Favorite Elvis period

[MBE]

Well I think the way he annouced the title was a joke but I base my belief that he was telling the truth on one thing really. I know he and Felton Jarvis wanted Sean Shaver to take a cover photo of him playing Unchained Melody for the cover. Parker changed the cover and wouldn't let Felton and Elvis use what they wanted. I think the new title was picked because of the blue vinyl pressing that was originally to be limited. Now these blue versions are the common ones. Elvis didn't see a final copy until the last day of the tour. I could be wrong on this, but my instinct tells me the story Shaver wrote is true.

[Rocker]

Sounds interesting. But did Colonel Parker really have that much control over the "artistic" side? AfaIk he only did his job as a manager (really good if you ask me) but always kept outside the artistic decisions, except maybe for asking Elvis to record "Are you lonesome tonight".
And another wuestion, you wrote that Elvis plannend on mixing an album with live and studio recordings since '75. Now the "old" story always was that he hadn't recorded enough material so they filled it with live stuff. So waht's the real story? Who told you about that? As I told you, I have a little discussion on another board and I mentioned that I was told about these plans of Elvis but I can't confirm it...

[MBE]

There is a letter included in the Day by Day book that Elvis sent Parker from 75 where he requests they do an LP that way because he felt it would be a good mix. Elvis and Felton made the albums musically, decided on the tracks etc. Parker marketed them. That usually meant titles, photos used, etc. Elvis had some input but Parker had final say in that area. Parker was great in the 50's and in the initial comeback period but once he put Elvis on a routine with the movies, and then again with the live shows he misjudged Elvis' need for fresh challenges. Elvis should have toured Europe and he did want to. Elvis is bigger then anyone so Parker knew his stuff, it's just that sometimes he didn't take Elvis the person into consideration.

[Rocker]

Thanks. I think it doesn't get any better than a letter by Elvis where he mentions such an idea for an album. Will take this information to the other board.


Well, you know, I don't think Parker was the one responsible for a missing Europe-tour. Of course he maybe was the reason, but Elvis was the boss. If Elvis really wanted to do something, there was no chance for anyone, icluding Parker, to stop him. Colonel may have given advice, etc. but in the end Elvis had the final say. If he didn't use it, that's another thing imo.
On the other hand, we don't know if Elvis would've been a big number in Europe. He wasn't very succesful in Germany and other countries. I believe he had succes in England, but that's about it. I am sure Elvis would have had big audiences but I don't think he necesarily would have been a sell-out everywhere. Especially if it was in '77 (as some sources mention).

[MBE]

Chart wise he did very well in Europe overall. In England he was bigger in the 70's then in America sales wise, chart wise etc. I think Elvis really did want to go and that was one of the reasons he fired Parker for a few weeks in 1973. Parker couldn't leave the US and didn't want to send anyone in his place. Elvis simply gave in to what Parker wanted which indeed was his own choice. I think truthfully the healthy Elvis of 1971 would have wanted to go far more then the troubled Elvis of 1977.

[Rocker]

Chart wise he did very well in Europe overall.

Well, I thin in Germany he had only one no.1-Hit with "In the ghetto" but I don't know very much about the other countries, except maybe about the UK.

I think Elvis really did want to go and that was one of the reasons he fired Parker for a few weeks in 1973. Parker couldn't leave the US and didn't want to send anyone in his place.

I also think he wanted to go, but if he really wanted, like he wanted to record "Suspicious minds", he would have gone.
I often hear about him firing the Colonel for a few weeks, but no one ever could give me much more infos about that. Do you got some? Maybe we oughta discuss this via PM, if it is too much "insider"-stuff for this thread, I don't know....

[MBE]

No it's pretty well known. He fired him in 1973 after his second Vegas gig. At the closing show he stuck up for a waiter that was being fired. Parker didn't think Elvis should say anything against the Hilton's and they got into a shouting match where Elvis fired him. Parker wrote out a largely bogus bill for two million dollars that Elvis initially was going to pay to get rid of him. Once they cooled down he rehired him perhaps a week or two later. They were never as close afterwards though. I think Elvis suspected Parker was an illegal alien so that could have been part of the reason he fired him too. At the time Elvis was riding high worldwide with the Aloha show so not going overseas was in his eyes a bad move.

[Rocker]

I know that story about the Hilton's guy. There's also a bootleg recording out there of that show. Didn't know that he fired Parker afterwards though. I wonder if he really wanted to get rid of him or if that was just one of his temper-things.
I heard other stories where he wanted to fire the Colonel around the comeback-era...

[MBE]

They were pretty tight around 1969, it was a temper thing but Elvis had been unhappy with him over the previous six months or so.

[Rocker]

Re: Moody Blue: I got another question but this time about the artwork. I have "Moody blue" on LP but probably a re-pressing, as the record isn't in blue vinyl. Anyway, the backcover is a great shot from '72. Was that one also used on the original? The label says: PL 12 428

[MBE]

Yes that was on all pressings. The black ones are worth more money in the US

[Rocker]

Yes that was on all pressings. The black ones are worth more money in the US

Good to know if I'm gonna sell it someday....
That picture is awesome. I wonder why they didn't use it on the first CD-version and why they changed the whole cover for the actual one...

[MBE]

It's because BMG has ZERO respect for Elvis' vision of his music or his albums.

[Rocker]

Here's something hopefully interesting. A regularly updated site with video of famous people talking about Elvis (Scotty Moore, James Brown, Tom Jones). It's available in german and in english:

http://www.unikosmos.de/elvis/index.php

[Rocker]

I found this absolutely incredible piece of music with a nice video on youtube. "Peace in the valley" was always one of my favorite Elvis-performances but sometimes you just have to be reminded of how great it is. The video has pictures from the Ed Sullivan-show where he did this song (I, and at least one other, uploaded the actual performance on youtube) and unfortunately one or two seconds, I guess, from the recording were cutted. Anyway, this is just one of the most emotional songs ever imo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY_tX4N220I&mode=related&search=




EDIT: BTW check out the trailers for the new DVD-releases:

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=WarnerBrosOnline


"That's the way it is" will feature the original movie on Disc 1 and the special edition on Disc 2, including still unreleased footage. The documentary "This is Elvis" is amazing. Can't wait to get my hands on it. Also, as you'll see, there are some of his regular movies coming out. Some of them are really good ("It happened at the worlds fair") or even great ("Jailhouse rock"). But on the whole each one of them will entertain you. From that point they are all good. Hopefully we'll get "Elvis on tour", too. That one is a motherfucker, as is the before mentioned "That's the way it is".