Here are a preview of the cover art and press-release for the Gravel Road Music release "You Know, It Don't Have To Be Strictly Country Vol. 1" which is due this month.
Press-release:
- After 38 years, Elvis's voice remains impressive on each track!
- It easily could have been recorded yesterday.
- You'll discover more and more after playing it back.
- The songs I know, sound better and more complete on this CD.
(A few of the first general reactions during a playback session of the master with various Elvis fans)
These are the first 22 amazing tracks collected from private collections of which many for the first time in this shape on CD. These are the acetates which Elvis took home to play-back and agreed to be released!
All tracks have been digitally restored and re-mastered. These acetates often sounded better & different than what we know and made it to the final release!
Some tracks which appear to be known, are now for the first time in their more complete form.
This includes studio talk, count in, left & right channels, longer fade outs or even different lyrics or simply differently sung. Most are in stereo. As happened in the past, some releases only used one channel (This was an easy way to reduce the distortion, but so much got lost!).
The audio difference between tracks is purely the source and the transfer. Some have been transferred on to DAT, others on to regular cassette tapes in the past. Keep in mind that the original acetates are various in playability. Original acetates can only be played a few times (after that the quality gets less.) We chose for maximum sound quality per track instead of making them similar to each other! In this way you always get the best sound out of very recording.
The basic synopsis for this release:
The first masters without dubbing, repairs in their complete form. Unfortunately we don't have every master on acetate of the June and September sessions. So we added some first takes to cover all songs. Also a few tracks of work in progress, a rare chance to hear, a song still being built up to a complete dubbed master. Guide-strings, -horns, -backing vocals, the talking, it's all there!
Something which will strike everybody is, that Elvis's voice remains impressive on each track.
Background information;
It's a public known fact that Elvis regularly disagreed with the released version of the songs.
Unluckily, he hardly made his point towards the ones responsible, knowing there were times he was wrong and the song became a hit (In the ghetto, Suspicious minds, Burning love & others)
This cd contains the versions how Elvis liked it!
All together a really new kind of release which will make many Elvis fan's happy to hear these rare acetates available in their best possible form. The purist will be happy since no effects have been used to enhance the sound. There are no further copies of acetates available in better sound, only a very few copies were made of each song and most are gone or badly damaged. The acetate lacquer wears out very fast, so every track is really unique.
Note: None of the used versions are included on the recent FTD release of "That's the way it is" or the forthcoming "Love letters from Elvis". Only parts of the acetates, which you can enjoy in full version on this cd are used in the documentary; Elvis "That's way it is". The CD contains 22 songs with a 20 pages full color booklet having extensive liner notes to guide you through the songs, background info about Elvis' 1970 and explains in detail what an acetate really is. Also why and how it's made.
This is a limited release so we will be able to continue to release in chronologic order, containing the original acetates in best possible condition. 1970 will be a Volume 1 & 2 which will be release a little later this year.
"You Know, It Don't Have To Be Strictly Country Vol. 1" is set for release this month! Don't miss your opportunity to get the ultimate acetate collection.
Tracklisting:
01. Twenty days and twenty nights (Take 9 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
02. I've lost you (Take 7 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
03. I was born about 10.000 years ago (Take 1 – Master , undubbed –unedited)
04. The sound of your cry (Take 11 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
05. The fool (Take 1 – try out)
06. Little cabin on the hill (Take 2) – Master, undubbed
07. Cindy ,Cindy (take 1) unedited
08. Bridge over troubled water (Take 8 – Master , undubbed - unedited, unrepaired)
09. Got my mojo working /Keep your hands off it (Take 1 – Master , dubbed brass & horns –unedited)
10. How the web was woven (take 3 – Master, back-up vocals, no additional overdubbing ) (previous unreleased)
11. It's your baby, you rock it (Take 5 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
12. Stranger in the crowd (take 9 - Master, Guide strings & backing vocals ) (previously unreleased)
13. I'll never know (Take 7 – Master, undubbed –unedited) Acetate
14. Mary in the morning (Take 5 – Master, undubbed, unedited) Acetate
15. Ain't no big thing (Take 9) (dubbed strings) (previously unreleased)
16. You don't have to say you love me (take 3– Alternate Master, dubbed strings – no backing vocals) (previously unreleased)
17. Just pretend (Take 3 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
18. This is our dance (Take 11 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
19. Life (Take 20 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
20. Heart of Rome (Take 3 – Used for composite Master , undubbed –unedited) Stereo (previously unreleased)
21. Bridge over troubled water - V.O July 2 3 (Acetate) stereo (previously unreleased)
22. There goes my everything (Take 3 – Master , undubbed –unedited) Acetate
Total running time over 76+ minutes