Elvis Collector's Gold

PICTURE OF THE WEEK.

This week we have two private pics from Elvis.

Go to the Menu: Pics Of The Week or

2002/12/10 Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS PRESLEY 25TH ANNIVERSARY SONGBOOK.

Hal Leonard Publishing will release the Songbook for the 25th Anniversary on December 23rd, 2002.
It contains 40 Songs.

2002/12/10 Hal Leonard Publishing / Ep.Gold.Com.

LATEST CELEBRITY VISITORS TOGRACELAND.

Yesterday, December 9, actress Jane Seymour toured.

On December 6, Aerosmith made their second visit to Graceland. Lead singer Steven Tyler did not come along this time.
On November 30, actress Alyssa Milano toured.
On November 27, actor Benicio Del Toro and actor/producer Gabriel Byrne toured Graceland.

2002/12/10 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS COMEDY.

British director Stephen Frears is considering making a new comedy about a conspiracy around Elvis Presley. Frears has directed the likes of High Fidelity and Dangerous Liaisons. He is expected to make The Importance of Being Elvis his next film.

The film tells the story of Brian from Newcastle, who claims that for many years he was Elvis Presley. The premise is that when Elvis was serving in the US Army, he was shot in the throat by a fan and could no longer sing. His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, with the collusion of the American government, found an impersonator to replace him. It's not known when the film is likely to be made.

2002/12/10 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

JERRY SCHEFF IN VIENNA.

Jerry Scheff is going to be in Vienna on the 10th and 11th of January with singer Dennis Jale.

Venue:
Wiener Metropol
Hernalser Hauptstraße 55,
A-1170 Wien / Vienna
Tel. 01/407 77 407 (for Ticket reservation)

2002/12/10 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

TWO NEW ELVIS CALENDERS FOR 2003.

Brown Trout Publishers are publishing two new Elvis calendars for 2003. Those are in a series titled "Faces Calendars". The first one is in a square format ( ISBN 0-7631-5750-3 ) while the second one is narrower and higher in format ( ISBN 0-7631-5751-1 ).

2002/12/10 Elvis En Bourgogne / Ep.Gold.Com.

KING CANDIDS.COM.

The great Elvis -site from Russ Howe " King Candids.Com" , updated his column with new unseen / unpublished Elvis photo's.
To visit "King Candids.Com" Click on the banner.

2002/12/10 Russ Howe / Andylon Lensen / Ep.Gold.Com.

THE NEW BOOK FROM RUSS HOWE & TOM SALVA ROCK 'N NASSAU.

The new book from Russ Howe & Tom salva "Rock 'N Nassau" , is planned for release between end January - the month March . 2003.

2002/12/10 Russ Howe / Tom Salva / Andylon Lensen / Ep.Gold.Com.

FINISH CHART UPDATE

Elvis 30 #1 Hits dropped one spot to # 4 on the official Finnish album chart this week.. So far it has sold over 45.000 copies here.

2002/12/10 Kari Paju - Finland / Ep.Gold.Com.

TOP EARNING DEAD CELEBRITIES.

NEW YORK - One might not think of death as an optimal career move, but for some celebrities, crossing over to the far side doesn't hurt their income in the least.

Take Tupac Shakur. The infamous rapper was gunned down in Las Vegas six years ago at age 25, but last year he sold 2.7 million albums and earned an estimated $7 million. In fact, Shakur--who had recorded some 200 unreleased tracks at the time of his murder--has put out more albums dead than alive.

But 25 years after his death, Elvis Presley remains the undisputed king of the crypt. A funked-up version of "A Little Less Conversation" was featured in a World Cup television ad in June and spent four weeks as the No. 1 single in the U.K. The single netted the estate about $4 million and helped offset dipping attendance at Graceland. All together Elvis earned around $37 million, easily besting Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz ($28 million) for the top spot on our list.

To compile our definitive list, four reporters looked at dozens of estates and spent countless hours interviewing surviving family members, lawyers and estate administrators. Drawing on Forbes' 18 years of wealth-estimating experience, our reporters calculated pretax earnings to the estate from licensing agreements, and book and record sales, for the 12-month period from June 2001 to June 2002. In cases where the income to the estate was spilt among several entities--as with Lucille Ball, who splits her earnings from I Love Lucy with Desi Arnaz and CBS--we considered only that which the actual ranked celebrity would have earned.

It's been a good year for the dead. Last year, in order to make our list, dead celebrities had to earn a minimum of $3 million in income, and the average earning was nearly $11.5 million. This year, the poorest of the bunch--Robert Ludlum and Jerry Garcia--each made $5 million, and the average shot up to $15 million.

James Dean, who died in 1955 and went on to become an American icon, barely made it to the list last year, with a modest income of $3 million. This year, he got the squeeze from mega-earner newcomers such as Dale Earnhardt, whose estate pulled in about $20 million, and Robert Ludlum, who earned about $5 million with the release of a new novel, Sigma Protocol, and the film adaptation of his 22-year-old novel, The Bourne Identity.

Even though Dean got kicked off the list, he's in good company: Pop artists Andy Warhol and Keith Haring also got the boot.

2002/12/09 Forbes.Com / Ep.Gold.Com.

FOR AUTOGRAPH HUNTERS.

Scotty Moore, DJ Fontana and Ronnie McDowell will be at the Ernest Tubb's Record Shop downtown Nashville on Friday, December 13th, 2002, from 4:00 pm until 6:30 pm. They will be signing the print, The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band, that Ronnie painted plus Ronnie's and Scotty's new CDs and Scotty's and DJ's new books. The print depicts Elvis, Scotty, DJ and Bill Black on the road back in the early days.

2002/12//09 EPE/ Ep.Gold.Com.

LOVING YOU DVD RELEASE IN THE US.

We mentioned last week that "Loving You" was available through the NBC Shop with a special package deal containing the " 30 #1 Hits "CD. This newly remastered version from Lion Gates Entertainment will be released in stores on February 25, 2003 ( Region 1, USA & Canada )..

2002/12/09 Lion Gates Entertainment / EN / Ep.Gold.Com.

A LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION VOTED OUT.

Earlier this week we added a request from BMG U.K. to support the vote on ITV's 'Record Of The Year'. It seems Elvis fans had trouble getting through, the single didn't make it to the final five singles. The single was presented in a live presentation of dancers and the silhouette of 'Elvis'. The 5 last singles were from artist present in the studio, Elvis couldn't make it of course ...

2002/12/09 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

TWO NEW ELVIS DVD'S: THE BACK STORY VOL. 1 & 2.

Two new DVD's of Elvis entitled The Back Story Volume 1 & 2..
More details when we have it.

2002/12/09 Elvis World Japan / Ep.Gold.Com.

E1 AND THE UK TOP 75 ALBUM CHARTS.

Elvis 30 # 1 Hits Album climbed from No # 11 to No # 10 this week in the UK Top Album Charts.

2002/12/09 DotMusic / Ep.Gold.Com.

CD BOX MADE IN FRANCE.

To be released soon according to the website of the French Fan Club Elvis My Happiness is a 10 CD box titled 'Made In France'. Here we have small image of the box. More information when we have it.

2002/12/09 EvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

E-NEWS ARCHIVE.

As of today we are proud to to let the Ep.Gold readers know, we will have ALL our old news in the vaults at the topic "E-News Archive".
There you are able to go back in time and read all the old news that will be available to enjoy or for your archives.

2002/12/08 Ep.Gold.Com.

NEW MESSAGE-BOARD SOLID-GOLD-ELVIS WEBSITE.

Yesterday the Elvis Website "Solid Gold- Elvis" - wich get's better day by day, opend their doors with a new "Message-board".

As we know there are a few famous forums that has a anti-social behaviour and the webmasters do not really care, this forum will have a healthy, serious and intelligent message-board for the serious ElvisFans Only!!!.

To go to their Website

REVIEW IMPORT CD.ELVIS MEETS PRESLEY... AGAIN.

I just received this new CD this morning and thought I’d do a quick review for those of you who don’t have it yet.

The first track is the Don’t Cry Daddy duet between Elvis and Lisa Marie from 1997 and is in perfect sound for the first time. C’Mon Everybody is the movie version and is taken from the soundtrack, such a shame it wasn’t from the original tapes which have now been found. Rubberneckin’ 2002 Remix is great to listen to finally, as I had never heard it before. This would have made a great follow up remix single considering the success of ALLC, but alas, it never happenned. Do You Know Who I Am has been released before, the complete session has been out for years on There’s Always Me Vol 2 and in better sound on Unsurpassed Masters Box 4. There’s a new mix of I’m Leaving next and it does sound very fresh. I don’t really know what the difference is in the mix apart from it being over a minute longer than the original, but there does seem to be more strings in this mix. Indescribably Blue is another track to come from the Unsurpassed Masters Box Sets, what we get here is Overdub take 1 with Elvis’ vocals, and Edit Piece take 2 with Red Wests vocals. Tomorrow Night is the overdubbed version that appeared first on Elvis For Everyone in 1965. You Asked Me To take 2 was first released on Essential Elvis Vol 5 but it seems to have a better sound here, for some strange reason. The Twelfth Of Never overdub by Davis Briggs has been on a few bootlegs in the past but I never tire of hearing this track, so beautiful, BMG could have had a big hit with this if it released in the right way. I’ve checked my other CD’s with this track on it, and it seems here it’s in stereo for the first time. A live version of Help Me from August 22 1974 Midnight Show is next, but is only dated as Aug 1974 on the cover. An undisclosed alternate take of Bridge Over Troubled Water is next, and without checking, don’t know which take it is. Green Green Grass Of Home and I’ll Be There / You’re The Reason I’m Living from March 22 1975 Midnight Show are next, again only dated as March 1975, and these were on the Live In Las Vegas Box from BMG along with Help Me. A surprise is next as it is No Less Than Me by JD Sumner & The Stamps featuring Ed Enoch. Why they included this track is a mystery to me. Next is a track I’d never heard before, Elvis Has Left The Building by JD Sumner & The Stamps, taken from a vinyl source, as you can hear the pops and crackles on the track. It’s mainly a spoken track with JD Sumner telling Elvis’ life story. Take 2 of He Touched Me finishes the CD and this seems new to me. I’ve been looking through CD’s to see if we’ve had an alternate take of this song, and it appears that we haven’t, but I could be wrong.

All in all it’s a very impressive compilation of some hard to find tracks, but it is spoiled by the fact that it’s a CDR, and not even a Silver CDR. It has professional printing on the disc itself and states that only 250 copies are pressed !!! The cover is very nice, but it has been printed from a PC printer and not on shiny card as you’d expect from a full priced CD.

2002/12/08 Keith Flynn / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS METAL MASTER RECORDS – FURTHER DETAILS.

Since I posted the story yesterday for Ep.Gold. about my Elvis Sun "metal" records
I have been inundated with questions which I will try to answer here:

Can you give an exact description of what they look like?

Both records only have grooves one side. Each record is heavy and the
back is plain metal that looks brownish like copper. The front of
the record is very shiny and it had grooves not ridges. They both run
at 45rpm and have the matrix numbers that can be read if the disc is
held in front of a mirror.

How did you first play them?

I reversed the polarity on the motor in a record player. The stylus
plays from the centre out – I only played a few seconds of each
record as I immediately knew what they were.

When did you re-discover them?

I have many old Sun records and a young Jerry Lee fan called Craig
McKenzie, was searching through them in 1998. He found a record with
a green "Sam C Phillips" label with a demo recorded by the "Sons of
Dixie". He found another Phillips demo that, if remember right,
said "Luke McDaniel" on the same type of green labelled disc. Craig
asked if I had anymore and I said there were a couple of metal
records in my loft that I had found in Tom's shop in Memphis.

When I was young and foolish I used to have a jukebox in my bedroom
and I kinda liked the look of the "metal" records and I framed them
and put them up on the wall alongside my pictures of Jerry Lee, Carl
and Screamin' Jay. I think I framed them before Christmas 1968.
I moved house two years later and the jukebox had to go along with my
huge pictures of Jerry and Jay. The "metal" records were consigned
to the loft at my new house and forgotten about until Craig brought
them down. Then I re-jigged the turntable and we listened to a
snatch of each record and immediately identified them.

Are they in good condition?

My business partner Neil Hunter, gave them a really good clean and I
had them mounted in a frame along with a description of how I found
them. The frame also includes three Sun Elvis labels and that well
known picture of Elvis, Scotty and Bill in the Sun Studio with Sam at
the controls. A second picture shows the late Tom Phillips outside
his shop, Select-O-Hits at 605 Chelsea Avenue, Memphis.

The paper says you showed them to Scotty Moore. What did he say?

In April, 1999 Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana were touring Scotland and
I went to see them at Kirkcaldy. I met Dan Griffin the co-producer
of Scotty and DJ's "All The King's Men" CD. Dan and I talked quite
a bit about the old times in Memphis and he recalled Tom's shop and
the millions of records that were stored there. I told him about the
Elvis "metal" records and he suggested I take them in to show Scotty
when they came to my hometown, Aberdeen at the end of that week.

By Friday, my local paper had somehow got to hear about the "metal"
records. I do not know the source of their information but the story
appeared in the Aberdeen Evening Express before Scotty and DJ's show.
Perhaps Dan mentioned it to the management at the Aberdeen venue.

I took the records to the show and Scotty and DJ were very
interested. Of course DJ was never on Sun but Scotty played on these
records and worked as an engineer at Sun for years in the sixties.

Scotty wasn't surprised when he saw them, he said "Everywhere I go in
Europe – I see old Sun things that came out of that shop in the
sixties". After closely examining them, he remembered that the tape
for their first record had been sent to Los Angeles and a firm out
there had cut that "metal" record. By the time the last Elvis record
came out, Sun had its own equipment for creating the "metal"
records. This is confirmed by the fact that they do look slightly
different.

Why didn't we hear about them in America?

I'm not sure whether it was ever reported in America. When the two
stories, and their editorial that poked fun at me, appeared in the
Aberdeen paper I was inundated with reporters from throughout the
UK. The story appeared in broadsheets like The Times, The Daily
Telegraph, The Observer, as well as in tabloids liked the Daily Mail,
and the Daily Record etc. It also appeared in some of the UK Sunday
papers.
Some of the press reports mention speaking to Bill Ellis, the Music
Editor at the Memphis Commercial Appeal, who I know quite well and
met again only two months ago when I was in Memphis for Jerry Lee's
birthday party. So Bill and Sun Studio definitely knew back in 1999
and I believe the TV show I subsequently appeared in was show in
several countries.
I also recorded an interview with Brian Burnett for BBC Radio. For a
few days all my customers were mentioning the "metal" records but the
interest soon died off.

When were you on TV with them? Which station?

Chris Walley, a producer at Granada TV in the UK, contacted me in
April 2000 asking whether I would be willing to appear in a programme
about people who had discovered unusual things. I agreed on
condition that I received no fee and no expenses.

On June 23rd 2000 I travelled to London and appeared live on national
UK TV in a Granada programme hosted by Carol Voderman. I walked on
carrying four 78's and the two "metal" records. The others were a
Sun "My God Is Real" by The Prisonaires, the Green labelled Sam
Phillips demo of "Standing On Promise" by the Sons Of Dixie, "Please
Try To Understand" by Jalacy Hawkins on Timely and "Whole Lotta
Shakin' Going On" by Jerry Lee. The producer's idea was to show
people how I protected my 78's with the "metal" records.

After some chat about me staying at Jerry's house in Memphis, Miss
Voderman then told me the TV company had been in touch with Ted Owen
of Bonhams who confirmed that these were collectors items. She then
said they had taken the "metal" records up to EMI's Abbey Road
Studios and that EMI had pressed two records from my metal masters
and I was presented with these special records on live TV.

I later found out from Granada that the person at Abbey Road Studios
who pressed up the new records was a man named Simon Gibson. Later on
that year he won the Cedar Award for outstanding restoration work on
old CLASSICAL music recordings! This website refers:
http://www.cedaraudio.com/news/2000awards.html

One Elvis fan kindly forwarded this link that explains the whole
process of producing a record from tape.
http://66.216.32.4/press2.htm

I must confess that having read all this pressing information hasn't
really helped me. I am still not sure whether my "metal" record fits
into being a mother, a matrix, a stamper or whatever. Perhaps someone
can enlighten me?

Suffice to say that the gentleman at EMI, who normally restores the
late Maria Callas singing opera and Mahler symphonies recorded in the
forties, did use my "metal" records as a master to produce two new
records for Granada TV – who kindly gave them to me. I have had
these "new" records for a few years now but still have not played
these records either!

I hope this answers most of the queries, as it would be impossible to
answer them all individually.

The site with the newspaper cuttings and photographs at
www.kyleesplin.com has had over 1,000 hits in 24 hours – five times
its normal traffic.

If there are any more queries, I will be pleased to answer them with
another multi-answer posting like this.

Keep on rockin' Graham Knight

Photos and newspaper clippings can be seen at
http://www.kyleesplin.com

2002/12 08 Graham Knight / Ep.Gold.Com.

DUTCH CHART UPDATE.

In the Dutch Mega Top 100 Album Chart the CD 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped from #10 to # 18. In the Top 40 Album Top 100 the CD dropped to #18 from # 14.

2002/12/08 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

LILO AND STITCH DVD HIT.

Disney's animated SF-adventure Lilo and Stitch is proving as popular on DVD and video as it was in theaters, selling more than three million copies on Tuesday, its first day of release, according to Variety. While not a record, the $45 million tally ranks as one of the largest first-day DVD and video hauls of 2002 and nearly triples the opening weekend gross of the studio's latest animated feature, Treasure Planet.

"We've not seen a fourth quarter this crowded with so many big box-office, competitive titles vying for a similar audience in the history of this industry," Robert Chapek, president of Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment division, told the trade paper. "And with Lilo & Stitch having topped first-day sales of most of these titles, it is poised to become not only a very strong performer this holiday season, but one of the best-selling titles of 2002."

2002/12/07 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

CRAMER, OSTIN TO ENTER HALL.
Sidemen and Non-performers announced for class of 2003

Pianist Floyd Cramer, drummer Benny Benjamin, saxophonist Steve Douglas and producer Mo Ostin will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2003 in the Sidemen and Non-performer categories.
The Louisiana-born Cramer helped define the Nashville Sound that dominated country music during his nearly half century of performing. Cramer developed a signature style on piano, slurring one note into another, much like a guitarist. And he became the pianoman of choice among country's stars including Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Marty Robbins, Don Gibson and dozens of others. He also played with some of country's rock & roll cousins including the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison. Cramer also played numerous sessions with Elvis Presley including "Heartbreak Hotel." Though best-known as a sideman, Cramer was also a fairly prolific solo recording artist, from his 1957 debut, That Honky Tonk Piano, up to the time of his death in 1997.

Drummer Benny Benjamin kept the beat for the famous Motown house band, the Funk Brothers. The St. Croix, Virgin Islands, native began playing in the 1940s. But he was best known for his Sixties stretch where he and the Funk Brothers -- which also included bassist James Jamerson, who was inducted as a sideman three years ago -- backed up the Temptations, the Supremes, the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye. Benjamin died in 1969.

Steve Douglas played saxophone in the "Wrecking Crew," the session team that worked with Phil Spector at the Goldstar Studio in Los Angeles. His resume also includes work on the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, and sessions with Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, John Lennon, fellow Rock Hall inductees the Righteous Brothers and others. Douglas died in 1993 at age fifty-five.

Mo Ostin helped establish Warner Bros. Records one of the world's most successful record labels. Ostin was brought in to work at Frank Sinatra's fledgling Reprise Records in the early Sixties, and when the company was purchased by Warner Bros., he oversaw a roster of artists that includes Neil Young, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and others. He continued to guide Warner in the Eighties, helping to acquire acts including R.E.M. and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He left Warner in the mid-Nineties and now works as an executive at Dreamworks Records.

As previously reported, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, the Clash, the Police, AC/DC and the Righteous Brothers will be inducted as 2003's artists.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for March 10th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The ceremony will be broadcast by VH1 on March 19th.

2002/12/07 Andrew Dansby - Rolling Stone.Com News / Ep.Gold.Com.

LISA MARIE'S ALBUM RELEASE DATE.

A little off-topic, but a lot of Elvis fans look foreward to this album. According to the Presley's Pride website Capital Records announced that March 25, 2003 will be the release date of Lisa's first CD. This is the first official date on this album.

2002/12/07 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

HARRIS POLLS SHOWS ELVIS HAS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.

To check out the results of a special Harris Poll abot Elvis.

2002/12/07 EPE / Harris / Ep.Gold.Com.

NEW CD RELEASE : WESTERN UNION BY LIAM GRUNDY & PETE PRITCHARD FEATURING SCOTTY MOORE.

A new cd is released "Western Union" by Liam Grundy and Pete Pritchard featuring Scotty Moore.
For full details and listen and order this great cd go to their website and Click Here.

2002/12/07 Liam Grundy / Ep.Gold.Com.

E I IN DENMARK.

In Denmark E 1 Album went up from No # 28 to No # 20.

2002/12/07 E-mail / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS 25th ANNIVERSARY.

This is a new release in Brazil of the countless re-issued of the Hayride materials. It was released under the Paradoxx label and available through all the regular, and on-line stores as well at Wal Mart supercenter. As a bonus there's an interview recorded in Arkansas.

Tracklist: 1. Good Rockin Tonight ( Acustic) 2. I Got A Woman ( Acustic) 3. Long Tall Sally 4. Heartbreak Hotel 5. I Was The One 6. Money Honey 7. I Got A Woman 8. Blue Suede Shoes 9. Hound Dog 10. Blue Moon Of Kentucky 11. Baby Let´s Play House 12. That´s All Right Mama 13. Maybellene 14. Elvis Presley - Interview Arkansas - Bonus Track.

2002/12/07 Sergio Luiz / Ep.Gold.Com.

JERRY LEE LEWIS FAN FINDS HE HAS HAD THE MASTER OF ELVIS'S FIRST RECORD FOR 30 YEARS WITHOUT REALISING IT.

In November 1998, I found out that a record I bought in Memphis in 1968 is actually the original master of Elvis Presley's first ever record. "That's All Right Mama". It was recorded on July 5th 1954 by Sam C. Phillips at the Sun Studios, 706 Union Avenue, Memphis and was originally released as Sun 209 on July 19th 1954.

I am a real Jerry Lee Lewis fan and attended nearly all his UK shows in the 60's and 70's. I got to know him well and often received letters from Jerry asking me to send him boxes of Cuban cigars that he couldn't buy legally in the US. In 1968 I visited Memphis and stayed at Jerry Lee's house at 5042 East Shore Drive, Memphis. During this visit Jerry often dropped me off at the Select-O-Hits record shop at 605 Chelsea Avenue. It was owned by Tom Phillips, a brother of Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records. There was a large warehouse at the back where Tom kept literally millions of unsold Sun records.

It was a goldmine for a rock n'roll fan like me but Tom called it the "Sun dump" as it was full of old "Sun Junk" that included unopened letters and tapes from artists wanting auditions. I used to spend all day actually standing on piles of records while looking for something I didn't have. There was no end of great stuff just lying there - thousands of records by Jerry, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and other Sun artists. During that 1968 visit I found about 600 records I wanted and Tom charged me 15 cents a record.

At the back of the shop, near a smelly toilet, there was a large radio transmitter. Tom said it had belonged to Sam when he owned a radio station. As I am also a "Radio Ham" I remember looking at the back of this big unit to see how it was made. I cleared away a lot of junk to get behind it and one of the items I moved was an unmarked cardboard box that had a lot of what looked like 10-inch "metal" records in it. They looked like they were made from aluminium. I took this box out to Tom and he said they were "Mothers", the master that pressed the wax records. Tom suggested I just add the box to the other goodies I had collected. "You can have them for 15 cents each as well" he said, "They are no use to us now. There are plenty of them back in there somewhere along with piles of personal recordings and demos that people cut but never paid for". Tom searched out and gave me some of these acetates too. They have a green label with a "Sam C. Philips" logo and have hand-written song and artist information.

Not being a record seller, I only ever searched for records I did not have and at the end of each day I had usually amassed about 100 discs and Tom would help me pack them in a box and he would drive me to the Post Office. I would send them to Aberdeen by sea-mail. It took about six weeks for them to arrive in Scotland.

Tom's shop had thousands of old 78's and I found some really old Sun records like "My God Is Real" by the Prisonaires, "Peeping Eyes" by Charlie Feathers etc. I also found some 78 records by an artist I knew quite well and visited in New York a few days previously - Screamin' Jay Hawkins. As I wanted to make sure the Sun 78's were not broken - I decided to use two of the "metal records" as the "outers" to pack my precious 78's. Mindful of the fact that I was already over the baggage weight limit for flying home, I decided to use just two of the metal records as packing and I put the rest of the "metal" records back in the cardboard box and returned them to their original position behind the radio transmitter.

This all happened in 1968 and I had not given those metal records much thought until a young Jerry Lee fan visited my house in 1998. A new-generation, Jerry Lee fan, Craig McKenzie, came round one day to play some of my records. He found one of the green "Sam C. Phillips" labelled disks and we listened to a demo that must have been cut ages ago by "The Son's of Dixie". Craig then asked if I had any more unreleased Sun records and I remembered the "metal" records. I had never tried to play them before because Tom had warned me that they were an image of the record and that they would play the music backwards. However technology has moved on in the last 30 years, I soon had a turntable running in reverse, and I played my "metal" records for the first time.

Craig and I got the shock of our lives when the tune that appeared was "That's All Right (Mama) by Elvis Presley". It took a few seconds to grasp the enormity of it all. This was the record that had started it all for Elvis Presley in 1954 and it had led on to the popularity of rock n'roll music.

Jerry Lee and hundreds of others might never have made it if Sam Phillips hadn't cut that first Elvis record. My metal record is the "Master" of Elvis's first record that was released as Sun 209. I think it sold about 6,000 copies and they must all have been pressed from my "metal" record.

Had I been more of a record collector than a fan of the music I would have found out what the record was long ago by the identifying the Sun matrix numbers that can be read by holding the disk up to a mirror. Of all the records made at Sun, it is astonishing that, unknowingly, I chose to keep the master of Elvis's first record.

After been shocked at this find, I was intrigued to hear what was on the second "metal" record. I hoped it would be the master for Jerry Lee Lewis's "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On" but it was not. The second "metal" record is in fact the master for the last record Elvis Presley made at Sun - Mystery Train - it was released as Sun 223 on August 1st 1955.

This probably means that the box of "metal" records I found behind the transmitter were probably the original "masters" for all 10 of the sides Elvis released on his five Sun records.

It seems crazy that it took 30 years for me to find out what I had bought all those years ago. It was quite a shock discovering this but above all it has made me think about all the good times I had in Memphis. Above all I remember the kindness everyone showed to me back then.

The late Tom Philips and his wife invited me up to their house at Lookout Drive for dinner on many occasions. Tom and Sam's other brother, the late Jud Phillips, whom I had known since he came to the UK with Jerry Lee in 1962, took me to recording sessions and I had a great time. Everyone in Memphis was very kind.

None of this would have happened if I hadn't know got to know Jerry Lee in 1962 and of course I remember how lucky I was to go to shows all over the place in his plane and how Jerry nearly drove me crazy with the way he drove his Rolls Royce like a racing car.

If any of the "Sons of Dixie" are still around and want their demo I'll be happy to give it to them for nothing.

For the last five years I have been trying to find if anyone has the original "metal" record for "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On" as I would have been delighted to swap both Elvis masters for that one by Jerry Lee.

Despite publicising my find in the press and even appearing on UK's Granada TV with Carol Voderman, I have not been contacted by anyone with that Jerry Lee master. Maybe there is one out there?

2002/12/07 Graham Knight / Ep.Gold.Com.

LOVING YOU DVD FOR CHINESE FANS.

This DVD "Loving You" is issued for the Chinese Elvis fans.
The Sound is original, but with Chinese subtitles. Region Code: 0

2002/12/07 Elvis Club Berlin / Ep.Gold.Com.

Hi,

Larry Geller is a name that Elvis fans know immediately. Larry began working for Elvis in 1964 while working with Hair Stylist Legend Jay Sebring at his salon in Beverly Hills. Larry was called out to Elvis' home to style and cut his hair for the film "Roustabout" .They had a immediate kinship when Elvis began talking deep about life and spirituality and asked Larry his thoughts on these subjects, Elvis realised that he had met a friend he could relate to on a level as never before.

Larry left Sebring's salon to work exclusively for Elvis and they became very close.Elvis was a very spiritual, intelligent,well read man who had many questions of why he was chosen for his great success Larry helped Elvis obtain a large library to read, enjoy and study.

Larry was with Elvis the last night of his life on August 15,1 977 and recalls Elvis coming back from the dentist appointment looking tired.Before Elvis ascended the stairs he looked at Larry and said "Angels fly because they take themselves lightly". Moments later Elvis called down and requested that Larry join him for a talk and they discussed books Elvis was interested in reading and Larry gave him one that he obtained in Los Angeles and had brought That book was the last book Elvis would read.

Larry's book, If I Can Dream sits on many fans' shelves and now he brings us a new book that every Elvis fan will want to add to their library as well.The title is GellerCare drawn from personal expericences that only Larry can share and does for the first time. here is an exclusive look at GellerCare.

Larry Geller has written a detailed information on his new upcoming book "GellerCare" , and feels EP.GOLD is a great place to exclusive debut the story.

Go to the Menu Reviews or

Soon Larry and me will also have an exclusive interview for EPGOLD for his new book : "GellerCare" .

TCB,
Don Wilson.

2002/12/06 Larry Geller / Don Wilson / Ep.Gold.Com.

Australian report on :
Reader's Digest Australian Vinyl and cd releases in regards

ELVIS AARON PRESLEY ( Part 1 )

Dear readers, the following is a more detailed article to that which I had printed on EPGOLD a few months ago.
I have since contacted Readers Digest Australian Repertoire Manager/ Music Editor and after receiving some very valuable information have been given permission to mention a few things in regards the issues of Elvis Presley’s music through Readers Digest Australia.

Because there will be a lot of interest is the figures that I will be detailing, I have applied the Australian ARIA and the USA RIAA accreditation against each of the releases.

1. In 1979 Australian Readers Digest released “ELVIS PRESLEY’S GREATEST HITS” (6LP/4 CASSETTE) Box set and up to the date of deletion, this Box set had sold approximately 122,000 sets.
Going under the Australian ARIA accreditation system which allows (1 set to equal 1 cd sale) these massive sales can only be accredited the following figures at this stage.
Platinum x 1 (equals 70,000 sets sold)
Gold x 1, (equals another 35,000 sets sold)
Leaving a balance of some 17,000 sets unclaimed to this date.
If using the RIAA rules the total sales for this project would be approximately 732,000 units
giving Elvis an accreditation figure of Platinum x 10, and not (1) as the case in Australia.

2. In 1988 Australian Readers Digest released “ELVIS THE LEGEND LIVES” as a box set containing 7lp’s an/or a 3 cassette package.. Later it was issued as a 4cd and/or a 3 cassette Box set and is currently still available for sale. This box set has sold approximately 43,000 sets around the country.
Going under the Australian ARIA accreditation system which allows ( 1 set to equal 1 cd sale) these figures can only attribute the following achievement,
Gold x 1, equals 35,000 sets sold)
Leaving a balance of some 8,000 sets unclaimed to this date.
If using the RIAA rules, the total sales for this project would be approxiamately160, 000 units giving Elvis an accreditation figure of Platinum x 2 and not the GOLD award as is the case in Australia.
A balance of some 20,000 sets still unclaimed to this date

In 1997 Australian Readers Digest released “ELVIS- HIS GREATEST HITS” (4CD/4 CASSETTE) Box set, and is currently still available for sale. This set is currently being promoted for the 25th Anniversary of Elvis’ passing. This box set has passed the 17,000 sales to this date and more figures are due in shortly.

Going under the Australian ARIA accreditation system which allows (1set to equal 1 cd sale) , there needs to be an additional 18,00 sets sold before Elvis can be accredited GOLD status.
If using the RIAA rules, the current total sales figures for this project would be approximately 68,000 units giving Elvis an accreditation figure of Gold x 1 and closing in fast on another Platinum award.

My Personal Conclusion for EPGOLD Readers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The accreditation figures that ARIA has set in cement are totally incorrect and totally misleading to the follower of music accreditation in Australia.
When the first GOLD award figures were set in this country ARIA was nowhere to be seen
My research in this field led me to a Mr Ron Wills who was part of the driving force in getting this Gold award figures set in motion.

Ron and his team decided that 60,000 sales of a single record would be the bench mark and duly awarded Slim Dusty the first Austalian Gold record for “The Pub with no Beer”.
In regards Long Play records they set a figure of 10,000 units to be awarded a Gold record.
There was never every any thought of Double albums as they had not been released at that time.
So the figures set and used were for SINGLE releases of the 45rpm single,the extended play and the Long Play album.
Since that date there seems to be much data LOST in regards these awards figures and to this day no-one can explain how and when the current figures were decided.

I believe that the initial figures set down in the 60’s are the true figures and all sales should be bases on those figures and those figures alone.

It is stupid to think that a current artist can sell 70,000 single cds ( approx sales at $6 per cd equals $420,00) and get a Platinum award, BUT an artist can sell 70,000 copies of a 4cd box set at approx $60 per set equalling $ 4.2 million in sales, and can only get the same award “Platinum x 1”.
Somewhere there are people with their head in the sand, and with no idea of what Mr Ron Wills and his team tried to do for the industry all those years ago.
The artists and the company’s involved should be entitled to a better deal, something like the RIAA system, to work out the correct sales figures and then duly award the artist and their company the correct award.
This discussion will go on for another 40 years plus, and just like all good things, go into the too hard basket on some Music Directors desk, never to see the light again.

Following this article I will be updating Elvis Presley’s Australian RCA / BMG awards, and that will prove to be the classic of classics.
Would you believe it if I said “that all the material has been lost”, and when Mr Ron Wills and I conversed he had just retired from RCA Australia, as it was then known.

Until another time,

Regards Bob Hayden.

EPGOLD’s Australian Correspondent.

2002/12/06 Bob Hayden / Ep.Gold.Com.

KEN VRANA PRODUCER 6 HOUR ELVIS DOCUMENTARY "TRIBUTE - REMEMBRANCES OF THE KING" TO BENEFIT BREAST CANCER.

Hi,

My name is Ken Vrana and I am the CEO of Caitlin Productions, Inc. We're located near Raleigh, North Carolina here in the United States. Caitlin Productions makes feature-length documenty films, but prior to my move here to the Carolinas 9 years ago, I was a writer and producer in LA.

Caitlin Productions is a non-profit company and 100% of all the revenue from the profits of the films we do, less production costs, are given to charities around the world. Recently I had to wonderful good fortune to be introduced to Andylon over the internet and within hours of that initial meeting we have already begun to finish each other's sentences. It's amazing given the time, space and geography that things like this is possible, but thanks to the technology, it is. We have put our heads together and decided to partner on a number of projects and Andylon has graciously provided this page and the EP Gold website as a vehicle to make it all happen. This is a particularly exciting opportunity, for all of us here at Caitlin Productions, and we hope that you will check back often as we will be doing our best to make the world a better place to live. Meanwhile, I know I'm preaching to the choir when I say we're doing our best to TCB!

Ken Vrana.

1. "Snow Angels," the film I did on breast cancer with music by Paul McCartney and Sarah McLachlan is being premiered all over the US. ( click on the menu : Reviews)
(Hello and Tired of Bake Sales.) The proceeds from the premiers are going to breast cancer charities all over the US.

2. The Ribbon of Life (see our column : reviews) is a separate, though related project and we are asking people to send in as many buttons as possible.

3. The Elvis film is presently 6 hours long but may end up longer. The proceeds from the film go to charities E was involved in during his lifetime like Baptist Hospital, The Memphis Trauma Center etc. We have interviewed over 200 major celebrities and over 300 fans.

4. The premier of the Elvis film, called "Tribute - Remembrances of the King," will be held in Las Vegas but we don't have a date yet. Eventually it will be available on DVD and Video.

5. This trip to Nashville this week is our last after traveling over 85,000 miles doing the film.

6. We are currently planning premiers of the breast cancer film in 16 US cities. 3/4 of all the money raised from each premier goes to charities in the town or city where the premier takes place. The remaining third comes back to us for production costs. Any organization wishing to raise funding can host a premier and we'd love to do a few in the UK and Europe. Hope that clarifies things a bit.

The original title from the film was "To Elvis With Love" but was changed to the aforementioned Tribute.

Soon Andylon will have an exclusive interview with the Producer Ken Vrana for Ep.Gold.
To view the Complete interview celebrities list for the Documentary "Tribute - Remembrances Of The King"
Go to the Menu : Reviews or

2002/12/05 Ken Vrana - E- Caitlan Productions / Andylon Lensen / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS BY DAGMAR.

Now you see some GREAT Elvis Live-Shots from the Famous ( Artists ) Photographer Dagmar.

This book is now issued and for sale at Elvis Unlimited.
Soon we have many details that coincide this book and we will have an exclusive interview with Dagmar conducted by Andylon Lensen.

2002/12/05 Dagmar / Andylon Lensen / Ep.Gold.Com.

DAVID BENDETH AND E 1 INTERVIEW BY BLAIR JACKSON MIX MAGAZINE.

Now read the complete interview form the Producer Elvis 30 # 1 Hits Album David Bendeth, conducted by Blair Jackson for Mix Magazine.

2002/12/05 Blair Jackson - Mix Magazine / Ep.Gold.Com.

NOW ELVIS DVD'S RELEASED IN BRAZILLE.

All the five DVD's are Regioncode 4.

2002/12/05 Elvis Club Berlin / Ep.Gold.Com.

39th ANNUAL GEORGE KLEIN CHRISTMAS CHARITY AND AUCTION.

George Klein, popular Memphis entertainment and media personality and long-time friend of Elvis, will present the 39th Annual George Klein Christmas Charity Show and Auction at Elvis Presley's Memphis.

Date & Particulars:

Sunday, December 15, 2002
7:00 PM - Midnight

Elvis Presley's Memphis
126 Beale Street
Memphis, Tennessee

Admission is a $20.00 donation at the door. Admission purchase is only at the door.

Beneficiaries:
MIFA
Make-a-Wish
Memphis Food Bank

Guest Performers:
Ronnie McDowell
T.G. Sheppard
Jason D. Williams
The Memphis Horns
Ben Cauley
Webb Dalton
Bill Haney

On a related note:

The Elvis Hour with George Klein, presented each Sunday night (8:00 PM to 9:00 PM, CST) on radio station Oldies 95.7 in Memphis, can now be heard anywhere in the world via the Internet. Go to the Oldies 95.7 web site for details. A banner ad at the top of their homepage links to details about tuning in to their station on line.

2002/12/05 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

FATS DOMINO IS WALKING AND YES INDEED TALKING.

In this interview conducted by Edna Gundersen for USA Today, Fats Domino is talking about Elvis and the 30 # 1 Hits Album and other artists.

2002/12/05 Edna Gundersen -USA Today / Ep.Gold.Com.

WORLDWIDE CHART UPDATE.

On the worldwide chart the compilation 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' is #2, on the European chart the CD is #4.

The European charts. In Ireland the CD is # 18 from #17, in Austria #8 from #7 and in Switzerland #15 from #12. Up north in Sweden the CD dropped from #2 to #6 and in Finland #3 from #4.

On the other side of the globe in Australia the CD dropped three places from #14 to #11.

2002/12/05 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

BILLBOARD CHART UPDATE.

The week before the Elvis tv special 'Elvis Lives', the CD 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' sold 67,000 units in the US, the week after the television special it sold 172,894 units. With these sales Elvis climbs 15 places from #26 to #11 on the Billboard Top 40.

2002/12/05 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.

GRACELAND HOLIDAY LIGHTS FEATURED IN NBC TV SPECIAL

On Thursday night, December 15, NBC airs its new TV special "America's Greatest Christmas Decorations". One segment features Arkansas philanthropist Jennings Osborne and family, who provide special holiday lighting to various properties around the nation, including Graceland.

Click here to go to the NBC site for more information about this special.

Click here to go to more information about Christmas at Graceland.

2002/12/04 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

MIGRAINES AND ELVIS.

Elvis migraines are covered in the BBC Radio 4 Programme " Case Notes " , 9 p.m. Tuesday 10 December, 2002.

2002/12/04 Ep.Gold.Com.

THE ELVIS LIVES TRIBUTE TV SPECIAL ON DUTCH TELEVISION.

The "Elvis Lives" Tribute TV Special will be broadcasted by the Dutch Television TV Channel RTL 5, December 10th, 2002..

2002/12/04 Ep.Gold.Com.

6 HOUR ELVIS DOCUMENTARY TO BENEFIT BREAST CANCER.
HOT E NEWS FROM OUR COLUMNIST DON WILSON.

I am assisting film maker Ken Vrana on a 5 hour project about Elvis that has been in production for 2 and a half years.. .Ken recently did the film,"Snow Angels" that followed the lives of three women suffering with Breast Cancer. Sir Paul McCartney did the music for this documentary.

Here's something more than Elvis fans can do in his name to help others.

TCB,

Don

Read the introduction and the complete review : 6 hour Elvis Documentary To Benefit Breast Cancer written by the Producer Ken Vrana, exclusive for Ep.Gold.

Go To The Menu : Reviews or Click Here.

2002/12/03 Don Wilson / Ken Vrana / Ep.Gold.Com.

NORWEGIAN CHART UPDATE.

The E 1 Album stayed the same this week at # 26.
The promotionon for the E 1 Album in Norway hasn't been broadcasted yet.

2002/12/03 Kenneth Dokkeberg / Ep.Gold.Com.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK.

A great Elvis picture On Stage.
Go to the Menu: Pic Of The Week or Click Here.

2002/12/03 Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS HAS OLDEST ALBUM ON Q MAGAZINE ALBUMLIST.

Nirvana's Nevermind has deposed The Beatles from their traditional spot as authors of the world's greatest album. The Seattle trio's 1991 breakthrough release, was ranked top by readers of Q magazine.

The Beatles managed only one place in the top 10, at number three. The Fab Four regularly top such polls with either Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band from 1967 or its predecessor Revolver from the year before. More than half the albums on the list were recorded since 1990. The oldest album in the list is Elvis Presley's eponymous debut from 1956. It came in at 81.

The Top 3 from the Q list of 100 greatest albums ever:
1. Nirvana - Nevermind.
2. Radiohead - OK Computer.
3. The Beatles - Revolver.

200212/03 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS FAN'S FANTASY TO VISIT GRACELAND FEATURED ON ABC DEAR SANTA SPECIAL.

Dear Santa is a television special airing on ABC Thursday, December 5 (9PM EST/8PM CST). Special letters from kids are answered by Santa. One is from a young Elvis fan for whom Santa arranged a dream visit to Graceland. Click here to go to the ABC site for more information.

2002/12/03 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

THE MEN WHO MINDED THE KING.

"We got more ass than a toilet seat, I mean it was unbelievable it really was. It was a lot of pussy." With these words Lamar Fike graciously reveals what it was like to be part of Elvis Presley's privileged inner circle.

Fike and six other minders, who came to be known as the "Memphis mafia", were a trusted, elite group that serviced Presley's every whim and pleasure.

They were the gateway to the King - forming an impenetrable human shield between Elvis and all who wanted a piece of him. That, of course, included the girls.

"We were the keys to the city, so to speak, and as a consequence they had to run the gauntlet and we were the gauntlet some of them never made it through, but they tried," Fike says. "He just loved women, he didn't think anything about it. It was like having a cup of coffee in the morning."

Now, more than 25 years after Elvis' bloated, drug-addled body was found dead on the bathroom floor, the group is telling the "inside" story about life with Elvis in a one-hour documentary, The Elvis Mob.

They may be a bunch of old, thickening men sitting in a bar sniggering about their sexual conquests but they carry untold memories of a wild, fantasy world.

Producer Michael Parkinson, who has interviewed women in the lives of Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart for similar tell-all profiles, wanted to do something different for the 25th anniversary of Elvis' death. "I wanted to come up with something really that hadn't been done before," he says. "They decided to talk out, I think, because 25 years is a long time and it became apparent that the only way we'd ever find out anything about this guy would be to interview the people closest to him."

He tracked down all nine surviving members of the entourage that accompanied Elvis from Graceland to Germany, Hollywood and Las Vegas - but two couldn't take part.

"It was fascinating for me because I was talking to people who were there," says Parkinson. "So many books and articles had been written and people say Elvis was this and Elvis was that but the only people who knew what he was like were these guys . . ."

Billed as the last great untold rock story, the documentary confirms what everyone already knows: it really was all about sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.

But there are intriguing insights into Elvis' intense relationship with Priscilla, his unbridled generosity, paranoia, fascination with guns, brush with spirituality and what he really thought of manager Colonel Parker.

The Memphis mafia was a term penned by a local journalist for the bunch of skinny, pale-skinned Memphis kids who, like Elvis, grew up in the housing projects. They knew him before Sun Records discovered the young white singer who sounded black.

Elvis found it difficult to make friends. He surrounded himself with guys he knew and trusted. For him they blocked out the frightening outside world. For them Elvis offered an eye-popping new world of glamour, rebellion and sex. They went everywhere he did. Even when Elvis was sent to Germany for military service, he was given special permission to take his guys with him.

But his relationship with the 14-year-old Priscilla drove a thorny wedge between them.

"It just scared me to the point where I couldn't breathe. She'd just turned 14," Fike says. "They spent a lot of time in the bedroom but I don't know what kind of physical relationship they had ... She says nothing happened but isn't that always the case?"

On leaving Germany their world spun into a dizzying mix of sex and speed. There were drugs to keep them awake, put them to sleep, lift them up and bring them down again. They lived like this for 15 years.

"We didn't have any reality, we didn't even know what day it was. None of us liked the real world," says Fike.

2002/12/03 Elisabeth Tarica - The Age / Elvis Presley From Poland / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS BEHIND THE IMAGE BOOK.

Now Ep.Gold is proud to show as a premiere exclusive for the Ep.Gold readers some unpublished photo's from the upcoming book "Behind The Image"

CLICK HERE!

2002/12/02 The Behind The Image Team US-Germany-The Netherlands / Behind The Image.de / Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 HITS AND AMC.

The Elvis 30 # 1 Hits Album is being advertised along with the Movie Marathon of Elvis Movies, on AMC ( American Classics Channel.)

2002/12/02 Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 UK ALBUM CHART UPDATE.

In the UK the Top 75 Album Charts, Elvis 30 # 1 Hits Album dropped this week from No # 9 to No # 11.

2002/12/02 Ep.Gold.

	"Divas Las Vegas" RealVideo 1."Jailhouse Rock" by Anastacia 2."That's All Right" by Dixie Chicks 3."Always On My Mind" by Shakira 4."Blue Suede Shoes" by Mary J. Blige 5."Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" by Stevie Nicks 6."Heartbreak Hotel" by Cher 7."Can't Help Falling In Love" by Celine Dion

FINNISH CHART UPDATE

Ninth week on the chart, and Elvis 30 # 1 Hits Album succeeded in rising to the third place.
Last week it was No # 4, which is the lowest position for this album during these nine weeks.

2002/12/02 Kari Paju- Finland / Ep.Gold.Com.

THE EXPO MUSIC PLANET.

The expo "Music Planet", subtitled as 'the largest music exhibition ever' opened its doors November 30th in the buildings of the Belle Vue brewery in Brussels. The aim is to let you experience a journey into the history of rock and pop.

Ranging from roots blues and jazz, orchestras, rock and roll, or any musical style you can come up with, there's also a fair portion dedicated to Elvis Presley. On display are an authentic suit (King of Spades), an acoustic Gibson J-200 owned by Elvis, some records, pictures and movie material.

If only for Elvis, the expo is well worth visiting. The Belle Vue brewery is located at Henegouwenkaai 43, 1080 Brussels. Admission fee is 9€. The expo runs until June 29th 2003.

2002/12/02 E-mail :King Of Belgium / Ep.Gold.Com.

BEHIND THE IMAGE .

We are working hard on our actual project which is called "Behind The Image - The Book". This great product features real candids of Elvis, never seen before snapshots from the collection of the well-known Elvis-Collector Russ Howe and Elvis' former girl-friend Sandi Miller. Of course, each picture has its own story and Sandi will let you know what is is all about, you get the information directly from the source, exclusive on EPGold.com

The official Behind the image production company now joined their forces:
Bud Glass US, Greg Retkowski & Andre Mester Germany and Andylon Lensen The Netherlands.

praytome publishing press release:
ELVIS: BEHIND THE IMAGE (THE BOOK) will include some of the images from the dvd, but will mostly contain photos that were not included on the dvd plus...MEMORIES FROM THE PRIVATE JOURNAL ENTRIES OF SANDI MILLER to go along with her personally taken photos of Elvis, as well as the inside of many of Elvis' homes in California. Sandi was a fan who became a good friend to Elvis and was there for many private parties, quiet times at home and even rehearsals at RCA studios. She kept a journal of her numerous encounters with Elvis and as a result has MANY volumes of her memories...so every detail is as fresh as the day it happened.

This adds much more depth than a typical Elvis photo book, and compliments the photos very nicely. A handful of the photos may be recognized, but many more are included that go with each set to give a large number of photos that have never been seen.
This with the great stories that accompany the photos give a totally unique book that is a nice break from the many books that have simply a date or caption that is incorrect for the most part. Also included in ELVIS: BEHIND THE IMAGE (THE BOOK) are some incredible photos from the RUSS HOWE collection.
Russ has a way of finding and sharing the most obscure "killer" Elvis photos the fans really love to see!
This will be a book Elvis photo lovers will not want to miss.

2002/12/01 The Behind The Image Team - US - Germany - The Netherlands / Ep.Gold.Com.

EP.GOLD PROUDLY PRESENTS DON WILSON .

at Paramount Pictures.

Hello, I am honored to say I have a new column here at Ep.Gold I feel this is the best Elvis site on the net.

Andylon and her team do a fabulous job and I am sure that Elvis is very proud and smiling down on their work and dedication and I am proud to come on board.

Ep.Gold is very informative and it keeps you up to date with the goings on in the Elvis world like no other. In my column I will bring you news, memories and exclusive quotes from interviews that I do and have done in the past. I have interviewed hundreds of Elvis' friends, fans, family, co-stars and many who worked with Elvis and count many as friends.

I first met Elvis on 2/27/70 at The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , my father arranged it. My dad met EP back in '55 when he performed at The Eagle's Hall in Houston, my uncle booked Elvis there. In 1971 my parents and sister died when their Lincoln Continental was struck by a train.Elvis was contacted by my grandmother, it began a correspondence where I recieved items from him as well as a letter of thanks on 7/28/77.I was able to visit with him quite a few times in person... I was introduced at E's last concert on 6/26/77 (right after The Alden's)

Don, Jerry Lee Lewis & Sam Phillips

I was host of the WEVL FM Radio Program,"Mystery Train" in Memphis,where I played rarities and had interviews with E's friends. Since 1989, after a meeting with Priscilla Presley, I have been President of The Elvis Presley Network, which fights slander and defamation of his character, George Klein is Consultant and Richard Davis is VP. Official EPE Club...I was Production Consultant along with Joe Esposito on "The Definitive Elvis" a 16 hour documentary with over 200 folks I interviewed.It was #1 for weeks in the UK and Austrailia and logged into The Guiness Book of World Records.

I currently am working on other projects ,including a EP one.In the past I have contributed to various TV projects including: VH1's "Legends:Johnny Cash",A&E's "Biography:Sharon Tate" as well as documentaries on The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. I also am going to make a Rockabilly album with Glen Glenn and his band, we'll be performing together on 1/8/03 at The House of Blues on Sunset Blvd. I have performed tribute shows to Elvis,but I am currently performing my own show.I sang at Elvis' Honeymoon Hideaway with Tommy Sands, Glen Glenn and Jewel Akens.

TCB.

DON WILSON.

2002/12/01 Don Wilson / Ep.Gold.Com.

STAX MUSEUM.

At 926 East McLemore Avenue, home of the now-defunct Stax Records studio and one of the most famous addresses in American music history, the soul is returning to a run-down black neighborhood.

Stax was one of the most popular soul-music labels ever, second only to Motown in sales and influence. With its studio in a converted Capitol movie theater, Stax folded in 1975, and the surrounding neighborhood fell on hard economic times. Until now, that is.

In April a new museum, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and an adjacent music academy are due to open, part of an ambitious urban and cultural renewal program for the area dubbed "Soulsville USA" in the 1960s. The $20 million project is financed by federal, state and city funds as well as private donations.

Elvis recorded two times at the Stax Studio's in June and December 1973, which resulted in the album 'Raised On Rock'.

2002/12/01 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

TCB REQUEST FOR EUROPEAN FANS.

As next year's tour will be probably the last one of Elvis The Concert, the band members would love to play countries they never played before, like Spain and Italy. If you live in one of those countries and you know addresses of the bigger concert promotors, please send them to the address below. Hopefully the tour can be extended and enjoyed by even more fans.

200212/01 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS AND THE IRAA.

Elvis is now ranked #4 on the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) listing of the most certified artists. The top 5 selling ‘album’ artists are:

The Beatles – 164.5 million (certified units)
Led Zeppelin – 105.0 million
Garth Brooks – 105.0
Elvis Presley – 102.0 million
The Eagles – 84.0 million

On the listing of the 100 Top Selling Albums Elvis has no titles while The Beatles, The Eagles and Led Zeppelin have numerous titles.

Elvis’s biggest selling albums in the US are:
Elvis’ Christmas Album – 7 million
Elvis’ Golden Records Vol. 1 – 6 million
Aloha From Hawaii – 5 million

This compares with titles by The Beatles:
The Beatles 1967-1970 – 16 million
The Beatles 1962-1966 – 15 million
The Beatles – 15 million
Abbey Road – 12 million
The Beatles ‘1’ – 8 million

So while Elvis will probably move into second place next year after additional advertising for Elvis 30 #1 Hits (currently with sales exceeding 2 million in America) he is not going to catch The Beatles. It will be interesting to see the sales wash up for Elvis 30 #1 Hits. Will it match the 8 million sales for The Beatles ‘1’?

2002/12/01 Johnny Walker / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELV1S 30 # 1 HITS ALBUM # 3 AT AMAZON.COM.

A few days ago E 1 album was # 20 at Amazon.com
But after The Special "Elvis Lives" , E 1 Album is back at # 3 since yesterday.

2002/12/01 Patrick Hughes / Ep.Gold.Com.

LONDON AUCTION OF ELVIS INSPIRED FASHION FROM TOP DESIGNERS PROMOTES ELV1S 30 # 1 HITS AND BENEFITS THE PRINCE'S TRUSTS.

The following is adapted from a November 2002 press release issued by BMG Europe. Following it is special additional information.

Elvis Inspired Fashion

Record company BMG Europe has rallied support from international fashion designers to create clothing and accessories, inspired by the King of Rock and Roll, to raise funds for The Prince’s Trust in a charity auction at Sotheby’s Olympia in London on Thursday 5th December 2002.

BMG Europe, the record company of artists like Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston and the Foo Fighters, has gathered together an amazing group of designers to create fashion based on the icon of pop culture, Elvis Presley. Inspired by the success of ELV1S 30 # 1 HITS, Elvis’ latest album that has soared to the top of the charts in 26 territories worldwide, the top designers will create clothes, belts, sun glasses and much more.

Among them to date: Cat Swanson,Ozwald Boateng, Marjan Pejoski, Wale Adeyemi, Temperley London, Betsey Johnson, Tata Naka, Pringle Scotland, Scott Henshall, Ben de Lisi, Julien Macdonald, Ghost, Arkadius, Levi Strauss, Joe Casley-Hayford, Max Azzria BcBG, Rifat Özbek, Karen Walker, YMC and Paul & Vinti Andrews and many other top designers. The pieces will be auctioned by Sotheby’s on 5th December 2002 with proceeds going towards The Prince’s Trust Fashion Initiative.

Announced by Prince’s Trust President, HRH The Prince of Wales in February 2001, the Fashion Initiative is a partnership with the fashion industry to help disadvantaged young people get a foothold in fashion, helping them maximise jobs and skills opportunities. Currently eight per cent of the young people The Prince’s Trust sets up in business are in the fashion and design industry.

"When thinking about how to position Elvis as a contemporary icon, FashionMusic and I came up with the idea of asking top fashion designers to design pieces inspired by Elvis Presley and based on one of the 30 number one hits on the ELV1S 30#1 HITS album. They all loved the idea and everybody has begun to work. Best of all is the fact that we have Sotheby's on board and The Prince's Trust for the charity. It's fantastic!" says Marcel Swagers, Senior European Online Marketing Manager of BMG Europe.

FashionMusic, working in close collaboration with BMG, has been responsible for developing the Elvis auction concept and has forged new relationships with designers and managed the development of some twenty Elvis inspired creations. Additionally Fashion Music has been instrumental in negotiating the Prince's Trust involvement in the project.

Wayne Hemingway, Prince’s Trust Ambassador and Designer added: "I am delighted The Prince's Trust will benefit from the Elvis inspired auction. The money raised will be used by The Prince's Trust to help nurture young creative talent in Britain. I'm sure that if Elvis had still been with us he would have been a Prince’s Trust supporter, but sadly he’s not around so I am doing the honours.“

Kerry Taylor, Head of Theme Sales at Sotheby’s, Olympia commented: “We are thrilled to be involved in this auction that promises to be a really exciting occasion bringing together fashion and music and most importantly benefiting The Prince’s Trust“.

Nearly 6 million copies of Elvis Presley’s ELV1S 30#1 HITS have been sold worldwide as of October 2002. Released on September 24, the album has reached the top of the charts in 26 territories

The auction of Elvis inspired clothing and accessories will take place on Thursday 5th December 2002 from 7pm at Sotheby’s Olympia, Hammersmith Road, London W14. Catalogues, costing £15 each, admit two people to the auction. To order a catalogue phone Sotheby’s catalogue subscripton on +44(0)207293 6444.

Additional Information

Following is the list of the designers onboard so far and the song(s) each has chosen as a theme for an existing or specially created item to place in the auction:

Cat Swanson - "Heartbreak Hotel"
Ozwald Boateng - "Don't Be Cruel"
Marjan Pejoski - "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"
Wale Adeyemi - "Hard Headed Woman"
Temperley London - "One Night"
Betsey Johnson - "Stuck on You"
Tata Naka - "Can't Help Falling in Love"
Pringle Scotland - "It's Now or Never"
Scott Henshall - "All Shook Up" & "Big Hunk o' Love"
Ben de Lisi - "Suspicious Minds"
Julien Macdonald - "A Little Less Conversation"
Ghost - "Love Me Tender"
Arkadius - "You're the Devil in Disguise" & "Crying in the Chapel"
Levi Strauss -"Jailhouse Rock"
Joe Casley-Hayford - "Good Luck Charm"
Max Azzria BcBG - "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
Rifat Özbek - "Surrender"
Karen Walker - "In the Ghetto"
YMC - "Burning Love"
Paul & Vinti Andrews - "Too Much" & "Return to Sender"

2002/11/30 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

EXCLUSIVE REVIEW 5.1 DVD-AUDIO MULTI-CHANNEL ELVIS 30 # 1 HITS ALBUM BY OUR COLUMNIST KEVIN BUDD.

An exclusive review on the 5.1 DVD-Audio Multi-Channel Elvis 30 # 1 Hits Album, bound to release December 10th,2002, by our Columnist Kevan Budd.

Go to the Menu : Reviews or Click Here.

2002/11/30 KevanBudd / Ep.Gold.Com.

DUTCH CHART UPDATE.

In the Dutch Top 40 Album ( Top 100 ) and the Mega Top 100 Album Chart the E 1 Album dropped from #9 to #14.

2002/11/30 E-mail / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS LIVES - KNOCKOUT TV SPECIAL PUTS THE KING BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

The NBC television special, ‘Elvis Lives’ has proven to be a knock-out success. While previous attempts at showcasing Elvis’ music have had mixed success, the Chris Isaak hosted special has hit the bullseye. The mainstream audience will find the special revealing, thanks to the clever intercutting of Isaak talking with celebrities about how Elvis influenced or impacted them and some great musical numbers including a dynamite duet between Isaak and Lee Ann Rimes and some great versions of classic Elvis hits, Suspicious Minds and Devil In Disguise just two. The show has proven to be a ratings and critical winner. Britney Spears, Marilyn Manson, No Doubt, Bono, Sheryl Crow Lee and others all make wonderful contributions to what is a fitting tribute to the world’s greatest ever entertainer.

2002/11/30 EIN / Ep.Gold. Com.

HEARTBREAK HOTEL NIC & LISA MARIE CHECK IN.

Wedded bliss was not meant to be for NICOLAS CAGE and LISA MARIE PRESLEY. ET broke the news that Cage filed for divorce Monday, stating irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

Just this past weekend, Cage and Presley attended a screening for his new film, 'Adaptation.' And it was only three months ago that the couple tied the knot in Hawaii in a super-secret ceremony, coincidentally held on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the death of Presley's musical pop, ELVIS.

Responding to the divorce filing, Presley issued a statement to ET through her spokesperson saying, "I'm sad about this but we shouldn't have been married in the first place. It was a big mistake." In turn, Cage told ET through a spokesperson, "I did not talk about the marriage and I'm not going to talk about the divorce."

The date of the couple's filing in Los Angeles Superior Court is listed as Nov. 25. The papers also request the court terminate its ability to award spousal support to Presley. Their property will be split at a later time.

Cage and Presley met nearly two years before their wedding at a party; at the time Presley was engaged to musician JOHN OSZAJCA. Cage was estranged from his wife, PATRICIA ARQUETTE. By May 2001, the couple was a Hollywood staple, appearing at premieres, parties and charitable events holding hands. Then at a 2002 Super Bowl celebration in New Orleans, Presley was noticeably absent from Cage's side. Soon after, their respective spokespeople released a statement that the two had parted ways.

But by June they were "on" again, re-emerging as a couple at the Los Angeles premiere for Cage's movie 'Windtalkers.'

This was Presley's third marriage. Her first to DANNY KEOUGH lasted six years, and resulted in two children, DANIELLE and BENJAMIN. Less than a month after that split came her union with MICHAEL JACKSON -- that relationship came full circle in about 20 months. As for Cage, he tied the knot with first wife Arquette in April of 1995. He filed for divorce in Feb. 2000, then reconciled with her. Arquette then filed papers in Nov. 2000.

2002/11/30 Eton.com / Ep.Gold.Com

THE KING AND US

By LINDA STASI (NY Post)

"Elvis Lives"
Thurdsay at 10 on NBC

HAS it ever occurred to you that "lives" is an anagram for "Elvis?" Maybe everyone already knows this, and I'm the only one who just figured it out when I saw the logo for NBC's special "Elvis Lives."

Although a tad too referential sometimes, at least this NBC special doesn't plumb the cheesy depths that rock award shows inevitably do when they fawn over aging rockers like they're prophets, not entertainers who've had more sex, more women, more fun, and more needles in their arms than a tattoo parlor full of Tommy Lees and Pamela Andersons.

Hosted by Chris Isaak (wearing Elvis' leather suit which he owns), the show's a nice combination of current stars doing fantastic renditions of Elvis classics (No Doubt, Dave Mathews, Chris Isaak with LeAnn Rimes, and Norah Jones).

Plus, Bono and, oddly enough, Sarah Jessica Parker, and the other "Elvis," Bill Clinton, give their insights or lack thereof about the King. Clinton, by the way, says, "Ah felt a specshul relationship to Elvis." It must be the fried banana sandwiches.

There is a lot of raw footage of young Elvis in action, which is breathtaking. But then again so was young Elvis. Even Bruce Springsteen says, "He was the most beautiful rock star there ever was." And he was - probably even more beautiful than Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison.

There's also some interesting talk by the rockers about how innovative and daring Elvis was, and when taken into the context of the times, his performances were absolutely astounding.

Of course, Elvis was the first white rocker to move like that and sing like that and behave like that. His moves were even censored on "The Ed Sullivan Show," and his dancing was called disgusting and sexual.

One of the rockers points out how tame these moves are by today's standards. To prove it, they show all kinds of gyrating singers. All women by the way. It's still not common to see men move like that on stage, and if they do, as the boy bands tried to do and as Carson Daly points out, they mostly look fake and laughable. You can't fake that. And you sure can't bottle it, baby.

Even the black stars like Little Richard, whose music was cribbed by the king, admit to his unique style.

During the last days of Elvis, when he was the size of a house, he still set a style being copied today. As Chuck D points out, "He wore more gleam than most hip hop artists today." While some of them have the girth, most of them, have so far, thank God, avoided white jumpsuits with bat collars.

Elvis footage aside, the best part of the show are the covers by today's stars who each take an Elvis classic and makes it their own. Norah Jones' version of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is so haunting, it breaks your heart.

As Sheryl Crowe says, "There's just none of that vulnerability and male sexuality being manned on stage anymore."

You mean that Justin Timberlake is no Elvis? Who knew?

2002/11/30 Linda Stast - New York Post / Ep.Gold.Com.

AND TO NOBBODY'S SUPRISE, LISA MARIE GET'S THE HOUSE.

By Michael Lollar

The reaction was fast and curious Tuesday to the off-again relationship between Lisa Marie Presley and her newest soon-to-be ex-husband, Nicolas Cage.

"I'm sad about this, but we shouldn't have been married in the first place," said Lisa Marie after Cage filed for divorce only months after an Aug. 10 Hawaiian wedding.

It was a marriage that incited rumors about converting Graceland from a tourist attraction into a home for the newlyweds. And it had spurred predictions about whether it would outlast Lisa Marie's previous marriages. First, there was rock musician Danny Keough (1988-1994), then a head-spinning marriage to self-proclaimed King of Pop Michael Jackson (1994-1996).

"The divorce is sooner than I expected. I said three years, maybe," said actor Red West, a former member of Elvis Presley's Memphis Mafia.

Tabloids had speculated about a divorce for at least a week, some saying Cage kept insisting on moving to Graceland and closing it as a tourist attraction. Elvis Presley Enterprises put a disclaimer on the Elvis Web site recently denying rumors that Graceland would close. EPE spokesman David Beckwith, who's getting used to this, said Tuesday that regardless of whom Lisa is married to, the rumor of a Graceland closing "surfaces about once every three years. It usually starts in the British press, then moves over here."

West didn't think the idea had legs anyway. "That's not possible because that's her income."

Cage, 38, did not comment on anything to do with the marriage, divorce or any fixation on Graceland as home. Through a publicist he issued a statement in response to 34-year-old Lisa Marie's statement: "I did not comment on the marriage. I am not going to comment on the divorce."

Another former Memphis Mafia member, Jerry Schilling, who once managed Lisa Marie's still-unrealized record career, said the divorce probably inspired new tabloid speculation about closing Graceland.

As for being obsessed about Elvis or Graceland, Schilling said Cage "is a big fan of Elvis. He's always said that, and been up front about it. So was I. But Nicolas Cage is an intelligent Academy Award-winning actor. I also respect Lisa, and I don't think she would be in an involvement on that level (with a man fixated on her late father's image)."

Schilling said unfounded rumors always followed Elvis, including the rumor that he wanted to escape from fame. "Elvis loved being Elvis. These people get to these positions because they work very, very hard to be there. They don't want to escape."

Schilling added he is "very sorry to hear about the divorce. I really wanted this to work for Lisa. She's a good person. She's impulsive like her dad, but he was a good person, and I feel the same about Lisa."

2002/11/29 Michael Lorrar - The Commercial Appeal / Ep.Gold.Com.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THEIR NEW UPCOMING BOOK: ROCK 'N' NASSAU RUSS HOWE & TOM SALVA.

Today we have a detailed and interesting interview with the authors of their new book "Rock 'n' Nassau", conducted by our Columnist Kenneth Dokkeberg.

Go to the Menu: Interviews or Click Here.

2002/11/29 Russ Howe / Tom Salva / Kenneth Dokkeberg / Ep.Gold.Com.

Dear EPGOLD visitors,

I find it a great honour to write the Live Concert Reviews for this great website!
From now on I would like YOU to choose the next concert to be reviewed! You can choose from three concert dates.
Mail your preference BEFORE December 10th to stefankock@zonnet.nl

The one with the most votes will be reviewed. Your options are:

Boston, November 10th 1971.
Memphis, March 20th 1974.
Memphis, July 5th 1976.

Best wishes,
Stefan Kock

ELVIS DID PLAYED THE LEAD GUITAR ON: ONE NIGHT AND BLUE CHRISTMAS , ACCORDING TO SCOTTY MOORE.

Hello! I just wanted to let you know that I received an e mail from Scotty Moore today by way of his assistant Gail Pollock.

Scotty Moore confirmed that Elvis played the lead guitar on "ONE NIGHT" (1958 version) and "BLUE CHRISTMAS"(1957).
Here is a part of the message:

"He told me to tell you that , yes, Elvis did play the guitar on "ONE NIGHT" and on "BLUE CHRISTMAS"....Elvis liked to do his own stuff.... Congratulations on a great ear!" Elvis was an accomplished musician and played guitar as well as bass and drums. Elvis did not merely use the guitar as a prop. I just wanted to clear up this misperception about Elvis."

2002/11/29 Carl Savich / Ep.Gold.Com.

D.J. Fontana, Johnny Jay, Dale Hawkins and James Burton...

...were some of the performers who appeared on the 2002 Ponderosa Stomp show in New Orleans.
We hear the 2003 event will take place at Mid-City Lanes Rock 'N' Bowl, 4133 S. Carrollton, New Orleans.
The confirmed dates are: Tuesday April 29, Wednesday April 30 and Thursday May 1. Meantime.

Check with Tapio Vaisanen's Ponderosa Stomp Page to keep informed

2002/11/29 Arjan Deelen / Ep.Gold.Com.

..AUSTRALIAN RE-PACKAGING - RE-PRESSING OF "LEGENDARY ELVIS PRESLEY"..

The re-pressing of the popular budget 3cd set "LEGENDARY ELVIS PRESLEY"
caught most Australian fans off gaurd.
Our good friends at SOLID-GOLD advised Bob that they had a copy of this 3 cd
set and could he provide any additional info?
Bob advised, that permission was granted for the set to be re- packaged/pressed in late 2001.
But it has not been issued in Australia to this date...27/11/02.........
One wonders how this 3cd set was available to overseas customers and dealers first and
not to the Australian Elvis fans first and foremost.
It has currently been available for sale in UK, the EC and the USA
The set has been revised a little and the most important DELETION from the written
data is the removal of fan club details from the back cover.
Bob, advised EPGOLD that this was a little disappointing to see these details omitted/removed
as Australian fan clubs need a bit of FREE publicity especially by BMG.
In the 50's and 60's the old RCA was always promoting the Australian fan clubs, but in a
completely different way.
Maybe this 3 CD SET will become available in Australia soon,
but Bob does not see that happening as advice was received that no
new releases would becoming from Australia until 2003 at the earliest.
THE 30 NO 1 HITS would be the big promoted cd until Christmas at least.

2002/11/29 / Bob Hayden / Ep.Gold.Com / Solid-Gold-Elvis.com

Don Wilson, production consultant of "The Definitive Elvis Collection", provided EP.Gold the Guinness Book of Records CERTIFICATE "The Longest Video Documentary".

Soon we wil have an exclusive interview with Don Wilson, conducted by Andylon Lensen.

2002/11/29 Don Wilson / Andylon Lensen / Ep.Gold.

ELVIS LIVES NBC TV SPECIAL UK.

The "Elvis lives NBC TV Special", will be broadcasted on Channel 4 December 21th, 2002 in the UK.
Along with Specials "One Night With You " and "Elvis '56" .

2002/11/29 e-mail / Ep.Gold.Com.