Elvis Presley - Collectors BMG4
Elvis Presley - Collectors BMG4
Elvis Presley - Collectors BMG4
As a direct consequence of BMG’s current streamlining of the world wide Elvis catalogue, a
fair portion of Elvis’ original music becomes unavailable. It’s been agreed that Follow That
Dream will re-release these masters in order that they will always be available to “real fans”.
To make this attractive FTD is re-releasing the original albums along the following lines:
The first 3 titles are: “It Happened At The World's Fair”, “Fun In Acapulco” & “Girl Happy”.
Beyond The Bend - Relax* - Take Me To The Fair - They Remind Me Too Much Of You - One
Broken Heart For Sale - I’m Falling In Love Tonight - Cotton Candy Land - A World Of Our
Own - How Would You Like To Be - Happy Ending* - One Broken Heart For Sale (takes
2,3,1) - They Remind Me Too Much Of You (take 1) - I’m Falling In Love Tonight (take 1-4) -
Beyond The Bend (take 1, 2) - Cotton Candy Land (take 1,2,4) - How Would You Like To Be
(take 2) - They Remind Me Too Much Of You (take 4) - Beyond The Bend (take 3) Take Me To
The Fair (take 6) - I’m Falling In Love Tonight (take 6) - They Remind Me Too Much Of You
(take 6,7) - Relax (take 5,6,7*) - Happy Ending (take 4,5,6*) - Take Me To The Fair (August
master-from acetate*)
Recorded August 30* & September 22, 1962 at Radio Recorders, Hollywood
Original engineer: Dave Weichman
Musicians: Scotty Moore: Guitar, Billy Strange: Guitar, Tiny Timbrell: Guitar, Ray Siegel:
Bass, D.J. Fontana: Drums, Frank Carlson: Drums, Dudley Brooks: Piano & Organ, Don
Robertson: Piano & Organ, Clifford Scott: Sax, The Mello Men-: Vocals(September 22) , The
Jordanaires- Vocals(August 30)
Girl Happy – Spring Fever – Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce - Startin’ Tonight –
Wolf Call – Do Not Disturb – Cross My Heart And Hope To Die – The Meanest Girl In Town –
Do The Clam – Puppet On A String – I’ve Got To Find My Baby – You’ll Be Gone – Puppet
On A String (takes 5,6,7) – The Meanest Girl In Town (takes 7,8,9) – Spring Fever (take 4) –
Do Not Disturb (takes 24,25,26,27) – Cross My Heart And Hope To Die (take 4) – Girl Happy
(takes 1,2,3,4) – Puppet On A String (take 10) – Spring Fever (takes 18,19,21) – The Meanest
Girl In Town (take 11) - Do Not Disturb (take 35) – Cross My Heart And Hope To Die (take
9,10,11) – Girl Happy (take 13 and take 4 of ending)
Track 12: Recorded March 19, 1962 at RCA’s studio B, Nashville. Musicians at session: Scotty
Moore: Guitar, Harold Bradley: Guitar, Grady Martin: Guitar and Vibes, Bob Moore: Bass,
D.J. Fontana: Drums, Buddy Harman: Drums, Floyd Cramer: Piano, Boots Randolph: Sax
and Vibes, Millie Kirkham: Vocals, The Jordanaires: Vocals.
Original engineer: Bill Porter. Original A&R: Steve Sholes.
Fun In Acapulco - Vino, Dinero Y Amor – Mexico – El Toro – Marguerita – The Bullfighter
Was A Lady – (There’s) No Room To Rhumba In A Sports Car – I Think I’m Gonna Like It
Here – Bossa Nova Baby – You Can’t Say No In Acapulco – Guadalajara – Love Me Tonight –
Slowly But Surely – Mexico (take 7) – The Bullfighter Was A Lady (remake take 17) – I Think
I’m Gonna Like It Here (remake takes 18,19) - Bossa Nova Baby (takes 1,2) – The Bullfighter
Was A Lady (takes 4,5,6) - Marguerita (take 6) – I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here (take 1) -
Mexico (takes 1,2) – You Can’t Say No In Acapulco (takes 1,2,3,4) – Guadalajara (take 2) -
Bossa Nova Baby (take 3) - Mexico (take 6) - I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here (takes 11,12,13-
remake) - Guadalajara (takes 3,4)
Track 12 & 13 recorded at RCA’s Studio B, Nashville on May 26 & 27, 1963 respectively.
Musicians at session: Scotty Moore: Guitar, Harold Bradley: Guitar, Grady Martin: Guitar,
Jerry Kennedy: Guitar, Bob Moore: Bass, D.J. Fontana: Drums, Buddy Harman: Drums,
Floyd Cramer: Piano, Boots Randolph: Sax, Vibes & Shakers, Millie Kirkham: Vocals, The
Jordanaires: Vocals.
Original engineer: Bill Porter. Original A & R: Steve Sholes
Source: Elvis News/Elvis Unlimited
FTD News
The FTD label will release from April 1st, all (or most) deleted RCA releases! These will be
extra FTD releases and will come in a 7 inch card-box with the original tracklist and some
outtakes with some never released tracks! These cd's come together with a 7/8 page booklet.
The first releases are the movie soundtracks as they were released on the double features
series.
Source: It's Elvis Time/ FECC Messageboard
Promotional Presentation DVD
We have received a better scan of this rare promo. This is a promotional presentation DVD for
" Elvis 30 #1 Hits ". It was issued to the HMV retail chain for in store play. This was a very
limited pressing of just over 100 copies by BMG Canada, and Embassy Productions Inc.
Canada.
CD #1: 2001 Theme; C.C. Rider; I Got A Woman / Amen; Big Boss Man; Love Me;
Fairytale;You Gave Me A Mountain; Jailhouse Rrock; It's Now Or Never; My Way; Funny
How Time Slips Away; Auld Lang Syne; Introduction of Vernon and Lisa Presley; Blue Suede
Shoes; Trying To Get To You; Polk Salad Annie.
CD #2: Introduction of the band; Early Morning rain;Solos; Love Letters; School Days; Fever;
Hurt; Hound Dog; Are You Lonesome Tonight?; Reconsider Baby; Little Sister; Unchained
Melody; Rags To Riches; Can't Help Falling In Love; Closing Vamp.
1) Kiss Me Quick -take 1 - 2:59 (Pomus/Shuman) 06-25-61,2) That’s Someone You Never Forget
- take 5 – 2:51 (West/Presley)06-25-61 3), I’m Yours -take 4 – 2:24 (Don Robertson) 06-25-61,4)
His Latest Flame -takes rehearsal & 2 – 4:05 (Pomus/Shuman) 06-25-61,5) Little Sister -takes
1,2,3 – 3:39 (Pomus/Shuman) 06-25-61,6) For The Millionth And The Last Time -take 1–2:06
(Tepper/Bennett)10-15-61,7) Anything That’s Part Of You -takes 4,5 – 2:33 (Don Robertson) 10-
15-61,8) I Met Her Today -takes 8-9 – 3:04 (Don Robertson) 10-15-61, 9) Something Blue -takes
3,4 – 3:25 (Evans/Byron) 03-18-62, 10)Gonna Get Back Home Somehow -take 1 – 2:37
(Pomus/Shuman) 03-18-62,11)(Such An) Easy Question -take 3 – 2:47 (Blackwell/Scott) 03-18-62,
12) Fountain Of Love -takes 1,2 – 2:51 (Giant/Lewis) 03-18-62,13) Just For Old Time Sake -
takes 3-4 – 2:51 (Tepper/Bennett) 03-18-62, 14) Night Rider -takes 2-3 - 2:56 (Pomus/Shuman)
03-18-62, 15) You’ll Be Gone -take 1- 2:31 (Hodge/West/Presley) 03-18-62,16) I Feel That I’ve
Known You Forever -take 1 - 1:42(Pomus/Shuman)03-19-62,17)Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello -
take 2 – 1:55 (Leiber/Stoller) 03-19-62, 18) Echoes Of Love -takes 2-3 – 3:01 (Roberts/McMains)
05-26-63, 19) Please Don’t Drag That String Around-take, 2-2:06(Blackwell/Scott)05-26-63, 20)
Love Me Tonight -take 3 & 4 – 2:38 (Don Robertson) 05-26-63, 21) Western Union -take 3 - 2:25
(Tepper/Bennett) 05-27-63, 22) Memphis Tennessee -take 1 - 2:44 (Chuck Berry) 01-12-64,23)
Ask Me -take 8-9 – 2:43, (Modugno/Giant/Baum/Kaye) 01-12-64.
The July 1st FTD release will be a soundboard concert – several options – and we’ll keep our
eyes and ears open for fan preferences within the repertoire available to us.A few surprises are
being worked on – announcement will follow as soon as we are ready.
Tracklisting: 2001 theme; C. C. Rider; I got a woman / Amen; Big boss man; Love me; Fairy
tale;You Gave Me A Mountain; Jailhouse rock; It's now or never; My way; Funny how time
slips away; Auld lang syne; Introduction of Vernon and Lisa Presley; Blue Suede Shoes;
Trying to get to you; Polk salad annie; Early morning rain; Love letters; Hail hail rock and
roll; Fever; Hurt; Hound Dog; Are you lonesome tonight; Reconsider baby; Little sister;
Unchained melody; Rags to Riches; Can't help falling in love.
Tracklisting: 2001 theme; C. C. Rider; I got a woman / Amen; Big boss man; Love me; Fairy
tale;You Gave Me A Mountain; Jailhouse rock; It's now or never; My way; Funny how time
slips away; Auld lang syne; Introduction of Vernon and Lisa Presley; Blue Suede Shoes;
Trying to get to you; Polk salad annie; Early morning rain; Love letters; Hail hail rock and
roll; Fever; Hurt; Hound Dog; Are you lonesome tonight; Reconsider baby; Little sister;
Unchained melody; Rags to Riches; Can't help falling in love ; Bonus tracks not revealed at
this time
Pittsburgh 76 on FTD
The next FTD release due for February 2003, will contain the much talked about new years
eve. Show from 1976. FTD found a tape recording of this show earlier this year. This recording
should be far better than any of the recordings that have been released un-officially releases
over the years. This release will also mark the first complete audience recording released by
RCA, BMG or FTD. FTD would like to state that the reason for this release is not that they
have run out of good studio and soundboard recordings. It just a matter of the historical
importance and a great demand for this great show show. You can read more about this
release on this site later. We will also have a title and the release date soon.
The second FTD release for 2003 will be a studio CD. This time will be taken back to Nashville
from 1962 to 1968. There is no information about the tracklist for this release yet. We will have
more info about this release soon on this site.
Source: Elvis Unlimited
Dinner At Eight
Crazy Canuck ( November 2002 )
The latest release from the FTD label is " Dinner At Eight " and contains the December 13,
1975 dinner show in Las Vegas. The overall artwork is very attractive and done with taste. The
use of Sue McCasland's photographs of the actual concert is a big plus too as far as I'm
concern. There's a small misprint inside with " Polk Salad Annie " being listed as " Poke Salad
Annie ", not really a big deal and we can live with that.
The inside cover mentions this show was recorded on a " reel-to-reel tape " in mono and has a
few weak spots during the first two songs. The sound quality is pretty good and doesn't suffer
of distortion as the import CD " Just Pretend ", which was recorded a few hours later
( midnight show ). This is most likely that other shows from that season were also recorded on
a " reel-to-reel tape ", and have yet to be located. I wouldn't mind to hear one day the opening
show of December 2, 1975 in this quality.
I have always enjoyed the December '75 shows and this one is no exception. Elvis is up for the
show and sounds pretty good throughout the whole performance. My favourite tracks being ;
Help Me Make It Through The Night, Trying To Get To You, And I Love You So, America
and How Great Thou Art. The unusual performance of this show is " Wooden Heart ", not
really a bad version but Elvis skipped a few German lines.
The FTD producers ( Ernst Jorgensen & Roger Semon ) did an excellent job to this day, and
the forthcoming " Elvis At The International " ( August 23, 1969 midnight show ) should be
another winner. In the meantime I'll play " Dinner At Eight " often, and no doubts you'll do
the same!!!!
You can order " Dinner At Eight " through our Elvis Shop.
There is no personnel drama in relation to Elvis 1. The original idea ( not very original-but it
works ) was developed by Schmalenbach, Omansky, Semon and Jørgensen back in 2000. When
BMG decided to create the HERITAGE division in the summer of 2001, it was decided that
The Elvis Presley catalog would go to this division. Obviously Semon and Jørgensen would
work for HERITAGE with an immediate brief to develop TODAY, TOMORROW AND
FOREVER (Omansky and Schmalenbach left the company). The 1 album remained with RCA
since it's whole basis was a MAJOR marketing effort - a task too big for the newly started
HERITAGE division -both financially and from a staffing point of view. When RCA president
Jack Rovner started working on the project he had to use his own people as Jørgensen &
Semon wasn't working for RCA any longer. When Jack Rovner left the company in February,
Jørgensen & Semon were asked to come back to work on the project after finishing TODAY,
TOMORROW AND FOREVER. David Bendeth was already in the process of producing the
album, and Jørgensen & Semon were working in other areas like photo search and clearances,
RIAA certifications, legal matters, web-site and much more. There are plenty of real life
dramas in the recording business - this is NOT one of them.
Dinner At Eight
Here we have the front and back cover of the new FTD "Dinner At Eight". This CD contains
the December 13th 1975 dinner show in Las Vegas. The photograph on the cover is from the
actual show.
C.C. Rider - 3:10 I Got A Woman/Amen - 9:47 Love Me – 2:21 Help Me Make It Through The
Night – 3:06 Trying To Get To You – 2:33 And I Love You So – 3:34 All Shook Up – 1:13 (Let
Me Be Your)Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel – 4:32 Wooden Heart – 2:03 You Gave Me A
Mountain – 3:13 Polk Salad Annie – 4:41 Band Introductions – 8:40 How Great Thou Art -
3:11 Softly, As I Leave You – 2:54 America – 2:24 MysteryTrain/Tiger Man –2:43 Blue
Christmas – 3:03 Can’t Help Falling In Love.
You can order this CD from this website. You can write to us at fecc@elvis-collectors.com for
further details.
Source: It's Elvis Time
ELV1S 30 #1 Hits DVD
Good news for Elvis fans who are DVD audio enthusiasts. On December 10, ELV1S 30 #1
HITS will be issued on DVD audio. The disc will come in a regular CD size case with
alterations to the cover art to distinguish it clearly from the regular CD release. DVD audio
discs provide an even greater sound quality experience. They work in all DVD players - both in
audio DVD players and video DVD players. (They do not work in regular CD players.) EPE
applaud RCA/BMG for taking this extra step of reaching the new and growing DVD audio
market in promoting the worldwide smash ELV1S 30 #1 HITS.
The regular E1 CD presents the songs in chronological order. The DVD audio disc will present
them in reverse chronological order. The songs on E1 that take the greatest advantage of DVD
audio are those that were originally recorded in multi-track - the later recordings. It's good to
put those first on the DVD for maximum initial impact for the listener. The DVD audio disc
will have all of the content of the regular E1 CD plus several very special bonus tracks.
You'll hear "A:B" comparison samples of three songs: A - a sample of the original mix of the
song, B- a sample of the song with its newly remastered sound as commissioned for the ELV1S
30 #1 HITS CD release. You'll also hear out-takes of three songs: Elvis' own self-harmony
track with his "Sing the song, man, sing the song!" shout of encouragement to himself on
Suspicious Minds; studio banter, laughter and a false start on Crying in the Chapel; and the
exquisite, spine-tingling isolated Elvis vocal track from In the Ghetto, which emerged as the
remastering engineers' favorite example of Elvis' perfect pitch and overall magnificence as an
artist. The Six Special Bonus Tracks are NOT 5.1 DVD - Audio Multi - Channel, they are all in
stereo.
Ray Bardini and David Bendeth have discovered a new which has not been used before with
any artist until now. Elvis will be the first artist on the 5.1 DVD Audio Multi-Channel where
this new technique on the mono tracks will be used. Until now the Z 1 Sound was used on
mono tracks but this sounds quite electronical. With the mono-tracks on Elvis 30 # 1 Hits this
technique gives a pure, acoustic, new surround sound.
David Bendeth fixed the pop on the song 'Hound Dog' and the band silence after 'In The
Ghetto', it was 11 seconds and is now the normal 4 seconds. On not using the original track of
'The Wonder Of You' we should hear why with this release.
Source: EPE / Elvis News
Elvis At The International
>Here we have the track listing of the January FTD release with a 1969 concert which RCA
recorded at Elvis comeback in Las Vegas. This release contains the August 23, 1969 (Midnight
Show) recording. The working title seems to be "Elvis At The International" (74321 977132).
Blue Suede Shoes , I Got A Woman , All Shook Up , Love Me Tender ,Jailhouse Rock/Don’t Be
Cruel ,Heartbreak Hotel ,Hound Dog , Memories ,Mystery Train/Tiger Man ,
Monologue ,Baby What You Want Me To Do , Runaway ,Reconsider Baby ,Are You
Lonesome Tonight? ,Yesterday/Hey Jude,Introductions of the band, In The Ghetto, Suspicious
Minds , What’d I Say , Can’t Help Falling In Love.
Source: FECC messageboard
Dinner at 8th
After all the ”1” activities, things are slowly getting back to normal. We are aiming at
November 15 release of “DINNER AT EIGHT” – the 19th volume of the FOLLOW THAT
DREAM series. This time we were lucky to find a tape in private possession of Elvis’ dinner
show in Las Vegas on December 13th, 1975. Different to most of what we call “soundboards”,
this concert was recorded on a reel-to reel tape, and not the usual cassette. The show is still in
mono though, and there are a few tape problems along the way, but in general it sounds good.
The picture above is actually the back of the CD with tracklisting
Tracklisting:
1) C.C. Rider - 3:10 2) I Got A Woman/Amen – 9:47 3) Love Me – 2:21 4) Help Me Make It
Through The Night – 3:06 5) Trying To Get To You – 2:33 6) And I Love You So – 3:34 7) All
Shook Up – 1:13 8) (Let Me Be Your)Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel – 4:32 9) Wooden Heart –
2:03 10) You Gave Me A Mountain – 3:13 11) Polk Salad Annie – 4:41 12) Introduction – 8:40
13) How Great Thou Art - 3:11 14) Softly As I Leave You – 2:54 15) America – 2:24 16)
MysteryTrain/Tiger Man –2:43 17) Blue Christmas – 3:03 18) Can’t Help Falling In Love
You can pre-order this CD and all the others FTD CD's at our FTD Shop.
The January release will be one of the 1969 concerts RCA recorded at Elvis comeback in Las
Vegas. If anybody has a great idea for a title – please let us know.
Source: FTD
Louisiana '55
This double CD set will be released on October 29th and contained a 24 pages booklet. It's
released by NMC Music Ltd and not a BMG product.
CD1:Heartbreak Hotel - Long Tall Sally - I Was The One - Money Honey - I Got A Woman -
Blue Suede Shoes - Hound Dog - Baby Let's Play House -Maybellene - That's Alright Mama -
Blue Moon Of Kentucky - Good Rockin' Tonight - I Got A Woman - Tweedle Dee.
The first-quarter 2003 release in January will be one of the concerts RCA recorded during
Elvis’ triumphant 1969 engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Details to come.
C.C. Rider - 3:10 I Got A Woman/Amen - 9:47 Love Me – 2:21 Help Me Make It Through The
Night – 3:06 Trying To Get To You – 2:33 And I Love You So – 3:34 All Shook Up – 1:13 (Let
Me Be Your)Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel – 4:32 Wooden Heart – 2:03 You Gave Me A
Mountain – 3:13 Polk Salad Annie – 4:41 Band Introductions – 8:40 How Great Thou Art -
3:11 Softly, As I Leave You – 2:54 America – 2:24 MysteryTrain/Tiger Man –2:43 Blue
Christmas – 3:03 Can’t Help Falling In Love
Also we received the info that the January release will actually be out before Christmas.
Source: EPE / Peter Haan
Chinese 31 #1 Hits update
The 31 #1 Hits is actually Made in China and distributed to various Asian countries. It is on
sale in Hong Kong, Malaysia,Thailand, Indonesia etc. Like all the others Chinese CD's they are
NOT BMG copies. You can call it boot if you like. Actually the real Elvis 30 #1 Hits boot from
Malaysia is a yelow greenish Cover with a different back cover. Elvis faint picture in Gold Suit
is on the back cover. It has no picture disc (see picture above). This release is very rare, and
hard to get.
THE KING STILL ALIVE… ATOP THE CHARTS ELV1S 30 #1 HITS SELLS NEARLY 6
MILLION WORLDWIDE Album Stays No. 1 in Europe and U.S. RCA Records’ Presley
Collection Continues to Astound, Reaching Top of the Charts in 24 Territories New York, NY
-- October 16, 2002 – BMG and RCA Records announced today that ELV1S 30 #1 HITS has
sold nearly 6 million units worldwide, having reached the top spot in an astounding 24
countries and the top five in five others. In addition, ELV1S 30 #1 HITS held its No. 1 position
in the U.S. for the third consecutive week and in Europe for the second consecutive week. The
album was released worldwide on September 24th.
Source: EP
#1 CD in Canada
The 30 #1 Hits has been two weeks in a row on the Albums : Top 100 and the Country : Top
50 in Canada and expected to remain at the top spot for a third consecutive week. The BMG
box-set " Elvis : Today, Tomorrow And Forever " is also #15 on the Country: Top 50 and
featured on this chart for 8 weeks. The single " A Little Less Conversation " has been on the
Singles : Top 50 in Canada for 15 weeks including 11 weeks at the number one spot. The single
has dropped on the chart but now climbing again from #32 to #27 on the week ending on
October 6th.
Dinner At Eight
The upcoming FTD release, that will feature a soundboard recording from December 13th,
1975 Dinner Show, which was postponed until November will have the title "Dinner At Eight".
The song "My Heavenly Father" by Kathy Westmoreland will not be featured because of
contractual problems.
Source: The United Elvis Presley Society
#1 CD in India
The ELVIS #1 CD is No. 1 on the "Planet M" Sales Charts this week - "Planet M" has the
largest chain of music retail stores all over India.
Source: Arjan deelen
Presley's compilation missed the benchmark set by the Beatles' "1" (Capitol) in November
2000 with debut week sales of 595,000 units, and later 1.26 million during that year's
Christmas week. But while the Fab Four topped just The Billboard 200, Presley's set also
enters at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums tally. Of the album's 31 songs, 16 have
appeared on the Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Source: Billboard
The 30 #1 CD is released in Turkey same time other countries. And 'A Little Les Conversation'
single become number one in Turkey.
Source: Ahmet Gulen
Japanese ELV1S 30 #1
Here we have the artwork for ELV1S 30 #1 Japanese release first edition, which features an
exclusive bonus EP of "A Little Less Conversation": Original Version, Extended Remix and
the music video.
Source: Jean-Marc Juilland
The album is already double platinum in both the US and Australia and more than 500,000
units have been shipped in Britain. Several retailers are predicting that the release will outsell
The Beatles '1' album. That release has sold around 10 million units worldwide and in
Australia is 7xP with unit sales over 500,000.
The Definitive Elvis: #1 on the ARIA music video chart The Definitive Elvis: #2 on the ARIA
music DVD chart Elvis vs JXL: #27 on the ARIA singles chart (and #4 on the United World
Singles chart) Burning Love: dropped out of the Top 50 after one week (#37) on the ARIA
singles chart Lilo & Stitch soundtrack: #12 with a bullet on the ARIA album chart (The A-
Teens single from the soundtrack, Can't Help Falling in Love, is at #39 on the singles chart) All
eyes are now on the US where the new Billboard album chart will be published later this week.
Source: EIN
Chilean 30 #1 CD
The 30 #1 CD hits has also been released in Chile. The cover is the same but it features two
stickers. The CD is available through the Official fan club of Chile. New e-mail address is
elvischile@elvischile.cl
Source: Maro Silva
European 30 #1 Hits
The event was for introducing the 30 #1 Hits to the press & media. This included a talk from
Roger Semon where he mentioned, in a recent survey BMG discovered only 1 in 10 people
owned an Elvis greatest hits album, therefore justifying the need for such a release. He also
played before & after versions of Suspicious Minds & In The Ghetto, before playing a short
film which showed James Burton, DJ Fontana & Glen D Hardin listening to and giving their
approval on the new cleaned up versions. This ended with free Budweiser lager available
(sponsors) while the entire album was played back.
Roger Semon told me later that both Aloha (new camera angles etc.) & '68 special are both
definitely being re-worked for release on DVD in early 2003.
Source: Jeff Walker
There were such a build up about the sound quality of this upcoming CD that I was afraid to
be a bit disappointed. Was I disappointed ? No, in fact I’m just simply impressed with their
works. Besides being there while it was recorded this is certainly the CLOSEST you can
get.You can hear ALL the details (all the instruments and backing vocals) and Elvis’ voice
sounds better than ever. We all know that Elvis had a great voice and this CD will let you hear
why he was such a great vocalist.
“Burning Love “ is a great rock song but always felt it sounded a bit flat. Not anymore, this is
really a true rockin’ song and too bad it took 30 years before hearing Ronnie Tutt and all the
band cookin’ like this. Yeah ! the “ temperature was risin’ “ in the Hollywood R.C.A. studio
that day. The purity of Elvis’ voice during “ In The Ghetto “, “ Can’t Help Falling In Love “
and “ Love Me Tender “ is really coming through on this release. Sting from the ex-Police
group would agree that you can hear “ every breath he takes “.
A long time ago I bought all the Elvis’ releases on vinyl, later on I did the same when they
came out on CD. David Bendeth and Ray Bardini are sound MAGICIANS and wouldn’t
hesitate to buy them all over again with such a great sound quality, and yes I would buy again
the soundtrack of “ Harum Scarum “ too.
BMG has decided to treat his #1 artist as a King on every levels with this release. There will be
a huge campaign for the “ Elvis 30 #1 Hits “, so let’s keep Elvis #1 and make sure to buy a
copy. You won’t be disappointed !!!!!
A video came with the CD sampler. I guess this is an edit version of what could be shown on
TV in the near future. It is somewhat a “ making of the 30 #1 Hits “ CD.
D.J. Fontana, James Burton and Glen D. Hardin were invited by David Bendeth and Cie. At
the Hit Factory Studio in New-York for getting an aural experience of the hard work done in
studio on these tracks. All these gentlemen seemed impressed with what they’ve heard and
agreed the new “ mixes “ done from the master recording reels were quite an improvement
over the older mixes.
They have also repeated the same experience with some teenagers. They played to them the
“older mix “ of “ Burning Love “ and then switched to the “ new mix “. The teenagers agreed
the song was good but sounded “ old “ while the newer one sounded better as if it was recorded
today.
There’s also some clips showing Elvis and some advertisements for this CD. It looks like a very
informative program and hope it’ll be shown unedited on TV.
Make sure to read the David Bendeth’ interview done by Kevan Budd and published on our
website a few days ago.
I’d like to thank Mr. David Bendeth for providing the CD and video sampler for our website.