Looks like we have alot of Elvis on the way for the 30th anniversary of him dying on the loo ! (I was in the chip shop when I heard the news).

"Kid Galahad" on TV yesterday and a couple of documentaries on Thursday, plus a Radio Two feature I believe.

Could never take him seriously again, though, personally, after the "bathroom" incident !

Listening to an Elvis track recently I was struck by the TIMBRE of his voice.
It cuts through backings and mixes and means live performances must have been much easier to mix.

This is a small but vital ingredient that I think has been overlooked. Sinatra was the same. A very few singers pitch and sound in a certain way which enables arrangements and productions that would drown other performers.

One of the sadder things about Elvis`s legacy , as opposed to the one ITK mentioned, is how many inferior official releases were being put out.
It seems almost like every gig for a while was documented and released, including many versions of songs when the band can clearly be heard "winging it".
Fascinating from a bootleg hunters point of view, but these were RCA releases filling the market at often a budget price.
It would not happen now for better or for worse.
A case in point is a song called "Patch it Up", in which you can blatantly hear that nobody on stage really knows what is going on.
That said, these recordings do illustrate the humour in the front man AND the band, don`t forget to quote Ronny Tutt(drums).."We are only a band that lost our vocalist.."

How ironic it is, that the "other" Elvis, (Costello), is also brilliant but releases too many records as well, although it is arguable whether we have been spared the out-takes or not.

We might tend to forget it now, but he was the King for more than his quiff and pouting lip. I have a 78 of him singing "Hound Dog" and it fairly jumps out of the speakers. Incredible dynamics in his voice.

One of the most sought after records that is not in my collection as well Michael.
Don`t drop it for heavens sake!
It`s worth a minimum of

Michael wrote:
I have a 78 of him singing "Hound Dog" and it fairly jumps out of the speakers.

Incredibly - it's out of copyright from Jan 1st !

Incredibly, the 12 bar chord sequence that the song incorporates seemed to never have been in copyright.

<<< It's worth a minimum

Mart wrote:
[quote]One of the most sought after records that is not in my collection as well Michael.
Don`t drop it for heavens sake!
It`s worth a minimum of

Heres the price list for 45 rpm Hound Dogs.(Record Collector 2006)

1956 copies

Mart wrote:
[quote]Heres the price list for 45 rpm Hound Dogs.(Record Collector 2006)

1956 copies

Mart wrote:
[quote]Heres the price list for 45 rpm Hound Dogs.(Record Collector 2006)

1956 copies

Sell it? Sell it? Have you people no values? It's staying where it is, alongside my Piafs, Dean Martins, Doris Days (great singer, incidentally) and boogie-woogie collection.

M
Dusty but proud.

Only because I wanted it Michael would I consider you parting with it!

Michael wrote:
Sell it? Sell it? Have you people no values?.

Sell it (while there is still someone alive willing to pay for it !)

In a couple of years time you will have to explain who Elvis was !

Another interesting thought about the Cheeseburger.

As he deid young his image is frozen in time (either a young Elvis or a fat bloated one) ... but had he lived he would now be 72 years old (possibly incontinent, and using a zimmer frame?)

I think the fans would prefer the bloated image !!!

Oddly enough, one of the reasons that "Elvis" is used as an image in advertising etc, is you don`t have to actually pay for the use of the persona, only for usage of any music or actual soundbites.

Not sure what you mean - surely all the photos etc are copyright?

The James Dean images still bring in a massive amount of cash.

Basically , you can use any Elvis actor , and use that image to promote your product without permission or payment.

It`s quite significant when you think about it for such a huge iconic image.
You wouldn`t blink twice at an "Elvi" being used to promote B+Q, but the Beatles would be a huge surprise.

Oh, I see what you mean now.

To be honest would any firm use an "Elvis" if they wanted to be taken seriously?

The TV has been full of Elvis impersonators today (all slightly odd characters) - makes the whole thing seem really tacky, frivolous and certainly not respectful.

Elvis is now just a joke !