The latest outings of FTD are the infamous album Elvis (the Fool album) and a concert that has been released on bootleg several times before (Power of Zhazam! and One Night Only!). First to be played: the Boston show.
Design
Personally I like the link to the Madison Square Garden album, but I would have gone further and take a full size picture of Elvis, like on the MSG album… they are available looking at Madison’s One Night Only! Furthermore it is quite impossible to compare a regular FTD with a Madison release design-wise. Madison wins hands down.
Content
As said, the show has been released a couple of times before. Where the Madison release was an enormous jump forwards compared with the older Power Of Zhazam!, this FTD gives no improvements. I saw some exaggerating comments about being a disaster, but in my ears it is not that bad. It is just what you prefer. I do prefer One Night Only! because it’s more clear. This outing sounds a bit compressed, but I can imagine that some think that the Madison release was too sharp.
Show-wise, for those who have no idea: of all shows I have this certainly belongs to the best 10 percent. It is a pity that FTD didn’t have a complete tape either, so again How Great Thou Art and the introductions are incomplete. Some should have told the engineer to use two tape desks ;-)
Conclusion
For the die hard fan a useless release, unless he or she is a completist and wants to have the entire FTD collection. To those that missed the Madison release, this might be a welcome disc.
Just a good show ! Keep them coming FTD !
very useful review. Thanks Lex
I honestly think it`s a copy of the well-known soundboard. Same cut as before. As far as I know Ernst has no tour SB`s priot to March 1974.
From a well-informed source I KNOW that the audio was stolen (sorry,taken!:) from the Madison release,but Lene Reidel "managed" to make it worse. The design is also much worse compared to the Madison release. Sad,very sad. For $35 here's the chance to get the INFERIOR version of ONE NIGHT ONLY. Such is life i guess...
Good and honest review,Lex. You hit the nail on the head. "One Night Only" is much better looking and slightly better sounding and i've already sold my copy of this FTD. It's not a good idea for FTD to re-release famous bootlegs because they can't compete with bootleggers. With a bad designer and a sound engineer like Mrs Reidel they have no chance. However, i will support the label every time when they release something worthwhile. Love,Erika
Hi hangloose & Erika Freiburger. Allthough you might have this release allready, some might not be so lucky. Hangloose, Again I have seen this review somewhere, but not by you. All in all, I like this release, and will play it quite some times.
A great cover shot. Reminds me of his second Ed Sullivan Show performance, looking up to the Gods during Love Me. Who'd have thought that 15 years down the line he'd still be regaling capacity crowds in stadiums and auditoriums across the country with that voice?
Another FTD release gone to the dogs. It's a damn shame, really. I thought such blunders were confined to audience and soundboard recordings, but FTD somehow manages to screw up professionally recorded material too. For example, just listen to what FTD did with the well known tracks on Standing Room Only, and you'll know what I mean. As far as design goes, FTD has never been able to compete with Madison. No one has for that matter, except for Triangle, which produced The Hampton Road Concert (arguably one of the best imports ever produced).
For the die hard fan a useless release, unless he or she is a completist and wants to have the entire FTD collection. To those that missed the Madison release, this might be a welcome disc. That is the only right conclusion...
Spot on with your comments on THIS FTD Release Lex!~
I've never seen the inside of One Night Only and it well may be magnificent but as for the outside this FTD cover leaves the One Night Only cover for dead.
This is just another -average-Concert he gave?? no way.. you r the one who doesn't listen good to this concert...sorry Sw-Caroline i'm not dissapointed one bit after buying this release
Received At the Bostan Garden today. I´m not a fan of soundboards but this is a great release, fine sound and Elvis in great voice! Thank you FTD.
just a add-on to my last reaction that was meant for a person who's reactions are deleted all of the sudden...but never mind that but after a little delay today i received my Boston Garden FTD and all i can say i totally agree with you LarsG,nothing wrong with the sound cover-art is outstanding,i really love it..this is indeed a great release
fantastic release.I'm absolutely in love with my copy.This has always been a concert at the top of my "wish list".Finally FTD came out with it and the wait was well worth it.The booklet is cool,I love the cover art and how it mirrors the MSG album.Too me,the sound is awesome.Perhaps the best concert FTD release.
i'm with you eric c indeed a fantastic release
I agree with Lex's review (and that rarely happens!) This release is good for only those who missed the better bootleg. If there is no horse, a donkey will do as well... To Jim Says Hello: The Madison cover (and booklet) looks 10.000 times better! The FTD is average. But i repeate myself: If there is no horse, a donkey will do as well... When Kevan Budd is not available then you have to be satisfied with Miss Reidel:) I feel sorry for those people who couldn't get the Madison title.
The right place for this FTD is in the dustbin.
Have you heard the news? This is slightly off-topic,it's about another FTD release called "A Minnesota Moment". It has just recently turned out that Ernest Jergensen misdated School Days, Hurt, Blue Christmas and That`s All Right! These tracks are NOT from Dayton,October 26, 1976 ES as stated on the cover! They are not even from the same tour! In fact they are from Anaheim,November 30, 1976 ES. From a person who regularly releases wrongly dated concerts and uses a sound engineer like Lene Reidel,what do you expect after all? This person (Ernest Jergensen) is not suitable to handle an important label like FTD. There are too many mistakes,wrong dates,terrible covers and especially terrible sound errors so it's about time to do a petition to dump Jergensen and find someone else (hopefully a real fan) who can control the label on an acceptable way. I don't expect perfect releases,but for $35 i definitely expect less errors!!! And a little more recpect towards the fans! I'm not interested in weak apologies 3 times in a year. Do it better or don't do anything at all! We deserve quality products for our hard earned money!
Snowman, when you are trying to say here that Jorgensen is not an Elvis fan, than that would be the stupiest statement I read here in a while..
A real Elvis-fan (or at least an average careful person) would have checked the correct date before release! There are online sites where he can listen to the audience recordings for free! Only a little time,that's all. But he's too lazy to check the final products before release. That's why such terrible mistakes happened like "Where No One Stands Alone" on "Unchained Melody" FTD or the mastering errors on "New Years Eve". Because no one (NO ONE!) checked them before release! They just didn't care. So don't try to tell me that Ernst and Lene are Elvis fans!
If these are indeed wrongly dated than i expect FTD to send me a replacement copy. I pay €25 for an FTD and i'm not interested in a fake concert,compiled from october AND november 1976 soundboards,without mentioning it on the cover. If it was an error,ok.,i accept it. But then any RESPONSIBLE label HAS TO offer a corrected replacement copy at least. That would be the minimum. Of course it won't happen... FTD is not a responsible label in my book. I really don't want to sound negative but it's far the worst record label i've ever bought CD's from. Believe me,i have at least one hundred CD's from other artists and there isn't any error on those CD's. Why? And why there are errors only on the FTD's?
You don't have to feel sorry for me in any way cause i have both releases( Boston Garden 71 FTD /One Night Only),there's nothing wrong with this FTD at all the cover-art and sound are great, you don't have to tell me or better said even try to say to me that i'm wrong cause i heard this FTD many times allready i know what i heard and that's not bad at all.
Erika...the inserted songs are mentioned on the cover..that`s o.k..but the dates are wrong..my AR says Anaheim, Nov. 30, 1976 ES and NOT Dayton October 26 as stated on the FTD cover..Ernst has to take a lesson in dating SB recordings..it`s not the first time..bad research..SB recordings sometimes remind me of "sloppily produced mass products" with little efforts made for title, cover or research..or quality of the show..I want a decent product without bugs..
Shame on you Ernst Jorgensen! You're a bloody amateur.
Ernst should have been replaced years ago. He got no eyes for talent, marketing or the younger fans. Just like with most companies, executives should be replaced every couple of years just to keep that feeling with their buyers. Ernst is just not a people's person. He only talks to one or two fanclub owners handing out illegal soundboard to folks that kiss up to him. Nowadays companies should transparent above everything else, something FTD never really accomplished. He doesn't understand that we, all the Elvis fans are the real FTD label. Love,Erika
Friends...please ..without Ernst we had nothing....I am more thank thankful for all that he does for us fans..
Without Elvis we had nothing. Without Ernst and Lene we have no sound errors:)
Hangloose!!! Maybe you should give it a rest, take some time off, sit in the sun and get your batteries charged. You seem like a very angry man, but you have no reason to be so. FTD is for us to enjoy, and I do!!!
Dan,the only reason why you defend Ernst is because you're Danish,too. Sadly the regular mistakes he's doing speak for itselves.
Hangloose! You're to be mistaken here. I don't care where Ernst is born. My reason to like him is that he provides Elvis CD's which I happen to dig, that's it, pure & simple.
OK and what do you think about track 18 on Unchained Melody FTD? And what do you think about the fact that they didn't offer replacement copy for that? Was it a fair move from FTD?
I really don't have a problem with the things you mention. Elvis recordings are old, soundboards are from MC casettes not planed for release. I don't care if an Elvis song does not sound similar to what U2 just recorded!!! What I care for is that I'm lucky to be able to buy Elvis recordings which would never be released on the main label.
Dan,are you an i...ot or are you just pretend this? You exactly know that hanglose meant is the terrible mastering error on Where No One Stands Alone,and the fact that these disgusting people didn't offer replacement copy for that substandard CD. I'm from the Netherlands and i hate Ernst. You're from Denmark and what a miracle,you defend him all the time. Are you an FTD dealer? Or a relative of Ernst? You may like him,that's ok. You have the right to like him. But you may not deny the terrible mistakes this crazy man is constantly doing. Shame on Ernst and shame on you!
Hi Gert. No I don't consider myself an idiot... As a matter of fact some call me smart ;-) Light up buddy, you are taking things too hard. Life is good, enjoy it!!!
You still didn't answer my question regarding the terrible mastering error on Unchained Melody FTD and the lack of replacement copies in that case. You're living in denial. Please try to grow up and take off your rose-coloured glasses.
You people take this stuff way too seriously. Life has way more important issues to deal with. This is supposed to be fun. You feel like you been screwed do you? I guess you never dealt with a certain Paul L. back in his heyday.
Quick so, Steve. Many of the people here are too young to remember Mr. L. Of course this was in the good old days when we were treated to at least one alternate take per year, if we were lucky. Then that man Ernst came along and ruined it all by releasing at least half a dozen CDs every year. By the way, I'm not from Denmark. I just thought I would mention that as I expect my nationality will be brought up by someone.
Tony C and Steve : fully agreed ! Hanglose, GeertFromNl : shake hands buddies . Two angry young men, way to go to learn what mutual respect is for other opinion(s) or view(s). Pls don't tell somebody to grow up , thinking that because you're in your early twenties you reached maturity already. Geert : calling someone an idiot, writing you HATE Ernst is not at all proof of maturity. I read a lot of your postings in the near past . They all have the same teneur, always using agressive language. So don't be surprised that not so long ago one of your postings was removed. Do you really think this is the right way to express yourself ? As for FTD : if you agree or not , Ernst and Co delivered a lot of great releases in the past. Once again I state and agree that not everyting was "bull's eye". But keeping score of the total of FTD-releases (95 !!! untill now), all in all the mistakes represent a mole-hill instead of the mountain some make of it. Always El.
Hi Benny Scott. You know negative /angry people come and and go, they are everywhere. If Gert call's me an Idiot, I don't mind. And about growing up... I past Elvis's living years one and a half years ago... So all in all I know That Gert/hangloose's agenda is to start a negative wave and the reason is... because they/he can.
Hi Dan , good answer and mentality ! Take care ! Best regards . Always El.
Since we had it here a few days ago..also Haw.Wedd. Song is wrongly dated on Minnesota Moment....it`s also Anaheim Nov. 30, 1976....compare..
Thanks for the ifno Cico !! I'll archive it. Always interesting to have the correct dates,places, etc.. Always El.
Thank you for the info,Ciscoking. Another evident that Ernst is not the right person to handle the FTD releases. Dan: there's no agenda here. There are only facts. Facts that you don't want to see.
HangLose: Please don't talk bout' facts. When you post something you copy others opinion! whether its fact or not.
Sadly the regular errors on various FTD's is a FACT.
hanglose: Let it be! Fact is that FTD has given us around a hundred releases which, had you lived in the eighties, you had never dreamed of. Concider cd's with errors as highly collectable. Have a nice day!
I consider CD's with errors on it as junk. In this case very expensive junk!
Dan , don't waste your time and words at "fans" that send postings with only one goal : to upset the real fans. Such people don't deserve it. I just replied to another posting of our "friend" ( subject : fool/fool, more recent news ) .So from now on it's "over and out" for me with people ALWAYS being negative . Always El.
I notice that the two main culprits who say that Ernst is the worst person to handle Elvis' catalogue were not even born when Elvis died, so they have no actual knowledge of how things were before he took over the reins. One commented that Ernst may be around sixty, the implication being that somebody is not able to function correctly at such a great age. People of sixty have one advantage over those in their twenties and thirties, they experienced what it was like to be an Elvis fan while he was still alive. Sadly the younger fans will never know just how great it was to be a fan then, a feeling that no amount of retrospective books can give. You had to be there.
Absolutely right you are Tony ! And I was there, right from the (RCA) beginning ! Nobody can take that away from me or those who were there too ! What a great time it was ( and STILL IS ) !!!! Always El.
Hi Benny & Tony C. I think we click here. I remember when I got my first bootleg vinyl. Did not think it was for real( an audience recording) I was convinced that all Elvis recordings was released (prior to his death) I'm humblely thankfully that FTD exists!
Just got my copy in the mail this week. Being from Down Under we maybe the last in the world to receive our shipment. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely!! It's just one of those shows that was as rough as guts with a few over-improvisations and dropped lyrics here and there, yet the dynamic never fades. Unlike the later years, theres no going through the motions here. My highlights were tracks 2, 4, 7, 12 & 16.
I must admit, the FTD cynics who condemned this "sonic disaster" to the "dust bin" (and Ernst Jorgensen with it) had me fooled for a while, believing it was little better than the "Zhazam" bootleg. I was actually going to buy the "One Night Only" bootleg in defiance of FTD. But thanks to Lex's balanced review and even more positive posts I reconsidered. But because I didn't have "ONO" I like "Boston Garden '71" more than many. Thanks fellas
Back to the Anaheim Nov. '76 tracks, what about FTD issuing replacement discs that have October versions of the songs in question or a replacement digi-pak giving the correct dates?
Daz,give up dreaming,please. FTD almost never offer replacement discs for faulty releases. They did it max. 3 times. In case of terrible releases like "Unchained Melody" (that contains the worst mastering error of all time!) or "New Year's Eve" they didn't offer it.
Hey Dazman. Don't worry! You're needs will be meet.
DanTheMan,anytime a new faulty FTD comes out i feel exactly the same stomach ache as you felt when you saw your dearest "Cut 'Em Down To Size" bootleg,destroyed by CD-rot:) Can you understand me now?:) The only difference is that your bootleg CD was destroyed by time while the FTD's were destroyed always by the same persons: Ernst and Lene.
Hanglose...: Its gettin' late.. where I am at. Good night, sleep well and enjoy...
No flies on me. 3 out of 95 releases might worry HL, but I find it quite forgivable. No errors on BG '71
3 out of 95? Try 25 out of 95!
I loved this soundtrack album, I can't understand why it received so much negative press here and I guessI browsed the comments too quickly to pick up on what the errors were, sounds fine to me and I can at least distinguish this one from the over 31 or more concert soundtracks FTD has released.
