from tje club` archives 1987
THOUGHTS ON THE MGM OUTTAKES FROM TTWII
With all the mixed feelings concerning the proposed release of the CBS TV special on video by the Elvis Estate soon after the passing of the Tenth Anniversary, I beleive it is now time to think of the quintessential video release - the one all fans will look forward to.
Personally, I would like very much to see ``In Concert`` released on video, but agree wholeheartedly with our president, when he said, ``It must be reworked to take out the obvious journalism which accompanied the editing and production``. However, I would like the general public (and my children in years to come), to remember Elvis at the peak of his career, at his most handsome and happiest, all presented within an excellent framework and production.
The 1970 documentary ``THAT`S THE WAY IT IS`` , could easily have been such a vehicle had it not been for the poor editiong and filming. This was the first time Elvis had been filmed live in the seventies, and his electrifying Vegas show should have been better documented. The hotel employees and strange fan interviews, and the England Fan Club Convention scene interspersed throughout the onstage segment successfully destroyed the continuity and spontaneous nature of the show. Despite my initial despondency over these faults, the film remains my all time favourite. Indeed, after watching an early screening of ``TTWII``, Elvis said he had never realised before he was that good ! Later, at a Los Angeles concert he told the audience, ``I think it`s the best film I`ve made in ten years``. Fortunately, with the release of the ```68 Comeback Special`` and ``Aloha From Hawaii``, on video, sales have showed that this is the field where Elvis can still succeed, so it would be a nice idea if RCA and MGM (who hold the copyright to the movie), were to agree to a compilation of outtakes from ``TTWII``.
It is known that MGM still possess hours of film footage as well as many concert recordings (which have since been handed over to RCA anyway), and with RCA owning all the material prior to `73, I cannot see where any contractual problems would arise to prevent the idea from materialising. I would like to see the compilation consist only of live footage which can be edited from the five performances which were filmed by MGM from August 10th until the 16th. The five outtakes should represent a true cross section of Elvis ` concert repertoire at this time, and the video would have a running time of 60 minutes or so which is fairly representative of the running time of this show during the engagement.
The video can have a working title of ``ELVIS LIVE 1970`` which was the original title of the movie anyway. But before one can begin to compile such a feature, we will have to examine what outtakes MGM actually have in their vaults. Though the course of collecting cassette tapes of Elvis in concert, I thought private recordings from this engagement would easily and quickly provide the answer knowing that it was only the dinner shows MGM filmed after opening night. Unfortunately, references to my private collection and other friends with a similar appetite for this material, failed to find any recordings of the first five shows. Even the suppliers of these tapes were unable to help, perhaps the extra security surrounding these shows or the presence of MGM and their cameras prevented anyone from recording? So, the next source of reference were show reports compliled by th efans attended the shows.
The most interesting and informative reports I could find, were those by member Shirley Knox who attended the first show and three others. They were published in September/October edition of ``EV`` (both french and english edition) in 1970, and while her show reprots superbly and accurately recreate all the excitement, there is no memtion of opening night. However, in the same edition, Jerry Hopkins (author of two biographies) probably said something when he wrote, ``August 12th, Los Angeles: Opening night`s show at Vegas rather weak. Material selection poor - no rock n` roll. Cameras all over the place, putting Elvis ill at ease. Staging terrible. Second night; terrific.``
I shall compile the video uising material from the three shows after opening night and in most instances will use extracts from Shirley Knox reports to buid a near perfect description of the compilation. It would be easy to rewrite her show reports and present them in a new context, but her style of writing perfectly illuminated the excitement and all the first hand emotions of witnessing Elvis live.
After all, if the project was ever to materialise we would experience something very similar even if it was only a celluloid image and not Elvis in the flesh.
Mike Green
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FROM THE CLUB` NEWSLETTER 1987
IS THERE NOTHING LEFT ???
For many a moon now, there has been controversy amongts the Elvis world about the so-called unreleased material from the Sun years. Our friends at RCA say there`s nothing left, but this is a thing that they`ve been saying for years.
There was ``nothing left`` when ``Habour Lights`` popped up on ``Legendary Performer Vol. 2``, and there was ``nothing left`` when ``When It Rains, It Really Pours`` appeared almost magically on ``Legendary performer Vol.4``, and still RCA insist that there is ``nothing left`` (including Ms. Joan Deary, who was in Montreal at our last convention for the 10th anniversary).
It`s the same old numbers which keep on popping up time and time again. There are twelve of these songs and they are:
1. Uncle Penn
2. Tennessee Saturday Night
3. Oakie Boogie
4. Down The Line
5. Tiger Man
6. Gone
7. Satisfied
8. Night Train To Memphis
9. Sunshine
10. Always Late With Your Kisses
11. Crying Heart Blues
12. Blue Guitar*
*In one of Elvis songbook the music sheet of this song is ``recorded by Elvis Presley`` on the top of it. So...
``Tennessee Saturday Night`` has been so strongly rumoured to have been recorded by Elvis that in 1956 the lyrics to it appeared in an Elvis Presley Songbook. Elvis himself has said that the sesond song he ever recorded was called ``Tiger Man``. In the booklet given away with the ``Legendary Performer Vol. !``, we see copies of notes that Sam Phillips made and Box number 12, song number 3 what do we see ? A song title by the name of ``Satisfied``. Sandwiched in between takes of ``I`ll Never Let You Go`` - one minute fifteen seconds of the song. So does it really exist?
One theory about these tracks is that they still could be in Sam Phillips` possession, but he can never release these as RCA owns all rights to any Elvis recordings. Another theory is that Elvis and the band sang these in a studio jam session, with Sam Phillips not switching on the tapes, and missing a slice of history.
While touring in 1955 Elvis sang at least half of these numbers during his live performances. The doubts will go on, the arguments too, I wonder if we`ll ever know, what is or isn`t true?
Jonathan Andrews, NY
HOPE YOU ENJOYED THESE ``BITS AND PIECES`` FROM OUR ARCHIVES.
HAVE A NICE DAY, BOGARCON
;) FROM THE ``la voix d`Elvis/Elvis` Voice`` 1987 DP
