That is why I think it is an extremely flawed idea. A lot of the session reels have been exhausted leaving behind only various scraps of music and studio dialogue. It may work for “Viva Las Vegas” where the soundtrack could use a sonic upgrade and where there are a couple CDs worth of unreleased music, but in many instances, fans and FTD collectors would be repurchasing a lot of previously released music for some unreleased outtakes (and a chronological order for the music).
I agree with all of your points. That being said, I think a few releases in this vein would be fantastic and essential, namely the Elvis Is Back Sessions, The Memphis 1969 Sessions and The Nashville 1970 Sessions. Second tier, in my opinion, would be the Something For Everybody, Pot Luck and Jungle Room Sessions. As for soundtracks, I can't think of anything outside of possibly G.I. Blues, Blue Hawaii and Viva Las Vegas as really worthy (and even the examples I've provided are questionable). FTD has exhausted all the 50's outtakes so we essentially already have "complete" sessions for anything that has survived.
Sure, I personally have no problems answering that. I mentioned it in a previous post, but sometimes if you check Amazon third party sellers you can get good deals on FTD's. Amazon usually lists them as "box sets". I myself would have paid about $50 (an average cost over there) but payed about $35 with a gift card. Again it's all about patience and a little bit of luck. I will add that there are some unsubstantiated reports that "Loving You" and "Paradise, Hawaiian Style" are going back in print after all, but they are still being reported as deleted, and sadly I'm not a lucky bird/licensed seller of FTD so I don't directly get a line in the grapevine like some do, so I can't confirm nor deny that. That said I encourage everyone who wants FTD's to know where to find them, especially as some ironically are becoming quite hard to aquire in the states compare to Europe (where they are printed).
As a follow-up to my previous post, although Ernst said complete sessions would not be part of FTD, I have always thought he/they would do this in the end as that would be the only thing left. Since we already already a complete 1953-1955 box in A Boy From Tupelo, the next obvious release would be a complete RCA 1956-1959 box (a la Bear Family) with every master, alternate, outtake, home, radio, t.v. and live concert performance included. I think a limited run of 10,000-15,000 copies would easily sell out.
I think my wishlist for FTD is pretty simple. Complete the "Classic Album" series Continue to release choice soundboards (especially On Tour etc.) Revisit, remaster, remix and expand the earlier soundtrack releases to two discs (mono mixes, etc) I'm certainly not opposed to any of the Camden releases either -- assuming they make sense and provide the opportunity for additional outtakes and stuff.
I just had a quick look at Keith Flynn's site and according to that, this is unreleased from the Elvis Is Back sessions if all the takes exist. Make Me Know It - 7 takes Soldier Boy - 7 takes Fame And Firtune - 3 takes Like A Baby - 1 take The Girl of My Best Friend - 3 takes I Will Be Home Again - 3 takes Reconsider Baby - 1 take
That makes a nice single disc compilation. I would find it very aggravating as a long-standing FTD collector and supporter to have to re-purchase 2.5 hours of previously released content just to get a disc’s worth of remaining outtakes.
Because the audio release does contain a few redeeming performances (that may be a generous assessment) as well as having been a relatively consistent seller at retail over the years, that is perhaps the reason it has allegedly been under consideration for a Sony Legacy reissue. I think it would be a mistake to glorify Elvis In Concert as a “Legacy Edition,” but it would not be the first odd release for Elvis under the Legacy Edition banner.
Speaking of 1977, i'm a bit puzzled that his last concert hasn't yet been released on ftd. Quality of the performance aside, it does have historical value.
I'm not really a fan of any of the Legacy remixing work really from Prince From Another Planet onwards. In particular, and though many fans seemed to embrace it, 2014's That's The Way It Is - Deluxe Edition was quite a let-down for me. I find the audio constricted in tone (Elvis' vocal) and annoyingly "boxed-in" sounding on the instruments, where it sounds like they have applied compression through the mixing stage in order to make the sound more "punchy." The stereo imaging is also kinda limited, and they were pretty bad at "trying to fix history" by removing musical elements and vocal tracks. I much prefer the early 2000s mixing work on these shows. When Santos started to take more of the lead with these releases, things changed it seems. I only hope it doesn't spill through to an eventual On Tour release.
If that's true it kinda undoes the purpose of the last 18 years of FTD. "Listenable albums" etc. I recall a lot of tension at the time the Classic Albums began; "I have to buy all this stuff again to get the extra outtakes? AND the masters I already own?!" A third go-round where faithful FTD customers must repurchase the same material again? I'd be surprised if it came to fruition. Viva Las Vegas just needs a Classic Album re-issue as a 2-disc set, 1) because the masters sound bad on the original edition and 2) because there's more session material to make it worthwhile. Leave it at that. Besides, FTD had their chance with the American Sound material. Before the Classic Albums came out I recall they were considering some sort of box-set project to cover the sessions. What I would like to see at retail are a couple of sequels to Young Man With The Big Beat, one focused on 1960 and the other on 1969. Milestone years with career defining works.
A bit off topic but anyone any advice on this? .. I have the 'He Touched Me' FTD on vinyl it has only outtakes (compared to HHIM & HGTA FTD Vinyl which has the complete original albums) and 'Raised On Rock' has yet to be reissued on FTD vinyl (even though it has on CD format). So I am considering picking up original copies of 'He Touched Me' and 'Raised on Rock' on vinyl...anyone know how they sound? I have heard they are a bit muddy...?
The original LPs sounded ok in their time, and now, in audio quality. In comparison with new digitally mixed outtakes, the originals might be called that, but not by much. Get 'em, they are the originals.
The Elvis Shop London Home The Elvis Shop London in the UK have this along with many other FTD titles. Because it is no longer in print I guess it is now £40 for the last few copies. Postage is added and they are a very reliable and trusted seller. Highly recommended by myself and I have been buying from them for years. All items are well packaged with very quick UK delivery. (nope I do not work for them but they are good!). I guess I should get the few FTD cd releases I am missing during the next 12 months. They may repress some titles they may not - I have no idea but if the series mirrors other cd stuff I would assume sales are in decline (not just Elvis).
Agreed. IIRC, Ernst acquired an upgraded audience version over 10 years ago. It is not a great show, but as you stated, it does have historical value. With all of the 1974-1976 soundboards being released, one would think an alternative release from a lo-fidelity source would be a viable release option to mix things up a bit.
All good points. One thing to consider is that Ernst and others at Sony know that Elvis consumers are suckers at retail and historically repurchase the same material many times over. There are already people at FECC gleefully supporting the 3 CD concept, happy to repurchase the massive amount of previously released masters and outtakes they already own just to have CDs of "complete sessions" in chronological order. And now that Ernst has allegedly mentioned the 3 CD concept for Viva Las Vegas, people will go nuts if he doesn't go through with it. I would imagine that Viva Las Vegas is going to get a 3 CD release next year, and then when it sells well (and it will because the original FTD version is under-served in both sound and content), FTD might be under the impression that the 3 CD concept is viable and will be widely supported, and at that point, it is conceivable that sessions/albums from Nashville 1960/1961, Nashville 1966/1967, American Sound 1969, Nashville 1970, Stax 1973, etc. could be flushed out in similar fashion. What bothers me is that a number of fans have spent $5000-$6000 (or what ever currency they use) on FTD product over the years to acquire nearly complete collections, and on some level, will feel coerced into repurchasing a significant amount of previously released masters/outtakes that they have already acquired from FTD just to acquire remaining session outtakes and scraps. It isn't so much about maintaining "complete collections" as it is about a commitment and desire to acquire unreleased material. And another thing to consider is that the price-point for these sets could go up, particularly if FTD enhances the packaging. If a faction of Elvis enthusiasts want to continue repurchasing the same music over and over in different configurations, that is their prerogative, but the rest of the fan-base should not have to pay the steep price for their obsession with product. If FTD wants to truly clean out the vaults and release everything from the reels, at least offer single disc options for those who want the music.
I agree with much of this, especially the last point. It's the main reason why, rather than forking out the money to get the recent ABFT reissue I simply waited to get the IFTRTF wire recording when it became available for purchase in CD quality. My need to have the one track wasn't so strong that I would repurchase nearly 3 CD's worth of material; it would truly have been redundant and a waste of space at that point. Honestly an easy way to solve this problem would be for FTD to issue these in a CD quality (or even Hi-Res) download format in addition to the physical format, but Ernst would seem hesitant to allow this. I can see why: if FTD were to issue a download of their material, quite a few might accuse them of negating the collectibility of their own collections. It's silly, but I can see it happening. Another issue they face is that TBH FTD really don't have a main site or central hub so if they, for instance wanted to make the downloads exclusive to a central site rather than on more "mainstream" sites like 7Digital and HDTracks (and Pono when it was still around) to name a few they would have to create one, and FTD have been reluctant to post any sort of hub of that nature despite repeated requests by fans over the years to do so. If something of this nature did happen, and allowed for individual downloads, then one could pick and choose what they want. A win-win in my opinion. Indeed, that would probably be the best direction to take with these releases. But the thing is, that seemingly isn't in the cards for this and I think THAT could be the breaking point for a lot of people and I think it's a real shame. But yes, although I again do support this idea (although I think the number of discs might vary from project to project) I fully sympathize with why people are hesitant on the idea. Heck, as I noted above I just got disc 2 of "Elvis Is Back!" and had to pay full price for another disc 1 along with another package, so as much as I love that album yes, I'd be pretty bummed if that album's entire sessions got issued within a set in the next year or so. As a side note, I have noticed a repeated saying on multiple boards that tends to go along the lines of "I would have bought this sort of thing no questions asked... 10 years ago before the Classic Albums". I've never brought this up before, but the last couple of years or so I've been wondering if, as excellent and for FTD successful as many of them are, the over-reliance and focus on "Classic Albums" over alternate paths of releases have held the label back. There have been many other paths of interesting releases (including the complete sessions) that FTD could have taken, but chose not to in favor of the Classic Albums. Had they been more selective in some ways with that series, this whole issue could have been avoided. When ABFT was announced as a 3 Disc set, from my position as a lurker at the time quite a few people were gobsmacked; I know I was. There was a feeling that the chains and shackles of 2 Discs had been broken and shattered and the possibilities were endless. And then... nothing. Still relying on 2 or sometimes even 1 CD when 2 could have been provided. It made sense for "Speedway" and "Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4" to have a mono disc for a couple of reasons. One of which was the fact that there was a lack of session material, and also because they were the 2 rarest mono LP's (both command into the thousands of dollars) so it made sense to make them available for people who couldn't afford the original item. So why didn't they take the same approach for "Roustabout" or "Kissin' Cousins"? Obviously, greed was a factor (put them on vinyl for more profit) but there was also sadly a very negative response to the inclusion of the mono mixes in some corners ("why are you giving us a disc that only has the mono mix?"), although it's hard for me to say which had the greater impact. Of course, the best way to solve this problem would be either for FTD to have releases dedicated to the mono mixes, or for Legacy to issue a mainstream box of the mono album and single mixes from 1960-1975 like they have done with Bob Dylan and Miles Davis. I think FTD really need to consider what is best not only for themselves, but also how not to tick the fans off as some obviously feel burnt by some poor decision making tainting the many wonderful things the FTD label has provided the hardcore fan. With the facts and realities we have maybe allowing the new outtakes in these session boxes to come out in a separate release somewhere along the line as you suggest would accomplish this.
Good points thank you. I guess whatever FTD do some folk will not be keen. I like mono and thanks for pointing out Speedway and Gold Records 4 in mono on original vinyl are very rare. Buying original or represses I regard as quite different to getting clean digital versions so I was very pleased with the 2 previously mentioned releases by FTD. An Elvis mono box like Bobs and Miles (both are excellent and at very good prices) would be on my wishlist.
If FTD starts reissuing complete session reels, I would pass on most, given FTD’s prices. That assumes that there would be a low quantity of new material, of course. If it turns out a vast treasure trove of newly discovered items -- all bets are off! Other than that, the only thing to entice me to REPURCHASE music I already have from FTD, would be if it was a CHEAPER download product and in hi-res. That's it. I do not need packaging with this product — since packaging correlates to the albums, which was the purpose of the Classic Album series. As a side note: Strangely, downloads have tended to NOT be cheaper, further bringing into question the decision-making at big corporate music institutions. Rather than see the download market as the answer to their prayers, they have either avoided it, botched it, or tried to stop it. And, of course, gouge us along the way. They have next ZERO overhead with this model and could completely eliminate the middle man and sell directly to their customers, if they wanted. But, instead they appear to be operating like people holding onto outdated jobs (think buggy whip makers in the early days of the automobile boom). But I digress... Regarding the Classic Album series - for me, this was a great option. I didn't have most of the original albums, so hearing them in their historical context and sequence -- AND having the session, singles, etc -- gives me both the perspective of his artistic evolution as it happened and the additional window into his creative process. Going the full session-reel route could have done that too... but would have been all the more cost prohibitive.
When the "Classic Albums" series ends I'm out. I haven't been buying the soundboards in ages, so unless it's something genuinely unique (i.e. "Return to Vegas") I'm not interested. Entire sessions don't interest me. They are right to mix things up. It turns into a slog when you have 20 takes in a row, regardless of how great the song may be. My only wish is that they'd reissue some of the soundtracks as 2 disc sets with their remixes and mono mixes included. Granted, I'd throw up in my mouth a little having to spend another $30 on "Paradise, Hawaiian Style", but so be it. All I really want it a remastered "Harum Scarum" remix, really. I'm still playing that old "Double Features" disc.
I wasn't onboard with the Classic Albums in the beginning. I got a couple of soundtracks when they started, because then I was buying all FTD releases - but I quickly sold them on. Then the Memphis live album came out, good buy. But when they started going down the road of re-issuing all albums I was a tad miffed to be: 1) Re-buying outtakes that had come out over the then previous 5 years on FTD. Heck, Elvis Today was so lazy as to merely list "6363 Sunset" Material as a section! 2) Re-buying master takes on the collectors label. The one selling point was around this time some people who really cared about sound began producing work for the label. But it's not been consistent, particular with regards to the outtakes. Then Sony overhauled the masters in 2007 and frankly speaking I've not found FTD's re-re-remasters to be noticeably better than those. In a few cases they're worse (most of the early soundtracks, Elvis Today). Then there's the packaging itself, nice idea, less than excellent execution. Hands up those who've received more than one with either: a) crushed spines, b) discs mounted off-centre, c) disc holders fallen out, d) all! I do like the larger format for reading the booklets though (luckily I've not experienced the problem with missing booklets), and there's something to be said for the larger covers. The packaging is handsome, in principal. Generally speaking though I don't play the Classic Albums too often and I'd be even less so with "session sets". Usually I'll reach for one of the earlier compilations. As for soundboards, I'm in the camp that gave up on being a completist years ago. It's funny, I was recently reading an interview with Ernst from 2002, in which he says: "The live shows are in general from soundboards. Our ambition is to, good or bad, document every major Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe season or concert Tour by one CD - not by a row of CDs." I think they did a pretty good job of that in the earlier years, and of course there are some specific seasons that welcome more than one vantage point (certainly in the case of 1969 and 1970 RCA recordings) but the gluttony of mid-70s soundboards that have sprung-up over the last half dozen years or so, I haven't really paid much attention to them. There was a weird period when FTD began issuing these in 7" packaging also, which ended up blurring the presentation of the collection. Titles like Return to Vegas, On Stage Season, 3000 South Paradise Road, Destination USA, Sold Out!, Live in Florida, these ought to have stayed in the 5" series. Titles like Hot August Night and 48 Hours to Memphis I can kind of appreciate, in the sense of almost being "volume 2s" for Elvis In Person and Live On Stage In Memphis. I did buy the recent Hometown Shows title because I have an interest in Memphis and have wanted an official source for the 1975 performance since I got out of the bootleg collecting about 10 or so years ago. That the 1974 soundboard smokes it in every way was a nice surprise.
I"m with you on this. There are some titles I might have given a chance too, but didn't want to sully my beautiful "Classic Albums" collection shelf with them. I did buy "Return to Vegas", though. I sold my "Hot August Night" for some reason, and naturally it's gone OOP and goes for fat money now. Gah!
I believe Hot August Night got re-pressed and is available again. Possibly the single finest RCA live recording on Elvis.
