Go to main content

Elvis Anthology?

August 17, 2007 | Other
Ernst Jorgensen did an interview with the Danish ”Berlinske Tidende” newspaper. In short Ernst sees both sides of the coin regarding the 30th anniversary of Elvis’ passing. He also points out the difficulties regarding RCA/BMG/SONY as the owner of Elvis’ music and EPE on the other hand holding the rights to concerts and DVD’s of the same.

What caught the eye was Ernst’s wish that the fans and the world at large should have the right to the following: A box set with all the recorded masters by Elvis through his entire career, including a book with the history of all those recordings.

He also challenges those who have the rights to Elvis pictures and concert performances to deliver a DVD box along the line of The Beatles Anthology. Ernst says Elvis simply deserves this. Not to mention the fans.
Source:EP Gold
bennie wrote on August 17, 2007
I seriousely wanna ask who is waiting on an anthology with all the masters. Don't we have the fifties, sixties and seventies box as the anthology. The general public has already the choise of more than enough compelation album. I personally think there are already too much compelation on the market.
bennie wrote on August 17, 2007
mayby an next quickpoll?
RonBaker wrote on August 17, 2007
A boxed set of all recorded masters would be massive.The 50s set was great...after that the vision strayed. There should have been two 60s boxed sets (only because there was so much music): Studio Sessions and Movie Sessions, the 70s boxed set should have included ALL of the 70s Studio sessions and kept the live concert for a different release. It would have been great to have a boxed set like Bear Family's Pat Boone set with a nice hardbound book instead of the paperbound book we got (anyone still have one that hasn't fallen apart?). Ernst is right: Elvis deserves better. The Beatles' anthology was a great work. Maybe there could be an Elvis one.
Mike Landsdown wrote on August 17, 2007
Although many of us have most, if not all, of Elvis' recordings already, a definitive box set of every studio master should find a market. To make this a worthy investment (for Sony/BMG and us, the fans), the following should be considered: - The packaging and visual presentation of each CD would have to be exceptional, as some in the past seem to have been thrown together without much artistic thought - Each recording has to be re-mastered from the best possible source, and in most cases, preserving the originally released mix - The accompanying book should provide a one-stop reference point, possibly along the lines of Ernst Jorgensens 'Elvis Presley: A Life In Music', and include: recording / release / chart details; unreleased / rare photos; images of every original US single / album, etc. - Provision could be made for future releases of out-takes, live recordings, etc. to be released with a similar presentation / format, to give the impression of building upon an existing collection. Although there have been some great releases in the past 30 years, many have been unneccessary. Overall, I am thankful for what Sony / BMG have released, however, there have been too many unnecessary duplications and a number of second-rate releases. A comprehensive box set of all studio maters could act as an historic cornerstone, allowing Sony / BMG to create a new standard and set a new direction for the future.
memphisblues wrote on August 17, 2007
Good word's Mike, a well written sensible opinion i couldn't agree more. The only thing i could add being from the UK would be images of all UK releases but we could go on forever with that for each Country. Maybe a Poll would be an Idea
Steve V wrote on August 17, 2007
Interesting idea but would it sell? Has any other artist with the same amount of recorded output released one massive set like this? Sinatra did but I believe for 2 different labels. I agree BMG lost their vision after the 50's boxset. A complete 60's studio & then movie songs boxsets may have been the way to go after that, and then a complete 70's studio boxset. I didnt like the idea of live concert disc in the 70's box when there was plenty of good studio recordings that could have been used. But a complete boxset? I dont know. Besides being very expensive Old McDonald would be residing in the same package as Dont Be Cruel!
marco31768 wrote on August 17, 2007
I hope that this mega-box will be release but it's hard to carry out: copyrights and costs, first of all.
JerryNodak wrote on August 17, 2007
A massive box set with every recorded master with book sounds great. But in reality it would be very expensive. We're talking what? 30 to 40 CDs? More? Plus hardbound book. Wow!! I'd have to take out a bank loan. I'm not saying it shouldn't/couldn't be done, but..?
usmale wrote on August 17, 2007
I agree with Mike. I would be willing to buy one big box set on two conditions : 1) they remaster everything especially the '50's. And 2) each master is presented in it's original form. The way it was originally released. By the way I'm new here, can anyone help me with some questions about an FTD release I recently purchased? Is there another place around here to post general questions and answers? Thanks
wmarkj wrote on August 17, 2007
While many wait for Sony/BMG/EPE to release box sets, others enjoy bootleg material. Another generation will die off waiting for Sony/ BMG/EPE to release what fans living during Elvis lifetime want to hear.
Homie wrote on August 17, 2007
An anthology box would be great but in my opinion such a project should still be parted in a number of separate boxed sets. Maybe like this: all studio recordings in one box, then a box with all the movie soundtracks, a collection of live material, and maybe a box with alternate takes and rarities. Jorgensen's idea is great but I don't think something like an anthology box will be released in the near future. I would appreciate it though.
shaneleebrown wrote on August 18, 2007
The Sinatra boxes are a 12CD set of the Columbia Years, a 21 Cd set of the Capitol years and a 20 CD set of the Reprise years. The latter was then reissued with the CD is paper sleeves in a book form (a bit like 78rpm albums). They work well in the case of Columbia and Capitol, but the Reprise set is in chronological order by session and this doesnt work for Sinatra as his albums are themed. In "Watertown" for example, the narrators wife is planning to return before she has even left. However, such a problem wouldn't arise for Presley as we think of his work in sessions rather than albums : Memphis sessions, June 70 sessions etc. It will be interesting to see if it happens - and what the price tag might be!
Martin DJ wrote on August 18, 2007
And there are even more Sinatra box sets: there's a five disc set of his recordings with Tommy Dorsey (on RCA!); a two disc set of V-discs, recordings made during WW II for soldiers overseas (Columbia); a great six cd box set containing all his movie recordings 1940-1960 (Reprise); and one called Vegas, containing four complete concerts on four cd's plus a bonus dvd with a filmed Vegas concert (Reprise). Not yet collected on cd is the music from Sinatra's many tv appearances. Sony Music is in the process of collecting the equally gigantic Miles Davis catalogue in a series of box sets, each containing a wealth of unrealesed material.
shaneleebrown wrote on August 18, 2007
Yes, you are right! I'd forgotten about those, and was just thinking of commercial studio recordings from his solo career. The Vegas set is remarkable and, I would say, a revelation considering how few live albums of Sinatra had actually been issued.
Steve V wrote on August 18, 2007
Thanks for clearing that up. I knew Sinatra had a lot. As for Elvis, I'd prefer to see a video anthology done in the same way the Beatles Anthology was made. I know that may not be possible because of video ownership or whatever but lets face it, there is a lot of cheap & cheesy documentary DVDs out there and also expensive ones like the Tunzi rip-offs Hot Shots Cool Clips. Our man deservers better than this. A career spanning video documentary boxset is what I hope for done professionally.
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on August 23, 2007
First of all,there should be a ftd site,were they have polls of what people would like to see released,i feel that ernst should work on that and that its long overdue,fans should not have to buy magazines to get any info on ftd or read rumor's and ponder if there true,ftd is too much of a hush hush label,not to mention that they do not advertise it anywere but again in magazines, as for a dvd set on Elvis,it would be nice to finnaly have a real look at Elvis,instead of boring and for most part same style dvd's,as for Hot clips and cool clip style dvd's as already said there way too expensive for what you get and again if they were good value,they are hidden from alot of fans because there only sold at a few sites, make them more intersting and cheaper,back to ftd, there are many fans who have no cle theres a collectors label!
schemies wrote on October 10, 2007
Well, why always talking about boxed sets ? What about an iPod (like the U2 version) full with every master and all professional recorded concerts (unedited). Even better: all (complete) alternate takes are included, too. Wow, that's worth an 160GB iPod, isn't it ?