That's The Way It Is....Remixed

[Elvislives72]

This is one of my all time favorite Elvis albums ever released and after hearing the new wonderful musical overdubs on Christmas Duets cd, I would love it if RCA would take this classic album back into the studio and remix it like the duets album was done.....but NO DUETS! Just Elvis and a new arrangement for listening pleasures. I would like to see a few songs added as bonuses and not the live tracks that Jorgensen added on the deluxe addition which was watered down soundwise. My choices for inclusion would be The Sound Of Your Cry, Sylvia, Heart Of Rome, and I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water.

I would love it if they did this. I heard that RCA is considering doing something like this but with the 50's tracks. I hope they see the potential for the 70's tracks too.

[Dino78]

Remixes are always interesting, but quite often they lose everything.
I mean there were recorded at aspecial time, with a special approach, technical equipment and so on. Not to mention about Elvis's verdict in the end. It is a speculation if he would like the remixed version or not.
So it's a nice experimentation field but often the original versions are better.

[KPM]

Remixes are tricky. Some fans say-yes do it! Some say NO, no way shape or form! If there was a universal consensus among fans, maybe they would be doing more of them.
When the Guitar Man remix album came out in the 1980 it did fairly well, but many just do not like the idea of remixes-it took 21 years for another major remix, ALLC, and that was not even sanctioned by Sony/BMG-(they came around after it began to get so much worldwide play and buzz)
So the fact that it took 21 years to get another remix-tells me the record label did not feel the 1980 remix album did that well, or they feel it was not well received enough to spend the cash to totally do new more modern music on a large scale.
I also think you have to watch what you try to remix.
Some things are just too well known-for the greatness in the original.
Maybe when the last of the original generations of fans are gone-they will do all sorts of things to his music feeling they have no one to get backlash from.
I would hope even then they will show some restraint in working on classic tracks which should most likely be left alone. They are what they are.

[Elvislives72]

Let me correct myself. I didn't mean remix as in ALLC fashion. I meant overdub where there's a new drum line and bass line, maybe some new piano and guitar picking but kept in tune with the original versions just correctly updated. I just think his voice was soulfully at it's best in 70 than any other period and he was doing some really good commercialized pop music then. Songs like The Sound Of Your Cry, Sylvia, Mary in The Morning, Just Pretend, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Stranger In The Crowd. That's the type of music I enjoy hearing Elvis do from that period.

I read on here or FECC back in August that SONY's gonna remake or overdub some Elvis tracks, with the 50's tracks in mind for next year. But they shouldn't do that as it'll water them down. Wehereas with the 70's tracks, which were already watered down, it would improve and liven them up to have new appeal.

[Dino78]

In this way it could work.
But then you have another problem. Do want to work on a final version or do you wanna do it with an outtake? After this do you want to reduce the instruments or do you want to add some?
For example: "In The Ghetto" - only guitar; only guitar and bass; plus drums...
You see it's a hard choice and a lot of hard work.

[KPM]

Let me correct myself. I didn't mean remix as in ALLC fashion. I meant overdub where there's a new drum line and bass line, maybe some new piano and guitar picking but kept in tune with the original versions just correctly updated. I just think his voice was soulfully at it's best in 70 than any other period and he was doing some really good commercialized pop music then. Songs like The Sound Of Your Cry, Sylvia, Mary in The Morning, Just Pretend, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Stranger In The Crowd. That's the type of music I enjoy hearing Elvis do from that period.

I read on here or FECC back in August that SONY's gonna remake or overdub some Elvis tracks, with the 50's tracks in mind for next year. But they shouldn't do that as it'll water them down. Wehereas with the 70's tracks, which were already watered down, it would improve and liven them up to have new appeal.

I understood what you were saying, but the type remix album you are talking about is exactly what the 1980 Guitar Man album was-a totally new backing track, drums, piano, bass line etc....I was merely pointing out that until 2001 there had not been another effort like that of any kind-total remix or overdubbeding however you want to look at it. Thaty logically leads to the idea that there must be a reason they have not independently done so.
The idea of a remix is to change up the original studio mix- add, subtract, or delete certain parts and change the levels of the individuals parts-sweeten the sound so to speak. So both ALLC and Guitar Man are remixes IMO.
I was also making the statement that some things should not be messed with,they are good enough on their own merits in many peoples view-they do not need to be livened up. Naturally everyone will have their own view of what should and shouldn't-thats where the problems begin for Sony. So they may be less likely to do the remixes. IMO

[Elvislives72]

I understood what you were saying, but the type remix album you are talking about is exactly what the 1980 Guitar Man album was-a totally new backing track, drums, piano, bass line etc....I was merely pointing out that until 2001 there had not been another effort like that of any kind-total remix or overdubbeding however you want to look at it. Thaty logically leads to the idea that there must be a reason they have not independently done so.
The idea of a remix is to change up the original studio mix- add, subtract, or delete certain parts and change the levels of the individuals parts-sweeten the sound so to speak. So both ALLC and Guitar Man are remixes IMO.
I was also making the statement that some things should not be messed with,they are good enough on their own merits in many peoples view-they do not need to be livened up. Naturally everyone will have their own view of what should and shouldn't-thats where the problems begin for Sony. So they may be less likely to do the remixes. IMO

Actually the Guitar Man album of the 80's was completely re-recorded not remixed. Although some consider it the same it's really not. But what I'm suggesting is not to remove the entire backing track but to enhance it by adding to it with overdubs as was recently done with Christmas Duets.

The real reason behind there being no remixes of any kind from 80-2002 was because EPE wouldn't allow it. They may not own the music rights but they do have authority in how the music is presented to the public. They were at the time totally against remixes or dance remixes until they saw what a profit they can make then they changed their tune, no pun intended. But that's not the type of remixing that I'm referring to so that's another subject.

[KPM]

[QUOTE=Elvislives72;258743]Actually the Guitar Man album of the 80's was completely re-recorded not remixed. Although some consider it the same it's really not. But what I'm suggesting is not to remove the entire backing track but to enhance it by adding to it with overdubs as was recently done with Christmas Duets..........

I do not agree with your definition of what a remix is-If you isolate the basic vocal tracks from a recording, then add in new instrumentation on a mixing board, raising and lowering levels on the song-you are remixing.
Here is review of Felton Jarvis 1980 remix album you will note they refer to it as remixes:

Remixes can be controversial and many Elvis "purist" dislike them (hence the name of this collection "Too Much Monkey Business"); however I think they provide an outlet for fans that long for more Elvis recordings. He should have had many more years of recording and remix projects are a way to glean "new" material from an old library of recordings. In 1980 Elvis' long-time producer and friend, Felton Jarvis went back into the studio with a bunch of Elvis vocal tracks to produce a "new" Elvis album. No one else would have had better insight into what kind of music Elvis might have recorded had he been alive in 1980. The end result was the "Guitar Man" album released early in 1981 (which is included in this collection as songs 3 through 12). The album was a moderate success reaching number 49 on the album chart and number 6 on the country album chart in the US. The single "Guitar Man" did better, reaching 28 on the Pop Chart, 16 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, and number 1 on the Country Chart in the US (this turned out to be Elvis' last appearance in the US Top 40 and his last US number 1 single until 2002 when the "A Little Less Conversation" remix topped the US singles sales chart). The album and the song were also modest hits in the UK. "Loving Arms" was released as the second single from the album and was a Top Ten Country hit. Unfortunately Jarvis died just before the album was released and did not see the fruits of his labor.

This collection includes 10 other Jarvis remixes that were not included on the "Guitar Man" album. It is possible that Jarvis had planned to use them on a second album of remixes. While the remixes are pretty good and most have more punch to them, in general I prefer the originals. It takes a few listens to get used to the differences. Some of the songs sound like they just wanted to make them sound different and not necessarily better. One of the exceptions is "Guitar Man"; the remix sounds much better than the original too me. It features the song's composer, Jerry Reed on guitar. He played guitar on the original too, only this time he plays an electric guitar instead of acoustic and it sounds great. "Burning Love" rocks (but so did the original) and I also really like "I'll Hold You In My Heart", "Too Much Monkey Business" and "Clean Up Your Own Backyard".

[KPM]

The real reason behind there being no remixes of any kind from 80-2002 was because EPE wouldn't allow it. They may not own the music rights but they do have authority in how the music is presented to the public. They were at the time totally against remixes or dance remixes until they saw what a profit they can make then they changed their tune, no pun intended. But that's not the type of remixing that I'm referring to so that's another subject.

I am afraid you are incorrect on this point. EPE did not make any profit from remixes such as ALLC-It was a recording prior to 1973 so they did not get a dime for that remix.
It has been pointed out many times that Sony/BMG owns all Elvis recordings. They can do whatever they want to those recording-EPE has absolutly no say so. Just as they have no say so on Warners decisions about Elvis movies-Warners owns them totally.
Sony/BMG does have to pay the royaltees for any songs which were recorded after 1973 to EPE but that is the extent of their obligation to EPE. Sony/BMG can put them in compilations, let them be included in film soundtracks, commercials etc that is strictly Sony/BMGs call. EPE may be consulted-but they have no contractual say so. So EPE could not block any action that Sony/BMG takes in reguard to the use of recordings which Sony/BMG owns.

This is from the EPE websight:
RCA Records owned all of Elvis's recordings. The RCA Records Label was bought by BMG in the 1980s and in 2004 BMG merged with Sony Music Entertainment to become Sony BMG. Sony BMG owns Elvis's recordings and they continue to use the RCA Records label for issuing Elvis releases. They also have a special Elvis collectors label, Follow That Dream Records.
In March 1973, Elvis and and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, went to the record company proposing that Elvis get a large lump sum payment in lieu of all his future artist's royalties for ongoing sales of anything he had recorded up to that time. The deal was made. RCA paid $5.4 million, which Elvis and the Colonel split 50-50. That meant Elvis no longer got (EPE today does not get) his artist's royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal. However, Elvis did continue (EPE today continues) to get his artist's royalties on sales of recordings created after the March 1973 deal. Some people misunderstand and think that Elvis had a share in the ownership of his recordings and that this is what he sold to RCA. He did not.

[Elvislives72]

EPE made a profit off of the success of ALLC and Rubberneckin because of all the new fans the remixes brought in and brought to Graceland and bought up souvenirs. That's where I meant that EPE made a profit.

Let's be real there wasn't any Elvis songs being used on a regular basis with soundtracks and advertising and drawing a young group of newcomers in until ALLC came along.

[KPM]

EPE made a profit off of the success of ALLC and Rubberneckin because of all the new fans the remixes brought in and brought to Graceland and bought up souvenirs. That's where I meant that EPE made a profit.

Let's be real there wasn't any Elvis songs being used on a regular basis with soundtracks and advertising and drawing a young group of newcomers in until ALLC came along.

I also have to disagree on this:
Go to the IMBD website and take a look at the long list of movies in which Elvis songs were used in the soundtrack prior to 2001. I would list them but there are just to many to do so individually. There are a multitude of Elvis songs which have been used in a multitude of movies.
Elvis music has been used quite a bit pre 2001.

[KING CURTIS]

Only a thought:

I don't like ALLC that much but:

A new backing track to "FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING" (outtake version) featuring the Eric Clapton band, "EARLY MORNING RAIN" with the Nashville A-Team of 2008 (featuring Brent Mason), "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" with the Stray Cats etc., etc., etc.

So, what should be wrong with a KILLER-Album like this!!!!!!

All you get is a timeless voice with contemporary Killer backing tracks!

[KPM]

Only a thought:

I don't like ALLC that much but:

A new backing track to "FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING" (outtake version) featuring the Eric Clapton band, "EARLY MORNING RAIN" with the Nashville A-Team of 2008 (featuring Brent Mason), "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" with the Stray Cats etc., etc., etc.

So, what should be wrong with a KILLER-Album like this!!!!!!

All you get is a timeless voice with contemporary Killer backing tracks!

I would love to hear Eric Clapton involved with a remix-Find Out Whats Happening is an album cut which is not well known and would be a good candidate for such an idea. IMO it all depends upon the song and who is involved. Many many songs should just be left as is. IMO
I would love to see Paul McCartney also involved in producing a couple remix songs but thats just my personal opinion. Once again that would depend on the songs chosen.