Ask Ernst Part 4
We'd like to thank everyone who sent us questions. Unfortunately it was impossible to use them all, and have to take into considerations that Mr. Jorgensen is a very busy person too. It was very nice of him to this for our readers. We do keep the questions though as we might use them in the future.
1-
Firstly thanks so -much Ernst for releasing the 1970's Elvis concerts. I enjoy them all and know you plan (at some stage) to try and release a show from each tour and Hotel Season that Elvis did.Later 1974 is quite well represented so far, are their plans to represent shows from the first half of the year as well on FTD? Also if available would you like to represent places such as Lake Tahoe in 1971,1974 and 1976? ( Geoffrey McDonnell from Australia ) ( There were many questions about FTD releasing show(s) from the January/February 1974 Vegas Season )
+++ Unfortunately we have very few LAKE TAHOE soundboards, and the tapes from Las Vegas Feb 1974 are
mainly audience recordings. There are some soundboards
but they all need to be corrected for various technical problems.
2- The " The Way It Was " book/CD was a very interesting project from the FTD label. ? "Elvis On Tour" for example would certainly be perfect for getting the same treatment. Is there any plans in the near future for a similar project related or not to "Elvis On Tour"?
+++ AN ELVIS ON TOUR project will probably not happen until TURNER decides to do a re-release of the movie.
3- We have received several questions related to the possibility for the FTD label to produce DVDs. This subject has been often a matter of discussion on the FECC Forum as well. Is there some kind of chance that the FTD label will be producing DVDs in the future or the costs involved for producing those makes it nearly impossible ? ( note : T.T.W.I.I., On Tour and the June 1977 materials are the ones often mentioned. )
+++ It's not very likely for two reasons. Film is very expensive to work with. But even more important is the often outrageous amounts asked by the music publishers for using their songs - an example of this is the sad decision we had to make when we cut ARE YOU LONESOME from TTWII - it's MUCH too expensive.
4- Will we ever see a CD box- set issued on FTD in the future?
+++ Yes
5- Ernst, are you sure the " Take Me To The Fair " August master as recently released on the FTD soundtrack CD is actually an alternate master? It sounds like the same take only with ukulele overdubbed onto it? ( Tony Dobb from England )
+++ Unfortunately I don't know, since no tapes of the early version exist. Tony may be correct, I just haven't had the time to check this.
6- Was the On Tour Show on " Close-Up " is something like a starting signal for more to come in the very future just like you did on the three TTWII-Shows ? ( Markus from Germany )
+++ There are no current plans, but as most people know we have 3 other concerts and some rehearsals.
7- With 80 minutes available per CD disc.. Why couldn't we get more music on the new Elvis-Close up Box set ? The previous.. 50's and 60's and 70's box sets gave us much more value for the dollar. By the way, those boxes were the best ones followed by the " Platinum " collection.Keep the good music coming !! ( George K. from New-York )
+++ Just because you can squeeze 80 minutes on a CD, it doesn't mean you have to. We don't want to be cheap, but at the same time I find it unreasonable to complain when you get about 20 songs a CD.
8- First, let me thank you for continuing to bring new and exciting Elvis material to us true fans. Does FTD have any plans to release the rehearsal material of Elvis singing " Portrait of My Love ", I think it's from 1972 or 1973? Also, I saw Elvis many times in Las Vegas, and for a few times in February 1971, he closed his shows with "The Impossible Dream ". It was absolutely wonderful! Does FTD have any of these shows to release? ( Jeanne Pellicani from New-York ) ( Note: Questions related to 1971 or earlier soundboards were very frequent along with rehearsal materials )
+++ We will eventually release a show from every Vegas or Tahoe season, and most tours - of course limited by the fact that there's a lot that we don't have on soundboard.
We are always looking for new tapes.
9- If you give " Follow that Dream " and " Kid Galahad " the FTD soundtrack treatment, would they be released separately or together, given the limited number of songs in each soundtrack ?
+++ No decision made yet.
10- Is there sufficient new material for releasing an FTD based around the Stax sessions ? ( Graham Horder from England ) ( Note : There were several similar questions in regards to 1970s materials on the FTD label such as : Jungle Room Sessions volume 2, He Touched Me sessions,etc.. )
+++ Unfortunately not, but we may combine the material with something else, since we still have several nice unreleased outtakes.
11- Ernst, having read all the criticism that is always being levelled at the FTD
releases, ( from certain quarters ) be it either regarding cover design or content.Does
it ever get you down, and do you think why do I bother? ( There were numerous negative
remarks about the cover design of Dragonheart )
( Mike Clark from England )
++ It certainly gets me down, but that goes with the job. I love making records, so I don't ever think of giving up. Thanks for the concern.
12-There is yet to be a complete 50s only FTD release. You have hinted in the past that this is due to little material available. With the release of ' Close Up ' containing a whole 50s disc, will there now be a FTD disc strictly for 50s material in whatever form that may take ? ( ie. an over the years 50s overview, or a particular year focus etc ) ( Matthew Worsley from England )
+++ We are certainly getting closer to the bottom with 50'es material, but always optimistic that one day we will find more.
13- I know when FTD was launched you said you would not be releasing complete sessions works, has your view changed on this ? These other weaker takes would otherwise remain unreleased but as part of a complete session it may find a place at showing what Elvis went through to get to the end result. ( Mike G. from England )
+++ Good point. I think we can/should do this with some selected songs.
14- Many questions were related to the release on FTD of the Viva Las Vegas soundtrack. Our readers would like to know if the songs with Ann Margret will be included ? Can we expect some kind of surprises such as out-takes of What'd I Say ?
+++ No Ann Margret songs, sorry. But an outtake of WHAT'D I SAY we could included indeed.
15- Another matter that has been discussed frequently on our Forum. It appears that our readers would be pretty much interested with projects similar to Spring Tours with soundboard material. Do you consider this possibility in the future with soundboard recordings from a particular tour or Vegas season ?
++ Certainly
16- Regarding the master of "Jailhouse Rock" take 6. In reading the booklet which accompanies "Close Up" it states as fact that a "work part" to complete the master take was recorded and that the master is actually a spliced composite. Now having the binaural safety tape performance to compare, the performance seems exactly the same as the mono master take we have had for years, other than the intro dialogue and ending without the fade out. It seems to me the master take is one complete take. If it isn't, the binaural performance would have to be spliced from the binaural master part and binaural workpart source tapes. In short, is the original mono master version and this fantastic binaural version a spliced composite or one complete take? ( Ernie Boyes from the USA )
+++ Spliced
Mr. Jorgensen, on behalf of our readers we are thanking you for having took the time to answer these questions.
