I have the Quad vinyl, but don't remember it sounding any different during stereo playback. Time for a new listen I guess ? .
Were any of these originally recording in Quad sound? I only know that Aloha was. Have any ever been released before in Quad sound on CD?
Doing it now, and I remembered correctly. Just sounds like a stereo recording ? All my other quad albums have quirky differences when played back in stereo. Like even if I sold them all, I'd keep Can't Buy A Thrill, because all that extra guitar is such a kick. Any idea @fredblue ?
None of these have been released on SACD with the Quad mixes----If I remember correctly Elvis in Memphis, On Stage, TTWIS and Garden came out on Quad 8-Tracks domestically but the LP's only released in Japan(which I have). On Stage also has some different bander between songs that I recall----The other 4 were domestic Quad LP's, and Aloha, Today and Promised Land Quad versions stayed in print until 1979-80. We know Aloha was recorded with a Quad release in mind along with Today and Promised Land....but Recorded live on stage in Memphis feels like an afterthought in Quad. I haven't heard these 8 mixes in close to 20 years, so my memory is not as clear but I do remember enjoying Today and Promised Land in Quad. Not that I need another format, but I keep kicking around building a vintage Quad set-up just to hear these mixes again......and when I do, the damn things will come out on SACD!
Ahh interesting I never knew that. Well I'd be second in the queue if they ever did release these in an SACD Quad mix, would be fantastic!
A quick question.. On the complete rca album collection boxset, do they use the same masters as the FTD CD's do? or have they been remastered again differently?
All of the RCA Album Collection uses the great Vic Anesini masters that were used in 2010 for the massive and deluxe Complete Elvis Presley Masters box set. Although Vic has done some FTD work as well, such as on the stupendous The Wonder Of You concert CD from Vegas, most if not all of the FTD studio albums usually featured other remastering engineers that are also quite good, according to many Elvis experts here on this great forum. Many people really appreciate the consistency and greatness of the remastering on the Complete RCA Album Collection by Vic and to get his whole lifetime catalogue in one place and at one pretty great price.
Hey, POB, do we have any idea what songs or albums on that collection used different remastering than the deluxe Original Masters set used?
Off the top of my head, I do not recall all of the different masterings. There were definitely a number of 2007 remasters included (it was not realistic to think Sony was going to remaster the entire catalogue again), but there were also so new remasters included. One of the big issues and questions surrounding the box was the mastering of and sources used for "For LP Fans Only" and "A Date With Elvis." Aside from a few anomalies, the sound quality was excellent. There is a long thread about the release that should provide the information you are looking for: Elvis Presley: The Album Collection - 60th anniversary of Elvis' RCA contract (18th March 2016)
Listening to the new Off-On Stage. I was a bit nervous this was going to totally suck based on some early feedback regarding Elvis coughing, goofing around etc. And also, the short running time. In regards to the latter - I absolutely agree. However, those in the know, also know what to expect. These are the bottom of the barrel scrapings and they were not released (in the most part) until 2018 for darn good reasons. We ask for everything to get released? Well, we get everything - warts and all. And quite frankly - these performances are pretty darn good - we have heard worse. "Don't Cry Daddy" is a bit shambolic due to Elvis clowning around as is "Sweet Caroline." But the (unfortunately) fragmentary "I Got A Woman" and "Long Tall Sally" are barnstormers. There is a nice (albeit, very close to On Stage ) version of "Let It Be Me." The new mixes of "Release Me" and "See See Rider" sound great. Another great mixing/mastering job by Vic Anesini. Despite the short running time - I really enjoyed this one. If you are a fan of this era and own the other 1970 releases, this rounds out the collection nicely. JQ
Well, you say it so well here, it's as if you have read my thoughts exactly. I was actually a little dumbfounded after I listened to Off-On Stage yesterday for the first time. I mean, after reading some of the comments about Elvis's "coughing" throughout the performances as well as a lack of any really positive comments about the sound quality of the remastering or Elvis's vocals, I was starting to wonder if this was going to be a bottom of the barrel scrapping. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I absolutely love this CD and of course as one would come to expect, Vic's remastering is stupendous once again. Most importantly, Vic does not bury anything in the remix, whether its the horns on Polk Salad Annie or Glen Hardin's great piano on Kentucky Rain. I remember a time before Mr. Anesini took over much of the mainstream remastering of Elvis's great catalogue, when the "hipper than thou" engineers though it was "uncool" to bring the orchestra or piano much up in the mix. It was if they were saying, " Lets just show off the cool guitars and drums with Elvis voice and nothing else." If Elvis did not want us to hear Charlie Hodge's background vocals or the orchestra for a particular number, believe me, he would have made that happen. The thing I love about Vic's remastering of the live material is I think you really hear it the way you would have if you'd actually been in the audience for a particular show. Now my last point, I hope to God some Elvis fans have not lost their sense of humor regarding Elvis as to me that is his most endearing personality trait besides his humanity. This guy was doing two shows a night for a month in a row, by God, and if he did not relieve himself and the audience of his own legendary status now and then, I think he would have lost control of his life long before he actually did. I for one dig hearing "Don't Cough Daddy" and his alternate lines in Kentucky Rain; "Some old gray bearded fools sitting on a bench outside a general store." These moments were a relief of the tension and a way for Elvis to not take his stardom and his fan worship too seriously and keep him in check so to speak. It also was a funny way to deal with what all well known entertainers who have played Sin City refer to as "Vegas Throat," which was an affliction that most singers had to deal with after going from the hot dryness of the outside air to the constant air conditioning inside the hotels and showrooms. Wow, and Elvis's voice gave out less in his entire lifetime than most young singers today, who can barely get past a few years without canceling shows or having vocal surgery. I for one Elvis fan am absolutely thrilled with this fine record, and yes I do agree with POB that they should have put Elvis entire collection of these fantastic shows from the February engagement in one large collection, maybe like the box set for Elvis That's The Way It Is was packaged. Other than that, I have no beef with this stellar release.
What is forgotten, though, is that his producer was trying to get an album's worth of material. he only had to play it straight for four or five nights, and then he could fool around all he wanted. But doing so when the pressure is on to make a live album just seems like a downright stupid move on his part. These were also his latest singles - if he was bored of them by the time of release, why was he expecting the public to be interested?
Well, his label definitely got more than one album of truly great material from these performances in February, if you take into account the original and virtually flawless On Stage album, the Sony Legacy Edition of On Stage, and the FTD Edition of On Stage, which has some 40 nearly flawless performances on its own. I think Elvis fulfilled his end of the bargain quite well to get more than one album of absolutely splendid performances.
Have you listened to the FTD double album of On Stage? hardly flawless. Every Kentucky Rain and Don't Cry Daddy is spoilt at some point by a remark or a joke.
Like it or not, that was just his sense of humor (and not boredom) which he had on live recordings since day one. I tend to appreciate his humor, although I can understand it's not everyone's cup of tea.
As I have said before on this great forum, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Those moments when you see a Frank Sinatra or an Elvis Presley inject a lyric of a song with a humorous phrase of their own choosing is among my favorite moments of their live concerts. Elvis's fantastic sense of humor and ability to laugh at himself is one of my favorite parts of his range as a live entertainer. I absolutely adore the "Laughing" version of Are You Lonesome Tonight, a performance where he barely gets through a single line of the song. I am guessing from your previous comments, that version is probably not one of your favorites, but I have got to tell you that it is probably the most requested version of a song by Elvis that I have in my entire collection, from both Elvis fans and non-fans alike.
I have always loved the "old grey bearded fools" line. Don't Cry Daddy is a bit too mawkish for me and like Mountain I do not think anyone but Elvis should sings these songs. The studio Daddy and Kentucky are perfect and yes these are live performances although given RCA were recording for a possible live release it is surprising Elvis did not try and sing the songs straight. When I first played through the Off On Stage FTD I kept thinking well without some overdubs for those bits of coughing/laughing you can't put that out (back in 70/71 that is - now it really does not matter).
Something spontaneous such as Are You Lonesome Tonight is quite different from intentionally screwing up a song night after night. Elvis is loose on that one show from those recorded in 1969. In february 1970 it's hard not to find a show where he keeps his concentration. The original album is great, but with the material we have we have had since, the occasional funny line become self indulgence.
Exactly - you can even hear him horsing around on the 1950s live recordings. "Well that's all right....."I'm out of breath."
Shane, there are pretty flawless and straight versions of both Don't Cry Daddy and Kentucky Rain on the the February 17th show as can be heard on the Elvis Live In Las Vegas box set, therefore I think Elvis was with it enough at that time to know he had nailed at least one or more solid versions of both songs for an official live album. I think that the studio version was so dynamic and well produced that he and/or RCA were reluctant to even put out his live version of this great song. The funny thing is as much as I understand that sentiment and agree with it to some extent, I really like the sonic differences between the live version and the studio cut. A very difficult and complicated piece of music to produce live with the orchestra and keyboards producing the sound of the crashing thunder and rainstorm, and I think he and the orchestra did a rather splendid job on it. I remember Ronnie Milsap, who reportedly played some piano on the cut in the studio version, saying Elvis kept telling him, "Milsap, lets hear some more thunder on that piano!" Priceless stuff.
New to the thread, I was just wondering how the sound quality is with these FTD releases. I really want to start some of the vinyl releases.
