Elvis Presley FTD CD reissues (part 5)

You may want to contact ShopElvis directly before ordering. Ask them if they show the items in stock and in their warehouse.

This is the only way I order now. I've ordered FTD's that have shown up on the product page with no disclaimer as a back ordered item, that has taken 3 months to fulfill. In other cases, months passed, and I've cancelled orders.

This problem isn't confined to FTD's. I had a canvas that was showing for months as a best seller and in stock. After 6 months and phone calls, emails and promises of it coming in, and a free upgrade to shipping, they sent a final email saying that the order is cancelled and the arrangement with the supplier came to an end.

I had one FTD I ordered (Back In Memphis) that was out of stock when ordered, came back in stock a month later, and went back out of stock (by their admission) while my order was still standing. It was my phone call that prompted them to get me back in the queue.

So, what works for me now is: I fill up the shopping cart, then call, having them verify each item - then order. Crazy, I know, but it saves me a ton of aggravation.

 

Never heard of Bill Sherill and will not spoil (by investigating him lol) my love for the Today album after so many years. That was my first off the press new Elvis album way back as a 1975 Christmas present when I was 12. I still love it! I remember getting the nerve to return the album three times . It skipped on T-R-O-U-B-L-E after the drums came in!

 

Great -- I will do exactly that. Thanks so much for the tip!!!!

 

Billy Sherrill was a well-regarded record producer, sort of ushered in an area of sleek pop country during the 60's and 70's. Just listen to Charlie Rich's Behind Closed Doors and you will hear his influence all over Today. And that certainly should be not construed as a knock against Today, which may be the best post-Elvis Country album from Elvis' 70's output.

 

Billy Sherrill was a country producer in the late 60s/early 70s who pioneered the "countrypolitan" sound which blended country with easy listening. Sherrill productions were known for piles of violins and choruses of backup singers... a slick production style designed to appeal to a crossover audience beyond the traditional country listener. He was kind of the Phil Spector of country and he was hugely successful, producing hits by George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Paycheck, Charlie Rich, Lynn Anderson and many others. Charlie Rich in particular was a big success story for Sherrill. He'd spent about 15 years recording amazing records that for the most part no one bought, but after hooking up with Sherrill he became a huge success with "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Most Beautiful Girl" which were big hits on both the country and pop charts. The Sherrill sound dominated country radio in the 70s.

Felton Jarvis' much-maligned overdubs on all Elvis' 70s recordings (not just Today) were clearly designed to emulate the Sherrill sound. That was the sound that was popular on country radio, and country radio was the only place Elvis' new recordings got any significant airplay in the 70s.

edit: POB beat me to it.

 

What do ya'll think of Duke's bass playing? Did he deserve to get wiped?

 

No. For whatever reason, Elvis had an issue with Duke. Elvis was not without his faults, and his treatment and behavior towards Duke was disappointing. Duke clearly was not a virtuoso bassist, but he also did not deserve Elvis' wrath.

 

"Platinum" was a real treat and one of the very best boxsets dedicated to Elvis' music. I bought it thinking that it would be kind of a 20th Anniversary compilation (which in some ways it really was) but at the same time it was also a tribute to Elvis as a true recording artist and live performer. The pretty well oriented selection of Masters + Out-takes + Jams give the sensation that the Man loved Music during all those 23 years of career. Of course, we know about the ups and downs but at the end, what really matters is that when he cared (be it in 1954 or 20 years later), he was second to none. Elvis left gold nuggets all along and it's always a pleasure to (re-)discover them, specially through the FTD label.

 

Not at all. He was no Jerry Scheff but his work on the Today album and the Memphis show is fine to me. I don't know why Elvis had an issue with him.

 

Agreed. Platinum is one of the finest Elvis box sets ever released, and I would argue one of the finest archival box sets of its kind. It was a fantastic blend of choice masters, dynamic outtakes (Feels So Right-take 2 and Are You Sincere-take 2 anyone?), energetic rehearsals, intriguing home recordings, and raucous live tracks. It still holds up very well 18 years later.

 

T-R-O-U-B-L-E has Duke's bass part intact. The single was rush released before post-production was completed on the album. IIRC reading, Elvis through a fit when listening to the mixes and Felton Jarvis brought Mike Leech and Norbert Putnam for bass overdubbing among others. Btw...Elvis remarked often when he didn't like the mixes or sound about "New York mixes, or people over there screwing it up". Or words to that effect.

 

Yeah...the Duke Bardwell thing is really bizarre. He would even get a ribbing on stage from Elvis time to time and wiping his parts....that takes the cake. However, if you read recent interviews with Bardwell he keeps a sense of humor about it. However, even he seems perplexed as to what the hell was going on circa 74/75!

 

Bardwell couldn't catch a break during that period. He got his parts wiped from Today, then was fired by Elvis and went to work as part of Gene Clark's touring band. With Clark he participated in the early recording sessions for Two Sides to Every Story, but then it was decided to trash those sessions and re-record the album with session guys, and none of his playing made it onto the finished album.

 

The 1954 acetate, tremendous out-takes of LAWDY MISS CLAWDY, IT FEELS SO RIGHT, BOSSA NOVA BABY, IN THE GHETTO, ARE YOU SINCERE, the jamming on TIGER MAN and I GOT A WOMAN or the 1974 live rendition of STEAMROLLER BLUES... All that surrounded by a nice selection of not-too-often-used studio masters like RECONSIDER BABY or FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY. The whole pack was really enjoyable and the linner notes were interesting too.
Here, in Spain, the out-take of IF I CAN DREAM was used on the radio during that summer (1997) to promote the set. I heard it several times in my car and my friends would ask me: "Is that really Elvis?"

 

The problem with out-takes for me is that I can't listen to them very easily. I usually get bored after two songs, particularly if there are false starts or messing around / dialogue included and I find myself switching discs back to the discs containing just original masters. I actually like all the overdubs so hearing masters without dubs isn't something I can get too excited about to be honest. I've heard all this material too many times over the years to hear it "naked". My brain automatically fills in the missing pieces when I listen to the out-takes. IOW, I can't actually ever listen to the naked material and NOT hear everything that should be there!

I haven't yet ever played through any of the second discs of my current FTD "Classic Albums" issues. Maybe FTD just isn't for me? Or maybe the American Studios material will change everything. I'm listening to "Memphis Sessions" in the car currently and trying to get into it that way.

 

And if you're a completist (like me), you'll need all three FTD's plus the Legacy Edition for the mono singles.

 

I don't like "Elvis Presley" all that much as a collection, probably because I grew up listening to "The Sun Collection" (that's the first Elvis I ever heard) and for me that is his best '50's material. Hearing it mixed with different material from RCA sessions which sounds very different just doesn't quite work to my ears. I prefer to listen to the Sun material on its own as it has a unique sound and vibe. I have "Essential Volume 2" which does contain some "Loving You" out-takes in weird (unlistenable) stereo mixes.

JR FTD looks very repetitive on paper. I can't imagine listening to that?

I think for me the American material might be the next best step. Is their anything on the Legacy edition of "From Elvis In Memphis" that is not included on the 3 FTD titles? IOW, can I dispose of the Legacy of FEIM if I pick up all 3 FTD titles?

 

Yes, I have the Legacy Edition already and it is brilliant - can you therefore please answer the question I asked ^^^ Thanks!

 

The FTD's do not have the unique mono single mixes found on the Legacy Edition.

 

Thank you, GroovinGarrett! That seems a strange decision: to include everything including out-takes for each album but omit the original single mixes. I wonder what the thinking was behind that.

But surely "Memphis Sessions" is redundant to a collector with Legacy Edition and all 3 FTD's?

 

Thanks! So where does a UK buyer go for FTD's? Previously I've bought from the Elvis Shop London but these are at least £20 plus shipping each. Can you get them cheaper than this?