Guitar Man - The Sessions 1967-68 New FTD Set. Summer 2024

[YDKM]

Started playing the 5 discs since this arrived. Disc 1 was OK, but disc 2 bored me because I had just about heard it all before.A lot of similar feeling with disc 3. However I really enjoyed most discs 4 and 5 because of great sound and hearing the full song outakes in consistent sound for once.

I can't believe how fast you seem to listen to these discs. I received mine on August 8 and haven't even gotten all the way through disc 1 yet. Anyway, EJ's liner notes are 10/10 once again.

It's a weekend and at home I had time. Agree about the liner notes.After 30 takes of Goin Home good that by the 30th he got it right!

[rlj4ep]

I cannot believe that I just ordered this set. I didn't need it. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the set that I already have. Well, sure, there's more material on this 5-CD set than there is the 2-CD set. However, do I really need every single outtake? I sat here this morning and had one hell of a fight with myself before I actually clicked on the order button. I mean, it literally came to blows, hair pulling, biting, kicking and a lot of name calling. I'm a little sore, but by God I won because the set is ordered.

You didn't win, dumbass, you lost!

Screw you!

Thanks for the update Rob! I hope that both of you are feeling much better now....,

[YDKM]

I paid a lot of attention to the full disc #5 which just has 3 songs on it.The best thing about STAY AWAY is the great sound quality and seems pretty complete. Too Much Monkey business does have some extreme goofing around but again nice to have the lot in great sound quality. The last takes of Suppose are 'ok'....I suppose.

[Pat T]

Hi all,
Weren't all these takes already available on boots?
I guess the difference might be in the sound quality, I'm really torn...
Thanks!

[YDKM]

Hi all,
Weren't all these takes already available on boots?
I guess the difference might be in the sound quality, I'm really torn...
Thanks!

Most were available on "Boots" but NOT in such good sound quality....the ONLY reason for the Boots was being unedited.
Certainly "Too much monkey buisness" being a prime example! Also with material like Goin Home and Stay Away the completeness in same quality sound is Great!

[londonflash]

Expecting mine to arrive tomorrow from NDT.

Looking forward to this one.

I've heard there are some edits on this release?

[vinelvis]

Expecting mine to arrive tomorrow from NDT.

Looking forward to this one.

I've heard there are some edits on this release?

All good. Just hope the prisoners song is included and complete.

[javierTCB]

[drjohncarpenter]

Wouldn't photos from the "Speedway" movie (which are plentiful and in great quality) done in June of 1967 (closer to the September sessions) be a closer representation of what Elvis looked like in September? Maybe there's more of those inside the booklet.


RKS

Perhaps, but nothing on the new release is from the 1967 soundtrack sessions for MGM's "Speedway." And FTD issued a 2xCD set on that material in 2016.

No need to confuse anyone. The images should correspond to the material inside, and the April portraits make the most sense for all the reasons already cited.

[RKSNASHVILLE]

RKSNASHVILLE wrote: ↑Tue Aug 06, 2024 6:16 am
Wouldn't photos from the "Speedway" movie (which are plentiful and in great quality) done in June of 1967 (closer to the September sessions) be a closer representation of what Elvis looked like in September? Maybe there's more of those inside the booklet.


RKS



Dr. john carpenter wrote:

Perhaps, but nothing on the new release is from the 1967 soundtrack sessions for MGM's "Speedway." And FTD issued a 2xCD set on that material in 2016.

No need to confuse anyone. The images should correspond to the material inside, and the April portraits make the most sense for all the reasons already cited.

Actually, the original "Speedway" soundtrack album had 3 songs from these sessions as bonus tracks - "Mine" - "Goin' Home" and "Suppose".


RKS

[drjohncarpenter]

Actually, the original "Speedway" soundtrack album had 3 songs from these sessions as bonus tracks - "Mine" - "Goin' Home" and "Suppose".


RKS

Right. But these were never originally intended for the 1968 Speedway LP.

And it's clear FTD didn't want to confuse anyone into thinking there were a bunch of "Speedway" session reels on the new release.

(There's nothing from the June sessions for the MGM film.)

We are speaking of a difference of maybe 14 weeks between photos for "Clambake" and "Speedway."

[RKSNASHVILLE]

Dr. John Carpenter wrote:

We are speaking of a difference of maybe 14 weeks between photos for "Clambake" and "Speedway."

And it’s amazing how different he looks between the 2 movies in such a short period of time.


RKS

[Markus K.]

With the inclusion of "You'll never walk alone" and "We call on him" a portrait from the photo session for "Speedway" would have kind of fitted as this was being used for the single cover - one which I really love btw.
But personally I am fine with the use of "Clambake" photos as some of these have Elvis with a certain look (like the one featured on the old FTD vinyl) that displays a new gained confidence that is somewhat fitting for songs like "Guitar Man", "Big Boss Man" or "U.S. Male".

130-47-9600.jpg

[elvisfan51]

Kylan wrote:

I went thru Shopelvis and says it’s shipping on Aug 30 what the hell!!!

That's crazy.

I ordered from shopgraceland and they are still showing a ship date of today, August 9. Hopefully that remains.
New Graceland ship date, August 16th.



RKS

[jam62]

Shop Graceland now pushed it back until Aug 16th ?

[Ciscoking]

I got my pack today.
Its FTD at its best. Just read Ernsts liner notes.
Perfect ! The sound is excellent
Heard a few tracks by random

[drjohncarpenter]

With the inclusion of "You'll never walk alone" and "We call on him" a portrait from the photo session for "Speedway" would have kind of fitted as this was being used for the single cover - one which I really love btw.

But personally I am fine with the use of "Clambake" photos as some of these have Elvis with a certain look (like the one featured on the old FTD vinyl) that displays a new gained confidence that is somewhat fitting for songs like "Guitar Man", "Big Boss Man" or "U.S. Male".

Good post.

The Easter holiday single in 1968 did use a "Speedway" photo, but that was not an aesthetic decision. If you look at the pop single issued seven weeks later, another "Speedway" photo is used. The emphasis was on the new MGM project, and it was driven by management.

The FTD's emphasis is on the material inside, and I like your suggestion that the art direction chose "Elvis with a certain look (like the one featured on the old FTD vinyl) that displays a new gained confidence that is somewhat fitting for songs like 'Guitar Man', 'Big Boss Man' or 'U.S. Male'."

That's exactly it!

[bajo]

Came to think of the cover photos' on the Big Boss Man and Guitar Man singles back in the day!

[frus75]

The Clambake pictures are perfectly fine. Someone said earlier that some songs of these sessions were featured on the Speedway album and the Doc wisely pointed out that those songs weren’t planned for that album. But I seem to recall , if I’m right, that the September sessions were arranged to record songs for the Clambake album, is that right?

Anyway, a FANTASTIC set. With it, we put a final seal on Elvis material in Nashville in the 60’s. The six sets covering them remain a holy grial on every fans collection. Pristine sound and production. Of course they’re like an archive to revisit all over again.

Thanks FTD.

[RKSNASHVILLE]

Shop Graceland now pushed it back until Aug 16th ?

Not surprising but Ridiculous!


Like I said in a previous post - FTD will be making the announcement for the next release before I ever get this one.



RKS

[bajo]

No "All I Needed Was The Rain"...

[drjohncarpenter]

The Clambake pictures are perfectly fine. Someone said earlier that some songs of these sessions were featured on the Speedway album and the Doc wisely pointed out that those songs weren’t planned for that album. But I seem to recall , if I’m right, that the September sessions were arranged to record songs for the Clambake album, is that right?

Anyway, a FANTASTIC set. With it, we put a final seal on Elvis material in Nashville in the 60’s. The six sets covering them remain a holy grial on every fans collection. Pristine sound and production. Of course they’re like an archive to revisit all over again.

Thanks FTD.

Good point on realizing that this set finishes all the formal RCA Nashville work for Elvis Presley in the tumultuous decade that was the 1960s.

(Only a tiny bit of overdubbing in September 1969 went down in Nashville with Elvis present.)

As for the September 1967 booking, it came about because of a VERY weird cancellation at RCA Hollywood just 2 and 1/2 weeks earlier. To this day, we do not know what happened.

It was 100% a non-soundtrack session, meant to include the hippest L.A. studio musicians and move Elvis back into the contemporary music scene.

The studio was booked, arranger and contractor Billy Strange was there with at least one RCA executive, many songs had been chosen to record (not the ones we know from September), the musicians were ready to roll, and Elvis did not show up.

Instead, he flew out of Los Angeles and went to Las Vegas.

I wrote about this about 14 years ago. We still have no answers today.


A Strange Session --> August 22, 1967
https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50204

[drjohncarpenter]

No "All I Needed Was The Rain"...

Love the tune, but all the relevant takes from this soundtrack session appeared in 2013 on Stay Away, Joe (FTD).

The new set is about the studio sessions.

[Catnapper]

Kylan wrote:

I went thru Shopelvis and says it’s shipping on Aug 30 what the hell!!!

That's crazy.

I ordered from shopgraceland and they are still showing a ship date of today, August 9. Hopefully that remains.

I called Graceland today 901-332-3322 and I asked to speak to someone in "merchandise". I then asked the lady in the merchandise department if they had received The Guitar Man Sessions box set yet by FTD, and she said, "No we haven't."

[Catnapper]

After all, he wasn't a saint or an angel... He was only a human being - and yes, during these sessions his frustration,
that had been building up all these years, clearly showed.
PLUS the upcoming birth of his first and only child.

... That we know of ... Just saying