Get Back" concept.

What is it with CD booklet designers? I always read the liner notes, I want to know what's being said about the music. Why can't they leave a nice clear spot upon which to place their text? I'm tired getting excited about a new purchase, and then having to squint into a magnifying glass to decipher the words through rainbows, waterfalls, fires, flowers, crowd shots, stage shots, dressing room shots, tour bus shots, and whatever else they throw at you. Lots of beautiful looking booklets, but you can't read 'em.

The TTWII material on Disc 1 is original mixes.
Yeah, the oldies are always the worst part of an E show. The closest he came to playing a show of all-new material was the opening night of the TTWII engagement on August 10. Only two oldies, the rest all stunning performances of new stuff. Not even a Hound Dog! This was released as One Night In Vegas on the FTD labe.

I was listening to Promised Land the other day (the album), and that is a really really fine album. Great material on there. I especially dig Thinking About You.

Do you have Good Times? That's even better!

I don't have the actual CD, but I burned it using the tracks I was able to acquire from various sources.

Cool!
Very underrated, those Stax sessions.

I love the Stax sessions. For my money, the last truly great material Elvis had to work with, from then on, it was spotty. I do dig the 1975 sessions, just for Green, Green Grass Of Home, the rare cover that bests the original.

The Graceland sessions are some of my favorite Elvis material, dark and harrowing, his Elvis Presley/Plastic Priscilla Band.

I love the Graceland sessions too.....but they're really the beginning of the end, the man was so depressed and it seemed like he was ok being on par rather than astronomically great like he was in 1973. His cover of Solitaire makes the hair on my neck stand up.

Yeah, it's wonderfully destitute, that stuff is similar in dissipation to Big Star's Sister Lovers.
Hurt.......my lord.

He'll Have To Go is eerily poignant.

Ian, what's the deal with this set you've put together? Every Elvis studio recording? How does a brotha get hooked up?

Don't worry, you're on the list. Next week, the tree gets planted.

You're like a personified Arbor day.

Quit quoting Van Dyke Parks lyrics to me.

(http://www.goultralightsgo.com/naoki/elvis/images/tree.jpg)


(P.S. - More odd and unfathomable Elvis paintings, such as "Elvis The Tank-Engine" and "Floating Elvis Head" can be found on likeable but talent-challenged Singapore artist Kaoki Matsuse's site (http://www.goultralightsgo.com/naoki/elvis/pages/menu.html).)

Wow, that's like Afro-tree neck-beard Elvis.

Thanks for checking, Chance. I haven't heard anything yet.

I've copied my side of the tree from the old board for my own reference:

2: Monkey Knutz>Joel5000>Peter Tomatz

Okay, Peter, I'll work on that. Good work saving the branch, I hadn't. Is the old board still up and does anybody have the link? Need to copy/paste that tracklist over to here.

One more Elvis tree coming from me this year, a six disc set of everything available from the '68 Comeback. Granted, most of it (the best stuff) is already available on a slew of official releases and the DVD, but if you want this magnificent pinnacle of Elvis' career wrapped up in one beautiful, take-along audio package, this is your baby. And there are some unreleased goodies scattered about; the "other" dressing room rehearsal tape not available on FTD, and rips from the DVD of all those multiple production number takes and inserts that aren't "commercially viable" on a normal CD release. You want four or five alternates of "If I Can Dream," here's your ticket. But first I want to wrap up the "American Sound" tree before we start this one. Maybe after Ian drops his monster set on us all.

just found this on the ECC board :

According to a newsletter from Elvis Unlimited - who are ususally very well informed - the next regular FTD in april will be an as yet unnamed collection of outtakes from Elvis' recording sessions in Memphis in 1969 (American Sound), 1973 (STAX) and 1976 (Jungle Room).

Whats all this fuss about ELVES?  Something to do with Christmas?   C'mon guys.  Christmas is over.  Lets get on with it and discuss some music!!!

geez...ELVES this and ELVES that..... >:(

Yep, is that cofirmed now? I didn't wanna say that before and have it turn into a rumor!

What's the deal with the FTD Sun sessions set that's been in the cards for a while?

Sometime next year. Summer, probably.

You mean 2007? Or did you forget we've just changed over to 2006? I guess I can wait for summer, but another year would blow. Shades of "The Pet Sounds Sessions" taking forever to reach the fans...

It's not going to be any big deal, besides some newly discovered photos and everything we already have in one place.
Personally, I'm far more excited by the Clambake FTD coming out this year!

Clambake??  UGH!

Is there going to be anything in the Memphis sessions we don't have in the other FTD's/Rhythm and Country?  Those sets are pretty good as it is and I wonder if the best has already been used.  Although -- you just KNOW I need that alternate version of Raised On Rock or of Are You Sincere!

BTW -- I got stuck with major working in December followed immediately by almost two weeks away for vacation.  I got the Elvis Christmas CD but it was on the other list.  If whoever I was supposed to send the CD's to would PM me with their address, I would be happy to start the tree again (and finally finish Chance's stuff -- PM me also if you would with your address).

Ian, I may already be on your list but if not please make sure to add me.

All different takes!

Jeff, you're #1 on the list!

Ian, I'd love a copy of your set as well.  I can't remember if I already asked to be added to the list.

Of course, brother!

(http://www.independencebrewing.com/images/Elvis_cake.jpg)

TCB!

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

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?

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.

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”.

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

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

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

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....

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.

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.

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.

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.

Maybe I will wait for Ian's master release.   ;D

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.

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

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!

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!!!!

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

 ;D

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...

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.

FFFTTUUNNGG!! BULLSEYE!!!

Holy cow.

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.

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.

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

(http://web.telia.com/~u38304500/comeback2.jpg)

NP   ;)

BTW I'd love to have a Disc with all pre-army soundboards, but I hope that there are so much that they don't fit on one CD, but that's just wishing and nothing more.
I'm excited about that Tupelo-Movie that'll come out this June. They got some new video material from Elvis' shows in '56. Maybe they put some restored audio of the concerts over it. I think back then the whole '56 -Tupelo-oncerts have been filmed, haven't they?
And what about the '57-Tupelo-shows? There is also some very goode material, but ere they also completely filmed?

There's no recordings of Elvis shows in 57, unfortunately!

Sad. I would love to hear a live-version of Jailhouse Rock from the 50s. And the film-material and his moves are incredible !

Bump.  Just 'cause.

So any word on the Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel sessions or the Sun FTD?

NOPE!

Just waiting for the next FTDs in April and setting up for my tree in a week.

I'm asking too! I'd be happy to burn a copy for anyone else if we're doing a tree thing..

count me in on the tree......i would love a copy !!!!

Keeping this thread goin'!

Ian, how fares the Elvis project?  (I know you're killing it with the Monkees thread over on other board.)

Saw Elvis On Tour coming to Region 2 DVD in March...

Question.  I remember reading that earlier on Elvis would turn green at the slightest mention of eating pu55y.  Then one day he burst into the room all excited after getting a taste of Natalie Wood's.  Am I just getting old or what?

Jeff, you might enjoy this--I just came across it myself.  It's a great impersonation by J. Cash!
 
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1KFJYNN9HDYQU2CVELX8KSSUJ0

(http://img331.imageshack.us/img331/2112/jr5yg.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1406/t3nl.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5113/intheghetto4qq.jpg)
(http://img331.imageshack.us/img331/2641/palace156nv.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2428/wildinthecountry2pk.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3925/bestelviseverq9tj.jpg)
(http://img333.imageshack.us/img333/6329/elvis139sq.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5130/miamipantstornelvis4zw.jpg)
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/9963/palace2243ze.jpg)

The Elvis is getting finalised 2day!  ;D Announcement forthcoming.

I have read that story as well. I can't blame the guy for getting excited by Wood's muff. I know I would be!

(http://members.aol.com/drrear/glenn/glenn9.jpg)

Take me down South anytime, baby!

On Tour is coming out on DVD ?????????

Not in the USA.

For joy, I weep.  Sir, words fail me... <choke>

(http://www.lothene.org/feudalist/knight1.jpg)

 :o


Touchdown!!!!!!!

Unfortunately there are no bonus-clips and I've heard some discussion about the screen-format.

Doesn't Turner hold the rights to this ??......i wonder why no US release ???......i just saw this on VHS...and i loved it ( except they cut off the screens on left and right)..but the scene where Elvis is singing in his car with all his buddies is cool.

Hey Ian, is it too late to ask for this?

Also, I'd like to be put on the list for your big Elvis set!

So what's the latest on the ON TOUR DVD?  I hope its like the Aloha and 68 sets!!!!

Nope. Bare-bones, with nothing else on it, not even a trailer.
It's not coming out in the States and EPE have responded to complaints with an announcement that they are working on a deluxe edition, release indefinite.

But wouldn't Warner HV own the rights via MGM's catalog?

Sorry, that's what I meant.

Well, that's cool...at least EPE or Warner is on it.  I can definitely wait for the deluxe, since I have the VHS already.

Random Elvis thought for the day

Best song from the Memphis American sessions "Kentucky Rain".
Worst song - "My Little Friend"  :o

Best song or best performance on a song? Anyway, there's too much great stuiff to choose from imho. Performance-wise I would probably choose "Without love".

I kinda like "My little friend", though it really might be the weakest song from the sessions.

Well, I was thinking really song-wise, because I really don't think there's a bad performance in the whole lot. I couldn't begin to choose the best. I really like "Only the Strong Survive" and "Any Day Now".

Another random thought - the band is just absolutely cooking on "Rubberneckin".

Hey Jude is unquestionaly the worst from American.

Yes, I agree. However I consider that an informal jam that was shamefully overdubbed and released by RCA.

7 takes of an informal jam?  ;)

 
They may have been trying for a master, but everybody involved knew when they left that sucker it was nowhere near ready for release.

Why he wanted to record the song I have no idea. I can't imagine a less suitable song for Elvis Presley. There was SO much better stuff they could have tried.

 

I agree.

I think it could have been could.  Slowed down...waaaay down.  More soulful, more mid-70s style.  You know?  They just tossed it off...no passion, it's hurting.

I think the fact that the Elvis In Concert album even came out is the most disrespectful epitaph for one of the greatest figures in Western popular music.

I think it contains possibly the two most overwhelmingly powerful live performances of his career, Hurt and How Great Thou Art.

I don't think I've heard that one.  I'm a relatively new convert to the Elvis camp.  There is just so much live E from the 70s that it is hard to keep track.  I've managed to get probably 30 shows on the Dime over that last few months.  Even the sloppiest shows have moments that redeem the entire performance.

Those are about the only good parts of the album. But the rest of those performances are dire.

Yep, Joel. 1974 is a far worse year than 77. 76 was a bad live year, but he came back with a vengeance on a mini-tour at the end of the year.
He was actually on an upswing performance-wise in 77.

The only parts I don't like are the 50's oldies, but those sucked from 1971 on.

Then what happened on the two shows videotaped for the Elvis In Concert special? Was that just Elvis on two REALLY bad nights?

I think the first show in Omaha was bad, I like the second, in Rapid City.
His voice still sounds great to me, for the most part.
I mean, Unchained Melody from the Rapid City show? My God.
But those weren't two of the better shows from that year. The final show in Indianapolis was far better.

I dunno, I just think that album is disheartening to hear. EPE must think so too, since they're not doing a remaster/reissue or a DVD set of the television program.

I'll have to catch up with you guys tomorrow.  I'm heading home.  Think I'll listen to An Afternoon in the Garden in the car. 

Cheers!

See ya, Joel!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D Drive safely.

Later Joel. Peace out, brudda.

That's because people can't get over their prejudice of overweight people and tired stereotypes. You think they would have a problem issuing it if he looked like he did in That's The Way It Is? Even if the vocals were the exact same?

I think they think there's some kind of black magic about the whole thing, despite it being mis-noted by Vernon Presley as Elvis' last live performance. I just think a release of those tapes is disrespectful to Elvis and his legacy. They're clearly not the man at his best.

Now if he looked like he did in That's The Way It Is and the vocals were as they are on the 1977 album, the show probably would see a reissue and a DVD release, but I don't think EPE wants anything to do with those tapes. They're about preserving Elvis' legacy, not damning it with this clearly-not-the-best-he-could-do performance.

Anything the man did is worthy of preservation, and if we're getting reissues of songs like Petunia, The Gardener's Daughter and Yoga Is As Yoga Does, we should get it all.
I'll take a half-baked, but poignant 77 live show any day over the Easy Come Easy Go DVD.

Good point. The '77 concert album is far better than a lot of the soundtrack music.

Yeah, there's a lotta bad, lotta good, lotta best music ever recorded.
I WANT IT ALL!   :)

I think you nailed it Ian...I'd bet EPE's #1 priorty is to REALLY try and erase the fat-Elvis stereotype.  Which, understandably has hurt him, made him kind of joke as opposed to a serious artist...but man...I think his voice and the core of his gift were so painfully brilliant at that time.  (Not unlike Brian's difficult days in the 70s.)

It's a massive shame they toured him to death instead of had him relax and find himself in the studio.  Like from EP Blvd.  I'll take a thousand sessions like that ANYDAY, over another bloody runthru of Teddy Bear/Hound Dog/etc...

Although, eventhough he butchers Lonesome Tonight on that album...it gives me chills when he brings it home.  Pure genius.

You got it. Exactly.

(slight interuption...sorry)

Ian, who's that lady in your Avatar?

 Who's the lady that makes that brief occasional laughter?
 She's the lady we wears those flashing eyes.
 Who'll be taking her home when all the dancing is over?
 I'm the lucky man she will hypnotize.
 
 Long haired lady. Long haired lady.

(now back to Elvis)

Lindsey Lohan.
Prob'ly change it to Priscilla soon.

I just like how crazy elvis was. Sure theres some great rock and roll there, but the lessons on fame and overindulgence you learn from watching anything about that guys life is way more valuable than any music he made, and i like the early stuff alot.

You might want to try the Elvis Country, 68 Special and From Elvis In Memphis albums. Then you may see that his finest work was 1968-1970.
And that his voice and artistry remained strong until his passing.

Amen.  Throughout that period, ballads that most singers would have turned into overblown fluff, Elvis sang them as if they were gospel.  Everything that we know of as encompassing the aura of ELVIS, he created.  The look, the sound, the social revolution that followed in his wake.  It's that simple.  He is such an icon that most people will be unable to appreciate the scope of what he created.

And an Amen right back to you.
The key point is that Elvis CREATED himself. He was not some dumb country boy. He wasn't intellectual about music either.
He INTUITIVELY crafted his art, through emotion and transcendance of musical labels and genres, races and sexes.
But make no mistake, Elvis did it, not Sam Phillips, not Colonel Parker, not his fans, nobody else but him.
Excellent points, Shaft.

Not to mention that he was pretty much his own producer from 1957 or so to 1965.  And Felton was hands off during the actual sessions, adding his touches usually in overdubs.  The Memphis sessions were the only "produced" sessions he did (besides his work with Sam Phillips).  He instinctively knew what he wanted in the studio and how to get it/foster it.

And that voice!  Flexible, powerful, subtle, full of emotion.

I think Elvis' 1966 sessions are hideously underrated. There's so much class material, and his cover of I'll Remember You puts the Don Ho version to shame.

I love the Stax Sessions in '73. They produced one of my absolute favorite lesser-known Elvis tracks, Thinking About You. Beautiful song.

I think you have to blame RCA for that, Jason, or at least whoever was compiling and approving albums.  Had a studio album been released of that 1966 material, it would have been more noticed.  But burying I'll Remember You, Down In the Alley and Tomorrow Is A Long Time on the Spinout soundtrack?

Anybody aware that Lisa Marie Presley just got married for the 4th time?  Anybody care?

If you listen to the 1966 tracks purely on their own on the third disc of the 60s Masters box set, it's a fascinating listen. The beginning of the time when Elvis was singing like his life depended on it. That and the How Great Thou Art album.

Hadn't heard. I hope it works out for her. Don't really know her music, but I like her, she strikes me as being pretty down to earth, whereas she could easily have wound up a clueless, pampered brat ala Paris Hilton.

I am happy for her. I love Lisa Marie.

Charlie Hodge is dead ! Probably one of the best and truest friends Elvis ever had. Never was a bad word about Elvis heard out of Charlie's mouth.
I'd like to post this snippet from the Jordanaires as a tribute to Charlie Hodge. May he rest in peace!  http://www.jordanaires.net/audios/The%20Jordanaires%20-%20Dig%20a%20Little%20Deeper.mp3

This new FTD looks Great !!

Elvis Made In Memphis FTD CD
Style: EP-130-7035CD
Price: $29.98

Made in Memphis is a single-disc regular Follow That Dream release featuring outtakes from Elvis’s sessions in Memphis in 1969 (American Sound Studio), 1973 (Stax Recording Studio) and 1976 (the den at Graceland). There is an additional 5-song set of home recordings made at Sam Thompson’s place in November 1973. (Sam was a member of Elvis’s entourage and the brother of Linda Thompson, Elvis’s steady girlfriend from 1972 to 1976.)

Enjoy this classic CD, “Made in Memphis” and enjoy the sound of one of the best artists of all time.

Recorded January & February 1969, at American Sound, Memphis:
1) IN THE GHETTO - take 13 (Mac Davis)
2) YOU’LL THINK OF ME - take 8 (Mort Shuman)
3) DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM - take 4 (Bobby Russell)


Recorded July 1973, at Stax, Memphis:
4) IF YOU DON’T COME BACK - take 5 (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
5) THREE CORN PATCHES - takes 5 & 6 (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
6) FIND OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING - take 7 (Jerry Crutchfield)
7) IT’S MIDNIGHT - take 11 (Billy Edd Wheeler/Jerry Chesnut)
8) THINKING ABOUT YOU - take 3 (Tim Baty)
9) YOU ASKED ME TO - take 1 (Waylon Jennings/Billy Joe Shaver)

Recorded February 1976, at Graceland, Memphis:

10) SOLITAIRE - take 7 + talk from 6 & 7 (Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody)
11) SHE THINKS I STILL CARE - take 3 & 4 (Dickey Lee)
12) MOODY BLUE - take 6 (Mark James)
13) BITTER THEY ARE, HARDER THEY FALL - take 1 (Larry Gatlin)
14) LOVE COMING DOWN - take 4 (Jerry Chesnut)
15) FOR THE HEART - take 5 (Dennis Linde)


Recorded early November 1973, at Sam Thompson’s House, Memphis:
16) BABY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO (Jimmy Reed)
17) I’M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY (Hank Williams)
18) SPANISH EYES (Kaempfert/Singleton/Snyder)
19) SEE SEE RIDER Trad. Arr. by Elvis Presley)
20) THAT’S ALL RIGHT (Arthur Crudup)

Yeah, everything Elvis recorded in Memphis is interesting to hear!

BTW here's my very favorite Elvis-live-performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3rezXX_w9o&search=elvis%20presley

Does anybody have the "That's the way it is"-outtakes and could upload them on youtube ? "Yesterday" as  a studi rehearsal is already up there. From what I've heard there's really great stuff in these outtakes...

WOW!!!!! Look at this :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxiGtr8QwXY&search=elvis%20presley



 :o :o

I've got 6 hours on DVD from those outtakes. Great stuff.

If only THAT could go in Elvis Complete....

I'll see what I can do!