Elvis Presley: The Album Collection - 60th anniversary of Elvis' RCA contract (18th March 2016)

I have owned ALL the discs in that box at one time or another or at least the corresponding CD title that had the same mastering. None of the discs in this box is unique to the box.

 

Just checked the price of the 60 Box set on Amazon UK Now & it's down to £109.99. It's a steal at that price.

 

Have neglected in recent times to carry on working through my copy of this box so just put on the cd where I had got up to - Double Trouble, and, well, oh dear.

 

There’s some tough going doing it chronologically.

 

If you can wade through the storm of this album, his very next one, Clambake, actually has some gems on it like his original studio version of Guitar Man and his absolutely glorious version of Eddy Arnold's standard, You Don't Know Me. We are currently about to review Frankie And Johnny over on @mark winstanley's terriffic 1960's Elvis Album thread, so we are a few albums behind you. The ride is about to get a lot better with his later 1960's Nashville and Memphis recordings that will help re-define his sound and career, but I will be glad to get these last few mediocre at best soundtracks over with from the mid to late 60's period.

 

Yep, I mean, I know Guitar Man inside out having performed it live a few times (the guitar part in that odd Jerry Reed tuning that is so awesome) and Clambake certainly sounds better up to - grabs cover, hang on - 'Confidence' which is double the trouble... as it were. Thankfully it just ended.

 

That is pretty cool that you have performed that song yourself. I always love the story of how Elvis and the great Nashville musicians were having trouble replicating the guitar playing of Jerry Reed in the studio, until they finally come to the realization that the only way to get his guitar sound exactly was to call Jerry Reed himself into the session. Reed said he was so nervous at first that he was not sure if he was going to be able to get his fingers to work, but once he got going and saw Elvis's enthusiasm for his playing the whole session lit up. Elvis himself went into to an impromptu version of What'd I Say at the end of the song, and Jerry himself pretty much took over the arrangement of the song for the musicians from that point, according to Peter Guralnick's Careless Love biography.

 

It's not easy - dropped D tuning, a semi tone down and the B tuned up a tone (iirc), plus played with finger picks and a thumb pick. I wouldn't pretend I can play it like Jerry, but it was a good lesson just trying!

 

I wish I could have seen you play. That is some of the coolest guitar playing on Guitar Man that I have ever heard.

 

I’ve forgotten where in this thread people listed the masters that AREN’T on this collection. I’m trying to figure out what else I need to track down to get all of the masters released during Elvis’s lifetime. Any help?

 

Doncha Think It's Time (LP version): Gold Records Volume 2 from the 1980s.
I Want To Be Free with original spliced ending: 1988 Essential Elvis
Lover Doll (undubbed version WWGAH V2): 1997 King Creole Expanded version
Dixieland Rock (truncated intro version from EP): Simply start your recording when the hand clap comes in.
Long Lonely Highway (single version)**: The Japanese The Complete Singles Collection
I'm Yours (single version)**: The Japanese The Complete Singles Collection
Stay Away, Joe (accidently released on the 1st issue of Almost In Love LP): Don't know where?
A Little Less Conversation (single version with "hey" intro)**: 2007 The Essential Elvis Presley
Almost In Love (single version with full intro) 1995 Double Feature-Live A Little, Love A Little, Charro!, The Trouble With Girls, Change Of Habit.
I Really Don't Want To Know (drum beat ending WWGAH V2): The Japanese The Complete Singles Collection
Make The World Go Away (unspliced Welcome To My World): 1992 Welcome To My World
I Can't Stop Loving You live: 1992 Welcome To My World and An Afternoon In The Garden
Fool (single version)** Elvis Aaron Presley-The Silver Box

** Never appeared on any USA lifetime LP

The first two volumes of A Legendary Performer had these previously unreleased tracks that are not on this collection:
I Love You Because (unspliced take): Elvis At Sun (the best sounding CD for Sun material).
Love Me (TV Special): all of these The Complete 68 Comeback Special
Tryin' To Get To You (TV Special)
Are You Lonesome Tonight (TV Special)
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (alternate)
Blue Suede Shoes (TV Special)
Baby What You Want Me To Do (TV Special)

And a few more stray dogs:

Old Shep (Alternate): The 50s box
Didja' Ever (take 2): 1997 GI Blues expanded

 

Awesome. Thanks!

 

Thanks.

If anyone from Legacy/FTD is watching what about a stand alone release of the above on cd and a coloured vinyl for RSD?

 

Which mixes does this box use for live albums like As Recorded At Madison Square Garden and As Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis?

 

The original mixes.

 

Gotta give this big box a spin by tonight. Love this Elvis box.

 

Phenomenal box it is!

 

Im surprised there wasn't much promotion for this set when it was released.

 

The price point on the product didn't really lend itself to find an audience with the casual fan -- especially since most of the material is easily streamed. 60 discs is a lot for anyone.

Those that were interested definitely found it.

 

Valid points.
Moving forward I think the only way to keep cds alive is to re promote the box sets that are original album sets.

 

The labels do not want to keep CDs alive.

 

How bout vinyl?

 

Are you sure about that POB? Ignoring FTD with the recent 1969 live box and the Sony Viva Las Vegas box they are still putting out a fair amount of cd only stuff. Also at least here in the UK a lot of higher than cd resolution downloads of Elvis (who was only ever on Sun and RCA) and numerous other acts are unavailable due to licensing restrictions. This forthcoming fall is seeing a multi disc Gong box by Universal, a Beatles box, more Jethro Tull - lots of this material is cd only. I just purchased Greg Allman's lovely album Laid Back (again!) for the demos/bonus material which is cd only. The vinyl and high resolution downloads are the album proper only.

 

My understanding is the labels would like to phase out CDs, but presently, there is still a market for them, albeit a diminishing one. The primary revenue source has become streaming and it is only going to grow. And while there are still consumers that want physical product, I would not place too much emphasis on box sets, which have become largely niche products with limited retail potential. Yes, CDs are still viable, but I do not think the labels want to keep them alive. I suspect in 10 years time, music retail will predominately consist of streamlining platforms and niche vinyl releases.