FTD and the future according to ernst....

[jbgude]

Was just browsing through the latest E -TM&HM which has an interview with Ernst and the plans for FTD.

Sometimes I get the feeling that Ernst is begining to get a little too full of himself ....for eg when asked about any plans for a "This is Elvis" FTD he first shoots it down with a " I dont think so.Why would that be important ? it will be released on DVD eventually" when pressed further about fans demands for this relelase he concedes "I think I need to go back and watch the movie-Ill look into it" ..a similar vein for "Legendary performer " series on CD. Ernst I get the feeling has decided that he knows best and does not like being told what to do. I hope I am wrong but that IMO.

What I found most interesting though was an indirect indication of the sales of the FTD label ..."New years Eve" has sold in excess of 7000 and is a constant seller ...and the best seller being "The Jungle Room Sessions" by far, which would indicate a sales of around 8000 - 10,000 per release.

Ernst was indifferent about the sale of the FTD by several major record shops at "hugely inflated prices".He put it down to some FTD wholesale customers " selling it to these retail chains and that there is nothing that they(FTD) could do about it.

Which brings me to the point..if several major stores are stocking and selling FTD at inflated prices..it is proof that there are still many customers that do not know of the FTD sales sources(else why would they pay hugely inflated prices).

Why cannot FTD just put it out on the market directly ? they need not do anything they are not doing now.It will bring down the cost of these CDs which to me a very over priced. I am sure there will be a much larger sales if the price is 20-30 % lower.

The next part of the interview is due next June 04 issue.

Thought I'd like to get a reaction here and before taking this topic over to FECC board.

jb

[Captain Elwood David]

Ernst does have others (and other things) to keep under consideration, besides just the fans "opinions." Namely, those who oversee him & his work.

If he weren't doing a fine job, I could see it from a different perspective ......... but, he IS doing a GREAT JOB, IMO.

I honestly don't care if "This Is Elvis" is released on CD or not and agree with Ernst's words, it will be out & available on another medium soon (DVD). I'd prefer FTD stick to issuing truly "new" / unreleased material.

Ernst & FTD are going in the right direction; let's hope lots more smooth sailing is on the horizon.

Regarding the cost of FTD's ............

Yes, they are getting expensive, but ..... if I consider the alternative (having nothing), .... I count my blessings, buy the material I want, .......... & Enjoy. I've been around long enough to fully remember the times when we did indeed have NOTHING. Let me tell you as bluntly as I possibly can: it sucked.


- Capt. "EL."

[Albert]

I love the soundtrack re-releases, because these aren't available as normal CD's anymore AND you get some previously unreleased takes. I agree on the Captain that FTD should stick on releases new material (and the soundtracks).

About the prices: it's insane that there isn't a FTD website yet. I think it wouldn't be fair if BMG decides to sell the FTD's directly to the customers. It would be a better idea that on the FTD website all fanclubs and shops that are selling FTD CD's are listed on country. This way you can see which shops are selling these CD's in your country.

BMG should include a link to the FTD website in the booklet of every released CD. This way people can see what they are missing and where to buy it.

[Captain Elwood David]

...  it's insane that there isn't a FTD website yet ....

BMG should include a link to the FTD website in the booklet of every released CD. This way people can see what they are missing and where to buy it.

Very much agreed.

Obviously, an FTD website is not a priority; a missed opportunity, if you ask me.


- Capt. "EL."

[Jungleroom76]

Yes, they are getting expensive, but ..... if I consider the alternative (having nothing), .... I count my blessings, buy the material I want, .......... & Enjoy.  I've been around long enough to fully remember the times when we did indeed have NOTHING.  Let me tell you as bluntly as I possibly can: it sucked.

I agreed COMPLETELY!!!

Yes, it is true that the FTD releases can be a bit hard on the wallet, especially when they are released 3 at a time, such as the recent movie soundtrack reissues. But, I fully support the label by purchasing each release, since I also realize what the alternative COULD be....NOTHING!!!

And as Capt. Elwood pointed out, he buys the material that he wants first. Although the FTD label releases are marketed as "limited edition releases", most of the outlets that are selling the FTD releases STILL have copies of BURBANK '68 for sale, and that release came out in 1999. So if that is the case, then those fans that don't have the money to buy all the releases right away when they first come out will probably have quite a while to pick up whichever of the past releases they want to add to their collection before they are truly out of print.

Despite the little errors and other occassionally annoying things that I find wrong with the FTD releases, I for one am very glad that the FTD label exists!!

TCB!
Mike

[Randall]

I would have thought by now the FTD Website would have been started. Ernst, what seems to be the holdup?

This is something I think should be given top priority. It is long overdue. There is no E3 to be working on so I hope it is at least started. This is the perfect place for all FTD news and comments by all the collectors.

Can we please have some Feedback?

Thanks

TCB

Randall

[curtis simpkins]

To let everyone know that

This is elvis is and indeed a movie soundtrack, and it sould be
release, with a long with the other soundtracks,

and all other elvis lps sould be on cd, if not people well put these lp into cds them self, like i am doing with mine.

but this is imo.

[jbgude]

I find it great that the FTD exists.I remember also the times when there was nothing officially released. What I find annoying is that they claim "FTD is a thank you for the faithfull fans" and then set an astronomical price for the CDs....

Sadly BMG refuses to let Ernst speak officially and to add to that Ernst has a peculiar habit of "double Speak" .... so we do not really know who or what shapes policy.However as the "Producer" in main Ernst has to accept the praise and also the complaints.

I accept BMG is here to make a profit but IMO there is a line where it crosses into "indecent"....we all know what the price of a main lineCD is and we also know the price of Budget CDs of other major stars some of whom are also long dead.

If BMG/FTD had the "faithfull Elvis fans" interest at heart they could release these discs through regular retailers at much lesser costs. Before anyone jumps up to point that the Essential series etc was discontinued because of poor sales, I would like to know how it is that CDs of OTHER performers on BMG for eg : Jim Reeves or Harry Belafonte who sell much less than Elvis are regulary released ?

If making decent covers for FTD are handicapped by Budget considerations, then how come the Movie Soundtracks and special FTD get elaborate covers for the same sale price ?

Ernst has let slip a sales figure (7000) for the Bicentenial Concert and says Jungle Room sessions is by far the best seller so it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that we are talking of around 5- 10,000 ++ sales per FTD. Is there any retailer willing to let us know the profit margin is it approx 20 -25 % ? If so we can find out how much or what makes Elvis FTD profitable for BMG.

If the sales of the "Double Features" was so poor how come that they can now release them on FTD Individually at almost 3 times the price ?

My question which has never got a resonable answer is why cannot FTD be released through normal retailers ?They do not have to do anything extra -in way of publicity. The only thing would be the "returns policy" of unsold CDs.
I visit afew countries regularly and I can tell you that most large shops still stock a wide range of Elvis products, so obviously they still sell. They are displayed seperately and not under "Oldies" or "Rock n Roll" etc (though some shops do) So why is BMG so reluctant to sell through the wholesalers ?

Sorry if I sound long winded but it is the hypocracy that irritates me more than the price they charge.
jb

[Lonniebealestreet]

Lots of great points, jb.

I'd like to think that they are making some good profits on most of the releases and that we will be rewarded for that by FTD's buying power growing to the point where they can afford some of the really sought-after soundboards which collectors are keeping, holding out for the right price. Of course some of them may never wish to part with them, and I guess those people are collectors in the truest sense.

But the fact is that most of the material that's been released, they already owned. If every release were a newly acquired soundboard or session tape, then I don't think we would complain as much about the price. I only complain because I can't afford to get them all right now! But that's my problem, so I actually I don't gripe too much about it.

It definitely would be interesting to know all the exact sales figures, and all associated expenses.

Of course I would love to pay less for them!

For the most part, I'd say we plenty of reason to be thankful. If they really can't sell them for less, well I'd certainly rather have the option of buying them at a high price than no option at all.

[jbgude]

lonniebealestreet :of course I would love to pay less for them!  

For the most part, I'd say we plenty of reason to be thankful. If they really can't sell them for less, well I'd certainly rather have the option of buying them at a high price than no option at all.

Certainly , I agree ....but consider that BMG have enough in their vaults not to have to go to Collectors/Hoarders for a few more years....also they already have the rights to most of the songs, without paying royalties to the Estate.
Also there is nothing to prevent them releasing stuff put out on Imports, rare songs or reharsals ..it has been done before Bicentenial for eg), so Sound Quality is not the issue(Historical significance!)and importantly no one would claim copyright !

oh well .. Money honey they are both hard to come by and goes so Easily ...is there an alternate title to that track :shock:

[Lonniebealestreet]

Speaking of that, if they really want to kill the bootleg market, why don't they release more CDs like New Years Eve? If they make these great previously bootleged recordings available on an official label, a lot of people who don't buy bootlegs will get them. And furthermore, if they actually improve the sound, they will be essential releases for everyone, and the boots would be rendered useless.

[NightRider]

Speaking of that, if they really want to kill the bootleg market, why don't they release more CDs like New Years Eve?  If they make these great previously bootleged recordings available on an official label, a lot of people who don't buy bootlegs will get them.  And furthermore, if they actually improve the sound, they will be essential releases for everyone, and the boots would be rendered useless.

This is more probable nowadays thanks to the FTD label.
What i can't understand is why BMG didn't release alot of this stuff even before the FTD label came along.
Surely when the cds first came into being - around 1984 - they must have thought elvis was still a really strong seller in the music industry.
If they had thought about it then and slowly released ( I don't know - a couple a year even ) concerts / outtakes etc, the bootleggers would have not existed in anything like they have done over the last twenty years.
It wouldn't have stopped them completely of course - but certainly cut it down.
To a certain extent i think its their own doing (bmg ) . To me they missed the boat when it was there to be caught and caught in great numbers.

Thats not to say elvis is not still a big seller in the music industry. For someone who has been gone as long as elvis has he still pulls his weight as far as sales go. Especially if you look at it on a worldwide scale.
I mean how much better would the FTD's sell if you could buy them in your local store. If casual browsers could look through the elvis section and see all the great cd's on offer. You cannot tell me the sales wouldn't be alot higher.
I still know elvis fans who only have three or four FTD's because for one reason or another they can't get the ones they want. The ones they have got came from HMV or Virgin when they happened to get a few in stock.
If you think normal FTD prices are high - you want to look in there :?