FTD In June

The only one i care for from those 4, is the dress rehearsal!! A Version of Separate Ways With Orchestra sounds great! Finally new rehearsal material u can say that FTD has lots still, And i think that CiscoKing has alot to do with the rehearsal CD, So a Thanks to FTD As to Ofcoarse Cisco!!!

They should seriously rethink the art cover for "From Hawaii To Vegas". Even if the CD was of a concert it would still look bad. Why not put a picture of Elvis with the band in the studio? There's still time to redo it and give us something better looking. Sometimes I think the bootleggers are more concerned about these details...

I read some place where the rehearsal set is a "soundboard" recording, yet in FTDs own words thay call the set a "rough audio quality" recording. This diminishes my excitement a great deal. I enjoyed hearing the cassette recorded "Any Day Now" from the last FTD rehearsal release, but ONLY once. It was too rough to enjoy repeated listening. That makes me wonder just how "rough" this set really sounds. Maybe Lex can give us a little insight or maybe a sound bite will be posted somewhere. As far as GI BLUES, I am more than satisfied with what MRS put together to pass on this set and the book. The FLAMING STAR sessions soundtrack would have fit in with all of this 1960 era releases as of late. Maybe in August.

Lex - you must be on my mind.. lol I meant to say that maybe Cisco can give us some insight into the sound on the rehearsal CD.

The rehearsals from January 25, 1973 is the only interesting release for me. At last something new. Curious about the soundquality though...

Elvis opened in Vegas on January 26 to a pretty rough season. He was having problems with his voice. He had signed divorce papers just before the Aloha show and Priscilla was advocating keeping Elvis from seeing Lisa Marie for awhile. No wonder he was considering singing "Separate Ways" at this time. The sound quality notwithstanding, the content of this CD should be very interesting.

GI Blues will be the one that I have been waiting for., for a very long time.

Friends,..I have nothing to do with the rehearsals....that was Ernst and his crew alone.. I am responsible for the SB releases...honour to whom honour is due.. Really eagerly waiting for the discs...the new rehearsals are a sensation..and GI Blues is one of my fave movie sessions..along with Jailhouse Rock..

As far as the sound quality is concerned, I assumed it's similar to track 18 on FTD Stage Rehearsal....

Ciscoking - your comment is appreciated yet somewhat puzzling: you say you have nothing to do with the rehearsals. Then how do you know they are a sensation?

They aren´t a sensation for you..? lol.. I didn`t even know they existed..okay..I should have said ..sensational news.. sorry for the misunderstanding..

well. rehearsals from vegas. that's great. 69 rehearsals...hope they see light soon...

Good to have some more vinyl releases. When FTD runs out of concerts they can keep going for a long time reissuing the CDs in LP format! It will put us all in the Marshalsea, but what the heck! (The Marshalsea was a prison for debtors in London, used by Charles Dickens in some of his novels)

well for me they are all welcome afterall i am a ftd collector and i got 'em all. The rehearsals from Jan. 25, 1973 is an interesting release to me and i guess for alot others but i got to say becaouse i love vinyl and to see my alltime favorite elvis record that's the way it is too be relesed on ftd vinyl makes me go crazy.......wow what a summer

What will be the difference between the FTD and the MRS? Besides the fact that they release two volumes. Before they had double cds, so does that mean we get 4 cds on GI Blues?

Looking forward to all FTD releases. The '73 rehearsal is the most promising but I am affraid the sound quality won't be that good...

Natha that means you will be paying FTD a lot of money to get a few more (maybe) takes of these songs. I'm not rich. Will stick to what I have as soundtracks are not my cup of tea anyway.

That's what I thought too, Steve V. They are just too late with this release.

The FTD version of G.I.Blues will be THE one to own for best sound and completeness!~ we already KNOW what the FTD rehearsal will sound like from track 14 already released on FTD!~

What track 14 is that?

I'm extremely interested in the rehearsals disc though I wonder how many humdingers are actually likely to be on it as opposed to cursory run throughs of the usual suspects. Judging from the '72 rehearsals plus the songs eventually used in the upcoming Vegas season I'd expect to see some rare numbers like "It's a matter of time", "I'm leaving it up to you", "I'm so lonesome I could cry", Faded Love, I'm Leavin, "Crying Time". But the lack of an actual tracklist has me worried that we're going to get nothing that unusual because surely if the tape included something like "Sunday Morning Coming Down" or "Ain't No Sunshine" it would be splashed all over their publicity material??? Besides there was very little variation in Elvis's shows this season. I can live with bad quality, after all the tapes are what the tapes are but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for something special songwise. If nothing else the fact that we're only hearing about this tape now surely whets the appetite re what else may be out there in rehearsalland.

Here's the tracklist for the rehearsal CD: Tracklist: 1) Something 2) You Gave Me A Mountain 3) Steamroller Blues 4) My Way 5) Love Me 6) It’s Over 7) Blue Suede Shoes 8) I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry 9) Welcome To My World 10) I’ll Remember You 11) Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On 12) An American Trilogy 13) A Big Hunk O’ Love 14) I’m Leavin’ It All Up To You 15) Faded Love 16) I Can’t Stop Loving You 17) Separate Ways – with band 18) Separate Ways – with band and orchestra 19) Bridge Over Troubled Water 20) Can’t Help Falling In Love - incomplete

Ah, nice one E-vis. Where did you get that list from. It's pretty much what I expected though I'd forgotten about Separate Ways, really looking forward to that. I imagine the sound quality will be similar to the version of ILIAUTY that's already out there. In other words far from perfect but listenable for those of us that care enough.

Track Listings for rehersal CD: 1) Something 2) You Gave Me A Mountain 3) Steamroller Blues 4) My Way 5) Love Me 6) It's Over 7) Blue Suede Shoes 8) I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry 9) Welcome To My World 10) I'll Remember You 11) Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On 12) An American Trilogy 13) A Big Hunk O' Love 14) I'm Leavin' It All Up To You 15) Faded Love 16) I Can't Stop Loving You 17) Separate Ways –with band 18) Separate Ways - with band and orchestra 19) Bridge Over Troubled Water 20) Can't Help Falling In Love - incomplete Recorded on stage January 25, 1973 at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Track Listing for GI Blues: Disc 1 The Original Album Side 1 1.Tonight's All Right For Love 2:15 2.What's She Really Like 2:19 3.Frankfort Special 2:57 4.Wooden Heart 2:05 5.G.I. Blues 2:41 The Original Album Side 2 6.Pocketful Of Rainbows 2:36 7.Shoppin' Around 2:24 8.Big Boots 1:33 9.Didja' Ever 2:38 10.Blue Suede Shoes 2:08 11.Doin' The Best I Can 3:16 12.Tonight's All Right For Love 1:26 [Alternate Song] Bonus Songs 13.Shoppin' Around (version #1) 2:17 14.Frankfort Special (fast version) 2:19 15.Big Boots (fast version) 1:22 16.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 12) 2:26 17.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 12) 2:26 18.Big Boots (medium tempo version) 1:04 First Takes 19.Tonight Is So Right For Love (Barcarolle from 'The Tales Of Hoffman', instrumental) 2:18 20.Tonight Is So Right For Love (takes 1-2) 3:07 21.What's She Really Like (takes 1-5) 6:25 22.Frankfort Special (fast version takes 1-2) 3:48 23.Wooden Heart (take 1) 2:13 23) G.I.Blues (take 1) 2:57 24.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, takes 1-2) 4:52 25.Shoppin' Around (version #1, take 1) 2:34 26.Big Boots (fast version, takes 1-2) 1:48 27.Big Boots (slow version, take 1) 1:39 28.Didja' Ever (take 1) 2:59 29.Tonight's All Right For Love (take 1) 1:24 30.Doin' The Best I Can (takes 1-3) 5:11 Disc 2 April 27-28 Sessions 1.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 3) 2:43 2.Shoppin' Around (instrumental take 4) 1:46 3.Shoppin' Around (version #1, takes 2-4) 3:20 4.Shoppin' Around (version #1, take 5) 2:26 5.Doin' The Best I Can (takes 4-7) 2:23 6.Doin' The Best I Can (takes 8-9) 3:44 7.G.I. Blues (takes 2-4) 3:45 8.G.I. Blues (take 5) 2:43 9.Tonight Is So Right For Love (take 3) 10.Tonight Is So Right For Love (take 4) 2:36 11.Tonight Is So Right For Love (takes 5-7) 5:28 12.Frankfort Special (fast version, takes 3-7) 6:51 13.Frankfort Special (fast version, take 8) 2:42 14.Big Boots (fast version, take 3) 1:36 15.Big Boots (fast version, take 4) 1:41 16.Big Boots (slow version, takes 2-3) 2:26 17.What's She Really Like (takes 6-7) 3:32 18.What's She Really Like (takes 8-11) 6:10 19.What's She Really Like (takes 12-13) 3:02 20.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, takes 4-7) 5:36 21.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 8) 2:51 22.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 9) 2:49 23.Pocketful Of Rainbows (version #1, take 10) 2:48 24.Wooden Heart (takes 2-4M) 3:53 I guess Vol 2 will be of the May 6th session?

The long awaited FTD SUN Project has been announced for release on August 16. 'A Boy From Tupelo : The Complete 1953-55 Recordings' includes for the first time in one collection every known Elvis Presley SUN master and outtake, plus two private records Elvis paid for with his own money, as well as thrilling radio and concert performances from the period. This 3 CD package features 10 previously-unreleased cuts.

"Hawaii to Vegas" has a very interesting line up. Judging by 'I'm Leavin' it all up to you' it's not unlike a booth recording sound-wise. I think this project would be more complete by using the best show on SB from this engagement as a double CD set.

Can't be happy about these FTDs anymore. On Keith Flynn's site almost every session contains descriptions like: "On FTD's 'Elvis Sings Memphis Tennessee' Takes 5 and 6 of Love Me Tonight have been edited together. There are a few seconds and the False Start from Take 6, then the complete Take 5 but missing the False Start, then a few seconds of talking from after Take 6". Ernst puzzles on every FTD. I'm tired of this and stop buying these. He betrays the fans with his tinkered together sessions. If he was on the fan's side he wouldn't do that again and again and again. He's a moneymaker. One day we can download the unedited sessions for extra big bug from his private server. You'll see.

First off, I have to agree with "Boxcar" as to the tinkering by FTD with Elvis' music. I have also caught on to the splicing or merging of portions of songs to make a "whole" if you will. As to the above releases for June 2012, thanks, but no thanks. I'm done with FTD after catching on to Ernst's little games. FTD has outlived it's usefulness and purpose in my mind and yes, I have a good selection of FTD releases.

There's a much to enjoy. But what would they do to let's the sound better than ever. What's the source to compaire with?. But a newly found mono lp master. What a joke, what a lie. It's convert from stereo to mono. you're a fool to believe that they have found the mono lp masters. That was the same with the Elvis is back book/cd. And then i can understand the reactions below. And again way to late for GI. Again MRS wins again the race from FTD. Complete and very good sound and a nice booklet. But hwaii to vegas would be a welcome addition.

Well, I do understand that they made great efforts to make the original 3tracks of G.I.Blues sound great. But I have the G.I Blues Masters on the Sony Masters Box. I have the uncut sessions on several releases. As an unneccessary addition I bought the MRS set. So, that's essentialy all I have to have. Now Ernst comes along with the new re-mixed 3 tracks. Could be the definitive release and worth buying for the last time. But when I see the track-listing I instantly realize that he again cut the sessions in sequences. First takes in one block, a few takes of a song on one CD, another few takes on a later track. The past showed that he is using this to cut count-ins, studio dialogue etc. etc. And this throws up the question: Do you need that if you have the complete sets mentioned earlier. Ernst kills these releases with his editing, cutting and deleting. Damn, this is a collector's label. It don't have to sound great. If you want to hear Elvis sound great go to Wal-Mart and buy a 20 Greatest Hits. But this is not what FTD was intended to be. If I don't but this G.I Blues set it's Ernst's way of producing that keeps me away from it.

I tend to agree with Boxcar on this one. >>Damn, this is a collector's label. It don't have to sound great. If you want to hear Elvis sound great go to Wal-Mart and buy a 20 Greatest Hits. But this is not what FTD was intended to be. This is a collector's label, intended for releases such as “FROM HAWAII TO LAS VEGAS” which is a perfect release for FTD and one that I am really looking forward to hearing.

Contrary to JeanMarie's assessment I have not seen the light nor do I wish to walk any distance in his shoes.

"A lot of effort has been put into making these the best sounding G.I. Blues recordings ever? The old standby cliche aka the superior sound plus Ernst's usual tinkering with the individual tracks in the form of splicing. Ernst has played "God" one too many times me thinks in ripping we Elvis fans off. Enough is enough! Don't purchase anymore FTD issues and put this scam pout of business; they are no longer for the avid Elvis collector, which used to be me, for one. Goodnight Sweet Prince Ernst.

While we are picking on Ernst: Did somebody check Keith Flynn's webside and saw the word "clipped" behind takes released by FTD? I never paid attention to it but recently I've tried to re-built and put together the sessions as they really were .. using bootlegs and FTDs. While doing this I worked with a sound editor and found many of the FTD CDs unrepairable distorted. If you put them in the editor there's no more wave of the sound .. it's only a totally distorted (clipped) green band across the screen. This is unbelievable. When my 11 y.o. son tries to record something the first thing is to watch the recording level. Not so FTD. Now I've leared the hard (expensive) way what "clipped" means. Ernst is not only tinkering and editing. His label also sells us destroyed recordings. Destroyed by FTD.

What a load of hysterical nonsense some people write....

Let's not forget that bootleggers deal in stolen property. The people behind FTD would be foolish not to release something because the bootleggers beat them to it. And yes, the FTD version of G.I. Blues may very well be the best sounding of the bunch simply because they own the master tapes. And to answer JeanMarie's eternal question: of course there will be classic album editions of EP Boulevard and Moody Blue, complete with outtakes that are in FTD's possession (and need not be purchased from bootleggers).

I probably wont buy any of these but at least FTD is putting out product. I just read that most major record labels will stop producting CDs by 2013 except for special limited editions. CDs just do not sell anymore. What does this mean for the future? I have no idea, but for those who buy every FTD, stop whining and enjoy the label while it lasts!

I have a love-hate opinion of FTD. I love that they're releasing Elvis material, some of which would be impossible to find otherwise, (the new rehearsal CD for example). And I hate it when FTD doesn't give each CD their very best treatment. I'm not talking about making poor source material sound better than perfect, for indeed, that is an unrealistic expectation. I'm talking about things like dismal mastering of stereo recorded material, (listen to Standing Room Only), and I'm talking about minimalist packaging at over-the-top prices. Case in point, I was looking at my copy of Madison's "Greensboro Revolution" and at FTD's "American Trilogy." Both are stereo recorded live material of Elvis circa 1972. The Madison release is phenomenal in every way imaginable. The FTD release, though very good, could have been so much better. Not that I'll stop buying the occasional FTD, for I see "very good" as being far better than "nothing at all".

Martin, Steve and Lefty : I couldn't agree more ! Not everything FTD releases is perfect but I'm thankful for what we were able to get so far. Without FTD a lot of material would never had seen the light of day. Always El.

I definitely second the last 4 responses. Lately I am more critical in buying cds. My ears are obviously not as well as some fans here or I fail to have the apparatus for it. Hence I don't fall for all this 'improved sound' add anymore. I stick to buying material I don't have. And as there is hardly any new material I select on availability, sound and presentation. I have paid already so much to the Legacy that I don't worry too much about royalties (it was mostly never to be released anyway). I look forward to reading the responses on From H to LV as that one seems the most interesting one here (and to buy). The advantage of FTD is that one has the time to think it over, while most of the other releases are available for just a short period of time.

NOTHING is perfect in this world. I've learned to live with that a long time ago, so I take the good with the bad (or should I say/write "less good" ?). Always El.

You can say a lot about Ernst.While he's doing the FTD's he works at the same time to other releases like the Legacy. Not an easy job. And i know for sure we have to thank that we get a new one. But only a mono versions is not enough maybe they could release the Quadrophonic lp's. And yes that is possible.

I am very happy with the FTD label. Great material. However, I just wish the cost of the FTD CDs, were cheaper in price, so that, I could buy every release ! How great, it would be, if RCA-Sony-FTD were to make a Music deal with Amazon.com and Walmart to carry these CDS, for a limited time, (like a month) at a lower price, and Elvis.com would continue to carry the CDs, at the full price, so if one misses out on the Limited selling price time, at retail, it can be bought at Elvis.com. Just a thought, and I bet RCA-SONY-FTD, would sell a lot more Elvis CDs !

I just took a leap of faith and preordered “FROM HAWAII TO LAS VEGAS.” It seems like it should be very interesting and give good insight to Elvis and his preparations for his shows. I like that this release is so different than a lot of them. I agree with George that I wish these things weren't so expensive. And though I don' t have them all, the ones I do have have been well worth the money, including Amarillio '77 which I have been listening too a lot since receiving it. TCB!