Some Elvis 24K Hits Q's for Steve

Steve,

I did some searches, but nothing that talked about your actual work on this CD/LP.

Was it a hard project? How did you ensure you were given the actual session masters for all the different Elvis tracks? I'm sure it was much harder than tracking down the master tapes for a single album.

Was BMG very picky/strict about what they gave you or what you did?

Sorry for the 20 questions, I'm just really excited because I have one of these puppies coming in the mail next week.

 

I'm not Steve, but I can fill in a few of the details:

Though Steve Hoffman does not like to remix music, two songs were remixed for this CD. One was "(You're The) Devil In Disguise.” Elvis' RCA Nashville recording engineer Bill Porter told Steve that although he mixed that song live to three-track and two-track (at the same time), RCA rejected his two-track mix for some reason and remixed it a year later in New York for the Elvis' Golden Records album in 1964. Bill hated the RCA stereo mix. So, this is a song that Steve took pleasure in "restoring" to the Bill Porter mix.

The other remix was "Return To Sender." This was recorded and mixed at Radio Recorders for the Girls, Girls, Girls soundtrack. The two-track master sounded great, but Steve felt there was just too much compression on the song. The remix used half the compression; otherwise, the remix is faithful to the original in every other way (echo, tonality, etc.).

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I think there was also one signficant difference in the way these were mastered for the CD compared to some of the older vinyl, I think had something to do with the EQ. I don't have any Elvis vinyl so I can't comment on it myself, but I remember someone point it out awhile back.

 

Thanks for those great details, Matt.

This place is a great resource for those little "lost" tidbits about major (and not so major) music releases.

Steve, any chance you'll comment?

 

Thank you for the thoughts and details, Steve. I never knew you had a work-in-progress for a Vol.2, what a cool thing that woulda been.

I'll have to hunt down that Corey Greenburg article!

 

hey steve,

what tracks were planned for vol. 2?

 

"Little Sister" sounds incredible on that collection. That baritone guitar rocks!

 

hank garland is the man!

 

It's too bad the stereo tape to Jailhouse Rock wasn't available when you did that CD...

 

Izzat out on a BMG set? Does that stereo version of JR have the kooky "Go, go, go" chants from the film sequence overdubbed onto it???

 

I don't know about the master take, but the take just prior to it (take 5) is out on a BMG CD. It's a foreign release IIRC. The sound quality is simply amazing - twin track stereo, complete with session chatter. I hate to use an overused cliche, but it sounds like you're in the studio with Elvis.

 

That's one I need to get - did Boppin' Bob Jones man the controls like the other RCA/BMG releases which had unearthed alternate takes in 2 track form???

 

Hey Mike, what CDs are the alternates on? I'd like to check those out...especially if Bob Jones worked on 'em.


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AC

 

Hi, sorry for the delay - I needed some sleep! Essential Elvis - Volume 2 - Stereo '57 BMG/RCA 9589-2-R is whoa dad cool - about 75% of that bad boy is 2 track stereo Elvis action (there was a 2 track Ampex for backup to the mono machine at Radio Recorders in LA while Elvis was laying down stuff, and for some reason the 2 track tapes which were marked "ERASE" weren't erased). Boppin' Bob Jones did a verrrrrry nice job transferring those tapes (he's right up there with Steve when it comes to getting tunes to sound musical). Essential Elvis - The First Movies - BMG/RCA 6738-2-R contains 12 unreleased versions of tunes from Love Me Tender, Loving You and Jailhouse Rock; again, Boppin' Bob is at the controls and added his magic - too bad they didn't hire Bob to do the whole damned catalog... Remember that the bulk of these tunes are alternate takes...

 

I just wish I bought Essentials Vol. 2 / Stereo '57 when it was in print.

It's real tough to find now and everyone wants a lot money for one.

 

It goes for about $30 on half.com, the same as a gold disc used to, if you want to look at it that way.

By the way, do not hesitate to pick up volumes four, five, and six of this series while they're relatively cheap. I'd hate to be without any of them. You might want to make sure you've got TIGER MAN and BURNING LOVE as well, as these may not be issued in their current form during BMG's catalog overhaul. I doubt they were big sellers.

I wish I could get a comprehensive overview of the FOLLOW THAT DREAM series of outtakes and concerts. At $25-30 a pop, it's a little steep for guesswork and impulse purchasing.

 

Nice...thanks, pal!