Elvis Presley FTD CD reissues (part 6)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by hodgo, Feb 15, 2015.

  1. MEMPHISSUN

    MEMPHISSUN Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Thats very strange as he was the one who put out 56/57 sessions - ELVIS PRESLEY,ELVIS,YOUNG MAN,etc,so to hear he is lukewarm on the 72/FEB (repetition) is very strange and makes no sense as he is hoping if VLV 3xcd set is a seller,then he can easy go back to the live recordings and break up the soundtrack route...give 76 a break - PLEASE!!!.

    With Presley"s catalouge its very hard to figure out whats going on these days with it.
     
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  2. Flaming Torch

    Flaming Torch Forum Resident

    POB I agree wholeheartedly with your statement
    "The irony is that FTD continues to recycle the same concerts and set-lists via soundboard releases from the 1974-1976 period, yet there is supposedly concern over saturation and repetition from the February 1970 and 1972 tapes."

    All a bit odd.
    Re 72 I played an old boot cd of the opening night of the Vegas 1972 season (on the 2001 label). A nice show and for me good enough sound (I am sure FTD would do it better).
     
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  3. MEMPHISSUN

    MEMPHISSUN Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
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  4. shanebrown

    shanebrown Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK

    I think considering how the already released material is spread out here and there over numerous releases (including one song only on the silver box!), just bringing it together in a coherent package would be a start. Why he's so bothered about repetition, I have no idea. He presented us with twenty minutes of Almost on a recent release and didn't think about repetition then. If there are two discs, he can at least try and make sure repeated versions of songs are spread out over two discs, meaning only two versions of a single song on each CD - and how many listen to both discs as a marathon? I know I don't. And while it's nice he's worried about fans' listening pleasure, he's clearly not concerned enough to make sure soundboard tapes run at the right speed!

    I'm really not sure what is going on, or what the thinking is with FTD. First we had a never-ending run of 1976 show, now a never-ending run of 1974 shows, then a release lasting 45 minutes. I really do think they have lost the plot.
     
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  5. Pants Party

    Pants Party MOSTLY PEACEFUL

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    The funny thing about FTD and this new release is -- we're just used to getting more. Even with all the 74-76 soundboards, they at least fill up two discs to give one their money's worth -- if one is so inclined to buy more 74-76 soundboards, that is.

    Of course, the sad reality with most artists is, anything new only dribbles out as 1 or 2 "bonus" tracks on some frustrating re-re-re-re-release of an album that most fans already have 6 versions of. I guess our standards for unreleased Elvis are just higher -- as they should be, since since an entire label exists for releasing "stuff."

    Anyway... I agree. From what I'm reading here this new release could have been much, much better. I'm sure if I were to ever get it, I'd enjoy it... but I think I've got a pretty astounding Elvis collection at the moment, that I'm extremely grateful for. I'll use that $35 bux on 2 or 3 discs of something I don't have.
     
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  6. shanebrown

    shanebrown Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    I'm not sure that's true. I don't think standards for Elvis products have ever been set high by fans. In the 1960s, they bought everything that was thrown at them, no matter how bad the songs and recordings were. Then in the 1970s, they were willing to accept sub-par shows and budget albums. And now, it's little different. Fans have just accepted whatever FTD throws at them, good or bad. If they had rejected the poorer material and the discs they knew had faults, then perhaps standards would be higher. But not much has changed in fifty years, when you look at it. They dangle a "new" release in front of fans, and many fans think it's a must-have, no matter what it is. And FTD just seems to be trying to make the remaining material last for as many releases as possible. And who can blame them.
     
  7. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    Thanks ClausH, I appreciate your response on the best version of that warhorse of a song. Yes indeed, the low volume on the first verse drove me nuts for years and I did not really appreciate the greatest of Elvis's version until they got that kink fixed. I do not really care for the fake applause either, although Vic's remaster on the Complete RCA Album box set and ETTWII big box is pretty good too as I recall, but I guess my favorite is on Heart and Soul and the 70's box set, both of which I have and enjoy.
     
  8. MaestroDavros

    MaestroDavros Forum Resident

    Location:
    D.C. Metro Area
    Ernst seems to treat incomplete live/rehearsal recordings like On Stage and Feb 74 in a completely different way than complete ones. For instance the fiasco surrounding the "Stage Rehearsal" set a few years ago. I think when people were potentially interested in the TTWII rehearsals immediately preceding the Opening Show, they weren't interested in having live(!) performances stitched onto the ends to make them more "complete". Maybe Ernst felt no one would be interested in incomplete rehearsals, but the thing is, they were rehearsals, not studio performances.

    Shane makes a very good point: Elvis' multi-tracked live performances are in a state of disarray. On Tour remains unreleased, the 1969, February 1970 and February 1972 concerts are all across the map in terms of sound and availability (a lot of sets for all 3 are out of print as well), the Aloha From Hawaii main show only really has 2 options: a fold-down of the Quad mix (aka the classical stereo mix) or a poorly regarded mix by Dennis Ferrante, the Memphis 1974 show has 3 options: the abridged, sweetened original album, the reverb heavy Ferrante mix for FTD and the frankly energy-less mix for Legacy by Santos/Rosenthal (same problem affects their mix of the Aloha Rehearsal show as well), and In Concert is of course a lost cause at this point. The 2 releases that do a decent job both have problems of their own: the Madison Shows are well represented, although I much prefer the original mixes on the Legacy Edition and not the Prince From Another Planet which was brickwalled, and TTWII which did get a nice box with decent mixing, even if controversially Charlie Hodge's harmony vocals were muted in some areas.

    The one thing that Off-On Stage did right is utilize the live mixing talents of Vic Anesini. Why this is not exploited further remains a mystery to me.

    I don't feel "entitled" to this material, I'm just disappointed at how bad a state the multi-tracked live recordings are in. I know that the negative reaction could potentially turn FTD off from releasing anything from February 1970 again, but along with February 1972 and the TTWII rehearsals these are crying out for definitive 2-3 disc collections by FTD, mixed and mastered by Vic Anesini and featuring as much material as can possibly be included in one place. I suspect however that FTD will empty their vaults of 74-76 soundboards, do some sessions boxes and close up shop instead. :shake:
     
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  9. shanebrown

    shanebrown Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    I agree for the most part. And the fact that the best way to get the highlights of the TTWII rehearsal is via a twenty year old bootleg shows just how much they have been neglected. I didn't buy the TTWII boxed set, although I've heard it, but they even mucked that up, eschewing decent rehearsal performances in exchange for a bunch of mostly novelty numbers that most people aren't going to listen to more than once. And on the legacy edition, they included the most ragged show of the engagement, complete with the false-start opening, and this was for a release aimed at the general public. The mind boggles.

    And then we have Ernst saying he has no plans to do anything with Elvis in Concert because the quality of performance is so bad, which presumably means he didn't listen to Amarillo 77 or New Haven when he released them! I have to say that I still go to the original album for the Memphis 74 show - I prefer it edited. I think it makes for a punchier listening experience in that form. And it was nice to get the Hometown Shows release - but then FTD had to present us with yet another two concerts from the same tour just a little while later. The release strategy is downright bonkers.
     
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  10. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    This is the most important point to me and truer words have never been echoed!
     
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  11. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Not to justify subpar work, but in terms of fans essentially boycotting FTD product to make a statement, that will not necessarily have the desired effect. Sony, like BMG before it, would likely view diminishing sales as a lack of commercial viability, rather than a referendum on quality control. Not that there is a justification for fans to automatically acquire every single FTD release that is issued, but many fans would rather support the overall effort (which includes a handful of less-than-desirable releases), rather than see the label lose corporate support and wind down. And there are a number of fans that are selective with what they purchase.

    That said, I suspect that FTD is very much aware of which releases are the subject of complaints. In years past when Ernst was much more accessible and would give interviews in greater frequency, he was clearly effected by the negative feedback, especially when it became nasty and personal towards him. The bottom line is that no label, whether it is mainstream or FTD, is going to satisfy fan-bases. There are a number of vault releases that are repetitive with content, incomplete, and mixed and mastered imperfectly. FTD is not the exception.

    Nevertheless, it doesn't change the fact that fans have the right to be frustrated with product that they think could be substantially improved with obvious and little effort, such as "Off-On Stage" and its abbreviated content.
     
  12. Flaming Torch

    Flaming Torch Forum Resident

    I know (some) of the FTD releases are not perfect and I still keep all my boots but overall it has been a really great label for a gumby like me. I certainly hope Ernst does not take any criticism too badly he has in my opinion done a jolly good job. I certainly would not advocate a boycott of FTD and I can see a time when some of their top notch titles are sought after by future Elvis fans. Sony too have done a pretty good job since taking over.
    Back to this on off stage FTD it is only 45 minutes but it is jolly good and makes for an absolutely superb listen. I would recommend folk by it and make it a good seller.
    Re On Tour 72 and the 77 TV Concert it is a shame they are not redone but the first seems like a legal swamp and the second the estate do not want to happen so that really is that. Would they really sell that well if released? I am not sure. The boots are not too hard to find for folk who really want to have this material and bootleggers always have the advantage of not having to answer to anyone.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2018
  13. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    The ridiculous thing is that the tracks that sound really bad on "Standing Room Only" (released 2009), are available in outstanding quality on the mainstream release "Elvis Viva Las Vegas", a Live Collection compiling tracks recorded between 1969 - 1972 and released in 2007, two years prior to "SRO". There's quite simply no excuse for this, particularily when you consider that "SRO" was more than double the price of the "VLV" Live Collection.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2018
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  14. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    I've just finished listening to all 2 hours 33 minutes of "Hits Of The 70's.

    I know it should have been a much cheaper Legacy reissue and that it should also have included the original mono single mixes, but I love it, I certainly wouldn't want to be without it because it makes for a fabulous listening experience.

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. shanebrown

    shanebrown Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    It may be a nice compilation, but there is no excuse for not presenting the album as it originally was with the right mixes. This is a collector's release, after all, and collector's want things like that to be correct. There's also the strange issue that My Way isn't the single version, but one from a month or so earlier.

    But I'm with you in that it should and could have been a mainstream release. Many in the UK remember this album fondly, and it sold very well in the months after Elvis's death as well. So, I'm sure many beyond the fanbase would have picked this up, if only out of sentimental value.
     
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  16. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    Shane, I agree with every word you say, those issues annoy me as much as you but I still can't help enjoying every single note of this release.
     
  17. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    Just playing in the OPPO right now and boy does it sound great through valves!.....

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. BigDanT

    BigDanT Forum Resident

    Location:
    England Lancashire
    Blimey you must have all those songs on other FTDs, you Yorkshire lot sure throw your money around
     
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  19. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    Wash your mouth out! It was a present so not a penny left my padlocked wallet. :laugh:
     
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  20. BigDanT

    BigDanT Forum Resident

    Location:
    England Lancashire
    Glad to hear it, thought you'd gone mental
     
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  21. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    I've already gone mental, it's one of the mandatory qualifications you need to be a Gort. :yikes: :winkgrin:
     
  22. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
    Doesn't it have the wrong version of My Way?
     
  23. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    What are the recording dates of each version?
     
  24. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
    It should be the one from Elvis In Concert but I think they used the version from April 25, 1977 which was released on the Platinum box set.

     
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  25. Pants Party

    Pants Party MOSTLY PEACEFUL

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    LOVE this one, too! Sure, it's a 70s-Elvis mix-tape, but... boy-oh-boy is it is a good one! Probably the best 70s Elvis collection I have.

    Plus, the issues with this release, as I understand it, only affect the original album (which is only 12 tracks out of 49 really) and how it was "presented." It's not like they're issues with the sound/mastering, etc -- they just didn't use the original mixes on the original collection. That would have made it more authentic and collectable, but given that the original album is about a 1/4 of the full FTD product, they may have decided to go for a more uniform sound quality presentation.
     
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