Elvis Collector's Gold

BMG UK CONFIRMS WORLD WIDE BREAKING NEWS FOR EP.GOLD.

THE NEXT PROJECT WILL BE A FOLLOWING UP FOR THE ALBUM ELV1S 30 # 1 HITS.

I just spoke this afternoon personally to Charlie Stanford from BMG UK.

I told him that I knew there was a board-meeting on February the 13th , that also coincide a decision on a new project for a new Elvis release on CD. He was amazed I knew this, as I told him it's not a new remix single CD, but an Album release.

This is correct Andylon, now you already make me confirm more than I supposed to. But indeed , there will be a following up for the Album Elv1s 30 # Hits and I can tell you Andylon, it is going to be a very exciting project, which will have the same big promotion Worldwide as the E 1 Album.

Charlie, I also heard at the BMG building that they might ask David Bendeth the remix Producer from the E 1 Album again, any decision made on this?
I don't know, I can't tell you, Andylon

But anyway, it is so exciting that as soon I am allowed to say more, as I am a columnist for EP.Gold , I will give you the breaking news.

And as I promised you a long time ago, Andylon I will soon introduce myself personally for the EP.Gold readers ads the Columnist from BMG UK.
Since this is the site on the internet, that is on the cutting edge of Elvis news.

More details soon.

2003/02/26 Charlie Stanford BMG - UK / Andylon Lensen

SIGNED PHOTO THE DAY BEATLES MET ELVIS SOLD TODAY ON EBAY FOR $ 7.101 US.

On August 27th 1965 The Beatles came to Vist Elvis at his Bel Air home in California . Elvis showed them around the house, in fact this was the first time any one of the Beatles ever saw a TV remote control. After a while they were playing music and having fun. This photo was signed by all four Beatles to one of the members of the Memphis Mafia (Elvis' guy's). The signatures are all in blue ballpoint pen. This photo has been in the possession of the member of the Memphis Mafia since the night he received it back in 1965. It has been in his photo album. Photo was professionally laminated to keep this "One Of A Kind" Treasure in MINT condition. Own a piece of History!! Photo is signed to (Memphis mafia Member) Best wishes, The Beatles, Then it is signed by Paul, George, Ringo & John. Paul handed him the photo. Photo comes with a letter of authenticity from the Memphis Mafia member (and Elvis' friend).

Note : The Beatle photo was from the private collection of Marty Lacker and now auctioned by Russ Howe.

2003/02/25 Ep.Gold.Com

E 1 CHART IN FINLAND.

The 30 # 1 Hits Album climbed in the 21st week from # 37 to # 33.

2003/02/25 Kari Paju - Finland / Ep.Gold.Com.

PROMOTIONAL PRESENTATION ON DVD FOR 30 # 1 HITS ALBUM.

This is a promotional presentation DVD for "Elvis 30 #1 Hits". It was issued to the HMV retail chain for in store play. This was a very limited pressing of just over 100 copies by BMG Canada, and Embassy Productions Inc. Canada.

2003/02/25 Barry Mc Clean. / Ep.Gold.Com.

TICKETS MAKE UP FOR ELVIS THE CONCERT.

Tickets are now on sale for the make-up engagements of "Elvis-The Concert" at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut and Trump's Taj Mahal in New Jersey. The EPE web site has direct links to online ticket sales.

2003/02/25 ElvisNews.

4TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENT SURVEY OF ELVIS WEBSITES REPORT.
EP.GOLD ( ELVIS PRESLEY GOLD ) FOR THE 1ST TIME LISTED WORLDWIDE AT # 6.

The survey was conducted during December 2002 and January 2003.

Methodology
A standard survey questionnaire was used. It was issued by email to 253 fan club presidents, webmasters and other identities in the Elvis world. Of the 253 surveys distributed, 33 came back marked "return to sender". Nine (9) of these were able to be resent meaning a potential response of 229.

Go To The Menu Reviews or

2003/02/24 Ep.Gold.Com.

DAVID BENDETH & SOUNDFIELD MASTERS ELVIS.

The King is dead... long live the King. Or at least it seems that way. A quarter of a century after his death, Elvis is topping the charts once again. "Elvis: 30 #1 Hits" has in fact gone triple platinum in America with sales of nearly nine million worldwide. The enviable task of mixing all of these tracks fell into the hands of producer/engineer David Bendeth and veteran mixing/recording engineer Ray Bardani.

Photo caption: Producer/engineer David Bendeth discovers SoundField microphone technology is perfect for the re-mixing of the "Elvis 30 #1 Hits" CD in 5.1 and stereo.

The London, England born David Bendeth has worn many hats in the recording industry. As a guitarist he toured with the legendary drummers Billy Cobham and Lenny White. Bendeth's songs have been recorded by a host of major artists, including Joe Cocker and Jeff Beck. He's also comfortable sitting in a businessman's chair. Up until recently, Bendeth was Sr. V.P. A&R for RCA Records. He's also produced and engineered Bruce Hornsby's new album, "Big Swing Face."

"It was when I was producing a Bruce Hornsby project that I met Ray Bardani," says Bendeth. "I asked Troy Germano, who owns The Hit Factory in New York, to recommend an engineer, and he mentioned Ray. We got along quite well, one thing led to another, and we ended up working on "Elvis: 30 #1 Hits" together. My title on the Elvis project is compilation producer and mixer. Bardani is listed as mixer and engineer."

Bendeth and Bardani spent a little more than three months at The Hit Factory assembling and re-mixing tracks for both stereo and DVD release. What kind of shape were the original masters in? "Interestingly enough, all of the masters were in good shape except for "Way Down," which was the very last hit Elvis had. That song was recorded in 1977 and was the only piece of material that came to us on two-inch tape. We needed to bake that one as the oxide was falling off!"

Over the course of his career Elvis was tracked with many different technologies. Now, it was up to Bendeth and Bardani to create a seamless whole out of material that was originally recorded in a variety of ways. "The first thirteen tracks on this new CD were originally recorded in mono, so there was nothing we could do to them but master as artfully as possible which was handled by Ten Jensen of Sterling Sound. George Marino also of Sterling Sound did a superior job of matching top, bottom and mid-range levels with the stereo mixes that comprise the remainder of the record.

Around the time of the release of Elvis' "In The Ghetto", engineers began tracking him to 8 and 16-track recorders. In fact, one of those tracks "A Little Less Conversation" was a worldwide number one hit for the remix artist JXL last year. This cut came to us on Pro Tools and we mixed it in 5.1. As you can see, we had to have just about every recording platform you could think of in the studio, along with the original recordings. We even had to borrow an old RCA three-track tape machine from a museum to make the transfers! Fortunately, Elvis was an RCA artist, and this project was released on that label, so we were able to get our hands on the original masters, which was a big help. Believe me, when they arrived at the studio people were lining up to get a look at them!"

Bendeth chose to work at The Hit Factory for several reasons. The mix environment of all of the studio's rooms is pristine, for one thing. "I love the SSL J9000 console they have as well. Choosing the right equipment for this project was absolutely essential. You'd think that remixing a master tape that had only three tracks would be simple, but we actually spent as much time riding the vocals and EQ'ing the tracks as we normally take mixing a large multi-track session."

How do you take a three-track source and remix it to give a convincing 5.1 sound field? "We actually worked with both the three and four-track masters in a way that had never been done before. We set up a Tannoy speaker in a very large room at The Hit Factory. In front of the speaker we placed a SoundField ST250 Microphone System. In back of the speaker we placed a variety of vintage ribbon mics. The idea was to recreate the space and feel of Elvis' band, and then place him at the heart of the group.

The SoundField technology is really amazing. Although, to tell you the truth, it's so revolutionary, that I still don't quite understand how it works its magic! The microphone takes a single point signal and tracks it to multiple tracks. We split it to five different tracks of a Sony 3348 digital recorder. Somehow the signal, which doesn't sound that different until you output the various tracks to the SoundField SP451 Surround Processor, is interpolated by the system. When you incorporate the processor into the picture, you end up with a signal that's separated into five different spatial dimensions, six if you include the sub-woofer information that it also outputs. It was really incredible.

"Ideally, the system works best when you feed the ST250 microphone information from eight or nine different directions. That way, the SP451 Surround Processor can accurately represent the real image in 5.1. However, we didn't have that luxury when working with the mono, and three and four-track masters. We were learning on the fly! That's why in the mono mode, we set up the SoundField microphones behind the speaker, to help create more ambience for the surround field we were creating.

"The final results are really exceptional. We're proud of the fact that we were able to create one, continuous soundfield, across an entire CD, that started out with tracks recorded over many years and in many different formats. There's no way that we could have achieved the results that we got without this revolutionary new SoundField technology."

2003/02/24 Transaudiogroup / soundfieldUSA./ Ep.Gold.Com.

THE LATEST BMG REVIEW KID GALAHAD / GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS. CD. BY GEORGE NELSON.

Here's the latest review of the KID GALAHAD / GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! CD.
conducted by our Columnist George Nelson.

2003/02/24 George Nelson / Ep.Gold.Com.

BMG COUNTRY RADIO COMPILATION # 7 PROMO CD.

This five (5) tracks promo has been issued by BMG Canada and contain one song by Elvis ( Burning Love ). The promo has a back cover ( shown above ) but no front cover. There's a gold sticker on the jewel case with " Demo " written on it. The CD itself and back cover also mention it's a " Not For Sale " item.

2003/02/24 Barry Mc Clean / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS 30 1 HITS DVD AUDIO FROM BRAZIL.

The cover art is the same as the US version except for the tag warning the consumer that this disc won't play in car stereos and cd-players, which is written in Portuguese. The Brazilian version doesn't come with the booklet.

2003/02/24 Sergio Luiz.

E 1 CHART UPDATES.

In the Top 75 Albums UK, the Elvis 30 # 1 Hits Album dropped from # 45 to # 50 this week.
In Canada the E 1 Album dropped to # 28 in the Album Chart, but maintained # 4 in the Canadian Country Charts this week.

2003/02/24 Various / Ep.Gold.Com.

CANADIAN STAGE MUSICAL THE ELVIS STORY GOES TO JAPAN.

The Elvis Story is a biographical stage musical that has played to packed houses in annual engagements at the Le Capitole Theatre in Quebec City since 1995. From time to time, it plays elsewhere. It will be presented in Japan with these engagements:

TOKYO
April 26 - May 11, 2003
Tokyo International Forum, Hall C

OSAKA
May 14 - 15, 2003
Osaka Kouseinennkinn Hall

Visit www.elvisstory.com to learn more about the show and about all its engagements in 2003.

2003/02/24 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com

THE PROMOTIONAL ADVANCE CD FROM LISA MARIE PRESLEY :
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

This is the promotional advance cd from Lisa Marie Presley "To whom it may concern".

2003/02/23 Andre Mester - Elvis - History.Com. / Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 CHART UPDATE.

On the Billboard Album 200 the album 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hiots' dropped from #47 to #53, but on the Country Charts this CD only dropped 3 spots, from #6 to #9.
In The Dutch charts the CD dropped from #16 to #20. In its 21st week in the German Album Chart, E1 fell from #43 to #49.

2003/02/23 Various / ElvisNews.

CHINESE PROMO CD FOR ELVIS 30 # 1 HITS ALBUM.

Here we have the artwork for Chinese Promo CD for ELV1S 30 #1 H1TS with great Picture Disc. This is super rare and is impossible to find.

2003/02/23 H.T. Long / Ep.Gold.Com.

CREWS DEMOLISHING DALLAS HISTORIC SPORTATORIUM.

Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline and Hank Williams played there. The Von Erich family wrestled there. But now, the only action seen at the Dallas Sportatorium comes from the crews who are taking apart the historic wrestling, boxing and concert venue. After a few recent reprieves, the barnlike wood-and-metal arena is coming down. The city of Dallas granted a demolition permit last week for the building at Cadiz and Industrial on the southwest corner of downtown Dallas.

2003/02/23 Associated Press / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS DAY IN AMSTERDAM.

The collectors shop in Amsterdam "The sound of the 50's" will have an open Elvis day on March 1st from 12 PM to 6 PM. You can find a lot of Elvis vinyl 78's, 45's, CD's and much more treasures over there. Also the fans can sell their items through the shop on that day. It will be a great day, and everyone is invited. The address is Prinsengracht 66, Amsterdam.

2003/02/23 Sound of the 50's / Ep.Gold.Com

CELEBRATE THE KING ON A CLASSIC CAR CRUISE.

For Elvis fans who also happen to be car enthusiasts, Tupelo, Miss., the birthplace of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, has a new draw: a newly opened automobile museum stocked with more than 100 classics, including a 1976 Lincoln owned by Tupelo's very own legend. Now the city is hosting a cruise weekend in his honor.

From May 2 to 4, Tupelo will welcome visitors to a collectible car event with a familiar Presley theme. "Blue Suede Cruise" will feature five sites scattered around the city that cruisers can drive to, including a stop at the modest two-bedroom, shotgun house where he was born Jan. 8, 1935. Throughout the weekend, there will be live '50s and '60s-era concerts, a classic car parade and a trip to the Tupelo Automobile Museum, which traces the development of the automobile from the 1800s to the present. The collection at the museum is valued at more than $6 million and has cars on display such as an 1899 Knox, a Duesenberg, three Hispano Suizas, a Tucker and an 1886 Carl Benz.

Registration for the weekend is $30 before March 15 and $40 afterward and includes admission to all events and concerts. The Web site for further information and scheduling for the cruise weekend is www.bluesc.com. For lodging and travel arrangements, log on to www.tupelo.net, which includes details on cruise specials at hotels for participants

2003/02/23 Lynn Petri Newsday - The Olympian / Ep.Gold.Com.

CIRCLE G OFFICIAL TO MAYOR: RESORT PROJECT NOT DEAD

HORN LAKE - The Circle G Resort project may not be dead after all.

Nearly two months after Circle G Resort LLC officials broke off talks with owners of the former Elvis Presley Ranch in Horn Lake, Horn Lake Mayor Mike Thomas said he received a voice message on his answering machine from former NASCAR racing owner and resort project promoter J.D. Stacy.

Thomas was out of town last week attending the Mississippi Economic Development Con-ference in Jackson when Stacy called.

"He (Stacy) just called to say that he would be up here soon and said the project was not dead," Thomas said.

Thomas has not heard from Stacy since or had any communication from any other individuals involved in the project.

Stacy could not be reached for comment.

Nearly one year after the $500 million project was first announced, the land is still undeveloped farmland, much as it was when Presley owned it from 1967 until 1974.

One member of the McLemore family, which owns the property encompassing the original ranch site, said he has had no contact with Stacy or anyone involved with the proposed Circle G Resort.

"I haven't talked to them in about two months," said Gerald D. "Buddy" McLemore. "They may have talked to other people because there are other people involved, but they haven't talked to me," McLemore said.

Landowner Vernon Simpson, who owns property adjacent to the site at the intersection of state Highways 302 and 301 where Circle G Resort LLC officials wanted to build at least two championship golf courses, could not be reached for comment.

However, his wife Bette Simpson said Tuesday that neither she nor her husband had heard from Stacy or any of the Circle G developers.

"We have not heard a word from them, but we did have somebody call the office (Monday)," Simpson said. "He did say he had an interest, but it was not associated with Elvis."

Circle G Resort LLC officials at one time held an option on more than 600 acres of property surrounding the original ranch but allowed that contract to expire. Three months later, Circle G Resort officials allowed an option on the McLemore property to expire.

2003/02/23 Robert Lee Long - Desoto Times Today / Elvis From Poland.

LETTER FROM THE PRODUCER ON RECENT CANCELATIONS.

Dear Elvis – The Concert Fans,

The recent cancellation of 'Elvis -The Concert'at The Mohegan Sun and Trump Taj Majal was devastating to all of us -the cast,the production team,and everyone at Graceland who gave birth to this incredible show and supported us since day one.

We have performed this concert flawlessly in over 120 shows around the world for almost 1 million people,and we take pride in having the finest production staff and equipment in the world -but it does not make this weekend any easier for all the fans who traveled and spend their hard-earned money to see our show.

At the Mohegan Sun Casino,everything was fine until 2 hours before showtime.It was then that we realized the center 'Elvis Screen'was not looking good.We immediately started changing the video equipment,and during this process burned out the equipment that sends the video signal to the screens. We even considered playing the show on the side screens,but the problems just got worse -and the side screens went down also. Over the past 5 years,we have been ready for this type of emergency and have solved numerous "close calls", but despite having over 4 back-up processors and video machines,we were not able to bring the screens back to "life".

At 7:30 p.m., we had to make a decision to either let the crowd of 6000 inside the arena (which I felt would make matters considerably worse),or cancel the show -and the decision to cancel was solely mine.

The management at The Mohegan Sun was extremely understanding and supportive to us, but apparently there were some problems with communicating the news and crowd control. I only ask that you try to understand that this was the first time any show has been cancelled at Mohegan Sun, and with all the confusion, no one on the Mohegan staff was well-rehearsed for this unfortunate situation.

In regard to the show at Trump Taj Majal in Atlantic City – we had to reach another difficult decision..Although we already had another video system ready to be sent to Atlantic City,the management at The Taj Majal asked to re-schedule the show because of a huge snowstorm heading for the New Jersey and they also did not want to take a chance on the new video equipment arriving in the snowstorm.Therefore,it was a joint decision to re-schedule their show.

After both shows were cancelled,the cast and crew were caught in the snowstorm and stuck in Atlantic City for 2 days - we all just got home last night,and thank God,everyone is safe.

It appears that we will re-schedule the shows for March 28 at Trump Taj Majal in Atlantic City,and March 29 at The Mohegan Sun Arena --please look at the Graceland website for further confirmation.

Please accept my deepest apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you,and thank you for your support of Elvis – The Concert.

Sincerely,
Stig Edgren
Producer /SEG EVENTS
ELVIS – THE CONCERT

2003/02/23 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com

SUN RECORDS MASTER MOTHER STAMPERS

The original Sun Records stamp used in 1954 to create the Elvis Presley hits "That's All Right Mama" and "Mystery Train" (1955) were sold for £20,000.

2003/02/23 Elvis From Poland / Ep.Gold.Com.

BEHIND THE IMAGE.

On January 25th, I had the honor of visiting the the world famous International Elvis shop in The Netherlands.
Along with the BEHIND THE IMAGE team, we had a wonderful time meeting and greeting fans who came by to learn more about the up-coming projects that BEHIND THE IMAGE has in store. Greg Retkowski of Praytome Publishing was there with me as well as Andre Mester of who is also a part of the Behind the Image Team and creator of ELVIS-HISTORY.COM. Greg and Andre answered questions about the making of the Behind The Image book, and everything that was involved in the creation of a book of this quality.

People were there to place their orders for the book and learn more about the next Behind The Image DVD due out early this year.
We viewed some of the rare film footage from my private vaults that will be used in future productions and fans were able to see the first test copy of the Behind The Image BOOK that is due out any day, and on sale now at www.behind-the-image.com.

The International Elvis shop is owned and operated by my dear friend Andylon Lensen, this shop is a place every Elvis fan must see. The rows and rows of rare Elvis vinyl was an incredible site to see. If your collection is missing a particular title....you are sure to find it here...she seems to have it all! Also impressive were the large selection of cds, books and rare photos that she has made available to Elvis collectors of all types. The shop is tastefully furnished with extremely rare Elvis memorabilia and "Elvis-owned" personal items from Andylon's private collection.
These include a guitar owned and played by Elvis that he autographed as well as Elvis' television set from his home in Germany while in the Army and many more museum quality items. If you are an Elvis fan, you will definitely want to take time to visit the International Elvis shop when you are in the area. You will not be disappointed.

Details about BEHIND THE IMAGE: THE BOOK:
Elvis: Behind The Image THE BOOK is a totally unique photo experience that includes memories from the private journal entries of Sandi Miller to go along with her personally taken photos of Elvis. Of special interest are her never before seen photos of the inside of Elvis' many California homes. Sandi was a fan who became friends with Elvis, and was there for many private parties, quiet times at home and even rehearsals at RCA studios. She kept a private 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 the typical Elvis photo book, and compliments the photos very nicely.
Also included are some incredible photos from the Russ Howe collection. Russ has a way of finding and sharing the most obscure "killer" Elvis photos that the fans really love to see. Elvis: Behind The Image THE BOOK is a private journey into the personal life of the greatest entertainer the world has ever known.

Large, high quality, hardback book is printed on premium paper stock.
Approximate size: 8 1/4" x 11 1/2"
120 pages with over 400 beautiful photographs. (over 95% COLOR)
order today from: www.behind-the-image.com

2003/02/21 Bud Glass - Producer Behind The Image. Us / Praytome - Behind The Image - Germany / Ep.Gold.Com

ALOHA FROM HAWAII 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION.

Here is the artwork for Elvis 30th Anniversary DVD Special Edition of 'Aloha From Hawaii' with a nice picture disc with the same image. The audio and video are remastered. This edition is available in Malaysia and Indonesia only.

2003/02 21 ElvisNews.

SCOTTY MOORE.

Scotty Moore was dismissed the day before yesterday from the Baptist Hospital in Nashville, TN. He had become very anemic due to a bleeding ulcer. They gave him 8 pints of blood and he is now back to his wonderful self. Please keep him in your prayers for a quick and speedy recovery. If you would like to send him a card, just send to Graceland Fan Relations and they will forward to him.

2003/02/21 EPE / ElvisNews.

NEW CZECH RELEASE IN DREAMS OF YESTERDAY

We at Memory Records are very excited about our latest Elvis CD, which we consider to be one of our finest and most essential releases so far. The title is:

In dreams of yesterday - Live in Milwaukee, WI, June 28, 1974

The sound-quality of this unreleased recording is truly amazing - it's easily the best quality live-recording that we've ever released. Elvis and the band are unfront, clear and well-balanced; it's really a joy to listen to The King in topform in such terrific clarity. Every vocal nuance, every guitar-lick, every drumbeat… everything sounds crisp and fresh. It's hard to believe that this recording is almost 30 years old, because it sounds like it was recorded last week.

Even more remarkable than the sound-quality is the brilliance of Elvis' performance. His shows in the spring of '74 were generally of a very high standard, but this concert is truly exceptional. The way that he almost attacks his opener C.C. Rider with lots of bite and enthusiasm shows that he is really ready to rock, and during the whole one-hour show his energy-level is simply amazing. His singing and his interplay with both the audience and his bandmembers shows that he is really enjoying himself. The show is filled with memorable moments and musical highlights, including a very powerful Trying To Get To You (with Elvis really soaring on the high notes), a beautiful and very heartfelt Help Me (with Elvis pronouncing the words more clearly than in other versions, really emphasizing the words), a vocally impressive I Can't Stop Loving You, a very solid and focused version of Bridge Over Troubled Water, very strong versions of Big Boss Man and Steamroller Blues (performed one after the other with almost no pause in between) and the surprise of the evening: a snatch of the Glen Campbell hit Turn Around, Look At Me! This song was never recorded by Elvis, so it's nothing short of a miracle to get this great rarity in such excellent sound-quality!

Everything was done to set a new standard of excellence with this CD. The recording was remastered with great care, and the sound-quality is quite impressive. Icing on the cake is a fascinating and thought-provoking essay about the Milwaukee show, placing it in its correct perspective.

In dreams of yesterday is an essential addition to any fans' collection. As with all Czech releases, it was pressed in a very limited edition, so avoid disappointment and order it today from: epfc@iol.cz

Tracklisting:
C. C. Rider (Trad.) 2’31 - I Got A Woman / Amen (Charles) 4’07 - Turn Around, Look At Me (Capehart) 0’14 - Love Me (Leiber / Stoller) 1’26 - Trying To Get To You (Singleton / McCoy) 2’04 - All Shook Up (Blackwell / Presley) 0’58 - Love Me Tender (Presley / Matson) 1’36 - Hound Dog (Leiber / Stoller) 1’20 - Fever (Davenport / Cooley) 2’53 - Polk Salad Annie (White) 3’32 - Why Me Lord (Kristofferson) 2’29 - Suspicious Minds (James) 3’36 - Band Introduction 3’15 - I Can't Stop Loving You (Gibson) 2’33 - Help Me (Gatlin) 2’32 - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon) 3’55 - Let Me Be There (with reprise - Rostill) 3’30 - Funny How Time Slips Away (with reprise - Nelson) 3’38 - Big Boss Man (Smith / Dixon) 2’36 - Steamroller Blues (Taylor) 2’45 - Can't Help Falling In Love (Peretti / Creatore / Weiss) 1’50.

2003/02/21 Czech Elvis Fanclub / Solid Gold-Elvis.

ALLC IN PORTUGAL.

The Remix single "A Little Less Conversation" , climbed again in the Portuguese Top Single Charts, this week from # 7 to No # 5 in it's 36th week.

2003/02/20 Burning Star/ Ep.Gold.Com.

JOHNNY CASH CLAIMS THE RECORDING OF THE MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET WAS RECORDED IN 1955.

Like Elvis before him, Johnny Cash camps out in front of Sam Phillips’s legendary Sun Studios trying to catch a break. His real desire is to be a gospel singer, but Phillips won’t bite, so Cash returns with "Hey Porter." Backed with "Cry Cry Cry," it becomes his first Sun single. In May, daughter (and future country star) Roseanne Cash is born. In December, releases "Folsom Prison Blues," which includes his meanest, and most famous line: "I shot a man in Reno/Just to watch him die."

With a title inspired by Carl Perkins and a melody cribbed from a backwards-spooled tape recorder from his Air Force days, "I Walk the Line" becomes Cash’s first number one hit, eventually selling over one million copies. In his 1997 autobiography, Cash, he writes that he’s still angry that Sam Phillips never bought him a Cadillac to mark this occasion, a gift Phillips had given to both Elvis and Carl Perkins after they had huge, breakthrough success.

During a Carl Perkins recording session that features Jerry Lee Lewis on piano, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley happen by Sun Studios. The nearly 40 takes recorded that day become famous as the "Million Dollar Quartet." Reports vary from many sources about the different artists’ participation, including Cash’s own recollections æ in his 1975 autobiography, The Man In Black, he claims it occurred in 1955, not ’56, and at different times claims to sing on different songs.

2003/02/20 James Keast / Ep.Gold.Com.

FIRE DOWN BELOW MUSIC FESTIVAL AT ELVIS PRESLEY'S MEMPHIS.

Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. Presents
The Fire Down Below Music Festival

Elvis Presley’s Memphis on Beale Street hosts seven featured young bands and presents each with The Gladys Award

Seven young bands are being spotlighted on March 24th - March 29th at Elvis Presley’s Memphis at 126 Beale Street in Memphis at the first Fire Down Below Music Festival. Each band will also be a recipient of The Gladys Award.

The Festival takes its name from the last song Elvis worked on in his final recording session, which was at Graceland in 1976, the year before his death. His vocals on this Jerry Scheff composition were never completed.

The Gladys Award, appropriately named for Elvis’ mother, acknowledges and recognizes each bands’ participation in the festival as well as their early achievement as a cutting-edge, live music presence in Memphis, the “mother” of all music towns.

“Since Elvis Presley’s Memphis first opened its doors, we’ve wanted to put this great venue’s acoustics and ambience to work showcasing new music talent in our city." said Jennifer Burgess, director of Marketing for EPE, Inc., "This festival is our latest expression of that goal.”

The bands, which are listed below, will perform beginning at 10:00 p.m. during the six-night festival. More information will be available on the festival Web site at www.elvis.com/fire (The site will be up and running very soon and we'll activate a link from here.)

Festival Lineup:

Monday, 3/24
Native Son

Tuesday, 3/25
Chosen View and Dis-Missile

Wednesday, 3/26
The Gamble Brothers

Thursday, 3/27
Bumpercrop

Friday, 3/28
The Subteens

Saturday, 3/29
Dora

2003/02/20 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS 55 # 1 HITS ALBUM RELEASED IN CHINA.

This Elv1s 55 # 1 Hits 2 golden 2 CD -set is released in China in HDCD -Technic, wich has an outstanding sound - quality.

Tracking list CD 1:
Heartbreak Hotel - Don't Be Cruel - Hound Dog - Love Me Tender - Too Much - All Shook Up - Teddy Bear - Jailhouse Rock - Don't - Hard Headed Woman - One Night - Fool Such As I - Big Hunk O' Love - Stuck On You - Now Or Never - Are You Lonesome Tonight - Wooden Heart - Surrender - His Latest Flame - Can't Help Falling In Love - Good Luck Charm - She's Not You - Return To Sender - Devil In Disguise - Crying In The Chapel - In The Ghetto - Suspicious Minds - The Wonder Of You - Burning Love - Way Down - A Little Less Conversation

Tracking list CD 2:
Loving You - Love Letters - I Want You I Need You I Love You - That's When Your Heartaches Begin - True Love - Young & Beautiful - Doin' The Best I Can - Something Blue - Angel - That's Someone You Never Forget - Just Pretend - For The Good Times - Woman Without Love - He'll Have To Go - It's Impossible - Always On My Mind - I Just Can't Help Believin' - Tomorrow Is A Long Time - Love Me - And I Love You So - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - It's Only Love - Spanish Eyes - You Don't Know Me

2003/02/20 H.T. Long / Ep.Gold.Com.

VALLEY MAN BOB IVERS RELISHES HIS TIME WITH ELVIS.

Today, when Bob Ivers pauses to reflect on Elvis Presley, he won't remember a bloated man stumbling through his Graceland mansion nor the myth machine that elevated a rock 'n' roll king to the status of a demigod.
Rather, Ivers will think back to the set of G.I. Blues, when he starred with Elvis and Juliet Prouse.
And he'll remember a kind, gentle kid, a young man any mother would love.

"He never displayed a temper, either on or off the set. He always came to work ready. He was a delight to work with," said Ivers, who runs a Yakima advertising agency that does business throughout the Lower Valley. Ivers' movie reviews also are heard on Tri-City radio stations.
"His demeanor around elderly people was impeccable. His fondness of children was apparent. He loved animals, and animals loved him."
It was 1960, and Elvis had just been discharged from the service. So had Ivers. Both had been drafted from show business for two-year gigs in the Army.

Hollywood decided to celebrate Elvis' new freedom with another vehicle designed specifically for the sultan of swivel, a plot just substantial enough to string one song after another.
Mindless, but no one claimed it was high art.
"It was a good movie for what it was meant to be," Ivers said.
"Cotton candy and fuzzy froth."
Ivers described the plot, and it didn't take him long:

"We were part of a musical group stationed in Germany trying to raise money to buy our own club when we got stateside. We had a bet on post that Elvis could spend the night with Juliet Prouse. My job was to keep Juliet's girlfriends out of the apartment."
Kind of like Andy Hardy meets Sgt. Bilko.
"I was really lucky on the set. I was a trained actor. Elvis was an entertainer. The director had me take Elvis off into the corner to work with him, kind of like a surrogate director," Ivers said.

Ivers' face once was all over the screen, both big and small. He did 120 television shows - from Bonanza to 77 Sunset Strip - between 1955 and 1965. He was featured in two dozen movies, ranging the cult fave I Married a Monster from Outer Space to Shortcut to Hell, the only film James Cagney directed.
Ivers met Elvis several times before they acted together in G.I. Blues.

In 1956, Ivers was working on the set of Delicate Delinquent, Jerry Lewis' first movie after he split with Dean Martin. Gossip columnist "Hedda Hopper got it all wrong. She wrote I was going to be Jerry's new partner. It was great for me, because it was a headliner in the Examiner," Ivers said.
Elvis wanted to meet Jerry, and wound up meeting Ivers, too. "He wasn't a star then, but he was a big, hot name coming up. We had all heard about Elvis."
Ivers eventually left Hollywood when his wife, actress Marcia Henderson, grew ill. Actors' hours didn't mesh with those needed to care for his wife. Ivers went into TV news and kicked around the West, finally landing in Yakima in the early '70s. His wife died there.

The last time Ivers met Elvis was in the late '60s, when Ivers was working for television in Phoenix and Elvis was making a movie in Sedona.
"I drove up there, and we had a nice visit."
So, the news that emerged from Memphis on Aug. 16, 1977, was a shock.

"I couldn't believe it, all that stuff about dope. I don't believe he was a dope addict. He just wasn't that kind of guy. I think he got hooked on prescription drugs.
"But, Elvis was the kind of guy you couldn't say 'no' to."
Ivers got a call from Priscilla Presley's office last year, asking him to be her guest at Graceland during the 19th anniversary of Elvis' death.
"It was great."

But this year, he'll stay in the Mid-Columbia, working on his movie reviews, which will not, by the way, include G.I. Blues.
And today, he'll remember Elvis, the healthy young man who sang back then with innocence and joy.
"He was purely a kid from Mississippi. His mama raised him right."

2003/02/19 Don Mc Manman - 1997 / Ep.Gold.Com

P.J. PROBY AS A SPECIAL GUEST IN RANDERS, DENMARK.

Look out for the BBC 1 Television Documentary on Friday 7th. March 2003 at 22.55pm It is an interview with P.J. about the 60's.
P.J. will be appearing along with the Elvis Presley TCB Band and the Sweet Inspirations in Denmark on April 5th. and April 6th. 2003.

2003/02/19 P.J. Proby - Proby.co. uk / Elvis Unlimited / Ep.Gold.Com.

NEW BOOK ELVIS LIVES BY PAMELA THOMAS WILLIAMS

This book will share some exclusive interviews with the top Elvis Tribute Artists (ETA's) in the world and will include 48 pages of color photos. With over two years of research and thousands of miles of travel, we will explore the growing phenomena of the countless Elvis fans that have no other alternative but to follow the image of the King. It is a known fact that the population of ETA's, their fans, and the people who assist in helping to create the illusion of Elvis continues to grow at an almost alarming rate.

We will take you on a journey into the lives of the people who are truly committed to sharing their version of the most impersonated icon in the world. From the pioneers, who actually saw Elvis Presley perform, to the novice who have been indoctrinated into the Elvis fold by the influence of friends and family.

From those that help to create "the look" to those that provide a backdrop of music that must project the quality and diversity essential to re-creating the sound of Elvis. This ability to create the illusion of Elvis is a package that requires a tremendous amount of dedication mixed with a lot of love and respect for Elvis Presley. There are the contests, the venues, the managers and agents, and the producers who have the clout to take ETA to the highest level of impersonation. This is the business of being Elvis. A sample of links.

Planning date for release July, 2003. For More Details go to her Website : Click Here.

2003/02/19 Pamela ltd.

HIDDEN LODGE IDYLLWILD, CALIFORNIA. ELVIS SANG HERE.

Go to Idyllwild for a weekend of clean air, rest, maybe some hiking, and a bit of shopping. But be careful—it could end up costing you $150,000 or more. That is, if you're an Elvis fan.
Idyllwild, it so happens, is home to a genuine artifact of Elvis history.

I created and maintain a website dedicated to the filming location of Elvis's 10th motion picture, "Kid Galahad"
The site can be found at http://escape.to/hidden_lodge.

2003/02/18 Jeff / Ep.Gold.Com.

[1 comment]

Wonderful site I´m a huge Elvisfan for nearly 30 years. I went to this house last summer vacation. It´s not easy to find! When you come from LA you had to drive to the desert. Then you drive up the mountain. You will not believe that when (because you are in a desert ) you come over the mountain and suddenly you are in a deep and wonderful forrest. It´s very cool when you drive to that town you take the same street that you can see in the movie when Elvis comes to town ( on the back of the truck) .When we stand in front of the house a very friendly woman who live right across comes out of her house and talk to us for a while. Then she said her name....and believe it or not it was my name which is an extremly rare name!!!!
i was shocked and she was shocked. So our trip to idylwild was super cool and i will never forget it!

praytome

PIC OF THE WEEK.

This week we have a great unpublished photo from the show Atlanta 30, 1976.
Go To The Menu : Pic Of The Week or

2003/02/18 Andre Mester / Ep.Gold.Com

THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ELVIS & FRIENDS RADIO SHOW.

MEMPHIS MEMORIES PRODUCTIONS
Presents a Very Special Concert for

"THE 25th ANNIVERSARY
of the ELVIS & FRIENDS RADIO SHOW "

with The Award Winning...JEFF KRICK

In Concert
Performing 2 exciting Tribute To Elvis shows complete with Las Vegas showgirls
ROCKIN' RON CADE of the "ELVIS & FRIENDS RADIO SHOW"
from WOGL OLDIES 98.1....is hosting this event
Saturday February 22, 2003
8 pm - 12 midnight Doors Open: 7:00 pm
Tickets $20.00 Dress: casual
Everyone will get a FREE ELVIS SOUVENIR
ROMANO's
CASTOR & WINGOHOCKING ST.
PHILADELPHIA,PA.

ELVIS RAFFLES--ELVIS MEMORABILIA FOR SALE
CASH BAR and CASH BUFFET
A MEMPHIS MEMORIES PRODUCTION

MEMPHIS MEMORIES HOTLINE: 215-269-6949

TICKETS $20.00 PER PERSON.CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO:
MEMPHIS MEMORIES PRODUCTIONS,P.O.BOX 1644, LEVITTOWN,PA. 19058. ALSO: SEND A STAMPED SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR TICKETS AND TABLE NUMBER, WHICH YOU WILL RECEIVE ABOUT 1 WEEK BEFORE THE SHOW.

THIS SHOW HAS SOLD OUT!

2003/02/18 Rockin' Ron Cade - Memphis Memories Productions. / Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 CHART UPDATE.

In its 20th week on the Finnish Album Chart the CD "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits" fell from #17 to #37. In the U.K. this CD climbed to #45 from #61 and in Ireland the album climbed to #43 from #64. In Sweden the CD dropped to #8 from #2 while the CD dropped to #87 from #61 in Switzerland in its 19th week on the chart.

2003/02/18 ElvisNews / Ep.Gold.Com.

BOB IVERS, FORMER MOVIE ACTOR AND TELEVISION NEWSMAN , DIES.

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) -- Bob Ivers, a movie actor who once co-starred with Elvis Presley and later worked in television news, has died at the age of 68.
Ivers died at his home here Thursday after a six-month battle with cancer of the esophagus.
He spent most of his career as a television news reporter, anchor and news director in Yakima, Phoenix, Lansing, Mich., and Fargo, N.D.

Before that, he co-starred in several movies. He played Cookie in "G.I. Blues" with Presley and Kyle in "Short Cut to Hell" directed by James Cagney. He also had a role with comedian Jerry Lewis in "The Errand Boy."
Ivers also appeared in more than 17 television shows, including "The Fugitive," "The Untouchables," and "Gunsmoke."

Born Robert L. Prestlien in Seattle on Dec. 11, 1934, he graduated from Tucson High School and worked for Pasadena Playhouse before winning a contract with Paramount Studios.

Ivers never quite made it to the stardom he would have liked. In 1978, he told the Yakima Herald-Republic that he would have liked the fast-paced life of Hollywood and wondered what might have been.
Instead, he moved to television news. In 1965, he started working as weatherman and newsman for KPHO in Phoenix, then was news anchor and reporter for WJIM in Lansing, Mich. In 1970 he moved to KTHI in Fargo, N.D.

After moving to Yakima in 1972, he worked as news director and anchor at KAPP, hosted a morning children's show and the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. He also worked at KNDO and ran his own advertising business.

He is survived by two daughters, Mallory Cangialosi, of Westport, Conn., and Alenda Michael, of Las Vegas, Nev.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Shaw and Sons Memorial Chapel in Yakima.

2003/02/18 The Associated Press. / Ep.Gold.Com.

U.S. DATES OF ELVIS THE CONCERT RESCHEDULED.

Failure of video equipment forced the canceling of the presentation of Elvis-The Concert on February 15 at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT. A winter storm prompted the cancelation of the engagement at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ on February 16. We await confirmation of make-up dates from our show's producer, SEG Events. Tentative make-up dates are March 28 for Taj Mahal and March 29 for Mohegan Sun. The very moment we have confirmation on these dates, we'll post an article in News on our site, update the tour schedule and issue an E-newsletter alert. We, along with SEG Events and the venues, apologize to anyone who has been disappointed or inconvenienced by these cancelations.

On show day at the Mohegan Sun the video equipment failed. The processors that send the Elvis video image to the screen burned out. Then, the backup processor units also burned out. Something highly unusual had gone wrong with the system. All contingency options were exhausted and the video compmany that works with our show could not be repair or replace the equipment in time to make it possible for the show to go on as scheduled. A winter storm was keeping much of the potential audience for the Atlantic City show from attending and made it iffy as to whether the cast and crew could get there in time to set up and play. The status of the equipment problem was also a factor. The cancelation of that show was a joint decision by SEG and Taj Mahal.

Perhaps some of the disappointed audience members will be consoled somewhat by knowing that SEG Events is taking a very painful financial hit on this cancelation, with cast and crew payment and all the travel and production expenses to deal with even though the show did not play. SEG is the company to whom we have licensed the concert project and they are in charge of its management and take on all the expenses and financial risks. If there had been any way to make the shows go on, SEG would have done so.

2003/02/18 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

LISA MARIE PRESLEY WAS REJECTED BY ELVIS LABEL.

Lisa Marie Presley's new album was rejected by RCA, the lifelong home of her dad's recordings.

An RCA insider confirmed for me this week that Lisa Marie actually came in and played demos of her songs "three or four years ago." Those songs have now been remixed and processed for release as a Capitol Records album called To Whom It May Concern.

But the songs on To Whom were played for RCA executives a long time ago, apparently, and they were rejected outright. "They weren't very good," said one listener, "and there wasn't much we could do for them. We told her that it wouldn't be right to release just because she was Elvis' daughter. And she understood that."

Presley at one time had let Alanis Morissette's producer, Glen Ballard, do the production work on the album. "But even that didn't help," says the RCA insider. "I don't know what they've done to the stuff to make it work now. We heard the song about her father. That is not a new song. It's been around for a while. And look, she can't really sing."

Indeed, in her first radio interview to promote the album, a rather naive Presley told as much to the DJs in Atlanta. She confessed that the tracks had been worked on and re-worked from their original versions. In a Texas radio interview, she actually balked when one interviewer suggested playing a track from the album. Evidently it wasn't her favorite. He had to suggest a couple more before Presley selected one she wanted to hear.

And then again, her radio interviews -- at least the early ones -- have been kind of interesting for their candor. Presley has talked about her marriages to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage, calling the former one "a real marriage."

2003/02/17 Fox News.Com / Ep.Gold.Com.

[1 comment]

Isn´t it bad taste from RCA to badmouth Lisas album? To say she can´t sing is a bad joke....If they think what she do is not singing than 90% of the music making people can not sing.

I´m looking forward to her album and wish her all the best!
For me it looks like someone don´t like her!!!

Praytome

SUN CANCELS ELVIS SHOW.

MOHEGAN -- For the first time since it opened, the Mohegan Sun Arena canceled a show just hours before curtain time Saturday night.

"Elvis, the Concert" was canceled two hours before show time because of technical difficulties, Public Relations Manager Saverio Mancini said Saturday night. The show features members of Presley's band performing with Elvis, whose image is projected on a giant screen, Mancini said. "There's a lot of technical requirements with the show and they had some problems that they tried to fix but couldn't," Mancini said.

The arena seats 10,000, but Mancini said the show was not sold out.

He said the Arena hopes to reschedule the concert early next week and tickets for Saturday's concert will be honored for the new date. If people want a refund instead, they can get one at the point of purchase, he said.

Mancini said the casino rarely cancels a concert on such short notice. Saturday's was the first arena show that had to be canceled, he said.

2003/02/17 Noewich Bulletin, CT / Ep.Gold.Com.

[1 comment]

About the mohegan sun cancellation, the arena holds 10,00 if it was a
regular performer, but for this show they cant put people behind the
screen!!
so i spoke to the women manager at the mohegun sun and she said for the show
7,500 were available, but the demand was so high, that they added 1,500
floor seats, the crowd was 9,000 strong waiting to get in.

Perry

ACTING BUG ( NANCY WALTERS ) BITES AGAIN.

Nancy Walters is among the rarest of Hollywood celebrities.
She was a fast-rising young actress, groomed for stardom by a major movie studio, and she walked away from the glitter and glamour of Tinseltown at the most unlikely moment.
Now, more than 40 years after flirting on-screen with co-star Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii, the Central Florida native is knocking on Hollywood's door again....read more

2003/02/17 Ramsey Campbell - Orlando Sentinel, FL. / Elvis from Poland.

E 1 UK CHART.

The Elv1s 30 # 1 Hits Album climbed this week in the Top 75 Album Chart UK from # 61 to # 45.

2003/02/17 Dot Music / Ep.Gold.Com.

ELVIS MUSIC NET. COM

This site contains a big collection of Elvis songs & his entire life like the complete 1956 Television - shows, information and songs from his Movies, songs from his Comeback special, Aloha from hawaii and others. This site also has a new complete album on our site every month.

Webmaster: Rob De Kooter.

To Visit this Elvis Music.Net : Click On The Banner

2003/02/17 ElvisMusic.net / Ep.Gold.Com.

NEW BOOK GERRY RIJFF.

The follow up to "The Hottest Thing That's Cool", Rijff's last (fantastic) book, will probably be out early spring. It will contain a lot of rarities and is said to be even better than "The Hottest Thing". Again the text will be delivered by Trevor Cajiao (The Man And His Music).

2003/02/17 ElvisNews.

ELVIS THE CONCERT CANCELLED TWICE.

The show scheduled for yesterday February 16 at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City has been postponed until March 28. Atlantic City has been hit by a massive snow storm.
Last saturday evening over 8,000 waiting people got the last minute news that the show was cancelled at the Mohagan Sun Arena. Because they couldn't get the screen to work, the show had to be cancelled and will be booked for a later date.

2003/02/17 Various / Ep.Gold.

ELVIS IN CONCERT YESTERDAY CANCELLED AT THE MOHEGAN SUN.

Last night's Elvis Concert At The Mohegan Sun was cancelled.

There were about 8,000 to 9,000 people waiting for the doors to open, when they announced that the show has been CANCELLED due to technical difficulties. (They could not get the screens to work). so they will re- book the show for a later date.

2003/02/16 Russ Howe / Ep.Gold.Com.

RED WEST & ELVIS PHONE CONVERSATION.

THIS IS RED WEST, YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN ELVIS PRESLEY AND MYSELF THAT I RECORDED SOMETIME IN OCTOBER 1976 WHILE I WAS IN LOS ANGELES WRITING THE BOOK ‘ELVIS WHAT HAPPENED’, ALONG WITH MY COUSIN SONNY WEST AND DAVE HEBLER.

IT WAS NO SECRET THAT WE WERE WRITING THE BOOK AND KNOWING ELVIS AS I DID I KNEW HE WOULD TRY TO CONTACT US. I ALSO KNEW WE WOULD BE CALLED LIARS, JUDAS’, TRADERS AND ANY OTHER EXPLETIVES BY FANS AND EVEN SOME PEOPLE AROUND HIM WHO WE HAD BEEN CLOSE TO UP UNTIL THIS TIME. I KNEW THAT HE WOULD REVEAL IN THIS CONVERSATION ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT WOULD SUBSTANTIATE WHAT WE SAID IN THE BOOK.

IT WAS EVEN MORE THAN I HAD EXPECTED. AND MORE THAN I WANTED TO HEAR. BY THIS I MEAN I HEARD A SAD AND LONELY MAN. A MAN I HAD GROWN UP WITH AND WATCHED RISE FROM NEAR POVERTY TO BECOME THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER THIS WORLD WE’LL EVER SEE. A BOY IN A MANS BODY WHO COULD NOT HANDLE THE CELEBRITY THAT HE HAD NOW BECOME. I HAD A SINKING FEELING THAT I WOULD NEVER SEE MY BEST FRIEND AGAIN AND I DIDN’T....read more

2003/02/16 Red West / Ep.Gold.Com.

SPECIAL EDITION OF THE 50 GREATEST HITS - THE CLASSICS.

New rare Elvis Special Edition of the "50 Greatest Hits -The Classics" Double CD-album. This one is from Mainland China, even though it has BMG Hong Kong on its label. A real quality release -comes in a beautiful jewel case plus a very nice bonus Slip-Case Box. This is completely different to the BMG Taiwan release.

2003/02/16 H.T. Long / Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 CHART UPDATE.

In Germany the CD "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits" dropped from #41 to #43 in it´s 20th week. In The Dutch charts the CD dropped from #12 to #16.

2003/02/16 Various / Ep.Gold.Com.

JOE CONELLY DIED.

Television writer-producer Joe Connelly, who co-created the wholesome family comedy "Leave It to Beaver,' has died. He was 86. Connelly produced Elvis Presley's final movie, "Change of Habit.'

2003/02/16 ElvisNews.

TRIPLE PLATINUMDOWN UNDER.

In New Zealand the CD "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits" has been certified 3x Platinum and moved up from #33 to #22 in its 17th week on the album charts.

2003/02/16 ElvisNews.

IN SEARCH OF ELVIS. AND HOW TO FIND HIM BY : MAURICE COLGAN EXCLUSIVE ESSAY FOR EP.GOLD.

Back in early 1997 yours truly was busy trying to draw the interest of the media, the Irish media in particular, to the upcoming important 20th Anniversary of Elvis’ death. Trawling for Elvis related material to help with my quest I came across a ten year old edition of the, "Hot Press", a weekly popular music magazine published in Dublin. What drew my attention to it was the large cover photo of a young Elvis and the headline for an article by Joe Jackson, "In Search of Elvis". Joe also wrote for, "The Irish Times", and was often on our radio as a presenter, or guest of various music shows...read more

2003/02/14 Maurice Colgan / Ep.Gold.Com.

BMG AMERICAN AIRLINES PROMO FOR ELV1S 30 # 1 HITS CD.

BMG has issued this promo for the major flight company in Canada. The same has been done in the USA for " American Airlines " but contains only three (3) tracks instead of four (4) tracks as featured on the " Air Canada " promo.The tracks are : Burning Love (sound comparison), Burning Love ( from the CD 30 #1 Hits ) and Suspicious Minds ( from the CD 30 #1 Hits ). The back cover shown above at right contains the mention " A Special gift for First Class and Business Class customers courtesy of RCA Records.

2003/02/14 Barry Mc Clean / Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 BILLBOARD.

Elv1s 30 # 1 Hits Album dropped in the Billboard 200 from # 36 to # 47.

In the Country Chart the Album dropped from # 4 to # 6 also this week.

2003//02/14 Billboard / Ep.Gold.Com.

LILO AND STITCH NOMINATED FOR OSCAR.

Disney's Lilo And Stitch is nominated for an Academy Award in the 'Best Animated Feature Film'-category. On March 23 we will know if Elvis is connected to another achievement.

2003/02/14 ElvisNews.

ARGENTINIAN PROMO CD'S.

As part of BMG/Argentina's campaign to promote the ELV1S 30 #1 HITS CD, all of these various artists promotional only CD's include one Elvis song. PCD-468 also includes two radio spots with Elvis music and a speaker in Spanish. Elvis' songs included are: Burning Love; A Little Less Conversation; It's Now Or Never and Suspicious Minds respectively. CD's were sent to selected radio stations.

2003/02/14 ElvisNews.

A VALENTINE GIFT FOR YOU: "LIGHTS OUT" PROMO VIDEO CLIP.

Direct Play, Real Player
Download File, Windows Media (6.7 MB - Right click and save it as ....)

2003/02/14 Lisa Marie Presley.Com. / Ep.Gold.Com.

MINISTERS OF SOUND.

Some bands want you to swap music files over the internet, writes Ben Hammersley

Music, like love, is best experienced in the flesh. Sometimes, alas, it's not so convenient - while driving, for instance - so we must search out the next best thing. For many, MP3s are the musical equivalent of a hairy kiss from a maiden aunt: it's music, yes, but it lacks a bit. So many fans have turned to swapping music in another file format: music recorded from concerts, with the permission of bands.
The file format is called Shorten, and is a lossless compression format. So while the files are relatively small, they don't lose any musical fidelity. MP3s, on the other hand, use a "lossy" compression technique - they save on space by missing out some of the detail.

It works like this: some bands - Phish and The Grateful Dead being two - allow concert goers to tape the show. Many even provide "taper tickets" with good acoustics for those with the recording gear (mostly professional quality DAT equipment). This recording is then encoded as a Shorten file.

The bands give permission for people to share these files, but only on a person-to-person basis. They can be placed on someone's own server and distributed via the file transfer protocol, or FTP. The shared files can be downloaded, and either listened to directly, using Shorten software, or converted to another format and burnt on to a CD.

It's quietly popular. Sites such as Etree.org compile lists of FTP sites, and the Internet Archive provides hosting for bands willing to go further and ignore the person-to-person-only rule.

Either way, the bands - and the fans - are eager to allow sharing without anyone making any money. The Grateful Dead says: "The Grateful Dead and our managing organizations have long encouraged the purely non-commercial exchange of music taped at our concerts and those of our individual members _ Our stipulations regarding digital distribution are merely extensions of those long-standing principles and they are as follows: No commercial gain may be sought by websites offering digital files of our music_"

The sharing of live music is a relatively low-key affair - needing people with the right equipment, and the skills and patience to do it. But soon, the world of live recordings may get rather more interesting. Last week, Clear Channel, the American radio and concert promotion giant, was reported to be preparing plans to offer live recordings of concerts on CD, at the venue, five minutes after the curtain falls. According to a report in the Boston Globe, by recording directly off the sound mixing desk, and using a bank of cheap CD burners, they will be able to sell concert goers perfect recordings.

The scheme is reportedly to be piloted in small venues in spring with, most likely, the first MP3s appearing on file-sharing networks around 30 minutes later.

And there lies the rub. For bands whose main audience is the live one, allowing fans live recordings of the previous night's show could be a winner. For the more possessive record labels, it's a potential nightmare. When stadia could shift 20,000 CDs in an evening and provide free advertising for the rest of the tour, it is so potentially lucrative, it might just be the one that forces labels to reconsider their policy towards file sharing.

2003/02/14 Ben Hammersley - Guardian Unlimited / Ep.Gold.Com.

Christopher P. Tyler: Elvis and media bias why it exists.

Christopher Tyler has earned a B.S. in Political Science from Towson State University; a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Baltimore and is a a graduate of the Leadership Institute's School for Public Policy Leadership. He had dedicated his life to public and human service and credits both Elvis Presley and his parents, Allen and Jean Tyler, as being the inspiration for doing so.

Chris is also a professional writer by trade, having studied the life and career of Elvis Presley for well over two decades. He has authored a wide variety of articles on Elvis, politics and other subjects and his interviews with Jay Gordon, Maurice Colgan and Aaron Webster can all be read here in our Interviews section. Additionally, Chris is musically inclined having a great interest in classcial, jazz and gospel music and singing with his local, church choir.

Chris enjoys hearing from his readers, whether they agree or disagree, and he may be contacted at Tylraar@aol.com.

READ THE COMPLETE ESSAY ELVIS AND MEDIA BIAS: WHY IT EXISTS.

2003/02/14 Christopher P.Tyler / Ep.Gold.Com.

CNN LARRY KING LIVE INTERVIEW WITH PRISCILLA PRESLEY.

Larry King from CNN interviewed Priscilla Presley.
Aired February 11, 2003 - 21:00 E.T.

Go To The Menu Interviews or

2003/02/13 CNN / Ep.Gold.Com.

LISA MARIE PRESLEY 4 TRACK CD SINGLE RELEASED.

1. S.O.B.
2. The Road Between
3. Lights Out

4. Nobody Noticed It

2003/02/13 Ep.Gold.Com.

A LITTLE LESS COVERSATION BACK IN THE PORTUGUESE TOP 10.

This week the JXL remix single "A Little Less Coversation" , is back in the Portuguese Top 10 Single Charts, from # 11 to # 7.

2003/02/13 Burning Star / Ep.Gold.Com.

NEW EDITION ELVIS - THE KING FROM FINLAND.

Out now is the latest edition of the Finnish Elvis Presley Fan Club magazine. This edition contains an interview with Donna Presley Early, an article on the success of the E1 album and a look at the VCD's out there. The rebellion of Elvis Star Image is the last article in a series, but already a new one starts on Elvis in 1958. There are articles on both the 2003 Elvis The Concert Tour in Finland as on the April 14, 1972 concert in Greensboro. Fans really seem to cover the globe with Elvis. Of course there's more in this great magazine, we wish our Finnish was a bit better...

2003/02/13 ElvisNews.

NEW OTTAWA ELVIS FESTIVAL.

A new yearly Elvis Festival is being organized in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Ottawa Elvisfest will feature an Elvis Tribute Artist contest, re-creations of historic Elvis performances (including his 1957 Performance in Ottawa, his '68 Comeback and Aloha From Hawaii TV specials), vendors, and spectacular prizes! It will also feature members of Elvis' entourage and performances by World-Renowned Elvis Tribute Artists. This event will be a charity fundraiser for the Children's Hospital Of Eastern Ontario.

This years' festival will feature:DJ Fontana ( Elvis' drummer from the 1950's and 1960's ), The Jordanaires ( Elvis' backup singers from the 1950's and 1960's ), The Sweet Inspirations ( Elvis' backup singers from the late 1960's and 1970's ), Al Dvorin ( Elvis' tour announcer ie. "Elvis has left the building" ), Joe Esposito ( Elvis' road manager ) (TENTATIVE), Shawn Klush ( World-Renowned Elvis performer of Legends In Concert fame ), Ryan Pelton ( 2000 Images Of The King World Champion ),The Exspence Account Showband.

The dates for the event this year will be Friday, June 27 to Sunday, June 29, 2003, and will be held at Lansdowne Park (the Ottawa Civic Centre). You can get all the details on their website at http://www.ladyluckmusic.com/promo/ottawafest/

2003/02/13 Paul Sweeney

PRESLEY: DON'T BE CRUEL TO JACKSON.

Feb. 12 - Lisa Marie Presley is jumping to ex-hubby Michael Jackson's defense. Elvis's daughter was so outraged by ABC's controversial interview with the King of Pop - to whom she was married for 18 months - that after watching it, she called her ex to voice solidarity.
PRESLEY, who is currently promoting her first album, "To Whom It May Concern," told KIIS-FM in Los Angeles that the documentary on Jackson was "messed up."
"There will be no further comment," Lisa Marie's spokeswoman told The Scoop.
But a KIIS-FM producer told us: "She said the way it made Michael Jackson look had a lot to do with the way the show was edited. . . . And said she thought it was really messed up that they showed him to be that way. She said the Michael that was portrayed there is not the real Michael."

2003/02/13 Elvis World Japan.

FORMER PRESS. SECRETARY RONALD L. ZIEGLER DIED.

The former Press secretary and Ten outstanding young men of America (Along with Elvis) has passed away from a massive heart attack. He was 63 years old.

2003/02/12 Russ Howe / Ep.Gold.Com.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK.

Now we have a a great b/w photo from Elvis while he was filming his first movie "Love Me Tender" .
Go to the Menu: Pic Of The Week or

2003/02/12 Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 ALBUM DANISH CHART UPDATE.

In week seven Elvis dropped two places from #36 to #38 with his CD "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits" in the Danish Album Top 40 in its 19th week on the chart.

2003/02/12 ElvisNews.

THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING ELVIS.

Aladin publihing will publish the childrens book "The Mystery Of The Missing Elvis" in July 2003. The book by Elizabeth Levy is illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein will contain 64 pages.

2003/02/12 Elvis Club Berlin / ElvisNews.

COVER ART VIVA LAS VEGAS VENGEANCE.

Here is the cover art of the new Daniel Klein murder mystery "Viva Las Vengeance" with Elvis as the detective. This third volume will be published by St. Martin's Press march 2003.

2003/02/12 ElvisNews.

PERSONALLY, LISA MARIE.

What are the odds that the debut single by the daughter of the king of rock 'n' roll would be anything more than a fleeting novelty?

Fifty to one? Fifty thousand to one? Take that bet.

Lisa Marie Presley's first single, "Lights Out," is a powerful, hauntingly personal work.

Capitol Records is releasing "Lights Out" to radio stations today, and many of the nation's most powerful pop outlets, including KIIS-FM (102.7) in Los Angeles, have already added it to their playlists.

Presley's gutsy, blues-edged voice has a distinctive flair, and her lyrics on the song feature a memorable image about going through life under the weight of the Elvis Presley legacy:

Someone turned the lights out there in Memphis

That's where my family's buried and gone

Last time I was there I noticed a space left

Next to them in Memphis in the damn back lawn.

In the accompanying video, Presley, who shares her father's striking, pouty good looks, shows ample charisma and presence, and other key songs on her upcoming album also have a strong, introspective edge. That collection, titled "To Whom It May Concern," will be released April 8.

Lots of celebrity offspring have enjoyed pop success, including the sons or daughters of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, John Lennon and Brian Wilson. But no offspring arrives with as much public curiosity surrounding her as Presley, as measured by the constant tabloid attention and her high-profile former marriages to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage.

Far from the anonymous pop that dominates radio these days, "Lights Out" and other songs on the album are hard-edged reflections on Presley's experiences and relationships -- and they didn't come easy. She has been exploring a music career for more than a decade and spent more than four years at Capitol working on this album before she felt comfortable with it.

"Most people want to be pop stars because they want attention, but I've already had plenty of attention," Presley, 35, said Friday by phone from Houston, where she was on a brief promotional tour of top radio stations. "I wanted the music to be real so that people would know who I am based on my artistry, not based on what they might have read about me."

Presley, who was 9 when her father died in 1977, began working in 1998 with writer-producer Glen Ballard, whose Java Records label was affiliated with Capitol. He's best known for his work with Alanis Morissette on the Grammy-winning "Jagged Little Pill," another pop-rock collection with a dark, personal tone. As he had with Morissette, Ballard helped Presley gain confidence as a writer and helped shape her vision in the studio.

Presley, who was raised by her mother, actress Priscilla Presley, wrote "Lights Out" with Ballard and songwriter Clif Magnes, but progress on the album was slow. The project was jump-started when Andy Slater took over as president of Capitol Records in 2001. He was intrigued by some of the songs, but he felt Presley's creative voice was lost in the arrangements and he helped her further shape her vision.

"I was impressed when I read the lyrics," said Slater, who had previously worked as record producer and manager with Jakob Dylan, Fiona Apple and Macy Gray. "I felt this was someone who was facing the real issues of her life, but I couldn't find the soul of the artist in the record."

Slater, who produced the "Lights Out" single, put Presley together with Eric Rosse, who produced Tori Amos' first two albums, to rework the record. Like Slater, Scooter Weintraub, who manages Presley, was also impressed by her seriousness. "What struck me about her right away is that she is very, very honest," he said. "There's no pretense whatsoever."

Dan Hubbert, senior vice president of promotion for Capitol Records, says mainstream pop radio stations have been so enthusiastic about the record that he predicts it'll be a top 10 single.

"The remarkable thing about the single is that normally you try to break a new record in small markets and then hope it gets so popular that big-market stations jump on it, but the big stations are going right on it -- and it's not because she's a celebrity. That's not enough to get airplay on these stations."

John Ivey, program director at KIIS, confirms that it takes more than the Presley name to make it onto the air in the competitive radio market.

"We wouldn't play it unless it was a good record," he said last week. "Lots of celebrities who have made records never made it onto the radio -- except maybe once as a novelty. This record has the stamp of a serious artist all over it."

Weintraub said the singer is already rehearsing with a band with an eye to doing live shows, but she is expected to start on a limited scale before any formal tour -- some club showcase appearances or maybe guest spots on radio station concert bills.

Presley was pleased Friday about the early radio response to the single, but she was more interested in talking about the music.

"This whole process was a great big ride for me," said Presley, who lives in Los Angeles. "On the album, I tried to address every facet of my life, everything that is important to me or outstanding in my life. The single is my take on one part of it -- a dark, ominous look at where I've come from. I don't think I was ready, emotionally or creatively, to do that until now."

2003/02/12 Robert Hilburn / Los Angeles Times / Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 CHART IN FINLAND.

This week The Elvi1s 30 # 1 Hits Album dropped # 10 to # 17 in the Finland Album Charts Top 20.

2003/02/12 Kari Paju - Finland / Ep.Gold.Com.

E 1 CHART UK.

The Elvi1s 30 # 1 Hits album seems to vanish in the Top 75 Albums in the UK # 37 last week now in the 20th week # 61.

2003/02/12 Dot Music / Ep.Gold.Com.

"New Year's Eve" - Release date: March 3rd 2003

NEW FOLLOW THAT DREAM RELEASE:
"New Year's Eve"

We're finally ready with the announcement for this release. A lot of RCA work (something to look forward to, we can assure you) and a few additional road blocks delayed this release a few weeks. We aim to ship first week of March.
This is a 2 CD-set of the complete concert "NEW YEAR'S EVE" 1976 in Pittsburgh.
VERY IMPORTANT. This is an audience recording - NOT a soundboard. We have searched for years to find a soundboard, but without success. As most of you know, this show has been bootlegged over and over, and we want to make sure that the many fans who don't buy bootlegs, get a chance to experience this historic concert. The sound quality is both noisy, hollow, and loaded with crowd noises, but this is a historic moment and probably the best quality we are ever going to get. However, let's all make sure we don't sell this under false pretences.

Tracklisting:
Disc 1 Also Sprach Zarathustra - 1:09 See See Rider - 3:51 I Got A Woman/Amen - 8:12 Big Boss Man - 2:55 Love Me - 2:28 Fairytale - 2:47 You Gave Me A Mountain - 3:20 Jailhouse Rock - 1:41 O Sole Mio/It's Now Or Never-4:32 My Way - 4:44 Funny How Time Slips Away-1:51 Auld Lang Syne - 1:13 Introductions - 0:46 Blue Suede Shoes - 1:07 Trying To Get To You - 2:34 Polk Salad Annie - 4:08 Disc 2 Band Introductions - 1:42 Early Morning Rain - 2:22 What'd I Say - 0:48 Johnny B. Goode - 0:54 Solos - 4:07 Love Letters - 2:44 School Days - 1:19 Fever - 3:07 Hurt - 2:39 Hound Dog - 1:41 Are You Lonesome Tonight?-2:50 Reconsider Baby - 2:53 Little Sister - 2:12 Unchained Melody - 3:40 Rags To Riches - 2:25 Can't Help Falling In Love - 1:40 Closing Vamp - 1:52

NEW FTD CD NASHVILLE OUTTAKES 1961-1964 RELEASE DATE APRIL 1st, 2003.

The April 1st FTD release is a straight follow up to last year’s “FAME AND FORTUNE”, “STUDIO B” covers Elvis’s non-movie sessions at RCA’s studio B in Nashville. The time period is June 1961 through January 1964. 23 cuts total – we believe everybody knows exactly what to expect (and yes, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that there will be a volume 3 covering 1966-68 in 2004)

1) Kiss Me Quick -take 1 - 2:59 (Pomus/Shuman) 06-25-61,2) That’s Someone You Never Forget - take 5 – 2:51 (West/Presley)06-25-61 3), I’m Yours -take 4 – 2:24 (Don Robertson) 06-25-61,4) His Latest Flame -takes rehearsal & 2 – 4:05 (Pomus/Shuman) 06-25-61,5) Little Sister -takes 1,2,3 – 3:39 (Pomus/Shuman) 06-25-61,6) For The Millionth And The Last Time -take 1–2:06 (Tepper/Bennett)10-15-61,7) Anything That’s Part Of You -takes 4,5 – 2:33 (Don Robertson) 10-15-61,8) I Met Her Today -takes 8-9 – 3:04 (Don Robertson) 10-15-61, 9) Something Blue -takes 3,4 – 3:25 (Evans/Byron) 03-18-62, 10)Gonna Get Back Home Somehow -take 1 – 2:37 (Pomus/Shuman) 03-18-62,11)(Such An) Easy Question -take 3 – 2:47 (Blackwell/Scott) 03-18-62, 12) Fountain Of Love -takes 1,2 – 2:51 (Giant/Lewis) 03-18-62,13) Just For Old Time Sake -takes 3-4 – 2:51 (Tepper/Bennett) 03-18-62, 14) Night Rider -takes 2-3 - 2:56 (Pomus/Shuman) 03-18-62, 15) You’ll Be Gone -take 1- 2:31 (Hodge/West/Presley) 03-18-62,16) I Feel That I’ve Known You Forever -take 1 - 1:42(Pomus/Shuman)03-19-62,17)Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello -take 2 – 1:55 (Leiber/Stoller) 03-19-62, 18) Echoes Of Love -takes 2-3 – 3:01 (Roberts/McMains) 05-26-63, 19) Please Don’t Drag That String Around-take, 2-2:06(Blackwell/Scott)05-26-63, 20) Love Me Tonight -take 3 & 4 – 2:38 (Don Robertson) 05-26-63, 21) Western Union -take 3 - 2:25 (Tepper/Bennett) 05-27-63, 22) Memphis Tennessee -take 1 - 2:44 (Chuck Berry) 01-12-64,23) Ask Me -take 8-9 – 2:43, (Modugno/Giant/Baum/Kaye) 01-12-64.

The July 1st FTD release will be a soundboard concert – several options – and we’ll keep our eyes and ears open for fan preferences within the repertoire available to us.A few surprises are being worked on – announcement will follow as soon as we are ready.

2003/02/11 Ernst Jorgensen / Ep.Gold.Com.

STOCKTON MARIACHI LEGEND DIES AT 81.

Leopoldo Sosa, the godfather of Stockton's mariachi scene, died Sunday. He was 81. Sosa was a master of the guitarron -- the acoustic bass guitar that gives mariachi its heartbeat. His Hollywood adventures included singing backup for Elvis Presley's movie "Fun in Acapulco".

2003/02/11 ElvisNews.

HUMES HIGHSCHOOL CLOSED?

Rumours are going that the Memphis School Board considers to close another piece of 'Elvis history', the former Humes High School. Last month the school was in the news because the students had to be moved to other schools, since there were lead paint problems, which had to be eliminated. One of the Board's members seems to have said that she opposed to put $5 mln in a school they have to tear down in a couple of years anyway.

2003/02/11 ElvisNews.

ELVIS & HIS PERSONAL AUTOGRAPHS.

There is always someone ready to try and imitate an important person's autograph. This has been happening since the dawn of handwriting. Often someone is authorized to sign things for a celebrity, but all too frequently the people who do the signing are forgers bent on making money from their handiwork. As the autograph business has grow, so has the number of people turning out unauthorized autographs. Sadly, many of these new forgers are inexperienced at copying the subtleties of their chosen celebrity's penmanship. It might be of some use to forgers to take a closer look at one of their favorite targets: Elvis Presley. Maybe, with luck, taking a closer look at Elvis' handwriting will also be of use to the forgers' victims as well.... read more

2003/02/11 Bill White / Ep.Gold.Com.

IMPORT TOP 40 FEBRUARY 2003.

Here is the top 5 of the Import Top 40, February 2003.

1 (2) American Crown Jewels Bilko
2 (1) Burning in Birmingham 2001
3 (8) A Hot Winternight in Dallas Fort Baxter
4 (5) From Sunset Boulevard to Paradise Road DAE
5 (3) Finding the Way Home

2003/02/10 ElvisNews.

LISA MARIE PRESLEY VISITS JAPAN.

Lisa Marie Presley will personally visit late February 2003 Japan to promote her new CD "To Whom It May Concern" .
The release of her first CD is planned in Japan for March.

2003/02/10 Ep.Gold.Com.

CD TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN LISA MARIE PRESLEY.

CD "To Whom It May Concern"
Lisa Marie Presley
Release date in USA; Apr.8, 2003 (Capitol Records)
Release date in Japan; Mar.29, 2003 (Toshiba EMI, #TOCP-66158, Price: 2000yen)

TRACK LISTING:

RECORD AWARDS ON DISPLAY.

The gold and platinum awards for ELV1S 30 #1 HITS are now on display in The Racquetball Building at Graceland. They come from around the world and were presented by RCA at Graceland during the Elvis Presley Birthday celebration in January.

2003/02/10 EPE / Ep.Gold.Com.

FOUR REMASTERED CD'S ALSO IN JAPAN.

The four remastered cd's that were released on January 7 this year in the US are also available in Japan on February 26.

Elvis '56
Great Country Songs
Can't Help Falling In Love - The Hollywood Hits
Heart And Soul

2003/02/09 Solid Gold Elvis.

FLAMING STAR.

The latest issue, #24, is out now. This edition contains: an interview with Sheila Ryan, an article with prejudices about Elvis, and the new releases. As usual the design is very tasteful.

2003/02/09 Flaming Star / ElvisNews.

LISA MARIE'S SINGING, WRITING PRETTY GOOD.

So how is that Lisa Marie Presley record? Judging from a four-song advance, it's better than you might think.

The album, "To Whom It May Concern," doesn't come out till April 8, though its label, Capitol Records, has fed media an EP sampler that features four tracks: S.O.B., The Road Between, lead single Lights Out and Nobody Noticed It, a song the fledgling singer premiered at last year's "Elvis - The Concert" event inside The Pyramid.

It's easy to see why Presley, 35, waited so long to make her splash in the recording arena. She's at a disadvantage from note one: How do you carve a niche for yourself when your pop happens to be one Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll?

In all fairness Lisa Marie can't compete with Elvis. She isn't the vocalist, interpreter or ecumenical stylist her famous dad was (nobody is, for that matter). But to her credit, she doesn't try.

People will still be tempted to juxtapose the two - and she did have the most awkward of debuts when she sang a video duet with her late father at the Mid-South Coliseum's "Elvis in Concert '97," a blase performance of Don't Cry Daddy that showed little promise.

One can see Elvis fans being both the most forgiving - Lisa Marie is the King's only child after all - and the most critical - what would Elvis have said about the profanity in her lyrics?

In the middle lies the truth. Lisa Marie is a solid singer with plenty of character in her husky voice, a cross somewhere between Sheryl Crow and Cher (though not as strong as either of those singers). And she has some good songs

Dolled up in a VH1 rock-friendly manner, the material is contemporary with a roots rock edge not unlike Crow or Shelby Lynne.

Two of the better tunes musically - S.O.B. and Lights Out - are those she co-wrote with producer/songwriter Glen Ballard, the Natchez, Miss., native behind Alanis Morissette's breakout success and the person who signed Lisa Marie in 1998 to his then Capitol-distributed label, Java Records. Ballard didn't produce any of the tracks on "To Whom It May Concern," now a Capitol release proper; that task went instead to Tori Amos studio pro Eric Rosse and Andrew Slater (Macy Gray, the Vines), who helmed the single Lights Out.

Some have noted how Lights Out buries Presley's voice in the mix, implying that it was done perhaps to cover up her singing flaws. Bear in mind the arrangement and mix befit a rock song, not a pop tune where vocals are front and center. And for all her photo options with Pink and Avril Lavigne, Lisa Marie definitely is of a generation that prefers to rock.

What grabs the ears most, however, are the lyrics, all penned by Presley with a frankness some may find surprising. On song after song, the performer dissects relationships with her dad, herself and men (and with three marriages under her belt, she should have enough life experience to keep the albums coming for some time).

"This is me. This record is me. Every song is me," says Lisa Marie in a Capitol press release.

S.O.B. is a dark, vilifying stab that lashes both outward and inward ("You said I wouldn't rot but worms are crawling on me/Well I'm just a [expletive] no matter what you say"), while The Road Between heads into even deeper dysfunctional territory. Both Lights Out and Nobody Noticed It address her father, the former with embittered feelings ("You were a million miles behind/And I was crying every time I'd leave you/Then I didn't want to see you"); the latter in more poignant terms ("You're still lovely/You were lovely then . . . Well, they tried to make you look broken/But not while I'm living"). It's a load off her chest, this album, one that's defiant, open and confident.

The biggest question, of course, is, would this be getting attention without the big E's name attached? Maybe not. Being a chip off the old block is one thing. Being talented is another. Yet there's enough of the latter that Lisa Marie has nothing to be embarrassed about. The best songs here, in fact, suggest that she has a musical career ahead of her, if not a legendary one.

2003/02/09 Bill Ellis - The Commmercial Appeal / Elvis From Poland / Ep.Gold.Com.