THEM DAMN BOOTLEGS...!

Hey Kempo, surely the sleeve you displayed was only a mock-up by Sun International? Volume One? Stereo? I've seen it before but always thought it was just a Shelby Singleton mock-up prior to the boot coming out. As far as I recall Sun International never put it out.

When the MDQ first came out in '80 it was in a red sleeve designed by a mate of mine in Holland (ahem, ahem...)

You're right Tits.
The red sleeve was the first one. The sleeve I pictured does exist (I've had it in my hands), but it was never released. I don't know the exact story, but only a few survived.

Did you ever see this 4 LP boxset?

Nope, never seen that. I remember Carl Perkins talking about Shelby Singleton planning to release the MDQ - this was before the boot came out. Perkins said that Singleton was going to overdub Nashville musicians onto the tapes. Can you imagine that?

I believe that's when the Sun International cover was prepared. Obviously the overdubs would have been recorded in stereo - that's why it said stereo on the cover. I personally can't see why Singleton thought he had the rights to the tapes in the first place. Elvis was an RCA artist in December '56. I realize it was taped at a Carl Perkins session, but that didn't automatically mean that Singleton (through him buying the Sun catalogue) owned the rights to put the MDQ out.

But thank God the bootleggers did!

... THE FIRST TIME... [ Vic-3]

Intermission is over.

Lights dimm... 2001 sets in!

People in the Hilton Showroom whisper nervously...

The band Rocks!

My heart beats like a kettledrum!

The curtain goes up slowely. Our eyes go from the left

to the right... Tadada Tada Daaa!

The band plays at fever pitch! Loud, really loud!

Im shaking. Im so nervous, dont know where to

look anymore!... My lady smiles at me. She understands.

Out of the right corner, from behind the curtain, He enters

the stage! Godallmighty! HE IS FOR REAL!

My head explodes!

This is not a film, Im watching! Hes there, in front of us!

EEEELLLLVVVIIISSSS!!!

He slowely walks towards the centre, of the stage. Smiling,

his thumbs, resting in the chains of his belt. He looks a

million bucks! Pompadour, and all.

Hes so incredibly good looking. And sooo coool!

Absorbing all these emotions, overpower me!

I nearly slide off my chair!

Im knocked out. And he hasnt opened his mouth, yet!...

......... To be Continued...

Nope, never seen that. I remember Carl Perkins talking about Shelby Singleton planning to release the MDQ - this was before the boot came out. Perkins said that Singleton was going to overdub Nashville musicians onto the tapes. Can you imagine that?

I believe that's when the Sun International cover was prepared. Obviously the overdubs would have been recorded in stereo - that's why it said stereo on the cover. I personally can't see why Singleton thought he had the rights to the tapes in the first place. Elvis was an RCA artist in December '56. I realize it was taped at a Carl Perkins session, but that didn't automatically mean that Singleton (through him buying the Sun catalogue) owned the rights to put the MDQ out.

But thank God the bootleggers did!

The sleeve was not used because it said MILLON instead of MILLION.

When I interviewed Orion and Shelby Singleton in 1981 or 1982 at the Rockhouse rock and roll meeting in Eindhoven, Shelby Singleton said the bootleggers had 32 minutes of tapes lasting 2 1/2 hours.

If you play the bootleg and the LP Charly Records released in the UK you notice the bootleg has a slight echo that is not on the Charly Records LP .

When this LP was released it was a big letdown to a lot of people. No Johnny Cash, No Old rugged cross or any of the other titles rumoured to have been recorded. When the double-LP was released it was more exciting as that had the better songs added. Just my opinion.

... The first ever release of the MDQ a letdown?!

Thou must be kidding!

I was sitting in Vic Collonas car, next to him.

It was months before the unofficial release, of the album...

Without a word of introduction, from vic, he pushed a

cassette into his cardeck... "Im With The Crowd, But O so

Alone".... "You know, what youre listening to?" , Vic

asked. "Some Hillbilly singer? Like maybe Charlie Feathers?",

I replied.

..."Thats Elvis!... Its from the Million Dollar Quartet Session!"

Yes, Ger, and youre going to make the cover! He played

the rest of the tape, to me, with a huge grin on his face!

In those years, being around Vic, was one surprise, after

another...

Shelby Singleton said the bootleggers had 32 minutes of tapes lasting 2 1/2 hours.

What, when played at the wrong speed ?

Oh, I get it now; we've only had 32 minutes of the original tapes which last a total of 2 1/2 hours !

Last edited by ColinB on Tue May 23, 2006 2:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Shelby Singleton said the bootleggers had 32 minutes of tapes lasting 2 1/2 hours.

What, when played at the wrong speed ?

If Shelby Singleton was correct we now have some 90+ minutes of the 150. According to what I have heard Ernst Jorgensen claims the remainder (some 60 minutes i.e. 1 or 2 tapes) is having terrible sound and Elvis off mike.
Reconsider baby is on that tape/those 2 tapes.

Ger, if you think that it was Charlie Feathers on that tape, can you imagine the disappointment of a lof of fans? The Million Dollar Quartet recording was talked about quite often and was the best there could ever be in the history of rock and roll.

... Luuk,

...A: I was not told, it was the MDQ

...B: I wasnt aware, It was Elvis imitating Hank Snow!

... By the way, I dont think Ernst has the remainder...

Shelby, I think, was talking bollocks, as he often did!

Ger, I have no idea if Shelby Singleton told the truth or not.
At the time we only had the bootleg with 32 minutes. IMO this was the first tape.
Since then we got the last tape plus some odd recordings from in-between the first and the last tape.
Anyway, those days were great with previously unheard recordings seeing the light of day but MDQ for me was not the much rumoured highlight. In fact I hardly ever play it.

Anyway, those days were great with previously unheard recordings seeing the light of day but MDQ for me was not the much rumoured highlight.
In fact I hardly ever play it.

Yes, for many years [before their release] the MDQ recordings were a sort of Holy Grail.

But when they eventually appeared, the release seemed to 'dribble' onto the market with little or no fanfare or hype.

The songs make fascinating listening, but were an anit-climax at best when they made their debut.

Maybe they could be re-mastered to make them sound better ?

Maybe they could be re-mastered to make them sound better ?

A few overdubs and remixing could work wonders!!!

... With a bit of luck, my bud, Memphis Flash, will post some

Radio Recorders Studio related photos here, tonight, or

tomorrow night! I took these, while doing research, with

Ernst, back in the 80s...

Flash, just scan the stuff, and I will add the captions, on a

seperate thread. Okay?! Saves you some time, so you

can dance The Clam, with your youngest, tonight!

deleted by stan

Last edited by stan from tintane on Mon May 21, 2007 1:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

If Shelby Singleton was correct we now have some 90+ minutes of the 150. According to what I have heard Ernst Jorgensen claims the remainder (some 60 minutes i.e. 1 or 2 tapes) is having terrible sound and Elvis off mike. Reconsider baby is on that tape/those 2 tapes.

Shelby was not correct. And Ernst never claimed sixty minutes remains to be heard. "Reconsider Baby" is not taken from one of those "tapes," either.

DJC

The songs make fascinating listening, but were an anit-climax at best when they made their debut.

There was at least one bootleg that was released as a sound and time (longer) upgrade, like Elvis Rocks And The Girls Roll was the boot to get for a better sounding rehearsal 68. The BMG release of Million Dollar Quartet is pale in sound (noise reduction) to the Sun semi official release the year before.

... With a bit of luck, my bud, Memphis Flash, will post some

Radio Recorders Studio related photos here, tonight, or

tomorrow night! I took these, while doing research, with

Ernst, back in the 80s...

Flash, just scan the stuff, and I will add the captions, on a

seperate thread. Okay?! Saves you some time, so you

can dance The Clam, with your youngest, tonight!

You're in Luck Ger here they are



Enterance to Radio Recorders Studio, Hollywood



playback machine from the 1950's at RR



Thorne Nogar listening to an Elvis Tape in his studio



Label of acetate cut at RR



Bones Howe once assistant of Thorne at RR



Original safety copy of "Is It So Strange" a.o.

That's what Ger send me, I've copyrighted two of the pictures, don't want to see them back in some Chech bootleg ...

Cool pix!

... Flash, THANKS!

So many illustrations from my books have been ripped, that, yes,

putting my name on two, wasnt a bad idea, Flash!

I have a lot more "goodies", I would like to share, with you all.

Any interest, in reading handwritten letters, from Marion Keisker?

She replied to my letters, a couple of times, back in 87...

Maybe, together with some other Sun related rarities, this coming

weekend?!

Lemme know!

Ger this is a great topic very intresting i learn something new everyday on this mb thanks


jess

That Thorne Nogar sure looks like a cool gentleman, when did you snap these pics Gerry? Looks like the 80´s, I notice Bones Howe has stacked some CD´s on the rack so must be 80´s at least.
Now how about finally publishing the cancelled book TRUE LEGENDS, I remember paying for it and then getting a refund informing that the publication had been withdrawn. Now is the hour...More stories...

i wonder what elvis session tape Thorne Nogar is listening to

jess

Maybe the King Creole-sessions, imagine outtakes of Trouble and the other cool sazzy jazzy tunes from that golden movie!

deleted by stan

Last edited by stan from tintane on Mon May 21, 2007 1:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

Any interest in reading handwritten letters from Marion Keisker?

She replied to my letters, a couple of times, back in 87...

Maybe, together with some other Sun related rarities, this coming

weekend?! I'll also post photos of my pet racoon.

Bring 'em on, Ger! Would love to read what Marion had to say. Would also love to see your pet racoon. What's his name? Does he have tallhair as well? Is he one of those rare tallhair racoons?

The BMG release of Million Dollar Quartet is pale in sound (noise reduction) to the Sun semi official release the year before.

This 1989 set on Charly (UK) was a straight copy of the 2 LP bootleg release from six months prior. The 1990 BMG release was probably from tape source.

DJC