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Lisa Marie Presley's World Marty's Musings ELVIS WEEK 2010

Susan MacDougall's Book Reviews Best of Elvis on YouTube Over 250 ELVIS Clips Elvis CD News 2010

'The Elvis Files Vol.2 1957– 1959' Delayed: 'The Elvis Files Vol. 2 1957-1959' is delayed another week. Author Erik Lorentzen informs EIN that the new book is now likely to be released at the end of November. The second book will feature over 1,300 stunning photos in its 528 pages and all in quality printing. All ELVIS EVENTS in this Time Frame Period 1957-1959 are shown. - Every Working Moment... - Elvis AT PLAY Images. (200+ Newly Discovered - seen for the first time) - The Movies: Loving You, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole, are covered in detail with lots of unseen photos. - Plenty of Off Set CANDID Moments. - All the Recording Sessions, All the Interviews Go here for FULL Details and Preview Plus the release schedule of all SIX 'Elvis Files' volumes. CLICK HERE for purchase details. (US$150 for Europe, US$180 for USA, Australia etc - includes postage) (News, Source;ErikL)

John Wilkinson back home: A positive health update for once as John Wilkinson is back home after a short stay at the hospital. John was taken there on doctor's advice, but after a check-up and some pain relief medications, his doctors told him he was as healthy as could be "given the wear and tear and the mileage". John in Springfield, Missouri back with his wife Terry and his two favourite dogs - and like he told Elvis Matters on the phone: "a day without Elvis music is a day wasted." Even today, 33 years on, John listens to his idol/boss/friend every single day: "I loved him then, and I love him now. Some things will never change." (News, Source:ElvisMatters)

UPDATED with YOUR Comments- 'VIVA ELVIS'- The King Butchered! CD review: After a slew of positive reviews presented on our site, EIN contributor Arjan Deelen provides another viewpoint about the new 'VIVA ELVIS' album. He suggests that Producer Erich van Tourneau has very little affinity with Elvis’ music. And the way Tourneau has tackled this project is disrespectful towards Elvis and his original musical vision. These new versions display a lack of empathy an understanding by Van Tourneau of what Elvis and his music were all about. Why can’t we let the guy rest in peace? Hasn’t he already achieved enough in his lifetime and even in the decades after his death Now updated with your comments Go here for Arjan Deelen's in-depth and thought-provoking review of 'Viva Elvis' - and have YOUR SAY. (CD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Elvis Presley in Concert' 2012 Tour Dates & Tickets NOW on sale: As we reported below tickets for the 2012 concert are already available. Tickets for these concerts can be purchased now. Sheffield 9th March 2012 Manchester 10th March 2012 Glasgow 11th March 2012 London 02 Arena, 16th March 2012 London Wembley, 17th March 2012 Birmingham 18th March 2012 CLICK HERE for 2012 Tickets.  (then search Elvis) (News, Source;BrianQuinn/ElvisInfoNetwork)

'A Private Audience With The King' new import CD: Straight Arrow new release features one of the best shows from his final Las Vegas engagement, namely the December 8th, 1976 9PM show, taken from the original source. Once again, a really good audience recording! - a new 2CD release, jewel case with a gorgeous 16-page booklet.  This recording was previously released in 1991 by the PEAF label ("Tornado From Vegas"), but it was an incomplete version edited down to 70 minutes and the sound quality was below par. Straight Arrow was lucky enough to work with the original audio cassette as recorded by "Gemini", who was happy enough to attend and record all 15 shows of this season. This December 8th, 9PM concert is somewhat special. Elvis looked and sounded better than in the days before this show, and he gave strong, laid-back performance which lasted for 84 minutes. 400 British fans were present together with fan club president Todd Slaughter, British journalist Clifford Davies, Elvis’ father Vernon and show business colleagues Liza Minelli, Merv Griffin, Tanya Tucker. Among the show highlights are solid versions of "That's All Right",

'In The Heart Of Georgia' new import CD: Twelve years after the first release of this show, Audionics delivers a more complete version of Elvis Presley's 1975 tour opener, as taken from the mixing desk. Originally released as part of the "From Vegas To Macon" set, this recording was faded out during "I'll Remember You" and there were a few tracks missing. However, these tracks WERE recorded by the sound engineer and these unreleased tracks are included here FOR THE FIRST TIME! The April 24th tour opening show is interesting, because it's the first tour following the problematic September / October '74 tour and Elvis' subsequent hospitalization. The setlist is very interesting because it features a lot of recent material, with virtually no 'oldies'. There's 'It's Midnight' and 'Promised Land' from the December '73 STAX sessions, 'Fairytale' and 'T.R.O.U.B.L.E.' from the recent TODAY sessions, as well as a welcome return of 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me'. Elvis sounds a bit tired here and there, but he's also full of fun. "My name is Johnny Cash ... it's a pleasure to be back here in Atlanta, uh, Macon" he jokes. It's interesting to note that 'T.R.O.U.B.L.E.' is the very first live version. Macon goes bananas for "An American Trilogy." Clearly, 1975 on

Myrna Smith Update: Recent information from Carole Drexler. "On Nov. 23, Myrna was sent from dialysis to the hospital & will remain there for several days. Myrna was sent to the hospital because her blood pressure was very low. There is a problem with the stent in Myrna's arm where the dialysis machine connects & they must surgically correct it. Will keep you updated. Myrna is still about the same, very weak, she sleeps a lot & not much interaction. We read her all the cards you send. Myrna wants everyone to know how much she appreciates your love & prayers, all the cards & gifts. Myrna received a large banner from the Elvis Cruise & a healing jade charm from New Zealand. On Nov. 19 I found out the amount Myrna owed Canyon Oaks for November had been paid. I wanted to let you know about this latest development which shows that Prayers do work. Please keep the prayers going. - Carole" The address for sending cards to Myrna is: Myrna Smith, Room 408A Canyon Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 22029 Saticoy Street, Canoga Park, CA 91303, USA (News, Source;JPGansky/ElvisInfoNet)

'VIVA ELVIS'- The King Butchered! CD review: After a slew of positive reviews presented on our site, EIN contributor Arjan Deelen provides another viewpoint aboudt the new 'VIVA ELVIS' album. He suggests that Producer Erich van Tourneau has very little affinity with Elvis’ music. And the way Tourneau has tackled this project is disrespectful towards Elvis and his original musical vision. These new versions display a lack of empathy an understanding by Van Tourneau of what Elvis and his music were all about. Why are Elvis fans so obsessed with the idea of having Elvis in the charts that it clouds their judgement even when it’s at the expense of Elvis’ integrity? Why can’t we let the guy rest in peace? Hasn’t he already achieved enough in his lifetime and even in the decades after his death? Go here for Arjan Deelen's in-depth and thought-provoking review of 'Viva Elvis' - and have YOUR SAY. (CD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'The Complete Elvis Presley Masters' 2nd run Get 10% Off!: The limited edition first run of 1000 numbered units sold out very quickly and SONY are happy to announce that the second edition is available for pre-order now and will be delivered to consumers in January 2011. The second edition will be equal in quality and design to the limited edition first run but it won’t be individually numbered nor will it contain a limited edition certificate of authenticity. Click here to order now with a coupon code ELVISFAN10 you can get 10% off - Offer expires Monday, Nov 29. The second edition will cost the same - US$750 plus postage. (News, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Boston Garden '71' FTD CD Review: After the tremendous success of Elvis back on stage and touring in 1970, somewhat surprisingly, Colonel Parker arranged only one tour for Elvis in 1971 just 14 shows away from the routine casino atmospheres of Vegas & Tahoe. ‘ELVIS - As Recorded At Boston Garden '71’ from November 10, 1971 was the only time Elvis ever played in Boston - and with such a successful show it is a real surprise that he never returned. It is always better hearing Elvis work a larger tour crowd than the usual Vegas audiences and this is no exception. Elvis always raised himself to a challenge and after the Vegas Summer Season, of 57 shows in a row, he was bound to be more inspired. This November 1971 Tour was also the first time Elvis used J.D Sumner & The Stamps who had just replaced The Imperials. Click here as EIN’s Piers Beagley checks out the recent FTD CD release - and is it any improvement on previous bootlegs of the same show? (FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

UPDATED - 'King Creole - The Music' FTD Review: EIN contributor and King Creole fan Glen Johnson has contacted EIN to point out several extra points and possible book inaccuracies to our original review. It seems several pages carry the incorrect date and there are other misdemeanours as well.... The Audiovisual documentary ‘King Creole - the Music’ was released last July. While it is described as an "Audiovisual documentary" sadly the CD only last 36 minutes including the 8 bonus tracks. So with no new session outtakes as a temptation and with a fairly high asking price there is much to debate. Go here to our UPDATED review and decide if it is yet another essential purchase. (FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Elvis In Concert' UK 2012 - Tickets available Today: Great news for UK Elvis fans, 'Elvis Presley In Concert' is returning to the stage and tickets for the 2012 UK tour go on sale soon. A link to buy tickets will be available later today Wednesday, November 24 at 9:00am CST US via ElvisInsiders.com. Tickets go on sale for the general public on Monday, November 29. Elvis Presley In Concert features members of the original TCB Band and singers with full orchestra under the direction of Joe Guercio. Elvis performs "live" on stage via archive footage shown on large screens. The tour is making several stops throughout the UK, including stops in London and Glasgow. For Elvis Insiders CLICK HERE for info & pre purchase. (News, Source;Brian Quinn/ElvisInfoNetwork)

VIVA ELVIS misses out as Beatles Downloads tops 2 million: Late last week the move of the Beatles to the legal downloading sphere via the world's biggest music retailer iTunes ricocheted around music's digital landscape. Today EMI, the Beatles' record label, announced that in their first week on iTunes, they sold more than 450,000 digital albums world-wide. In addition, the Fab Four shifted two million downloads of individual tracks. The label also acknowledged to several sites that gross sales for the week were an impressive $10 million. The Beatles iTunes sales figures compare a little unfavourably to last year's remasters CD series. The band sold 15 million units including a combined 626,000 copies in the first week of sale in the American market. According to Billboard, Apple sold 119,000 albums in the US, including 13,000 digital box sales. Meanwhile 'VIVA ELVIS' sales are far lower than hoped and in the UK the album has already dropped from #19 to #52 in this week's official U.K chart. Does SONY no longer care about marketing Elvis into the charts and radio stations knowing that Elvis will always keep on selling at a steady pace no matter what? Whereas The Beatles have always been marketed with the clever concept of only one MAJOR release every year or two, SONY/BMG have always continued The Colonel's philosophy of continuous-multiple-repeat-releases as often as possible with no consideration to key quality product. Hence the same-old Elvis Christmas compile every year. (see below) Doing this however makes major key releases get left behind and bundled in with all the other sub-standard product. The Public Domain multiple releases also vastly dilute Elvis product. 'VIVA Elvis' sales stand at only 13,381 in the USA as of this week. As for marketing The Beatles, Apple will invest heavily in a media campaign centred around the Beatles heading into the Christmas shopping season, including television commercials and full-page ads in outlets such as The New York Times. (News, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

'Blue Christmas' new 2010 Elvis Xmas CD: Already out is this year's Elvis Christmas SONY CD release. Featuring 16 tracks the only point of interest is that it features the three 2008 bonus "remake" songs from the Elvis Presley Christmas Duets CD. In fact it is the first Elvis Xmas CD to kick off with 'Winter Wonderland'!   With only one picture of Elvis (on the front cover) fans should expect more from a company that does this cheap compile every single year! TrackList 1. Winter Wonderland (2008) 2. Blue Christmas 3. I'll Be Home For Christmas 4. Silver Bells 5. Santa Claus Is Back In Town 6. The Wonderful World Of Christmas 7. Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) 8. If Every Day Was Like Christmas 9. Merry Christmas Baby

Elvis Statues & Memorials - an EIN Spotlight: Aside from the more well-known Elvis statues in and around Memphis - the corner of Beale Street opposite the Orpheum Theatre & the display centre on Mud Island - I discovered many different memorials and dedications to the King on my search for Elvis statues around the world. From Auckland to Hawaii to Israel - Elvis statues are being erected in bronze, stone, wood and even duct tape! EIN's Sanja Meegin has been investigating - Click here to see these commemorative and sometimes 'creative' monuments. (Spotlight, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

FREE Elvis Christmas album with UK Daily Mail this Sunday: Get a CD with 15 festive tracks by The King himself free in next week's Mail on Sunday. The tracks on "Christmas Peace" including White Christmas and Silent Night, are taken from the two albums of festive music recorded by The King. The first of those two albums, Elvis’s Christmas Album, topped the US charts on its release in 1957 – and made No#2 in the UK – rounding off an incredible two years since he exploded on to the scene internationally. Elvis, then 22, was just emerging from the hip-swivelling notoriety that had characterised his early years. And hard as it might now be to believe, his first Christmas record only added to his notoriety. Earlier in 1957, Frank Sinatra had attacked the new breed of rock ’n’ rollers as ‘cretinous goons’ and ‘sideburned delinquents’. And confronted with The King’s version of White Christmas, the song’s horrified author Irving Berlin launched a largely unsuccessful campaign to stop radio stations from playing it. Listening now to Elvis’s gentle account of the song, delicately played by his regular band with the accompaniment of backing singers The

"Elvis - The Movie" DVD finally released in Germany: With a delay of no less than four weeks the dvd "Elvis - The Movie" has finally been released in Germany a few days ago. The German version is entitled "Elvis The King - Sein Leben". Two different issues are available: A vanilla edition (one disc containing the  German version of the movie) and a deluxe edition (two discs  containing the German version as well as the original English version). Buyers of the items have already complained about a bad quality of the dvd and that the announced 'Making Of' entitled "Bringing A Legend To Life" is missing on both issues. Also  remarkable is the fact that Kurt Russell's name is misspelled on the front cover ('Russel' instead of 'Russell')! (see right) The original "Elvis - The Movie" had been produced and directed by John Carpenter in 1978 with Kurt Russell starring as Elvis Presley. The movie had become a fan's favourite very soon and is regarded as one of the best ever movies about the life and career of Elvis. (News, Source: The King'sWorld)

Elvis '77 The Final Curtain - A multi DVD - multi CD-400 page book from Boxcar Enterprises .....   A 6 CD and 6 DVD set plus 400 page book. It is understood that this is part of a 6 DVD and 6 CD package promising unreleased footage (Over Five hours of sensational home video) plus new complete soundboards. However due to security issues, further contents of the box cannot be revealed at this time. In the meantime further details have surfaced that this set will be out sometime in the future but will only be Limited to 1500 copies.

'VIVA Elvis' - also released in Vinyl: Besides the numerous variable CD releases of the 'Viva Elvis', a vinyl version has also been released. The same 12 tracks from the CD are featured but now pressed on 180gm heavy vinyl release. There is a European pressing and a UK pressing possibly for March 2011 - and a USA pressing available early December, all with the same tracklisting. Go here for USA ordering and details Go here for 'Viva Elvis' UK Vinyl info & orders (News,  Source:ElvisInfoNet/ElvisMatters)

'Strictly Come Dancing' in UK TONIGHT to promote Elvis: Tonight, Sunday 21st on the very high rating 'Strictly Come Dancing' 7.30 p.m. direct from Las Vegas to Blackpool, the cast of Cirque du Soleil's 'Viva ELVIS' will be performing the amazing new version of 'Blue Suede Shoes' from the 'Viva ELVIS' album on Strictly Come Dancing. 18 of the Cirque's legendary acrobats and dancers are flying in to give BBC 1 viewers an exclusive taste of the show - the first time they have performed it outside the USA. Just seen a posting on the 'Strictly' Website and one member of staff states that they have just seen the rehearsal of 'Blue Suede Shoes" and can't begin to describe just how great it is. Sounds promising indeed and hopefully will give a boost to the Album.   (News, Source;BrianQuinn/ElvisInfoNetwork)

'King Creole - The Music' FTD Review: The Audiovisual documentary ‘King Creole - the Music’ was released last July. With hardly any song outtakes available, FTD decided that this release could not work as a ‘Classic Soundtrack Album’ release so instead have used plenty of unreleased new Elvis photos from the King Creole sessions (ex super-collector Pal Granlund) to create this deluxe book. The publicity notes, "Includes more than 200 classic, rare and never before published photos from the recording session and the filming of the song scenes for King Creole. The accompanying CD includes all known surviving Elvis recordings from the session". While it is described as an "Audiovisual documentary" sadly the CD only last 36 minutes including the 8 bonus tracks. So with no new session outtakes as a temptation and with a fairly high asking price, go here to find out if EIN's Piers Beagley believes it is yet another essential purchase. (FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

Graceland Teams up with US Red Cross for Holiday Celebration: Graceland will officially begin the holiday season by “flipping the switch” for the annual lighting celebration TONIGHT on Friday, November 19, with the traditional lights and decorations on the 13.8 acre mansion property. The extensive display includes hundreds of blue lights along the driveway, a life-size Nativity scene, Santa and his sleigh and much more originally displayed at Graceland by Elvis and the Presley family. The event this year will also support the American Red Cross, with the Bloodmobile on site as part of an awareness campaign to encourage the public to donate blood during the holidays. Click here for Graceland Cam. (News, Source;EPE)

'VIVA Elvis' Japan release: EIN's Brian Quinn reports that the Japanese edition of the 'Viva Elvis' album is to contain 14 tracks including a "Love Me Tender" duet featuring Miho Fukuhara plus the JXL Remix of 'A Little Less Conversation'.     (News, Source;BrianQuinn/ElvisInfoNet)

'Elvis Presley Collection Ultime' - new Canadian CD: This is a Sony Canada Exclusive for the Archambault Stores in Quebec. Features the usual 1950s hits - plus a 10 track Christmas CD. (News, Source;BarryMcLean/ElvisInfoNet)

'All In A Blaze' - new import CD: The Touchdown is to release 'All In A Blaze' featuring the complete show from December 12, 1975 in Las Vegas. According to Touchdown the source for this audience recording release is new and of excellent quality, the source being a first generation copy of the master tape. The CD comes with a 16-page booklet with lots of rare and seldom seen pictures from Elvis first pre-holiday engagement in Vegas in 1975. FTD have previously released the soundboard of Dec 13th 1975 as "Dinner At Eight" (News, Source:SanjaM/Touchdown)

'Viva Elvis' Charts Update: While some Elvis purists deride the VIVA ELVIS album, perhaps unnecessarily since it is after all an album of the Cirque stageshow, the initial chart placings have been disappointing. Wolrdwide Charts United States = 45 (approx see below) United Kingdom = 19 Netherlands = 13 Australia = 45 New Zealand = 21 Ireland = 15 Switzerland = 26 >>> Brian Quinn comments: The first week sales of 'Viva Elvis' The Album are in for the U.S.A. and they are much worse than expected. It sold 12,622 copies and will enter The Billboard Chart give or take one or two places at No.46. I find this result extremely disappointing. There must be a genuine reason why this release has not done as well as expected and I do not accept that some Elvis fans do not like it as the main reason. I suspect people did

New 'King Creole' clip: While many Elvis fans are holding back on buying the new VIVA ELVIS album, EIN particularly likes this update on King Creole. At less than $10 why not try it? Having both 'The Complete Elvis Masters' and 'VIVA Elvis' new and playing in EIN's house within the same week is a little surreal. We believe there is plenty of room in this world for both.   Click here to the updated 'King Creole'.   (News, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

Cher missed out on dating Elvis‎: Cher, the superstar singer/actress, has recently expressed her regret for missing out on dating with Elvis Presley and the Godfather acting genius Marlon Brando. Cher - who has dated the likes of Warren Beatty, Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise - was so in awe of Elvis that she couldn’t go out with him because she was just too anxious. “I wish I had gone on a date with him, I really do,” says the 64-year-old star.... (Right:A faked photo of Cher & Elvis) “I was supposed to but I got so nervous I chickened out of it. Stupid girl. But I got so nervous I just couldn’t go. Now, obviously, I am kicking myself.”

UK Biography channel "Elvis Night" Sunday, 21st November: The UK's Biography channel promises "This November we take you on a hip shaking, record breaking, rock ‘n’ rolling, journey back in time to the Summer of ’56. Put on your blue suede shoes and travel through the highs and lows with The King himself, Elvis Presley. 21 November from 8pm.  EIN has questioned why we cannot find the programme in their actual schedule. Go here for more info (News, Source;BrianQuinn/EIN)

Elvis Cruises from Sydney, Australia; As the Rock'n'Roll "Blue Suede Cruise" leaves Sydney this Saturday Nov 20 for a week's Rock'n'Rollin' on the high seas - another "The King Tribute Cruise" has been announced for November 2011! The 2010 'Blue Suede Cruise' features 12 great acts performing 50's and & 60's Rock 'n' Roll over a week long cruise around the South Pacific Islands. Go here for 2010 "Blue Suede Cruise" info. Meanwhile if you want to book ahead for 2011 check out "The King Tribute Cruise" (right) a 3 day cruise around the Pacific Ocean from Sydney, jam packed with award-winning entertainment performed by some of the worlds favourite Elvis tribute artists. Go here for 2011 Elvis Tribute cruise info. (News, Source;EIN'sbeenCruisin)

Three new 'VIVA ELVIS' CDs Review: Reviews from around the world are in general positive about this new release including....  ... Is the world really in need of a new Elvis Presley album 33 years after the death of the King of Rock N’ Roll? After only one listen to Viva Elvis: The Album, that answer is a resounding YES. Viva Elvis is an honest reworking of Elvis’ greatest hits using original master samples of the King’s voice worked into modern riffs and beats. There’s no attempt to make the tracks into dance remixes like A Little Less Conversation; they come across with dignity, respect and care – and that’s what makes Viva Elvis unique and magical." - Go here to three new VIVA ELVIS album reviews and discover more about each track. (CD Reviews, Source;SanjaM/EIN)

New 'Bossa Nova Baby' picks fans: The 'Bossa Nova Baby' "cute-dancing-babies" video has been gaining popularity (see below) while other fans have suggested 'Bossa Nova Baby' as a single. EIN reader Gary Tanner notes, "It needs to be released as a single asap because, apart from being catchy and lively, it will work great in nightclubs. Also BBC Radio 1 and 2 shouldn't refuse to play it as it isn't a classic hit. This will help promote the album which is awesome."   Click here to another new 'Bossa Nova Baby' video that could go with the single.   (News, Source;GaryTanner/ElvisInfoNetwork)

Seen this Elvis snap before? In this rare photo we see Elvis, Judy Sprekels and friends having breakfast in Las Vegas 1956. As Elvis said on the Wink Martindale TV show in June 1956... Elvis: I've been getting a lot of publicity with Judy Speckels. All of that started when Judy gave me a ring out in Las Vegas....   Go HERE to EIN's RARE Elvis Photos.    (News, Source;SanjaM/ElvisInfoNet)

Priscilla Presley talks about 'VIVA ELVIS' album: Priscilla Presley recently sat down in a chic Beverly Hills hotel to talk about the new album and her life with Elvis to QMI. These are the highlights of the interview. Q: What do you think about the musical arrangement of Viva Elvis? Priscilla: The album is inspired by the Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas. They are famous for taking risks and it's a great partnership because Elvis is known as someone who also liked risks. So if you have to take a risk, this is the album to make. There's no question that many people will like the album and I hope that the young generation will like it. It's possible that some purists will be disappointed, but the point of the album is to keep Elvis up to date, contemporary. This album is playful, pleasant. He would have been 75 years old this year; the Cirque du Soleil celebrates his music, his films, his home life. Q: What is your favourite song on the new album and why? Priscilla: I love Suspicious Minds. Many of my personal memories of Elvis are connected to this song. He knew it would be a success. Q: You have previously said that Elvis flew into a terrible rage when he heard a version of Suspicious Minds that he believed had been altered by (then-manager) Colonel Parker. What do you believe he would think about the arrangements on Viva Elvis? Priscilla: What counts is the celebration of Elvis and the Cirque du Soleil's interpretation. As for Suspicious Minds, Elvis had a vision in his mind for this song, and he didn't appreciate someone else interpreting it differently. Q: The songs on the album are among the ones in the Cirque show. Did you have any say in that?

'The U.S. Male' - new import CD: This legendary Camden classic was first released in England in 1975. It became one of the best selling low budget Elvis albums in Europe. With its attractive cover, excellent tracklist (which was a rarity with Camden albums) and low price, it also was the first Elvis Presley introduction for many Elvis fans. 'THE U.S. MALE' was released on CD in the 1990's by the Australian Rainbow label. But it was a mess.... the sound was bad, the front cover was completely differend and some tracks missed the first second! But finally, after 35 years, 'Oldies But Goodies' presents their 2nd classic album release (after 'A Portrait In Music') the way it should be. 'The U.S. Male' contains the 12 original tracks in breathtaking sound quality (all taken from the latest Franklin Mint set masters), the original front cover, a 4 page full color booklet and...... 8 rare bonus songs (who have the same 'feel'  as the original album tracks) including 5 unreleased tracks!!!! So finally you can own this Camden release on CD, in all it's glory and including many extras! But remember this is a limited edition of ONLY 500 COPIES!!!! Go here to Elvis CD NEWS 2010 for full details & tracklist. (News, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork/viaUSMail)

New Viva Elvis album has local tie with Erich Van Tourneau: VIVA ELVIS Producer Erich Van Tourneau talks with Vegas Deluxe. The interview includes... "Elvis' voice is the heart of this project," Erich told me. "I was taking vocals he recorded 66 years ago back in 1954 and painting new colours on them to make it relevant in today’s music. It was the most interesting project of my life and at the same time the most complicated." "A lot of his best material goes back to the ’50s when he was a dangerous rebel who created a musical revolution. It was the ultimate technical technique to bring him back to life today. It was like changing an old black and white movie into HD super sound. Remember when he recorded ‘That’s Alright,’ it was in mono -- not even stereo!

'Bossa Nova Baby' (New Version) Video: It's one of those "cute-dancing-babies" videos that could possibly go viral. This one is sanctioned by Sony(UK) who hope the clip catches on as a VIVA ELVIS promotion. CLICK HERE to view (News, Source;Brian Quinn/ElvisInfoNetwork)

Great Rare Footage of Elvis: On a more serious note! - Here's some great rare footage of ELVIS from the eraly sixties.   CLICK HERE to view Plays to the great song Witchcraft - runs 3 minutes. (News, Source;ArjanDeelen/ElvisInfoNetwork)

Memphis medic, Ulysses Jones, Jr passed away: State Rep. Ulysses Jones Jr, described by colleagues as a passionate lawmaker and one of the first emergency medics to reach Elvis Presley when the entertainer died, died early Tuesday in his hometown of Memphis. Jones was 59. Jones had pneumonia and died from complications at a local hospital. Jones, who was first elected to the Legislature in 1986, represented District 98 in Shelby County and was a battalion chief of the Memphis Fire Department. Rep. John Deberry, a Memphis Democrat and chairman of the Tennessee Black Caucus, said one of the reasons Jones was so passionate about people was because he had witnessed so many deaths in his profession as an emergency responder. Deberry said Jones was among the emergency medical officials who worked feverishly to revive Presley on Aug. 16, 1977. "I believe they all were disheartened because they couldn't save Elvis," he said. Jones had identified with Presley who, like himself, had spent time in public housing projects and made something of himself.

New Elvis Auction - November 13: Henry Aldridge and Son will be auctioning a number of items of Elvis material on Saturday 13th November at 10am GMT. The lots going under the hammer will offer collectors around the world the chance to own their own piece of Elvis history. One particularly noteworthy lot is Elvis Presley's last will & testament (Law firms copy- shown right), it dates from the mid 1970's and originated from the law office that represented one of the Presley family members in the matter. In 1987 the lawyers purged their files, an employee of the firm took them from the trash and was told by the owner of he could keep them, marked "deceased," this is a file copy of this document from the mid 1970's and would have been used extensively during that traumatic period in 1977. It shows varies clauses such as Instructions concerning personal property, provision of a trust for his children and proceeds from Royalties such as Concerts and motion picture contracts and gives the reader a fascinating insight into the private wishes of the King of Rock and Roll. It is estimated at £500-£1000. Other rare and unusual items being sold include a scarf worn by Elvis on Stage in the Mid South Coliseum in 1975, bedding from Elvis’ Circle G Ranch with its original laundry tag attached bearing the name "Presley" and an original Elvis Presley Royalties statement 12/31/67, for the songs, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", "Long Tall Sally" and "Rip it Up". An original page from the flight logbook for Elvis' private passenger Jet, The Lisa Marie from October 23rd, 1976. Estimates on items in the sale will range from £50 upto several thousand pounds. The auction will be held on Saturday 13th November at 10am GMT. Click here to look. (News, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

Elvis Presley's bass-guitarist sets up home near Berwick: He has played to millions around the world as bass player for Elvis Presley and a host of other legends. But now Jerry Scheff has put the rock’n’roll lifestyle to one side to set up home in a small village near Berwick in Northumberland. As one of the world’s most in-demand session musicians, he has played with The Doors, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and John Denver, as well as the singer known as the King. But after meeting wife Natalie, he now splits his time between her house in the North and his native California. Jerry first started playing with Elvis for his 1969 comeback special and spent eight years in his backing band until the star’s untimely death. He said: “Before I met Elvis I was not a fan. I didn’t really know many of his early songs, but he said to me ‘Do you know how to play the blues?’ and if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to play the blues. We worked with other artists but you had to put Elvis first. “If you said you couldn’t make a job and went to work with another artist instead, he would never work with you again. He thought he was very loyal and expected the same in return. We had a lot of respect for each other. “It was very exciting performing onstage with him. We just used to turn up, play for an hour and then be straight off on a flight to the next venue.” On one such trip, Jerry’s journey with the King ended: “The band were on a flight to Bangor, Maine, where we were going to meet Elvis and perform.

Ernst Jorgensen interview about 'The Complete Masters' and more: Recently radio personality Mike Ragogna from KRUU-FM got a chance to interview Ernst Jorgensen in length about the new 'Elvis Presley Complete Studio Masters' box-set. Ernst provides some interesting answers as well as his own view on Elvis' musical legacy. "Elvis lives in the minds of those musicians who took over from him. You get people like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and U2 --everybody somehow relates to those early Elvis recordings, and they meant something in their personal lives, and subsequently, he became an inspiration for their professional lives." Go here for the full interview & Complete Masters images. (News, Source;HuffingtonPost/ArjanDeelen)

Brand New 'Suspicious Minds' Video: EPE have posted a new 'Suspicious Minds' promo video to go along with the 'VIVA ELVIS' album launch. Click here to see the clip. (News, Source;BrianQuinn/ ElvisInfoNetwork)

"Booby Wood" tours with ‘The Original Elvis Tribute 2011’!: There is a funny spelling error within the ‘Complete Masters’ book. EIN contributor Arjan Deelen explains… A few days ago the ’Complete Masters’ came out, and the various message boards have been buzzing with activity ever since. It’s clear that this is the most exciting Elvis release in quite a while. Some fans have been generous in their praise, while others have expressed disappointment with certain elements, i.e. Lene Reidel being used for mastering discs 28 – 30, as well as a few errors, like wrongly captioned photos in the book. On a project of this magnitude, some errors are inevitable.

'VIVA ELVIS' Rolling-the-dice in Vegas: Since the massive City Center casino complex opened in Las Vegas last December amid the steepest decline in tourism in decades, its owners are still scrambling to figure out how to fix the 67-acre development's financial problems. Closing the 'Viva Elvis' Cirque du Soleil show was suggested as one cost-cutting option. The $8.7 billion project, with its hotels, condominiums, casino and giant mall designed by Daniel Libeskind, is the largest privately funded construction project in the U.S. It was supposed to usher in a new era of sophistication and urban living in the gaming capital. But it almost collapsed before it opened, and because of its huge scale, its fortunes and those of Las Vegas are closely linked. Over the summer, executives of Dubai World and MGM Resorts International, which jointly own the project, studied and rejected the idea of closing two of the site's three hotels and the 'Viva Elvis' Cirque du Soleil show, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. City Center hopes to make back some of its extra costs by leasing about 200 of the units. An MGM chief executive chalked up the disappointment with City Center to the slower-than expected recovery nationally and in Las Vegas, and to the time it takes for a new resort to gain traction. (News, Source;SanjaM/ElvisInfoNet)

Gordon Stoker Back Home!: Last week the Jordanaires original group member, Gordon Stoker was in a Nashville Hospital with pneumonia. With good news Elvis Unlimited's Henrik Knudsen confirmed that Gordon Stoker is now back home. "He asked me to thank for the thoughts and prayers. He is still not 100% well.. but getting there..." Go here for EIN's Spotlight on Gordon Stoker. (News, Source;www.elvisunlimited.com)

'VIVA ELVIS' CD Review: EIN contributor Brian Quinn was one of the very first to hear the new Elvis album 'VIVA ELVIS'. He totally agrees with the EPE/Sony publicity, describing the CD as PHENOMENAL and with an AMAZING sound. Truly a listening and emotional experience and genuinely revolutionary in concept - which should give it an excellent chance for a Grammy Award next year. This is truly Elvis for the 21st Century. - Read the his full review here and discover the hidden content of each track. (CD Reviews, Source;BrianQuinn/ElvisInfoNetwork)

Marty Lacker receives Beale Street Blues Note Honor: On sunday Marty Lacker was honored with a Beale Street Blues Note, the equivalent of a Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star. The pictures of the event were taken by Sandi Pichon, longtime Elvis fan. Lacker started his entertainment career in radio in 1957 and a few years later his former high schoolmate, Elvis Presley, asked Marty to work for him. Marty was with and close to Elvis for 20 years and served as his right hand man for a number of years as well as being his Co-Best Man at his wedding. Lacker was solely responsible for Elvis to return to Memphis to record for the first time in 14 years when Lacker convinced Elvis to record with Chips Moman resulting in "Suspicious Minds" and "In The Ghetto' as well as other hits.  It was a few months after that Moman asked Lacker to run American Studios for him which he did for a couple of years before opening his own company, Mempro,Inc. serving the entire Music Industry..  While at American, Lacker became one of the leaders of the Memphis Music Industry  and produced, directed and wrote three highly successful Memphis Music Awards Shows featuring many of the big named artists who recorded in Memphis at the time as well as attended by most of the executives of the national music industry. (News, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork)

Portuguese "Love Me Tender" duet: The Portuguese "Love Me Tender" duet, only available on the portuguese edition of the new album "Viva Elvis", is by thier singer Aurea. Click here to listen. (News, Source;OficialdeFãsdeElvis"Burning Star")

Chilean Miner to Visit Graceland for Elvis Presley's 2011 Birthday Celebration: Edison Peña, the recently freed Chilean miner who became known around the world as a major Elvis fan, will be visiting Graceland in Memphis during Elvis’ annual birthday celebration on January 6-9, 2011. When the staff at EPE first learned of his love for Elvis, a care package filled with Elvis music and other Elvis merchandise was delivered to the mine. Through media reports, it was later learned that Peña jogged to music from the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and helped keep morale high by leading Elvis sing-a-longs as he and 32 fellow miners were trapped 22,000 feet below ground. While at Graceland, Peña will receive a private tour of the mansion and exhibits and see other Memphis attractions such as the historic Sun Studio where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis all started their music careers. Memphis plans to pull out all the stops to show Peña true Southern hospitality with 5-star accommodations provided by The Peabody Hotel and the opportunity to try some Memphis barbeque. It’s also fitting that following Edison’s visit to Graceland, he will be flown to Las Vegas to see the new hit Cirque du Soleil show Viva ELVIS at ARIA Resort & Casino. (News, Source;EPE)

Elvis '77 The Final Curtain (multi DVD-multi CD-400 page book from Boxcar Enterprises).....   If the trailer was authorised then it might show a visual comparison of the very noticeably superior video quality of Elvis '77 The Final Curtain compared to other similar footage on Rare Elvis Volume 7; The Final Days and other releases!

New Elvis stamp in Germany: When the first German Elvis stamp was issued in 1988, it was only available in West Germany due to the political situation of the German partition. Now the very first Elvis stamp will be issued since the German reunification. This amazing project is initiated and proudly presented by well-known artist Carolin Okon of "Elvis Paintings", fully supported by "The King's World". The new stamp is supposed for release on November 9, 2010 featuring one of the best known Elvis paintings by Mrs. Okon, an August 1970 concert image of the King. Also available will be a similary designed postcard. The stamp as well as the postcard cannot be purchased at post offices. Both items will be distributed directly by Carolin Okon. (News, Source: The King's World/Elvis Unlimited)

New Nookbook release: Amazon has its downloadable Kindle books and now Barnes & Noble is marketing downloadable Nookbooks. Nine Months with Elvis is the title of Bart J. Angel's Nookbook. It appears the book is also available in paper copy format: ISBN: 0549561919; ISBN 13: 9780549561910; eISBN: 9780549561910.

2011 CountryLink Parkes Elvis Festival Calendar available: The official CountryLink Parkes Elvis Festival calendar is a must for all Elvis fans. Over 40 superb photos within the calendar capture the true spirit of the festival. Several Elvis Tribute Artists are featured in the calendar including  Dean Vegas, Mark Andrew, Royden Donohue, Silas Lulic, John 'Elvis' Collins, Allan Wright, Steve King and many more. Calendar bonus: Double page photo montage. An excellent gift for family and friends at only $10. Check out: www.festivalcalendar.com.au 

World's largest Velvet Elvis: (Source: Bethany Snyder)

Complete Elvis Masters Collection OUT NOW: Fans have now started to receive their long-awaited SONY Complete Elvis Presley Masters Collection. Reviews have so far been very positive.... “The sound is excellent. The best we’ve heard so far on CD”. “Beautiful book, and stylish design” “Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous!” EIN will have a review next week Go here for more details and order information. (News, Source;EIN)

EPE presents an Exclusive Premiere of "Viva ELVIS - The Album" via Podcast: "Viva ELVIS - The Album"  features the voice of the king in a whole new context. Now, Elvis.com visitors who download the special 4-part edition of the official Elvis.com Podcast will go into the studio and hear the behind-the-scenes details from the making of the album. The first, second, and third editions are live now with the final segment of the series to be uploaded on November 8 at noon EST. You'll hear from the album's producer and arranger Erich van Tourneau, Musical Director and Arranger for Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil, Sony music executives Steve Berkowitz and Rob Santos and may others. Viva ELVIS - The Album will be available everywhere this November. Pre-order it now. GO HERE to Download parts one, two, and three of the podcast now! (News, Source;EPE)

Danish ‘Familie Journal’ ELVIS CD Series: The genre series is once again being recycled by Sony, as you can now purchase a CD each week here together with the Danish weekly magazine FAMILIE JOURNAL. The series is now called “100% Elvis”. Price of each CD is about 5.50 euros. The first CD, Rock, was issued on October 11th and a carton housing box for the whole series was also included. The next ones were: R&B (18/10), Movies (25/10) and Inspirational (1/11). Packaging on these releases is rather dull, with the same publicity shot from “Jailhouse Rock” on all covers. In the coming weeks, we will also be getting: Country (8/11), Love (15/11), Live (22/11) and Christmas (29/11). All in all a nice way of introducing Elvis’ music to a new audience, but it’s a pity that this series was not presented in a more attractive and original way. (News, Source;ArjanDeelen)

Sony (UK) Answers Queries re 'Suspicious Minds' - new Duets Album etc: This week EIN contributor Brian Quinn asked a Marketing Director from SONY (UK) about Elvis marketing and their release policy.  Brian Quinn: Why was the new 'Suspicious Minds' single not released in the UK? - A. Basically due to a lack of airplay and no support from the radio stations. Radio 1 and 2 would not play it and other radio stations also. This would appear to be down to the managers of these programmes being over 40 and steeped in the tradition of one should not mess with the original releases. In the circumstances we decided to pull it and save the embarrassment of having the single appear at around No.50. BQ: Why is 'Suspicious Minds' appearing on the 'Now That's What I Call Music' No.36? - A. It is only on the U.S.A. version of this album and the idea is for Elvis' music to gain exposure to a younger demographic. BQ. As Elvis and Susan Boyle are both SONY artists why have the release dates of both their latest albums been scheduled for the same date - 8th November? - A. People do not realise how difficult it is to schedule a record for release. There was no conspiracy as to both their albums being released on the same date and in fact it may actually benefit Elvis and Boyle in that they appeal to roughly the same demographic. Many people only go out to buy a record once or twice a year and in this instance Boyle fans will see the 'Viva Elvis' album in the stores alongside and may be tempted to buy it also. Of course this similarly works to Boyle's credit. BQ. Why are there only 12 tracks on the 'Viva Elvis' album? - A. Because the producer of the album felt that they were the best of the bunch basically and was not prepared to put his name to any of the others.

'Jailhouse Rock Vol. 2' FTD Tracklist: Finally revealed is the tracklist for the up-coming FTD 'Jailhouse Rock Vol. 2'. Disc 1 1) Jailhouse Rock (2001) takes 1,2,3,4 2) Jailhouse Rock (2001) take 5 3) Treat Me Nice (2003) (first movie version) takes 1,2,3  4) Treat Me Nice (2003) (first movie version) takes 4,5  5) Young And Beautiful (2005) (jail version) take 1  6) Young And Beautiful (2005) (jail version) take 2  7) Young And Beautiful (2005) (jail version) take 3  8) Don’t Leave Me Now (2016) (unused movie version) take 1  9) Don’t Leave Me Now (2017) (hit record version) takes 1,2,3,4,5,6 10) Don’t Leave Me Now (2017) (hit record version takes 7,8 11) Treat Me Nice(2003) (first movie version) takes 6,7 12) Treat Me Nice(2003) (first movie version) takes 8,9 13) I Want To Be Free (2010) (record version) takes 1-8 14) I Want To Be Free (2010) (record version) take 9 15) I Want To Be Free (2011) (first ending) takes1,2 16) Young And Beautiful (2006) (Florita club version) take 1 17) Young And Beautiful (2006) (Florita club version) take 2 18) Don’t Leave Me Now (2017) (hit record version) takes 9,10 19) (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care (2015) takes 1,2,3,4

Straight Arrow new import releases out: Both new Straight Arrow import CD releases 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' and 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' are out now.     (News, Source:SA)

Myrna Smith Health update: Myrna Smith's condition continues to be serious. As of Oct. 31, Myrna is back at the Canyon Oaks center after again spending time in the hospital with an infection. The repeated infections & the dialysis treatments take their toll & make her weak. Please know that Myrna very much appreciates your cards & prayers. She is so grateful to those who have helped her financially. It means a lot to Myrna to know how may people love her. For all the cards, notes, letters, flowers & love you have sent to Myrna, thank you so much, it really means a lot. Please keep Myrna in your prayers. *Please send cards to:* Myrna Smith Canyon Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 22029 Saticoy Street, Canoga Park, CA 91303 Please pass this information on to as many fans as possible (News, Source;ElvisUnlimited/PJGansky)

$470K to Improve Elvis Presley Blvd: The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Memphis more than US$470,000 for improvements on Elvis Presley Boulevard. This money will be used to study how to enhance quality of life, reduce congestion, and improve overall transportation on the boulevard The new federal funds will be used to provide preliminary engineering and environmental work associated with improving U.S. Highway 51/Elvis Presley Boulevard from Craft Road to Winchester Road. The project proposes to widen segments of U.S. 51; relocate utilities; and construct sidewalks, medians, crosswalks, bicycle facilities, and street scape in order to meet future multi-modal needs and stimulate reinvestment in this economically challenged section of the city. (News, Source;SanjaM/EIN)

Large Elvis memorabilia Auction in UK: Thousands of Elvis Presley items are going under the hammer in an auction at Bamford's in Derby, England. Steve Lacey, from South Wales, has been collecting Elvis memorabilia since 1977 but has now decided to sell it all to guarantee his children a comfortable future. The collection contains over 12,000 items including more than 10,000 records. Steve has collected singles, EPs and albums from all over the world, including Japan, Australia and South America. Among the most treasured items are several Sun Records singles from before Elvis became famous. The collection also contains several discs rewarded for record sales in the UK. The total value of the collection is reckoned to be in the region of £250,000 Steve told BBC Radio Derby: "I think I've come to the end of the line with my Elvis collection - now it's someone else's turn. Go here for BBC story. (News, Source;ElvisInfoNet/MattShepherd)

Sue Moreno graces Elvis Weekend bill: Our dear friend and great (lookin') singer Sue Moreno has accepted the invitation by Markus Henfling to attend the Elvis Weekend in Bisschofsgrün, November 12-14. (News, Source: Elvis Matters) (Click here to Sue Moreno's website and more about this album)   And as we reported on 18 October last month, Sue is performing in 2011 on the next Original Tribute Tour. Sue told EIN: EIN: Are you going to be performing on the next Original Tribute Tour? Sue M: Oh yes, I sure am, and really getting excited about it already. New in the line up are the great Bobby Wood and Johnny Christopher, besides our man on bass Duke Bardwell, Chris Casello on guitar and Marc Singer on drums! And of course it is a great pleasure working with the amazing Robert Washington whose voice is incredibly close to Elvis'. The shows will be in great venues and great countries. It will take place in May 2011, and the tour is extra special to me as it will be the anniversary of my daddy's passing, who attended a show of the tour this year and totally unexpectedly passed away near the end, and who taught me all about music and Elvis.

Go here for the insider's review of 2010 'Original Elvis Presley Tribute' tour.

Click here to Sue Moreno's version of 'It's Midnight' - especially for her father who died this past May.
(News, Source;EIN)

New album from Lisa Marie due out in early 2011: According to Internet reports, Lisa Marie has indicated her long awaited 3rd album will finally be released early in 2011. And it will be 'deep, dark and moody'!

Elvis is the new Idol: Elvis Blue has been crowned as the newest Idol in South Africa. The 30-year-old from George secured the most votes during the finale of Season 6 to beat his friend - L’loyd Cele - and scoop the title in Tuesday night’s spectacular show. According to the official Idol website, a total of 2 398 962 valid votes were cast between the broadcast of the Top 2 Spectacular on Sunday evening and Monday night when the voting period ended. Elvis walks away with a grand package of prizes - including a recording contract with the Universal Music Group. (News, Source: iolnews.co.za)

Elvis Presley Boulevard Improvements: Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Memphis $471,609 for Elvis Presley Boulevard Improvements.

“Elvis Presley Boulevard is an important thoroughfare in Memphis,” said Congressman Cohen. “These new federal funds will be used to study how to enhance livability, reduce congestion, and improve overall transportation.”

The new federal funds will be used to provide preliminary engineering and environmental work associated with improving U.S. Highway 51/Elvis Presley Boulevard from Craft Road to Winchester Road. The project proposes to widen segments of U.S. 51; relocate utilities; and construct sidewalks, medians, crosswalks, bicycle facilities, and streetscape in order to meet future multi-modal needs and stimulate reinvestment in this economically challenged section of the city.

U.S. Highway 51/Elvis Presley Boulevard parallels Interstate 55 and connects urbanized areas of Memphis to the suburban communities of northern Mississippi. It provides an important alternative surface transportation route to Interstate 55. (News, Source: politicalnews.me)

Aussie politicians announce their top songs lists: Aussie PM, Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, recently published lists of their favorite songs. Ms Gillard's top 10 tracks include Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen, Flame Trees by Jimmy Barnes and Torn by Natalie Imbruglia. Mr Abbott has gone for a more American sounding list, including Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash, Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell and Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley. (News, Source: AP)

Gordon Stoker in Hospital: Jordanaires bass-man Ray Walker has indicated that original group member, Gordon Stoker is presently in a Nashville Hospital with pneumonia. This was confirmed on Elvis Radio on Friday during an interview with George Klein. EIN sends Gordon our Best Wishes for a speedy recovery.  Go here for EIN's Spotlight on Gordon Stoker. (News, Source:ElvisNews/SanjaM)

Complete Elvis Masters Collection delayed: SONY have announced that the boxes should be out of their assembly plant on October 29th - to be shipped to customers on Tuesday November 2nd. US fans should receive their orders by Friday, November 5th. "We sincerely apologize for the delays and hope you will enjoy The Complete Elvis Presley Masters Collection." Go here for more details and order information. (News, Source;SONY)

'Elvis: All Shook Up - Stories and Insights' New Book: With a forward by Peter Guralnick 'Elvis: All Shook Up - Stories and Insights' is a collection from David Halberstam, William F. Buckley, Bono, Robert Plant, Ann-Margret, Peggy Lipton, and Many More and a Roy Blount Jr introduction.  This 320 page hardcover release from Union Square Press will be published in May 2011. ISBN-10: 140278418X ISBN-13: 978-1402784187.  Product Description: Elvis remains the “King” of rock-and this star-studded collection pays tribute to his enduring power. Admirers from all walks of life weigh in, including award-winning journalists and influential thinkers (William F. Buckley Jr.); rock stars (Kris Kristofferson, Bono); starlets (Ann Margret, Barbara Eden), Peter Guralnick and many others. Entertaining and illuminating, this anthology shows why people continue to be “all shook up” over Elvis. (News, Source: Amazon)

The opening of the CD serves as an overture, with a crowd swell; interview clips; sound bytes from Ed Sullivan; bits of “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” better known as the theme to 2001: A Space Odyssey and the new drum beat leading into the opening song, “Blue Suede Shoes.” The track does a good job of building anticipation for the show to come. “Blue Suede Shoes” blends distorted guitars with handclaps and harmonica giving the song a garage-rock feel while “That’s All Right” bears an eerie resemblance to Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” or Jet’s “Are you Gonna Be My Girl?” while still utilizing Scotty Moore’s original lead breaks. The tracks work surprisingly well, but it’s clear from the get-go that this is not your parents Presley.

“Heartbreak Hotel” manages to combine three different versions of the song to create an entirely different listening experience. We start with Presley warming up his voice, followed by an acoustic blues guitar right out of the Mississippi Delta and Presley’s voice sounding like he was singing through a harmonica mic, but before the listener can get used to that, it jumps between the ’68 Comeback Special arrangement and the original 1956 version. This may be the best-realized remix on the album as the song lends itself well to this sort of treatment. “Bossa Nova Baby” plays up the Latin elements of the song, adding a trumpet solo, while staying fairly close to the original. Keen listeners will notice the guitar solo from “Hard Headed Woman” has been added here to great effect.

“Love Me Tender” has been given a modern acoustic feel and has been turned into a duet with Dea Norgerg. While Presley sounds great as usual, her voice just doesn’t work with the song and the parts where she harmonizes with Presley sound forced. “King Creole” has been given an unnecessary hip-hop treatment while “Burning Love” now sounds as if it could have been recorded by the Hives – not bad, but not really necessary either. Things improve with an instrumental piano version of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and the closing track (and lead single) “Suspicious Minds,” which sounds like Presley channeling U2 with its jangly guitars.

Viva ELVIS is an interesting, often good (if unnecessary) reinterpretation of Presley’s remarkable catalog. Open-minded old listeners may find these new versions a fun twist and it may introduce Presley to an entirely new generation of fans. Those who want their Presley “as nature intended” would do best to stay far away from this CD though and listen to the original albums as this is nothing like the Presley they have come to love. (CD Review, Source: General Jabbo, http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-elvis-presley-viva-elvis/)

Marty Lacker to get Beale Street Blues Note Honor this Sunday November 7th: It was announced today that Marty Lacker will be honored by receiving a Beale Street Blues Note, the equivalent of a Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star this coming Sunday, Nov 7 at 5pm Also receiving a Blues Note at the same time will be Chips Moman, the acclaimed record producer who produced Elvis' 1969 sessions at American Studios,Memphis.  Moman is also noted for producing over 100 other big hit records by a number of major artists. Lacker started his entertainment career in radio in 1957 and a few years later his former high schoolmate, Elvis Presley, asked Marty to work for him.  Marty was with and close to Elvis for 20 years and served as his right hand man for a number of years as well as being his Co-Best Man at his wedding. However, it was not really his association with Elvis that has brought this honor to him but his years after leaving Presley's payroll to become a vital part of the Memphis and National Music Industry.  In 1967 Lacker started Pepper Records at which time he discovered Rita Coolidge and produced her first couple of hits for her.  While at Pepper he also produced some young R&B groups with the help and songs of his close friends Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Shortly after, Lacker was solely responsible for Elvis to return to Memphis to record for the first time in 14 years when Lacker convinced Elvis to record

Demystifying an Elvis myth - Aloha viewing audience figure in question!!: Was Elvis' historic Aloha From Hawaii satellite show witnessed by more than 1 billion people as is often claimed? Elvis author, Alan Hanson, says NO!! (See Marty Lacker follow-up below) “In January 1973, Elvis gave a benefit performance at the Honolulu International Center Arena in Hawaii … Titled Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, the program was the first worldwide television broadcast, and more than a billion people eventually watched this one performance—roughly a third of the world’s population at the time.” — Elvis for Dummies © by Susan Doll, PhD, film and pop culture historian I hate to single out Ms. Doll, since she is only the latest in a long line of writers and internet bloggers who have perpetuated the above myth surrounding Elvis’s 1973 television special. And it hasn’t been just star-struck Presley admirers who have peddled these ridiculous assertions. Even TV Guide, a respected publication that should have known better, bought into this Presley fairy tale. In its issue for the first week of January 2000, the magazine asserted, “Number of people who tuned into Presley’s 1973 special, Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii, via satellite: 1.5 billion.”

To see how this Elvis fable got started, let’s first go back to 1973. Shortly after midnight on Sunday, January 14, 1973, Elvis took the stage in Honolulu. His performance was broadcast live by satellite to countries in the Far East and Oceania. Later that day a delayed broadcast of the show was beamed via satellite across Europe. Almost three months later, on April 4, 1973, an expanded version of Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii was broadcast in the U.S. on NBC-TV. Reviews of the show were mostly positive, and the concert soundtrack became Elvis’s first #1 LP in eight years.

To track the source of the show’s over-hyping, however, we must go back four months before Elvis’s performance in Hawaii. On September 4, 1972, Colonel Parker called a press conference in Las Vegas to announce Presley’s upcoming satellite special. Elvis was in attendance, as was Rocco Laginestra, president of RCA, which would produce the show using its communications satellite.

Parker issued a laundry list of Elvis “firsts”: In an announcement released prior to the news conference, Parker outlined several what he called historic “firsts” for the broadcast: (1) first entertainment special to be broadcast worldwide via satellite, (2) largest audience to ever see a television show, “in excess of one billion people,” (3) “the first time in the history of the record industry” than an LP would be released worldwide simultaneously.

Parker’s final “historic” claim is legitimate, I suppose, but there seems nothing significant about it. RCA could have used its foreign licensing system to do the same thing years earlier. It didn’t because there was no apparent commercial advantage in issuing an album on the same day around the globe. Whether releasing the Aloha From Hawaii LP everywhere simultaneously was a good marketing move or just publicity hype is a debatable question, but one of little import.

The other two supposed “firsts” for Elvis’s Hawaii show, however, were clearly misleading and phony claims churned out by the “Colonel Parker Propaganda Machine.” It’s surprising that the reporters at the 1972 press conference didn’t see through the sham immediately, and it’s absolutely amazing that Parker’s bogus claims have been reported as fact over and over again ever since.

Let’s start with the notion that the Presley show would be broadcast “worldwide.” According to Peter Guralnick in his Elvis biography, “six rows of Elvis Summer Festival hats festooned with the names of each country in which it was hoped the spectacular would be broadcast” were displayed at the press conference. An article in the Honolulu Advertiser reported that Laginestra “indicated that at least 34 nations will tune in to the Presley show.” Even the most gullible of journalists present should have realized that 34 nations don't qualify as a “worldwide” broadcast. (A quick look at the World Almanac reveals that in 1973 there were 140 countries in the world with more than a million in population.)

Mao and Uncle Joe were no Elvis fans: Keep in mind that the satellite feed was available only to those nations who had signed a licensing agreement with RCA to broadcast the show in their countries. At the news conference, Laginestra said RCA was “talking to the Russians and (we’ve) started negotiations with China” for possible hookups (Billboard, 12/16/72). There has never been any evidence, however, that Aloha From Hawaii was ever broadcast in China, Russia, or any other communist nation. (That didn’t stop Susan Doll from speculating that, “Even parts of Communist China supposedly tuned in.”)

Various reports indicate Aloha From Hawaii was eventually broadcast in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, South Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, the United States, and 28 countries in Europe. That’s 38 nations plus the British protectorate of Hong Kong. The special was not broadcast in any country in Africa, South America, the Middle East, or South Asia. In fact, among the world’s five most populated countries in 1973, only the U.S. saw Aloha From Hawaii. So at long last, can we please dispense with the assertion that it was a “worldwide” broadcast?

Now, what about the claim that over a billion people actually saw the Elvis special? Remember that Colonel Parker’s printed announcement proclaimed that “in excess of one billion people” would actually “see” the Aloha broadcast. How could he determine the actual number of viewers four months before the broadcast? The obvious answer is that he couldn’t. Still, Presley pundits through the years have continued to insist that between 1 and 1.5 billion people worldwide saw Aloha From Hawaii back in 1973. (The amount 1.3 billion is the most commonly stated number.)

The Colonel must have thought infants watched Elvis: First of all, the world’s total population in 1973 was 3.973 billion. Does it sound reasonable that fully one-third of the planet’s people were glued to the tube when Elvis’s special aired in 1973? Hardly. Consider how many Americans tuned in to Aloha From Hawaii when it was broadcast in the U.S. on April 4, 1973. Overnight Nielsen ratings indicated that 33.8 percent of all American televisions were tuned in to Elvis’s concert. But that also indicates that two-thirds of U.S. televisions were either turned off or tuned to other programs in that time slot. Now, if every family member in those 33.8 percent of households was sitting around the TV watching Elvis that evening, then the most that could be claimed is that about one-third of Americans watched Aloha From Hawaii. If barely a third of the U.S. population tuned in, does it seem reasonable that an equal amount would have done so in places like South Vietnam, where TV broadcasting only began in 1965?

So how was the exaggerated number of 1.3 billion viewers of the Elvis special reached? If you add together the 1973 populations of the 38 countries the actually did broadcast the Aloha show, the total comes to—you guessed it—about 1.3 billion. In what was perhaps the greatest snow job of his career, Colonel Parker convinced four decades of Elvis experts and fans that every single living person in 38 countries tuned in to Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii in 1973. Just in the U.S. alone, the Nielsen ratings make it clear that, at the very least, 140 million Americans were doing something other than watching Elvis that April evening.

Even the idea that Aloha From Hawaii was the first broadcast of its kind is flimsy. “The claim that this was the first worldwide satellite broadcast of an entertainment special was somewhat debatable,” noted Peter Guralnick, “in that the broadcast was not actually worldwide and Andy Williams had already done something of similar nature for the European market.”

Aloha concert should be allowed to stand on its own: In the end, much of the “historic” framework built around the 1973 Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii broadcast turns out to be nothing more than another example of Elvis enthusiasts trying to artificially embellish Presley’s legacy with bogus big numbers and dubious claims of being "first."

The problem with such an approach is that it distracts from Elvis’s real legacy—his unparalleled ability as an entertainer. His performance in the early morning of January 14, 1973, speaks for itself. Many say Elvis never looked nor sounded better in his entire career. And all that other stuff—the satellite, the dozens of countries, the millions of viewers—neither added nor detracted from his performance. It should be remembered for what it was —a final remarkable performance in the career of America’s greatest entertainer. (Source: Alan Hanson)

From Marty Lacker. Here I am once again commenting on an EIN story (above), as written about an important moment in Elvis' great legacy by someone who wasn't present at the time!   Let me start off by saying this guy is nitpicking and who's to say he is factual.   The day after the show we were sitting in the suite in the Hilton Hawaiian Village when the Colonel arrived with a Japanese newspaper that stated that 98% of the Japanese households that had TV watched the show.   When Lagenestra and the Colonel said,"Worldwide" they used that term to denote that it would be viewed in countries in the world other than the U.S.,certainly there were places it wasn't seen, nothing has ever been shown in every single part of the world.  As for the "First" in regards to an entertainment show via Satellite,it was in many ways and it was also the first show done on RCA/NBC's satellite.   To try to minimize Elvis' historic outstanding performance 33 years later by someone who might not have even been born then or if he was might have not been aware enough to witness the true worldwide impact, is like some uninformed Elvis fans who spout off about the kind of people Elvis and the Memphis Mafia were/are, yet they never spent one minute with any of us.   Suffice it to say, it was the largest audience in history by any artist especially for its time.  I'm proud of what he did and that I had the pleasure of being there with him to see it first hand.  I'm also glad that it was something that made him happy and proud. - Marty Lacker

VILE STANLEY BOOK PULLED: Elvis Express Radio reports that.....the vile book of disgusting lies about Elvis Presley and his mother written by Dee Stanley has now been pulled from the Barnes & Noble site. Stanley told E.E.R that she had no idea the book was published and had taken no money for the piece of trash called 'The Intimate Life & Death of Elvis Presley'.

However, Billy Stanley has made a statement that he tried to stop the book being published? Whatever the truth is we hope to find out as we have contacted Barnes & Noble to get their comment on this story.

While I am pleased that the book has now been pulled, one thing has to be remembered and that is Dee wrote the book in the first place, tried desperately to get it published in the 1990's, had excerpts...including the whole incest story....published in the tabloid paper, the National Enquirer and went on national TV in America to try to sell her stories. Remember that!

David Stanley (right, shown with Elvis) told EIN yesterday: I just came across my mothers new book on the internet, The Intimate Life and Death of Elvis.   I wanted to make my position very clear on this published work. It is a pack of lies and I am deeply saddened that she continues to say such horrible untruths about Elvis. While I love my mother – because she is my mother - I am ashamed  of her and her actions concerning the publications of such untruths.   I speak for all of us,  The Stanley brothers,  in saying that this book is truly a piece of trash and in no way are we associated with it or her lies. To the fans I admit that over the years I have said things about my step-brother that I wish I had not had said. This was motivated by a deep sense of hurt and loss.  As I recently confided with my fiend Joe Esposito, I was angered by the fact that Elvis left me so soon. For this I am truly sorry.  I loved Elvis very much and miss daily.    What my mother has said is disgraceful. I, along my brother’s Billy and Ricky,  stand by the Elvis we all knew and loved.   I thank God more than ever that he was the Parent figure in my life.    I will love and defend him for the rest of my life as being the greatest human being I ever knew. Shame on you Dee.

EIN Comment: Dee Presley's condemnation of her own book raises a few questions. Is the released book what she wrote or has she changed her mind on what happened? How did at least two online book outlets obtain the book to offer for "download" sale? And why did Billy Stanley know about its release and not Dee? (See our earlier stories dated Wed 20 and Thursday 21 October)

'Suspicious Minds 2010' UK Single launch Disappoints: 'Suspicious Minds' was nowhere to be found on its official release day, 25th October. To make matters worse 'Suspicious Minds 2010' is to be included on the soon to be release hit single compilation 'NOW 36'. While 'Suspicious Minds 2010' has been flagged by SONY as the "Brand New Mix" - on this new compilation, the song is listed as a BONUS.... FLASHBACK TRACK! Flashback? EIN contributor Brian Quinn asks "Who is responsible for this marketing campaign? Do SONY have any clue as to what this new recording is all about? Does a brand new modern mix really qualify as a "Flashback Track"? “Now 36” comes with info on how to enter a contest to win a trip to Vegas to see “Viva Elvis by Cirque du Soleil” at that Aria Hotel". More Bad News as the latest UK Susan Boyle Album 'The Gift' has had its release date changed from 15th November to 8th November - the same date as 'Viva Elvis'. Boyle is already No.1 on the Amazon (UK) chart and guess who Boyles' record company is.........SONY!!. So that means no No.1 for 'Viva Elvis'. Following these releases I suggest all fans write a letter of complaint to the head of Sony(UK) complaining of the way Elvis and his Legacy have been treated. (News, Source;ElvisInfoNetwork/BrianQuinn)

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Sony Europe, will release a 'Suspicious Minds' two track CD single: In another strange twist to the VIVA ELVIS marketing saga, Sony  Europe are apparently releasing a 'Suspicious Minds' two track CD single to promote the upcoming Viva Elvis CD release. Suspicious Minds – Viva Elvis version of 4.24 minutes Suspicious Minds – the normal Elvis version of 4.29 minutes. This is despite SONY UK and SONY Australia's statement that a CD single version would not be released. There is limited availability, because a lot of record stores do not sell cd singles anymore. Watch this space for more info  (News, Source:EPGold)

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'Elvis Tattoos' an EIN Spotlight: Fans around the globe are inked with Elvis Tattoos. It seems like these days branding Elvis' name, his likeness, "EP" or even the TCB logo is quite a trend for the hardcore fan. Not to mention the odd celebrity here and there - from Robbie Williams and Fred Durst to Pink, Ed Westwick and even Linda Thompson's son Brody Jenner. During my last few visits to Memphis for Elvis Week, I noticed a lot more "Elvis ink" being displayed on fans' arms, legs, backs and even necks! I had my ink done on a trip to New Orleans about 14 years ago. At the time I remember thinking to myself "I love Elvis, I've always loved Elvis and I always will" - so it seemed like the logical thing to do to have his name marked on me forever. EIN's Vice-President Sanja Meegin's search for Elvis tattoos saw images arrive from around the world - from the USA to Poland to New Zealand, UK and Turkey. Elvis is being branded on bodies all around the globe, and displayed proudly as a mark of loyalty and admiration. Click here to check out some of these fan's awesome tattoos (Spotlight, Source;SanjaMeegin)

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RARE Elvis photos Special Elvis: Fifties in Colour Don't miss out on these rare and exciting photographs. From EIN's Rare Elvis Photos Facebook page, now with over 2,000 members including many of Elvis' friends!

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'The Elvis Files Vol.2 1957– 1959' Full Details: Erik Lorentzen labour of love 'The Elvis Files Vol.2' will be out soon. The second book will feature over 1,300 stunning photos in its 528 pages and all in quality printing. All ELVIS EVENTS in this Time Frame Period 1957-1959 are shown. - Every Working Moment... - Elvis AT PLAY Images. (200+ Newly Discovered - seen for the first time) - The Movies: Loving You, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole, are covered in Great Details with lots of unseen photos. - Plenty of Off Set CANDID Moments. - All the Recording Sessions - All the " Interviews" - The Tours of 1957 Go here for FULL Details and Preview Plus the release schedule of all SIX 'Elvis Files' volumes. CLICK HERE for purchase details. (US$150 for Europe, US$180 for USA, Australia etc - includes postage) (News, Source;ErikL)

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