Hits Of The 70's FTD - Shoulda woulda coulda...

Unless I am mistaken, not a single post prior to mine includes any statement like "I bought this" or "I just gave this a listen" or "I just played the FTD album."

I have it,..I play it at the moment..and I love it..and I don`t regret it..

(Didn`t remember that Where Did They Go Lord was that good..)

Maybe people should wait until the release is out before passing judgment?

Just a thought.

Are you saying that all of those who have posted that they have it are lying? Or just mistaken?

Brian

Unless I am mistaken, not a single post prior to mine includes any statement like "I bought this" or "I just gave this a listen" or "I just played the FTD album."

Read with care, Brian, otherwise you end up looking foolish, and a bit feckless.

If FTD weren't so feckless & had bothered to make any decent pre-release (or post-release) information & facts available about the mixes etc used for this release, then there wouldn't be any need for people to make judgments based on others' internet posts about its content. I'd suggest it's FTD, not its customers, who need to take care & not appear foolish, in this case.

I didn't listen to it, that's a fact (and my issues never were with the sound, which I'm sure is good).

But I'm a reader.

I bought it. I’m very happy with it and will play it a lot. I think the negative reaction towards this release has been a little over the top too. FTD don’t have an endless supply of unissued material, so I don’t see anything wrong with them re-issuing an old compilation once in a while. However, if they were testing the waters to see what the reaction to this kind of release would be with this title, I don’t expect to see another one any time soon.

According to The Man & His Music Magazine’s facebook page, the stereo masters have been included to correct the mix of mono & stereo cuts on the original album. It seems RCA UK used some mono masters for the original release as these were the only versions available to them at the time, but ideally this should have been a stereo album.

Of course I would like to get the mono single mixes on CD at some point, and hopefully this will happen on a future release, although I agree that the reissue of this album presented FTD with the ideal opportunity to do this.

I think the negative reaction towards this release has been a little over the top too.FTD don’t have an endless supply of unissued material, so I don’t see anything wrong with them re-issuing an old compilation once in a while.
...

Of course I would like to get the mono single mixes on CD at some point, and hopefully this will happen on a future release, although I agree that the reissue of this album presented FTD with the ideal opportunity to do this.

The second portion of this quote is exactly the reason why some (like me) are discussing the point of this release. At least in my personal opinion it isn't a problem to see compilations getting released by FTD as long as they have a point. FTD's a collectors' label and will keep releasing the good material, compilations included or not. But at the very least there must be a point for such releases, IMO.

I see it as a wasted opportunity for something that at least some people were expecting and looking forward to.

According to The Man & His Music Magazine’s facebook page, the stereo masters have been included to correct the mix of mono & stereo cuts on the original album. It seems RCA UK used some mono masters for the original release as these were the only versions available to them at the time, but ideally this should have been a stereo album.

Thanks for this information. Nevertheless, in such label, it was exactly the "random mono mixes" which were of interest... Oh well. We'll live and FTD will continue to release material.

Maybe people should wait until the release is out before passing judgment?

Just a thought.

Are you saying that all of those who have posted that they have it are lying? Or just mistaken?

Brian

Unless I am mistaken, not a single post prior to mine includes any statement like "I bought this" or "I just gave this a listen" or "I just played the FTD album."
Read with care, Brian, otherwise you end up looking foolish, and a bit feckless.

drjohncarpenter, YOU really take the biscuit!!!!!
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."
Interestingly that is from MATTHEW (I like the FECC connection)

drjohncarpenter,YOU, yes, YOU pass judgement on all MRS product (and Elvis Info Network for that matter) purely for personal reasons and no other, no listening, no purchasing of product - only pure bias!!!
Foolish indeed!

Cheers
Piers

Maybe people should wait until the release is out before passing judgment?

Just a thought.

Are you saying that all of those who have posted that they have it are lying? Or just mistaken?

Brian

Unless I am mistaken, not a single post prior to mine includes any statement like "I bought this" or "I just gave this a listen" or "I just played the FTD album."

Read with care, Brian, otherwise you end up looking foolish, and a bit feckless.

drjohncarpenter, YOU really take the biscuit!!!!!
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."
Interestingly that is from MATTHEW (I like the FECC connection)

drjohncarpenter,YOU, yes, YOU pass judgement on all MRS product (and Elvis Info Network for that matter) purely for personal reasons and no other, no listening, no purchasing of product - only pure bias!!!
Foolish indeed!

Cheers
Piers

How you manage to type all that (off-topic) bluster with just one hand on the keyboard is nothing short of astonishing.

Could anyone be kind enough to provide a quality needle drop of the original 1974 album master?

Unless I am mistaken

Which you have been many times, but have yet to admit to it. We all live in hope, i suppose.

The second portion of this quote is exactly the reason why some (like me) are discussing the point of this release. At least in my personal opinion it isn't a problem to see compilations getting released by FTD as long as they have a point. FTD's a collectors' label and will keep releasing the good material, compilations included or not. But at the very least there must be a point for such releases, IMO.
I see it as a wasted opportunity for something that at least some people were expecting and looking forward to.

With regards to compilations ‘having a point’ are you saying they are pointless if they offer nothing new, or are you talking about the theme or concept of the compilation?

Thanks for this information. Nevertheless, in such label, it was exactly the "random mono mixes" which were of interest... Oh well. We'll live and FTD will continue to release material.

I would also have preferred the mono mixes, and I agree that this was a missed opportunity. Having said that the album sounds great, and the booklet will please fans of original cover art, so for me it is still a worthwhile release.

.... the album sounds great, and the booklet will please fans of original cover art, so for me it is still a worthwhile release.

My thoughts..exactly..rebel..

I really don't understand all this fuss about this FTD, if you don't like it or want it, don't buy the freakin thing, simple mathmatics.

... the album sounds great, and the booklet will please fans of original cover art, so for me it is still a worthwhile release.

You're only encouraging mediocrity [at best] with this kind of obtuse rhetoric.

Sad.

With regards to compilations ‘having a point’ are you saying they are pointless if they offer nothing new, or are you talking about the theme or concept of the compilation?

In the general market, maybe they have an use/point. In a collectors' label? Yes, they are pointless if they offer nothing new, unique. Imagine someone who has The Complete Masters, for example. He/she already has the entire compilation right there. Even one who possess all FTDs already owns more or less 95% of the compilation (and eventually will have it all too).

FTD is aimed towards collectors and hardcore fans - not saying that these are the only ones able to buy a FTD, but the label is definitely one for fans interested in material that usually wouldn't fit on the mainstream market. Taking this into consideration, there's no real use for this compilation in the label if it contains nothing out of the ordinary. Have in mind that when this was first announced, even considering that the original mono mixes were there, people were mostly complaining. I'm not sure what are Roger Sermon's reasons for this, but the fact is that "Hits" is being released via FTD - the Elvis collectors' label. Ernst or not, it's a FTD release and you bet that people will expect a certain standard from the label. Some don't even want a compilation like that being released by them, let alone one that offers absolutely nothing new! And then there's the price, which I reckon is more than what it would be if this one was being released for everyone - certainly you see this being a major point?

IMO I certainly think that this one could be a collectors' release, as could any compilation offering unique material. This is the kind of stuff that collectors look for, after all. But as it is now, it looks just like any other mainstream compilation - nice booklet or not. I'm not sure if I posted such comment in this very topic, but I mentioned previously that this case almost looks like a bad joke: they decide to release a compilation out of nowhere and it's one that does feature worth material for collectors... Only to remove such material and offer what most already have. I don't plan to buy it as it is now and I don't really feel offended by it, but I think that it is valid to discuss the merits of this release - after all, this was a wasted opportunity. And what we're getting next, then? Pure Gold? We'll live, definitely. But it is a shame that they're wasting opportunities to release collectible material.

I'm trying to understand the comment that Ernst wanted to honor Elvis' wishes with FTD? Elvis would not have wanted that alternate takes and candid studio banter to ever be released. How is he honoring Elvis wishes with FTD? Mind you, I'm not complaining as I love the takes, my point is Elvis would not have wished for it.

I'm trying to understand the comment that Ernst wanted to honor Elvis' wishes with FTD? Elvis would not have wanted that alternate takes and candid studio banter to ever be released. How is he honoring Elvis wishes with FTD? Mind you, I'm not complaining as I love the takes, my point is Elvis would not have wished for it.

I think they mean the sound.

Maybe people should wait until the release is out before passing judgment?

Just a thought.

Are you saying that all of those who have posted that they have it are lying? Or just mistaken?

Brian

Unless I am mistaken, not a single post prior to mine includes any statement like "I bought this" or "I just gave this a listen" or "I just played the FTD album."

Read with care, Brian, otherwise you end up looking foolish, and a bit feckless.

That’s two mistakes right there, John. Didn’t you see my posts? Read with care, John, otherwise you end up looking foolish, and a bit feckless.

That’s two mistakes right there ...

Keep dreaming, little man.

... the album sounds great, and the booklet will please fans of original cover art, so for me it is still a worthwhile release.

You're only encouraging mediocrity [at best] with this kind of obtuse rhetoric.

Sad.

Get over yourself...

It's fair to say by now that the majority of fans are distinctly unimpressed with FTD's revision of the now infamous 1974 UK only compilation album.

With no previously unreleased material on offer, it's hard to grasp as to who this ill-conceived "collectors" release was actually aimed at.

The irony of course [and as I noted in a previous thread] if done well it had the potential to be one of the most surprising and satisfying FTD upgrades in recent times.

'elvisalisellers' I totally understand your wish for a release as suggested, but you might as well just say that FTD should have released an ‘alternate takes’ 70s double album with another title. Which you mostly are, certainly what you are proposing is not ‘Hits of The 70s’.

We have classic original albums being released with alternate takes, so what is so wrong with a release of master takes for a change. We have had the compilations in the 5" series -- now FTD have moved on from this and are concentrating on classic albums which have proved more successful and of greater interest to fans.

I did think that the logical extension to these classic albums was to try a non ‘album’ compilation to see if this is of interest to album collectors and if successful extend the life of the FTD label with some select releases. Now Ernst may indeed find from sales that an approach as you suggest is the way to go next time, only he can know, but they had to at least try this format. So I do not agree that it is ill-conceived.

As this is a greatest hits re-release and not an original album the alternates will be coming on the appropriate original ‘albums’ either already released or to be released. Although you have been creative in your suggestions!

Also, at this time I don’t believe it can be called unsuccessful. Sales are around 75% of 'From Elvis Presley Boulevard' at Elvis Australia and I would think that would be the same average everywhere.

So yes, it is not as popular but not a total failure either by any means. And as is often the case with FTD titles it could easily make up this ‘lost ground’ in sales as time goes by.

It's fair to say by now that the majority of fans are distinctly unimpressed with FTD's revision of the now infamous 1974 UK only compilation album.

With no previously unreleased material on offer, it's hard to grasp as to who this ill-conceived "collectors" release was actually aimed at.

The irony of course [and as I noted in a previous thread] if done well it had the potential to be one of the most surprising and satisfying FTD upgrades in recent times.

'elvisalisellers' I totally understand your wish for a release as suggested, but you might as well just say that FTD should have released an ‘alternate takes’ 70s double album with another title. Which you mostly are, certainly what you are proposing is not ‘Hits of The 70s’.

We have classic original albums being released with alternate takes, so what is so wrong with a release of master takes for a change. We have had the compilations in the 5" series -- now FTD have moved on from this and are concentrating on classic albums which have proved more successful and of greater interest to fans.

I did think that the logical extension to these classic albums was to try a non ‘album’ compilation to see if this is of interest to album collectors and if successful extend the life of the FTD label with some select releases. Now Ernst may indeed find from sales that an approach as you suggest is the way to go next time, only he can know, but they had to at least try this format. So I do not agree that it is ill-conceived.

As this is a greatest hits re-release and not an original album the alternates will be coming on the appropriate original ‘albums’ either already released or to be released. Although you have been creative in your suggestions!

Also, at this time I don’t believe it can be called unsuccessful. Sales are around 75% of 'From Elvis Presley Boulevard' at Elvis Australia and I would think that would be the same average everywhere.

So yes, it is not as popular but not a total failure either by any means. And as is often the case with FTD titles it could easily make up this ‘lost ground’ in sales as time goes by.

Mono mixes aren't alternate takes.

Those championing this kind of product on the premium collectors label have clearly lost the plot.

Those championing this kind of product on the premium collectors label have clearly lost the plot.

okay, so Ernst has lost the plot, thanks for that arrogance Matthew. The fact is it is NOT an unpopular release. Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean everyone else shares your view.

Those championing this kind of product on the premium collectors label have clearly lost the plot.

okay, so Ernst has lost the plot, thanks for that arrogance Matthew. The fact is it is NOT an unpopular release. Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean everyone else shares your view.

Ernst didn’t release this, Roger did.

That’s two mistakes right there ...

Keep dreaming, little man.

1. At the time you posted your first mistake, I had had that release in my possession for a full week.

2. I also wrote, many days prior to your second mistake, that I had played Hits of the ’70s once. Since then, I have listened to it a few more times. It’s all in the logs. Read them and weep.