October and December FTDs

Some of the rough mixes are interesting, especially if they are close to the session conclusions like those on Elvis Country, as they become performance mixes. The Today mixes are of interest as well. They are also a cheaper way of in some cases presenting undubbed masters without having to create new mixes, which I've no doubt it partly why they're used! Why create a new undubbed mix when "hey!" here's one from 1976 already!

They seem to have a number of these undubbed masters already in hand. We've heard them on import, but not always in top quality.

How do we know they didn't work on the masters?

By what's listed as "credits" for the FEPB FTD... it say Remastered by Vic Anesini... if the tracks were remixed, it would state it...

Why should the masters be remixed? A historically accurate mix for the masters should be commended.

Sure but they've been available since 2009. The FEPB album masters are terribly dull/muddy sounding on the original LP... and while the remastered 2009 CD is an improvement, it's not much of one. It would be great if they were on par with the recordings as heard on The Jungle Room Sessions... remastering the original mixes is not enough to accomplish this.

Yes, the recordings are available in their historically accurate state on recent releases, but even so, I don't want them represented in a "new" mix on what will ultimately become the definitive version of the From EP Blvd album. Isn't the atrocious Ferrente 2000 edition a remix? What I'm actually curious about is what engineer(s) worked on the outtake material for this upcoming release? I doubt Vic got near it. Sebastian perhaps? Reidel may have some involvement.

My point it is, they did the whole thing backwards. Instead of artificially making the records sound "normal," they missed a chance to get back to basics and do something different.

Jarvis had obviously lost touch with a creative vision for Elvis.

At the time, recording Elvis at Graceland was seen as nothing but a hassle. It was the only way they were going to get him to open his mouth and sing. The venue was a handicap. Colonel only cared that Felton came up with the requisite album and single cuts.

Had there been a single person in the organization charged with creativity (even if it was a known quantity like Schilling), it might have dawned on them that the so-called crisis presented an opportunity. Hey, cutting a record at Elvis' house. That could be COOL! Instead, they took recordings that turned out to be of surprisingly high technical quality, and they ruined them with strings and horns and God knows what else.

My point it is, they did the whole thing backwards. Instead of artificially making the records sound "normal," they missed a chance to get back to basics and do something different.

I agree with your assessment. The only thing I would respectfully add is, if any "cared" for Elvis at that particular time maybe a lot of things would be different. At that point in Elvis' career it would have been great for him to revisit his roots, musically speaking. He might even have had some fun recording once again.

rlj

Isn't the atrocious Ferrente 2000 edition a remix?

No, just a really bad remaster. For some reason people assumed it was remixed due to the Promised Land release around the same time, no idea why.

Isn't the atrocious Ferrente 2000 edition a remix?

No, just a really bad remaster. For some reason people assumed it was remixed due to the Promised Land release around the same time, no idea why.

Oh I thought Midnight was talking about Promised Land... oops...

I really like the idea of a return to roots music at this time. Almost an unplugged session, stripped back with a less is more. It would have been good to have had new music in a country, blues, gospel style. Or something closer to Cash's American sessions but hopefully not as bleek! Perhaps even Springsteens Seegar sessions but without 20 musicians, dint think they would fit in the Jungle room If only someone had the vision to suggest such an approach and bottle to tackle the Colonel's approach to securing minimal song writer rights causing a dearth of good new material.

Cheers Jamie

I meant to say paying minimal royalties to song writers

While it was pretty crowded in that den, the ensemble wasn't much larger than a typical Elvis studio session. Even in the 1960's, he had a couple of guitars, a bass, drums, piano, perhaps a tenor sax, and at least five backup singers (Jordanaires plus Millie). In '76, there were eight singers. Swap out Boots for Briggs, and that's about it.

At the time, recording Elvis at Graceland was seen as nothing but a hassle. It was the only way they were going to get him to open his mouth and sing. The venue was a handicap. Colonel only cared that Felton came up with the requisite album and single cuts.

Had there been a single person in the organization charged with creativity (even if it was a known quantity like Schilling), it might have dawned on them that the so-called crisis presented an opportunity. Hey, cutting a record at Elvis' house. That could be COOL! Instead, they took recordings that turned out to be of surprisingly high technical quality, and they ruined them with strings and horns and God knows what else.

My point it is, they did the whole thing backwards. Instead of artificially making the records sound "normal," they missed a chance to get back to basics and do something different.

Good points.

What it all comes down to was Elvis. Even had Felton thought, great, lets record Elvis like when he's at home jamming with his friends, singing all those old classics - it would have required Elvis to engage artistically too. I would have loved nothing more than RCA recording an album of Elvis at home at Graceland, on guitar and piano, with minimal / no backing, even with the voice he was in, in 1976.

Perhaps they could have played on his moods. We are often told Elvis was in some kind of a depressed state in 1976, and the musicians would be hanging around Graceland, not knowing whether Elvis would leave his bedroom that day to record. Part of me wishes that could have somehow translated into RCA recording a sombre and broken Elvis sitting alone at the piano. Of course, this would have still needed Elvis to engage somewhat, but had they just brought in the minimal amount of people required to operate the recording equipment and Felton to produce everything, it might have encouraged Elvis to really engage in proper music making and open up almost. As if he was just sitting at home alone singing for his own comfort, instead of 'working'. It seems like Elvis almost fell out love with music towards the end of his life, as the recording process and touring became almost a chore. I know people will argue that is not true, but when you see the total disinterest Elvis had in his career by this point, I can't come to any other conclusion.

Just somehow, some way, somebody needed to coax Elvis out of that rut and start enjoying making great records and taking a keen interest in it. Perhaps that would have been the only way for him to solve the other personal and health issues he had in his life.

At the time, recording Elvis at Graceland was seen as nothing but a hassle. It was the only way they were going to get him to open his mouth and sing. The venue was a handicap. Colonel only cared that Felton came up with the requisite album and single cuts.

Had there been a single person in the organization charged with creativity (even if it was a known quantity like Schilling), it might have dawned on them that the so-called crisis presented an opportunity. Hey, cutting a record at Elvis' house. That could be COOL! Instead, they took recordings that turned out to be of surprisingly high technical quality, and they ruined them with strings and horns and God knows what else.

My point it is, they did the whole thing backwards. Instead of artificially making the records sound "normal," they missed a chance to get back to basics and do something different.

Good points.

What it all comes down to was Elvis. Even had Felton thought, great, lets record Elvis like when he's at home jamming with his friends, singing all those old classics - it would have required Elvis to engage artistically too. I would have loved nothing more than RCA recording an album of Elvis at home at Graceland, on guitar and piano, with minimal / no backing, even with the voice he was in, in 1976.

Perhaps they could have played on his moods. We are often told Elvis was in some kind of a depressed state in 1976, and the musicians would be hanging around Graceland, not knowing whether Elvis would leave his bedroom that day to record. Part of me wishes that could have somehow translated into RCA recording a sombre and broken Elvis sitting alone at the piano. Of course, this would have still needed Elvis to engage somewhat, but had they just brought in the minimal amount of people required to operate the recording equipment and Felton to produce everything, it might have encouraged Elvis to really engage in proper music making and open up almost. As if he was just sitting at home alone singing for his own comfort, instead of 'working'. It seems like Elvis almost fell out love with music towards the end of his life, as the recording process and touring became almost a chore. I know people will argue that is not true, but when you see the total disinterest Elvis had in his career by this point, I can't come to any other conclusion.

Just somehow, some way, somebody needed to coax Elvis out of that rut and start enjoying making great records and taking a keen interest in it. Perhaps that would have been the only way for him to solve the other personal and health issues he had in his life.

I'm no expert on the sessions by any means, but I think there was a sign of Elvis running off with an old tune in Pledging My Love. Certainly the October session found Elvis in much better voice than the Feb efforts and the results are, on the whole, more engaging.

Every upcoming FTD release i look forward too.
Back in Memphis, EP Boulevard, the '72 reharsal and show...


But this one even more... a trip down memory lane.
And with the upgrading of bonus tracks, it's truly Hits of the 70's.

My grey played album and boolteg cd will finally have a worthy first grade companion.

I very much look forward to this release as well. It will get lots of time in my cd player. It may well become my favorite FTD.

I understand that completely Jerry, it's just a great album.

On the subject of mono/stereo mixes.
I hope the original mixes are used.
But it must be said that only 7 of the 12 tracks are mono, the rest is stereo.
The mono tracks are: The wonder of you-I'm leavin'-You don't have to say you love me-There goes my everything-Rags to riches-Kentucky rain-I've lost you.
They sound brilliant on this lp pressing.

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At the time, recording Elvis at Graceland was seen as nothing but a hassle. It was the only way they were going to get him to open his mouth and sing. The venue was a handicap. Colonel only cared that Felton came up with the requisite album and single cuts.

Had there been a single person in the organization charged with creativity (even if it was a known quantity like Schilling), it might have dawned on them that the so-called crisis presented an opportunity. Hey, cutting a record at Elvis' house. That could be COOL! Instead, they took recordings that turned out to be of surprisingly high technical quality, and they ruined them with strings and horns and God knows what else.

My point it is, they did the whole thing backwards. Instead of artificially making the records sound "normal," they missed a chance to get back to basics and do something different.

Good points.

What it all comes down to was Elvis. Even had Felton thought, great, lets record Elvis like when he's at home jamming with his friends, singing all those old classics - it would have required Elvis to engage artistically too. I would have loved nothing more than RCA recording an album of Elvis at home at Graceland, on guitar and piano, with minimal / no backing, even with the voice he was in, in 1976.

Perhaps they could have played on his moods. We are often told Elvis was in some kind of a depressed state in 1976, and the musicians would be hanging around Graceland, not knowing whether Elvis would leave his bedroom that day to record. Part of me wishes that could have somehow translated into RCA recording a sombre and broken Elvis sitting alone at the piano. Of course, this would have still needed Elvis to engage somewhat, but had they just brought in the minimal amount of people required to operate the recording equipment and Felton to produce everything, it might have encouraged Elvis to really engage in proper music making and open up almost. As if he was just sitting at home alone singing for his own comfort, instead of 'working'. It seems like Elvis almost fell out love with music towards the end of his life, as the recording process and touring became almost a chore. I know people will argue that is not true, but when you see the total disinterest Elvis had in his career by this point, I can't come to any other conclusion.

Just somehow, some way, somebody needed to coax Elvis out of that rut and start enjoying making great records and taking a keen interest in it. Perhaps that would have been the only way for him to solve the other personal and health issues he had in his life.

I'm no expert on the sessions by any means, but I think there was a sign of Elvis running off with an old tune in Pledging My Love. Certainly the October session found Elvis in much better voice than the Feb efforts and the results are, on the whole, more engaging.

Elvis was definitely in better voice in the October sessions, but we still have the same issue with his disengagement with recording. After recording only 3 songs, he stayed in his bedroom and wouldn't record further and the band had to cut tracks to "He'll Have to Go" and "Fire Down Below" without him. Elvis eventually cut a vocal on "He'll Have to Go" but ended the sessions there.

It is no coincidence that of what Elvis did record in 1976, almost all of the best results were covers of old Country / R&B numbers:

"She Thinks I Still Care" - George Jones, 1962
"Hurt" - Roy Hamilton, 1954
"Danny Boy" - Folk Standard
"Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain" - Roy Acuff, 1945
"Pledging My Love" - Johnny Ace, 1955
"He'll Have to Go" - Jim Reeves, 1959

It's really too bad that Elvis never laid down a vocal for "Fire Down Below." Could have been a major hit in 1977, IMHO. I don't know, maybe at this point Elvis couldn't handle that type of song(?). Maybe deep down he knew that.

It's really too bad that Elvis never laid down a vocal for "Fire Down Below." Could have been a major hit in 1977, IMHO. I don't know, maybe at this point Elvis couldn't handle that type of song(?). Maybe deep down he knew that.

He did Way Down, so handling the type of song wasn't a problem - and Way Down has a much better vocal than, say, For The Heart. But Fire Down Below is a song which kind of just cashes in on past successes; I see nothing original in the song.

To my ears, it sounds like he had a cold throughout the October sessions.

It's really too bad that Elvis never laid down a vocal for "Fire Down Below." Could have been a major hit in 1977, IMHO. I don't know, maybe at this point Elvis couldn't handle that type of song(?). Maybe deep down he knew that.

A "major hit" in 1977? Hardly. Not sure why some fans get so excited about Fire Down Below as if Elvis sitting on a piece of gold. It is substandard track at best.

Yeah, I kinda have to agree with ya there.

No big deal he didn't record it.

But we can only hope he cut "Feelings".

If it doesn't come out on "Moody Blue" perhaps it never got recorded.

I don't know who is more retarted the producers or the ones who will buy this turd of a release!

What are your thoughts about the ones who can't spell it?

I'm still skeptical about this actually being released by FTD. I'll believe it when I see it. However, if this is really released by FTD, I'm kissing someone's ass.

It will also be the first FTD release that I skip.

I thought you always say you like squandering / wasting money???

How do we know they didn't work on the masters?

By what's listed as "credits" for the FEPB FTD... it say Remastered by Vic Anesini... if the tracks were remixed, it would state it...

Why should the masters be remixed? A historically accurate mix for the masters should be commended.

Sure but they've been available since 2009. The FEPB album masters are terribly dull/muddy sounding on the original LP... and while the remastered 2009 CD is an improvement, it's not much of one. It would be great if they were on par with the recordings as heard on The Jungle Room Sessions... remastering the original mixes is not enough to accomplish this.

As previously noted by many here, the Japanese 20/24bit cd release of FEPB is the best sounding of this album ever released. And I believe FTD issues the 'rough mixes' so as we can hear the full fade-outs on some of the songs, although they did not do this with all songs; for example, if you want to hear the full versions of "Fairytale" and "Fool", you have to own the 'unedited masters' releases.

I thought you always say you like squandering / wasting money???

I have to be at least a little interested in it first. This release gets no interest whatsoever. It would never get played.

I guess I could buy it and use the CDs for drink coasters.

I thought you always say you like squandering / wasting money???

I have to be at least a little interested in it first. This release gets no interest whatsoever. It would never get played.

I guess I could buy it and use the CDs for drink coasters.

Yes, waste some more money - the men in suits would like that.

I will then.

Thanks.

The "suits" get enough of my money. Only those items I deem worthy will be purchased. The '70s Hits FTD is not one of them, IMHO

rlj

An interesting compilation anyway...

about EP Blvd...wonder why Ernst left out these complete takes??...maybe no space left? :

Love coming Down 2
Never Again 4
Never Again 5
Solitaire 8

they would be welcome on Moody blue FTD anyway as bonus tracks.. ...he did something similar with 3 songs on Elvis Country FTD