I mentioned where to get a listenable MP3 of it in this message: The Elvis Presley Album by Album thread, revisited » For research and comparison purposes only of course It's not only dry, it is not compressed, and the P's pop.
I am surprised that the Sun material isn't packaged and repackaged every few years. Even with their 70s focus lately, it's strange that the big bang of rock and roll isn't milked dry and hyped and glorified. I wonder if they don't want to offend the PC-facists by making this connotation. Marketing departments and reissue producers would kill for this kind of legacy and back story! But, nothing. Elvis At Sun came out in what, 2004? Curious. And sad.
That's the truth! I think the Elvis Sun Sessions may actually have as much if not more re-releases than Pet Sounds on CD by this point!
It appears that the dry version has been tweaked and compressed a bit on Tupelo. It's still one of the better restoration efforts on that set.
I went ahead and preordered from Shop Graceleand, which is saying a 7/6 date. ShopElvis doesnt't even have it listed yet!
Listened on its own, it certainly is. But they did somethings beyond mere restoration. There's a P pop on "Baby Let's Play House" too on original Sun pressings that you'll never hear on RCA. I don't know, not saying that's bad or good, but it just is. "You may have a POPink Cadillac"...
Yeah, I remember the original tracklisting, then at the 11th hour, Legacy added the mono tracks. This could have been a very compelling Legacy Edition with 1.5 discs worth of American Sound outtakes, showcasing the artistic and creative triumph at American Sound. Then, subsequently, Sony could have reissued From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis, each disc being augmented with outtakes from American Sound and the International Hotel respectively.
Man, I like both those ideas. I am glad that we got those mono versions though. And, other artists who get the Legacy treatment don't have the equivalent of the FTD label, so they had to do something different.
The Sun material hasn't? Look how many Elvis Sun CDs we've seen. I can think of 6 off top of my head. Besides, there won't be any satisfaction with any future sun release around here short of coming with an original 45 of the dry version of That's All Right with no mastering at all done to it.
Well, the 50s era has been done to death already so I would love to know what great sessions and periods you had in mind.
The only expansive project in recent years on the 1950s that Sony has put out has been Young Man with the Big Beat. The Sun sessions do not have a definitive statement at retail currently. 1987's Sun Sessions is almost 30 years ago, and 1999's Sunrise left a lot to be desired in the sound department and is out of print. 2004's Elvis At Sun is great as a budget retail collection of the masters, but the period deserves so much more.
I understand that line of reasoning, but I really don't think it is overly compelling. FTD is a separate, niche entity which allegedly generates minimal sales and is not as widely known, therefore, Legacy product which has a far wider reach is a viable and appropriate place to release quality archival material, even if some of it is recycled from FTD product. Let's face it, it did not subsequently stop Legacy from issuing all of its bonus content for Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis from FTD releases. The bottom line is that Sony did not have to do something different for its Legacy Edition, it simply adopted a different formula, that frankly was outside the traditional scope of Legacy Edition content.
I see your point, and in theory, I agree with you 100%. I think they count on us die-hards double dipping. However, they could have gotten creative for the Legacy releases and tried to do a traditional "expanded album" concept and make it different enough from the related FTD to entice folks like you and me to buy both.
I live in the UK and my order was with the excellent www.theelvisshoplondon.com. The discs state Made in the EU so I guess European FTD releases are made in the European Union.
The Elvis shop London is the finest Elvis store in the world and has been for years, what saddens me is that there is no such equivalent in the USA that can maintain it's stock or offer the same excellent service that it's proprietor Chris Giles does.
Yes, that's what I mean -- I haven't seen many Elvis Sun CDs. The Sun material is easily among the most important rock music EVER -- and it hasn't had a mainstream release since 2004 -- and that was a single disc "budget" release. A nice, sensible one, but certainly not one of the legacy celebration variety. In an industry now specializing in the re-re-re-packaging of important albums/sessions, into hyped-up, celebratory boxes -- it hasn't happened. Weird? I think so... And I don't think you can count FTD products, much less an extremely limited edition, $150 FTD/phonebook release as anything approaching a mainstream attempt. And that sold out before even many of us FTD nuts could save up or enter our credit cards and click "submit order." I'm not knocking all the recent releases focusing on the 70s stuff (Prince From Another Planet, Today/Legacy, Stax Sessions) because I love Elvis in the 70s and I'm glad it's getting exposure -- but like others, I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a definitive mainstream release cashing in on these seminal recordings.
Listening to the Birmingham show right now. I'm not the biggest fan of 1976, but this just happens to be hitting the spot right now:
ELVIS HOT AUGUST NIGHT is here in only 7 days, + my triple fold sleeves ( which appear to be pure Genius ! ) I'd forgotten how bomb-proof Chris' staff packs. No koozie needed here !
Six? I'm curious to know which CDs you're thinking of. There have only been four CD releases collecting the Sun material, and only three of them were available at retail (the fourth being a limited-edition FTD that quickly went OOP).
Which, if any, of the FTDs have surpassed/supplanted previous like FTDs? Also, which official ( I know FTDs are official but they arent completely well known by the general public) mainstream releases are better or just as good as a like FTD title?
1) The Sun Sessions (1987) 2) The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50s Masters (1992) 3) Sunrise (1999) 4) Elvis At Sun (2004) 5) The Boy At Tupelo (The FTD) (2012) I accidentally counted Million Dollar Quartet. Even though, looking at the dates, there was an Elvis Sun CD release about every 5 or so years since The Sun Sessions in 1987. That's a bit much.
