Hard to believe, but this week the top two spots on the Billboard 200
albums chart are occupied by Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones.
The King of Rock 'n' roll and The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band
rule the pop music roost, at least momentarily. They've outsold the
likes of foul-mouthed rapper Xzibit's "Man vs. Machine'' (No. 3
on the chart), the overscrubbed "American Idol'' cast's
"Greatest Moments'' (No. 4), and brat rockers Good Charlotte's
"The Young and the Hopeless'' (No. 7) - albums typical of the
youth-oriented glop that usually dominates the charts.
As a baby boomer old enough to remember watching Elvis and the Stones
perform live on "The Ed Sullivan Show,'' I confess to feeling a
certain smug satisfaction in seeing the thrilling rock rebels of my
youth show their staying power, if not their relevance, in the new
millennium.
But does this geezer-rock comeback signal a shift from pap/rap
superficiality to classic pop/rock virtues?
Nah. It proves nothing except the commercial potency of smartly
positioned, shrewdly marketed greatest hits packages.
The new, improved model for rock-icon hit sets is the Beatles'
"1,'' which gathered 27 Fab Four faves on a single CD, making it
the most economical retrospective/starter set available. It's been a
fixture on the Billboard 200 for the past 98 weeks and sold more than
8 million copies in the United States.
RCA, Elvis' longtime label, figured what worked for the Beatles should
work for Elvis. Now we have "Elvis: 30 #1 Hits.'' Just like the
Beatles' "1,'' it features a pictureless cover and a historically
fuzzy lineup of songs that were No. 1 hits in either the U.S. or the
U.K. It shot to No. 1 the week of its release, the first Elvis album
ever to do so. Pretty good for a singer dead 25 years.
The success of "30 #1 Hits'' is due to more than hewing to the
Beatles' "1'' business model. RCA has been priming Elvis interest
in novel ways of late, such as allowing a half-dozen Elvis tracks to
be used in the Presley-centric Disney animated movie "Lilo &
Stitch,'' a smart way to reach the Happy Meal demographic.
The notoriously prissy Presley estate even permitted Dutch DJ JXL to
make a dance remix of an overlooked Elvis gem from the '60s, "A
Little Less Conversation.'' With a newly hyped-up rhythm track, the
single reached No. 1 in England. It might have followed suit in the
U.S., but just as it made its debut on Billboard's Top 100, RCA
withdrew the single in order to use it as an enhancement to "30
#1 Hits'' instead. Now "30 #1 Hits'' contains 31 No. 1's. But
who's counting?
As an introductory course to Elvis, "30 #1 Hits'' provides most
of the requisite highlights along with a few clunkers. Take
"Wooden Heart'' from the 1960 movie ``G.I. Blues,'' please. It
was adapted from a German children's song, and it sounds like it.
The CD puts most of its focus on Elvis' pop years in the '60s, which
keeps it true to its chart-topper concept while shortchanging Elvis'
rock side. And let's be clear: that rockin' side was his best side.
It's almost criminal that neophytes won't get even a taste Elvis'
thrilling pre-RCA Sun recordings such as his first single,
"That's Alright, Mama,'' which must have gone to No. 1 in Memphis
if nowhere else.
So, no, this is not the only Elvis CD you need. Still, there's plenty
to savor, including a punchy sound remixed mostly, thought not always,
for the better. Too bad no gain in sonic quality can transmit how
profoundly weird and earthshaking Elvis seemed when he first appeared
in the mid-'50s. But "30 #1 Hits'' gets across an equally vital
point: His music was and still is lots of fun.
The Rolling Stones are on tour and for the first time, they don't have
a new album to support. What they do have is "Forty Licks,''
which does what no Stones set has done before: bring together hits
from the Stones' ABKCO-controlled '60s heyday with their
Virgin-controlled '70s-and-on output.
The first of the two "Licks'' CDs includes nearly all the
essential '60s classics you can otherwise find spread across five
different greatest hits sets as well as 17 other albums recently
released in digitally spiffed-up form as part of ABKCO's Stones
reclamation project. The second disc culls the necessities -
"Brown Sugar,'' "Angie,'' "Beast of Burden,''
"Miss You,'' "Start Me Up,'' etc. - from the Stones' often
spotty past 30 years.
Devotees may be annoyed by the nonchronological sequencing and argue
about what's missing - "Time Is On My Side,'' "Let It
Bleed,'' "Midnight Rambler'' - but why quibble? "Forty
Licks'' has other Stones best-of's licked.
It also contains four new songs. Not one rates as a classic, but they
do deliver the intended message: the Stones are not just an oldies
band. One of the new tracks is a piano-led ballad sung - croaked,
really - by Keith Richards. He provides a sly, ironic close to
"Forty Licks'' by fretting aloud that he is "Losing My
Touch.''
He needn't worry. Look at the charts. The Stones are almost as big as
Elvis.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Online music subscription company Pressplay
said Monday it has signed a licensing deal with leading record label
BMG, bringing artists like Elvis Presley and Whitney Houston to the
download service.
BMG becomes the fourth of the five major music labels to license its
content to Pressplay, a joint venture of Vivendi Universal and Sony
Corp. Beside Sony and Vivendi's music arms, EMI Group has also
licensed its content to the service.
With the deal with BMG, a unit of Bertelsmann , the only holdout among
the music majors is Warner Music Group, a unit of AOL Time Warner.
Pressplay, which allows users to download songs to their computer and
then copy them to portable devices or burn them to CDs, said it offers
more than 120,000 songs and that the deal would add "tens of
thousands" more.
October 14, 2002
Hayride legend dead
Horace Logan, the man who coined
''Elvis has left the building,'' dies at 86
Don Walker, The Shreveport Times - October 14, 2002
Former Louisiana Hayride producer and main emcee Horace Logan - the
man who coined the phrase "Elvis has left the building" -
died Sunday in Southwest Texas.
Memorial services are scheduled Tuesday, 1 p.m., at the First
Methodist Church in Seadrift, Texas. Logan, 86, had been in poor
health for the past several months, friends said Sunday. He was
hospitalized in Victoria, Texas, at the time of his death.
It was Logan who introduced radio listeners to the Louisiana Hayride
when the country show hit the airwaves in its first broadcast in 1948.
The Hayride boosted the careers of 25 artists - including Elvis
Presley - into national prominence.
Logan began in radio when he was 16, after winning a contest to become
an announcer on KWKH-AM. In 1998, he authored Elvis, Hank & Me, a
memoir of his decade (1948-1958) as the original producer of the
legendary Hayride, a country music show performed before a live KWKH
audience in Shreveport's Municipal Auditorium.
In 1956, as he tried to quiet a frenzied Hayride audience after
another Presley performance, Logan announced, "Elvis has left the
building."
"He was in charge of booking artists on the Hayride. I give him
lots of credit for making the Hayride what it was," said Tillman
Franks, a veteran Shreveport musician and songwriter who was a close
friend of Logan's. Franks became producer of the Hayride when Logan
retired.
Logan was a colorful personality and Hayride emcee who "came out
all dressed in black like a cowboy with a black hat and actually wore
pistols," said Maggie Warwick, Shreveport singer and songwriter.
Logan booked her on the Hayride after she and her sister won a talent
show in Texas. Her first appearance on the Hayride was in 1957.
"It's something. Another one of our legends is gone and it's just
really a sad day in all of our lives," Warwick said Sunday.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials in Logan's name
to be sent to the Bluebonnet Youth Ranch, P.O. Box 90, Yoakum, Texas,
77995.
October 14, 2002
King's
servant Master remix of
Elvis' No. 1 hits led by Canadian producer
By Karen Bliss - Jam! Showbiz
Native
Torontonian David Bendeth is the man who made Elvis Presley's classic
No. 1 songs sound even better on the current top-selling CD.
Bendeth is credited with mixing 17 songs on the Elvis: 30 #1 Hits CD,
and is also the compilation producer. The disc topped the charts this
week in Canada, the U.S., U.K., Australia, Brazil, Chile and the
United Arab Emirates.
"The plan was to make it as good as we could possibly make it
sound, so it would be able to be played on stereos and computers and
(in) cars all over the world," says Bendeth, who received the
original master tapes in mouldy boxes stored all these years at media
storage facility Iron Mountain in Pennsylvania.
Born and raised in Toronto, Bendeth has been interviewed about his
work on the disc all over the world, including the U.K., Australia,
Finland, India and Taiwan. This was his first Canadian interview.
'EXPERIMENT'
Bendeth and engineer Ray Bardani began working on the recordings at
The Hit Factory in New York City in February, without the knowledge of
Presley's estate.
"I just took it upon myself as an experiment," he says.
The tracks they completed and delivered to the estate for its approval
were Burning Love, Suspicious Minds, Return To Sender and Hound Dog.
"At that point, the story goes that RCA and the estate loved what
I had done, and they asked me to mix the whole album," he says.
"So I took everything that wasn't mono, which are tracks 14
through 30, and started to mix Elvis Presley, from the beginning on
up.
"Some people said it was like working on the Sistine Chapel, just
dusting off what was already there. It was recorded really, really
well. It just had never been mixed, because back then because they
didn't have the equipment that they have today."
Bendeth was a solo musician in the late 1970s when he was signed to
CBS in Canada, and then RCA in the States. He then was hired by CBS in
Canada (now Sony) as an A&R representative. He took the same
position at BMG in 1988, where he signed Cowboy Junkies, Crash Test
Dummies, Charlie Major, Prairie Oyster and treble charger, and was
promoted to vice-president.
In 1995, he moved to New York to work at RCA, where he has signed
Vertical Horizon and SR-71, and produced the latest Bruce Hornsby
album. He is now a senior vice-president of A&R and staff producer
at RCA.
"It was really freaky and scary," Bendeth says of remixing
the Presley songs. "First of all, some of these tapes holding the
original tracks of In The Ghetto or Suspicious Minds have never been
touched in 40 years. And then starting to work on it, we felt like,
'We're going to get killed for this.' And then, we started on a
roll."
But that roll was sometimes slowed by marvellous finds, or
age-sensitive obstacles.
Way Down, one of the newer tapes, had to be baked in the oven because
the oxide kept falling off. And the three-track tape machines, of
which there are only a few in the world still operable, would often
over-heat before the digital transfer could be completed.
But what really stopped the process were outtakes of Presley laughing,
joking, or messing up lyrics.
"It was like we were walking around a museum," Bendeth says.
"We couldn't believe it when we first heard some of the stuff
because it had never been heard before.
MORE 'BURIED'
"So we started listening really carefully, but it was really,
really low, and we raised it up. Like on Suspicious Minds in the
bridge, he sings the bridge and he's singing the background track with
himself and he says, 'Sing the song, man, sing the song.' "
While none of these special moments can be readily heard on Elvis: 30
#1 Hits, Bendeth reveals that "actually, there are some buried --
but I'm not telling anyone where."
A home once owned by Elvis Presley has come on the market in Palm
Springs, Calif., with an asking price of $2 million, including
furnishings and Elvis memorabilia.
The house, on 2 acres in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains,
has five bedroom suites, a sauna and a steam room in 5,000 square
feet. The living room, with a fireplace and cathedral ceiling,
overlooks the pool. There is a room with a wet bar big enough to
entertain 100 guests.
The home, owned by Presley when he died, was sold to one of his
associates. The associate sold it to a Japanese hotelier who is an
Elvis fan, but is reluctant to fly to the United States since the
terrorist attacks.
Presley also owned a Bel-Air, Calif., home that was rebuilt from the
ground up in 2000. That house is for sale at $12.5 million. The
French-style house, about 9,500 square feet in area, is on almost 2
acres. The estate has four bedrooms, including two master suites, and
views of canyons and mountains.
The longtime Bel-Air home of the late Wilt Chamberlain has been sold
in the high $2 million range.
Marketed in 2000 at $7.45 million, the former basketball great's
six-bedroom, 7,200-square-foot, wood-and-glass contemporary was
reduced in 2001 to about $4.4 million.
The buyers, described as "a pair of young, talented television
writers" who want to remain anonymous, plan to refurbish the
house, maintaining its architectural integrity. Dave T. Rich designed
the home in the shape of an equilateral triangle. "It took
adventurous buyers to see beyond the flashy reputation of the former
owner and his lifestyle," said the buyers' agent.
While living in the home from the time it was built in 1971 until he
died in 1999, the legendary Lakers center was known as a ladies' man.
In his bedroom, a mirrored ceiling retracts to reveal the sky. A large
triangular tub with 18-karat gold tile is at the foot of the bed.
The house, on 2.5 acres with city-to-ocean views, also has a
moat-swimming pool that leads into the living room, and a front door
14 feet high and 5 feet thick.
Frank Gehry, architect of the rising Walt Disney Concert Hall in
downtown Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, has
purchased a half-acre home site in L.A.'s beachside neighborhood of
Venice for $1.6 million. "I'm 73 years old, and I always wanted
to build a house from scratch," Gehry said.
He and his family have been living in Santa Monica since 1978, when he
redesigned his current residence, a former Dutch Colonial now clad in
such signature Gehry materials as corrugated metal, plywood and
chain-link fence.
"We're going to have to do something with the Santa Monica house
when we move," he said. The National Trust for Historic
Preservation has expressed an interest in owning it, he added.
His home site, vacant for 35 years, was once the location of one of
the original houses in Venice. Gehry envisions building "a fairly
modest home with a large garden."
Impressionist-comedian Rich Little has sold his Laguna Beach, Calif.,
home for close to its asking price of $1.9 million. Little is building
a new home in Las Vegas, where he has been an onstage mainstay since
the '70s.
The home he sold is behind gates and is English Cotswold in style with
views of the ocean, canyon and Catalina Island. Built in 1996, the
three-bedroom single-level house is on slightly more than 2.5 acres.
Little, 63, keeps up a hectic performing and touring schedule, which
is one reason he decided to sell his Laguna home.
Elvis Presley might have been all shook up at the fate of his first
guitar.
The acoustic instrument an 11-year-old Elvis bought in 1946 remained
on the shelf at Guernsey's auction house yesterday for lack of buyers.
No one would meet the $350,000 minimum bid.
"The single most important musical instrument of our time,"
as the auction's catalog dubbed it, will be sent back to Sun Records,
where Elvis first recorded.
Other Presley memorabilia, including his "white-shag" bed
and limousine, were also left unsold. But a black guitar he used at a
1975 concert went for $55,000. That's still far less than the record
$957,500 Jerry Garcia's "Tiger" guitar was sold for at a
Guernsey's auction in May.
A Smith & Wesson pistol owned by the King of Rock 'n' Roll was
purchased for $16,000 at the 135 W. 18th St. sale.
"I like guns myself, and Elvis was an avid gun collector,"
said the buyer, Marissa Budreaux-Crews, 32, a Presley fan from
Memphis, home to Elvis' Graceland.
LOS
ANGELES (Reuters) - Elvis rolled the Stones on the U.S. pop album
charts, depriving the veteran rockers of what would have been their
first No. 1 album in 21 years, according to sales data issued
Wednesday.
The Elvis Presley (news) retrospective "Elvis: 30 #1 Hits"
sold nearly 337,000 copies in the week ended Oct. 6, its second week
of release, while the Rolling Stones' hits package "Forty
Licks" opened at No. 2 with sales of 310,000 units, according to
tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan.
Following
is adapted from a press release from new EPE licensee Paul Frank
Industries:
Paul Frank Industries and Elvis Presley
Enterprises strike a deal for a limited edition project surrounding
the release of Elvis 30 #1 Hits
Newport Beach, CA (October 2002) – Paul Frank Industries (PFI)
announces that a deal has been made with Elvis Presley Enterprises
(EPE) to create limited edition collectibles featuring the likeness
and imagery of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley. This collaboration
between PFI and EPE will debut at MAGIC (Men’s Apparel & Garment
Industry Convention) in Las Vegas and is slated for a Spring 2003
delivery to retailers. The collection will showcase various stages of
Elvis ’s career as a rock icon and bring them to life on designer
Paul Frank ’s silhouettes.
The line will include a remake of the original 1956 coin purse once
sold by EPE, a gold riveted, white vinyl handbag with Elvis’ TCB
logo as a snap as a detail, a jeweled Elvis belt, a vinyl Jailhouse
Rock wallet morphed a la Julius (a popular primate character created
by Frank) style and a vinyl cuff featuring 68 Comeback Special imagery
inset into the face of the cuff, a pajama set and a small offering of
T-shirts featuring Julius morphed into famous Elvis motifs and well as
original recreations of Elvis imagery complete the unique offering.
Price points will range from a T-shirt at $21.00, to hand numbered
handbag for $106.00 retail. Distribution will be very select and both
companies expect demand to be higher than the supply.
“This will no doubt create a bidding war which can only be resolved
on E-bay for those serious Elvis and Paul Frank collectors. We’ll be
watching,” says President of PFI, Ryan Heuser.
Designer Paul Frank says of this project “What can I say about
Elvis? He s a legend. And it ’s an honor to be associated with
someone so great. This collaboration just felt too right, if that ’s
even possible? Elvis inspired all of the music that I loved growing
up. I learned how to play rhythm guitar by listening to his songs.
Music has been and still is a huge part of my life and I really feel
that the reason I started designing had a lot to do with the fact that
I was a musician. Music has introduced me to other artists who then
inspired me to be creative. I am a designer who thrives on things that
feel right and I think you can see why this collaboration feels
right.THANKYOUVERYMUCH!”
“Elvis reaches new generations every day, witnessed by his continued
growth in popular culture,” stated Carol Butler, Director of
Worldwide Licensing for EPE. “We are delighted to be working with
Paul Frank and PFI. The creativity and talent as well as the appeal
with young audiences that Paul Frank and Elvis share are very
similar.”
PFI is a design house founded on the principles of creativity. Our
designs are all originally created to be products from the heart. The
PFI product offering includes men’s and women ’s sportswear,
accessories, pajamas, watches, eyewear, T-shirts and home furnishings.
Globally positioned, the brand can be found in such premier retail
locations as Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Kitson (Los Angeles), Colette
(France), Selfridges (London) and Beams (Japan). Recent company
developments include license agreements with Fossil, Inc., Baum
Vision, and Studio Concepts for a line of home furnishings and
accents. For more information visit www.paulfrank.com.
U2 frontman Bono, Tom Petty, Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews, No Doubt, and
Britney Spears are among the music superstars that will pay tribute to
Elvis Presley during an NBC prime-time television special titled Elvis
Lives, which will air in late November or early December. The concert
special is a collaboration between NBC and BMG's RCA Records.
The hour-long special will honor the enduring musical legacy of
"The King" as well as celebrate the immensely successful
worldwide debut of the definitive Presley collection, Elvis 30 #1
Hits, on RCA Records. The show will also be interspersed with stories,
opinions, and observations from renowned individuals about Presley's
importance. Historic footage of Presley's performances and interviews,
as well as recent footage of the worldwide events marking the 25th
anniversary of his death, will also be included. In addition, the
special will feature contemporary artists' performances of four tracks
culled from Elvis 30 #1 Hits.
"We are thrilled to join forces with NBC to make Elvis's
incredible legacy come alive for TV viewers and for the music fans who
have made Elvis 30 #1 Hits a Number One album," said Bob
Jamieson, the chairman of RCA Music Group. "The caliber of the
artists and celebrities who have signed on to this project speaks
volumes about Elvis's tremendous influence."
This special is a tremendously important part of BMG/RCA's ongoing
campaign to introduce Elvis to a new generation," explained Joe
DiMuro, the senior VP of strategic marketing for BMG. "Based on
the incredible response to Elvis 30 #1 Hits among consumers of all
ages, we're confident that Elvis Lives will be a huge success for NBC.
Other celebrities including rapper Chuck D, Denis Leary, Dale
Earnhardt Jr., Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, and Dennis Hopper have also
signed on for Elvis Lives. More stars participating in the special
will be announced shortly, according to NBC.
Elvis recently set a new record when Elvis 30 #1 Hits debuted at
Number One in 17 territories in its first week, including the U.S.,
the U.K., Canada, France, Australia, Spain, Belgium, Argentina, New
Zealand, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Chile, Switzerland, Austria,
Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates. The set, which was released on
September 24, is the first Elvis album ever to debut at the top of the
U.S. album chart.
Following
is a press release from BMG/RCA and NBC Television:
NBC AND BMG/RCA JOIN FORCES ON PRIME TIME
ELVIS PRESLEY SPECIAL FEATURING BONO, SHERYL CROW, NO DOUBT AND
BRITNEY SPEARS
Elvis Lives Will Honor Legacy and Celebrate
Ongoing Influence Of America’s Greatest Icon
TV Special Follows Record-Breaking Sales of
ELV1S 30 #1 HITS
Burbank, CA, October 8, 2002 – NBC will air a prime-time, all-star
television special on Elvis Presley, titled Elvis Lives it was
announced today by Jeff Gaspin, Executive Vice President, Alternative
Series, Longform and Program Strategy, NBC Entertainment, and Bob
Jamieson, Chairman, RCA Music Group.
The hour-long special, to air in late November or December, will
celebrate Presley’s enduring legacy with commentary and performances
by today’s top entertainment superstars, including Bono, Tom Petty,
Sheryl Crow, No Doubt, Dave Matthews and Britney Spears. “Elvis
Lives” is a follow-up to the immensely successful worldwide debut of
the definitive Elvis Presley CD collection ELVIS 30 #1 HITS.
Other celebrities from the worlds of music, film, television,
politics, sports and publishing slated to appear include Chuck D,
Denis Leary, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Steven Tyler,and Dennis Hopper, with
many more to be announced in the near future
The special will present a collection of stories, observations,
opinions and reflections from renowned individuals about Presley’s
importance, followed by selected performances from contemporary
artists of four Presley classics culled from the new RCA release ELVIS
30 #1 HITS, which recently debuted at No. 1 in 18 territories around
the world. This new material produced specifically for Elvis Lives
will be interspersed with historic footage of Elvis’s performances
and interviews as well as the recent international coverage
commemorating the 25th anniversary of Presley’s death.
“NBC hit gold with Presley’s 1968 Comeback Special and our recent
broadcast of Loving You on the anniversary of his passing,” said
Gaspin. “We look forward to celebrating his legacy with a new
generation of fans who are now discovering his music.”
“We are thrilled to join forces with NBC to make Elvis’s
incredible legacy come alive for TV viewers and for the music fans who
have made ELVIS 30 #1 HITS a Number One album,” said Jamieson.
“The caliber of the artists and celebrities who have signed on to
this project speaks volumes about Elvis’s tremendous influence.
“This special is a tremendously important part of BMG/RCA’s
ongoing campaign to introduce Elvis to a new generation,” said Joe
DiMuro, Senior VP, Strategic Marketing, BMG, “Based on the
incredible response to ELVIS 30 #1 HITS among consumers of all ages,
we’re confident that Elvis Lives will be a huge success for NBC.”
“This year certainly has become a self fulfilling prophecy that
ELVIS LIVES. This historic television special will continue to
demonstrate that,” added Executive Producer David Saltz.
The nation’s first broadcast network, NBC has evolved into a
diverse, international media company. In addition to the NBC
Television Network and 14 television stations, the company owns CNBC,
operates MSNBC in partnership with Microsoft, and maintains interests
in a number of programming services, including the A&E Network,
the History Channel, ValueVision, Inc. (ShopNBC), Paxson
Communications and Rainbow Media Holdings. In addition, NBC owns
Telemundo, the nation’s second-largest Spanish-language media
company. NBC also has equity stakes in several new media companies.
International holdings include CNBC in Europe and CNBC Asia, which are
services of NBC and Dow Jones, and an equity position in National
Geographic Channels International.
The special is being produced by Mary Wharton for Red Eye Flight
Productions in conjunction with Wayne Isaak of Isaak Entertainment and
Bill Flanagan. Executive Producers are David Saltz and Osmond J.
Kilkenny. Special writers and interviewers are David Wild and Bill
Flanagan.
The prime time special continues a massive integrated global marketing
and promotional campaign by RCA’s parent company BMG that helped
make ELVIS 30 #1 HITS the first album ever released by Elvis Presley
to debut at the top of the charts in the U.S.
BMG is the global music division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the
world’s leading media companies, with annual revenues of $17.86
billion. BMG owns more than 200 record labels in 42 countries
including Arista Records, RCA Records, RCA Label Group – Nashville,
and Ariola. In addition, BMG owns one of the world’s largest music
publishing companies.
THE KING STUMPS STONES TO REMAIN NO. 1 IN THE
U.S. FOR SECOND WEEK
RCA Records' ELV1S 30 #1 HITS
Continues Momentum After Debuting at the Top of the Charts in 20
Countries
Collection of Elvis's #1's Earns Platinum
Europe Award
New York (October 9, 2002) - BMG and RCA Records announced today that
ELV1S 30 #1 HITS held the top position in the U.S. for the second
consecutive week. Released worldwide on September 24, the Presley
album is the first ever to debut at the top of the U.S. charts, more
than 25 years after his death.
U.S. sales for the first week totaled more than 500,000, with second
week sales reaching 337,000. In Europe, the International Federation
of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) awarded the album a Platinum
Europe Award for surpassing the million mark.
October 08, 2002
ELV1S:
30 #1 HITS
Promo CD "ELVIS: 30 #1
HITS" - BMG Poland
30 Tracks + Bonus Track "A Little Less
Conversation" (JXL Radio Edit Remix)
HORN LAKE - The developers of the former ranch of Elvis Presley have
been granted yet another extension in their ongoing attempt to
purchase a $6.5 million tract from the heirs of the late W.F.
McLemore.
McLemore heir Gerald D. (Buddy) McLemore announced Sept. 19 that
Circle G Resort LLC officials could not meet the deadline set for that
day, but they would close the land deal within the following two
weeks.
That self-imposed deadline of Oct. 4 passed with McLemore saying late
Friday that Circle G Resort officials have asked for more time to get
their finances together to purchase the 155-acres of the original
ranch property. They took out an option on the property in January.
"It's been extended for another period of time - they got an
extension, that's about all I can tell you," McLemore said
Friday. "We would have been happier had they closed it (deal)
like we thought they would. We're not as happy as we would be."
McLemore would not say how long the latest extension would last.
"I just can't say," McLemore said. "He's (Circle G
Ranch manager Daniel D. DelPiano) doing the best he can under the
circumstances."
McLemore would not elaborate what "circumstances" DelPiano
or other Circle G Resort officials are facing. Titan Network account
representative Ginger Morris, DelPiano's spokesperson in Atlanta, did
not return phone calls Friday.
DelPiano is under investigation by the state of Florida for his role
in a time share deal in that state. Florida authorities said the
investigation is ongoing. DelPiano has stated he is only a third party
in that investigation and has denied any wrongdoing.
In addition, a Georgia federal court in March granted a $4.6 million
judgment against Daniel DelPiano and Premier Holidays International
Inc. in favor of Actrade Financial Technologies, Ltd.
In its order the federal court found that "evidence from
Premier's own files prove that Premier owes money to Actrade and that
Premier has no valid defense for its non-payment."
Meanwhile, McLemore said he has no qualms about DelPiano's past
financial dealings and is confident the ranch property will be sold to
DelPiano and his partners, who include Atlanta businessman Paul
D'Agnese.
It has been a series of starts and stops on the $500 million project
since its inception. Heirs of McLemore had previously given Circle G
officials a verbal extension from Aug. 6 until Aug. 14 to close the
deal.
Circle G Resort officials held a "ceremonial groundbreaking"
Aug. 15 even though they did not yet own the former ranch of the late
rock and roll king. As a result, they could not actually break ground.
More than 200 city and county officials attended that event and
developers even procured the singer's former backup singers, the
Jordanaires, and Presley's cousin Donna Presley Early for the
occasion.
Yet, Horn Lake officials have not been given a timetable as to when
construction might begin.
Under terms of a real estate extension and modification agreement made
public in probate records of W.F. McLemore Aug. 25, the closing
deadline for the $6.5 million sale of the former Elvis Presley Ranch
can be extended up to five times. The next closing date is set for
Oct. 19.
The closing cannot be extended past March 19, 2003, records on file at
the DeSoto County Chancery Clerk's Office show. That means there is
the possibility that no work could begin on the site until next spring
at the latest.
The agreement is only for Tract 1 - the original 155 acres that the
late singer bought in 1967. Although Circle G Resort officials have
stated they have an "option" on surrounding land, the
agreement deals primarily with the original ranch property.
Circle G Resort's failure to close and pay in full the $6.5 million
asking price within the time extended will mean the purchase agreement
will be terminated and all earnest money can be retained by the
McLemore family.
An option lapsed last month on the surrounding 317 acres owned by
heirs of the late Hugh Dancy. That land was to be used to build at
least two championship golf courses, according to a preliminary site
development plan.
Under terms of the agreement with Circle G officials, the McLemore
heirs have an option to collectively purchase a 5 percent interest in
the Circle G Resort LLC.
McLemore said both parties are still negotiating. "It's not
finished," he said.
ELVIS Presley's stepbrother will appear on the Kelly Show later this
month as part of the all-Ireland evangelical 'Power to Change'
campaign.
Rick Stanley, whose mother married Vernon Presley after Elvis' mother
died, is one of America's most respected evangelists.
He was brought up in Graceland from the age of six and travelled with
Elvis as his personal aide and bodyguard.
He has lived through the trauma of a broken home and addiction to
alcohol and drugs.
When Elvis died in 1977, Rick thought his world had ended. Through a
high school friend, he was invited to church where he had a powerful
conversion experience.
Rick was invited to stay with the pastor, and with his guidance, he
read the Bible on a daily basis.
God called Rick into the ministry in 1978 and later that year he
married Robyn, the friend who invited him to church.
An excellent Christian communicator, he will speak at an evening
presentation and dinner in the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast, on
Thursday, October 17.
Even 25 years after his death Elvis Presley
memorabilia is still big business
Sell shares, buy Elvis. That's the advice of Elvis Presley memorabilia
expert Sid Shaw. And with stock markets tumbling and Elvis records
topping the charts, it is hard to argue with him.
This week, Presleymania returned to Britain with the release of Elvis
30 No.1 Hits which jumped straight to No.1 in the album chart, while
one of his most popular hits, Suspicious Minds, grabbed the number one
singles slot despite the warbling of Popstar Gareth Gates.
Their success follows the remix of A Little Less Conversation in the
summer, which gave Mr Presley another hit - and more number one
singles than any other artist.
Mr Shaw says most of the collections he sells on his elvisly-yours.com
website and London shop soon appreciate in value.
Even a UK-made china model of Elvis's first home, the Tupelo Shack,
priced L32.95, will tick up in value when other investments are
nosediving, he claims.
"I don't have a pension," says Mr Shaw, who battled with the
Elvis estate for the right to sell memorabilia in the UK and won.
"But I do have 200,000 copies of Elvis magazines we have
published over the years and 20,000 Elvis calenders. Even if they are
only worth L10 each..."
Who is driving the demand for Elvis memorabilia? At a silver jubilee
commemoration on August 16 in the grounds of Graceland, more than
75,000 fans gathered around Elvis' grave clutching candles at a
midnight vigil. Millions more watched the tribute live on the
internet.
So Elvis may be dead, but his legend lives on - alongside a plethora
of memorabilia. By the end of the 60s, producers had learned a thing
or two about souvenirs - they began making serious cash from them as
Elvis fever reached religion status.
Today the rock 'n' roll memorabilia wheels have not stopped turning:
Elvis has made more money since his death than he did while alive.
There are 10 times the amount of Elvis fan clubs today than 20 years
ago.
At the first ever single auction of Elvis memorabilia, a three-day
event at the MGM in Las Vegas in 1999, one of Elvis's signed but old
credit cards pulled in a princely $11,000 (L6,875). By contrast, three
unsigned ones fetched a total of $13,000 (L8,125).
The event, dubbed the Graceland Garage Sale, featured 2,000 items from
the Presley estate. Fans, businessmen and impersonators gathered in
Las Vegas, pledging millions in all.
"Prices are unbelievable. This is getting ridiculous," said
Los Angeles-based Elvis memorabilia dealer Joseph Keretta at the time.
"The card was worth about $1,800 (L1,125) because it was
unsigned. It could have been used by the bodyguard and never been seen
by him."
Mr Keretta, who had tried to secure one of the unsigned credit cards,
gave up when bidding went past the $3,000 (L1,875) mark.
A school report card - featuring an A in music - also turned heads
when bidding exceeded $8,000 (L5,000). Whilst "the King"
might have had an eye for figures and landscapes (of a different
sort), he didn't have a head for them - as Ds in maths and geography
showed.
The single item that really left the crowd all shook up was Presley's
prized 1956 Lincoln Continental that went for a song at $250,000
(L156,250).
As you would expect, Elvis memorabilia commands handsome amounts at
auction today. So where should you put your money?
"Prices are much the same universally, whether you buy in the US
or the UK," says Christie's entertainment expert, Sarah Hodgson.
"Pieces can range from autographs to clothing to merchandising,
but obvious treasures, such as a guitar that once belonged to him, are
rare and unlikely to come up very often.
"Even though it's his anniversary this year, worthwhile Elvis col
lectibles have been few and far between. There is great demand and
prices soar," she says.
Mr Shaw says most records are worthless because he made so many, but a
few with special labels or part of limited pressings can be valuable.
Ms Hodgson says that a colourful floral shirt worn by Elvis in Elvis:
That's the Way It Is (MGM, 1970) sold for L19,500 last April, wildly
exceeding the L400 estimate.
"Well-photographed, widely seen pieces often cause prices to soar
but Elvis is just incredibly popular, and you never really can tell
the way an auction will go," she says.
An item in Christie's sale, which took place this week, was a little
vintage Elvis guitar, a child's toy made in England in 1964 by Selcol.
It came in its original box with an asking price of L400-600. It
fetched L763.
The next sale at Bonhams to feature Elvis memorabilia will take place
on December 4. "But the pieces which go under the hammer are
usually common items, such as signed albums, photos and posters,"
says pop and rock expert, Philippa Windsor.
Where to look
If you are on the look-out for an item, comb the national press, where
the larger sales are advertised - and always view beforehand.
Lots at international auction houses are on view during the day and
three days leading up to the auction.
Fans of all ages are keen to invest in anything from postcards to
posters, jumpsuits to Cadillacs, toby jugs to kitsch Elvis fridge
magnets. To find out more visit www.elvis-collectors.com. But always
buy for love rather than money, say the experts.
If, unlike comedian Frank Skinner, you can't afford to spend the best
part of L10,000 on one of Elvis's shirts, how about a piece of the
original Graceland fence?
Frank himself owns a bit, courtesy of Andrew Hearn, the editor of
Essential Elvis magazine, who gave it to him as a present.
"The fence was originally put up in 1957, but last August Sara
Erwin - Elvis's neighbour since 1960 - needed help in cutting it down
so I flew out and helped," says Hearn. Similar foot long sections
sell for around L375 and can be bought on www.essentialelvis.co.uk.
But caution is needed when buying memorabilia online. Take particular
care when purchasing concert posters, promo photos, picture sleeves,
autographs and 1973 reprints of the Sun Record 45s.
About once a year since way back in the 1980s, a tabloid somewhere in
the world invents a story that Lisa Presley is closing, moving into,
or selling Graceland. Then, we get calls, letters and, nowadays,
E-mails asking us if it's true.
Well, here we go again with our now-annual article saying no, of
course, it is not true.
The latest in the succession of "Graceland is closing"
stories is in a recent issue of the National Examiner. It indicates
that Lisa is closing Graceland so she and husband Nicolas Cage can
move in. No truth to this story.
So, bear with us as we say this one more time, for the umpteenth time:
If Graceland were closing or being sold, we would issue a press
release, we would post an article in News on our site, there would be
major legitimate media coverage. But, closing or selling Graceland has
not been considered and there is no reason to think it ever would be
considered.
These days, there is such a blur between tabloids and so-called
legitimate media that it has become hard to tell one from the other.
So, we completely understand why some of Elvis' public would want to
contact us at Graceland just to be sure the story isn't true. We thank
you very much for your concern and we look forward to the opportunity
to welcome you and countless future generations to Graceland.
Elvis Presley returns to the throne as "ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits"
(RCA) sold more than 500,000 units in the U.S., according to Nielsen
SoundScan, and bows at No. 1 on The Billboard
200 -- his first title to ever debut atop the stateside
chart and the largest arrival of an archival album in two years. The
reign of the King is an international one, as the compilation of
Elvis' hits tops the album charts in 16 other countries, including the
U.K., France, Spain, Canada, Australia, and Brazil.
Presley's compilation missed the benchmark set by the Beatles'
"1" (Capitol) in November 2000 with debut week sales of
595,000 units, and later 1.26 million during that year's Christmas
week. But while the Fab Four topped just The Billboard 200, Presley's
set also enters at No. 1 on Billboard's Top
Country Albums tally. Of the album's 31 songs, 16 have
appeared on the Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Elvis Presley is making like a latter-day Julius Caesar. The King of
Rock effectively rules over half the planet today, with his latest
album commanding the charts of 17 different countries.
Not bad for a guy 25 years dead.
Released in conjunction with the quarter-century anniversary of his
demise, Presley's Elvis 30 #1 Hits (a collection of, yes, all his
chart-topping singles) currently sits on top of the album listings in
the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Belgium,
Argentina, New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Brazil, Chile,
Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
In the U.S., the album sold more than 500,000 copies for the week
ended Sunday, according to SoundScan numbers.
Believe it or not, Elvis 30 #1 Hits became the first Elvis album to
open at number one (Elvis was a force when 45s, not LPs drove the
music biz)--another first for the only person ever to be inducted into
three musical halls of fame (rock, gospel, country) and the man who's
scored more Top 10 pop singles (40) and gold and platinum awards (a
combined 139) than any other artist.
"RCA is thrilled and truly proud to be giving renewed life to the
musical legacy of one of the greatest musical artists of all
time," chirps Bob Jamieson, chairman of RCA Music Group.
"The debut of Elvis 30 #1 Hits at the top of the charts speaks as
much to Elvis' future as it does his past."
Inspired by the chart-smashing success of the Beatles' 1, the new
Elvis disc collects his usual-suspects greatest hits--"Heartbreak
Hotel," "Jailhouse Rock," "Love Me Tender,"
"Hound Dog," "Suspicious Minds," et al.--along
with a 31st bonus track, the recently retooled "A Little Less
Conversation." The tune, remixed by Junkie XL for a Nike World
Cup commercial, became an unlikely hit over the summer, hitting number
one in several countries, including the U.S., and became a last-minute
addition to the compilation.
Elvis - the Concert, a unique stage show in which a live band
accompanies film and video of concert performances by Elvis Presley,
is coming to Shreveport on Oct. 18, show sponsor Harrah's announced
Tuesday.
(Hmmmm ... afterward, will Frank Page tell the audience "The
video of Elvis has left the building?")
Tickets, on sale now at Shreveport Trading Co. in the casino's
pavilion, are $30 each, $20 each with the casino's Total Rewards card.
The show will be at Expo Hall.
The show, which started in 1998 and has played to sold-out engagements
throughout the world, features a band made up of musicians who
performed with Presley over the years. They include Shreveport guitar
legend James Burton, who toured and recorded with Presley from 1969
until the King of Rock 'n' Roll's death in 1977.
For the concert tour, all sound was removed from the concert footage,
save Presley's voice, so the live musicians, who include a 16-piece
orchestra, appear to back up the King.
Burton was on hand at Tuesday's news conference at the casino. In an
eerie coincidence, he was playing with Presley in the concert films,
so the on-screen Presley often refers to him by name.
"It is like Elvis being there," Burton said. "In the
film, Elvis cuts up. And he'll turn to me and say, 'Play it, James!'
He is all over the stage."
Burton, who has been with the tour all over the world, said the
reaction has been amazing. Fans were crying, screaming and hollering
at the film, he said, just as they did in real life.
"If you didn't see him live, this is the next best," Burton
said.
Following
is a press release issued by RCA Records:
ELVIS 30 #1 HITS DEBUTS AT No. 1 IN 17
TERRITORIES INCLUDING U.S., U.K., CANADA, FRANCE, AUSTRALIA AND BRAZIL
RCA Records' Collection Of Elvis’s #1s Sets New Record As First Ever
Elvis Album to Debut at the Top of the Charts in U.S.
Elvis #1s Benefits From BMG’s Global Marketing Campaign
New York (October 2, 2002) – More than 25 years after his death,
Elvis Presley -- recognized the world over as one of the most
important figures in 20th century music and pop culture -- has set a
new record by debuting at No. 1 in 17 territories including the U.S.,
U.K., Canada, France, Australia and Brazil, it was announced today by
Bob Jamieson, Chairman, RCA Music Group. In addition, ELV1S 30 #1
HITS, the definitive Presley collection released by RCA Records on
September 24, has become the first album ever released by Elvis
Presley to debut at the top of the charts in the U.S.
“RCA is thrilled and truly proud to be giving renewed life to the
musical legacy of one of the greatest musical artists of all time,”
said Jamieson. “The debut of ELV1S 30 #1 HITS at the top of the
charts speaks as much to Elvis’s future as it does his past.”
With the benefit of a massive, global marketing and promotion campaign
by RCA’s parent company BMG, ELV1S 30 #1 HITS also debuted in the
top spot in Spain, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark,
Sweden, Chile, Switzerland, Austria and the United Arab Emirates.
The release of ELV1S 30 #1 HITS marks the first time that RCA Records
has produced a compilation of the definitive #1 singles of Elvis
Presley’s iconic career. The collection, produced with the full
participation of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., is the culmination
of a year that has brought renewed attention to all that is Elvis
Presley. Earlier this year, the remix of Elvis Presley’s <>A
Little Less Conversationreached #1 in sales in the U.S. in its first
week of release and was a worldwide No. 1 smash hit. Due to
overwhelming demand, the single was added as a special bonus track to
ELV1S 30 #1 HITS.
“This continues to be a record-breaking year for Elvis Presley and
one that will position him for future successes,” said Richard
Sanders, Executive Vice President and General Manager, RCA Records.
“It is particularly gratifying that music fans are responding to the
extraordinary sound quality we were able to achieve for ELV1S 30 #1
HITS.”
Added Joe DiMuro, Senior Vice President, Strategic Marketing, BMG,
“We are thrilled not only by the magnitude of consumer response
across continents, but by the diversity in age and demographics. It is
clear that our campaign has been effective in reaching a huge range of
music fans in every corner of the globe.”
All 30 tracks on ELV1S 30 #1 HITS have been mixed and mastered from
the original master tapes for optimum sound quality and include such
favorites as Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, Return To Sender, Are
You Lonesome Tonight and Can’t Help Falling in Love.
As part of BMG’s massive integrated marketing and promotional
campaign, BMG made ELV1S 30 #1 HITSa synergy product across other
Bertelsmann divisions including Random House, the world's largest
trade book publisher, and Gruner + Jahr, the world's second largest
magazine company.
The #1 debut of ELV1S 30 #1 HITS is yet one more milestone in
Elvis’s record-setting music career. He is the only artist to be
inducted into all three music Halls of Fame, including Rock ‘n’
Roll, Country and Gospel. He holds the record for most top 10 pop
singles (40), the most gold and platinum awards (139) and is the
world’s best selling artist, eclipsing any other musician or group
in history. His popularity remains intact to this day as there are
more active Elvis Presley fan clubs around the world than for any
other artist – dead or alive. ELV1S 30 #1 HITS celebrates the music
and the man that created the legend.
BMG is the global music division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the
world’s leading media companies, with annual revenues of $17.86
billion. BMG owns more than 200 record labels in 42 countries
including Arista Records, RCA Records, RCA Label Group – Nashville,
and Ariola. In addition, BMG owns one of the world’s largest music
publishing companies.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Twenty-five years after his death, Elvis
Presley, the King of Rock 'n Roll, is about to do something he never
managed in life -- debut an album at No. 1 on record charts around the
world.
According to industry watchers, Presley's "Elvis 30 Number One
Hits" compilation, which was released by Bertelsmann AG ( news -
web sites)'s RCA Records on Sept. 24, is poised to top the charts in
at least 12 countries around the world.
Sales in the United States alone are expected to hit almost 500,000
units in the last week, said a spokesman for RCA, noting it would be
the first time an Elvis album ever debuted at No. 1.
There already are more than a dozen Presley greatest hits
compilations, but music fans have been anticipating this CD, a broad
collection of tunes, thanks largely to a $10 million publicity push
aimed at showcasing the King to a new generation.
The collection features songs from each part of Presley's career and
includes early hits such as "Don't Be Cruel" and
"Jailhouse Rock," as well as later songs like "Return
to Sender" and "Burning Love."
This past summer, thousands of fans paid homage to the King on the
25th anniversary of his death as "Elvis-mania" took the
world by storm, fueled in part by the success of a new remix of the
song, "A Little Less Conversation," which is also on the new
CD.
"This has been the biggest marketing push I can think of that has
ever been put together for an Elvis compilation," said Geoff
Mayfield, director of charts for Billboard, a music trade magazine.
"I suspect this will be a big seller into the holiday
season."
Mayfield said RCA's marketing blitz was, in part, inspired by the
record label's success a few years ago with its CD featuring No. 1
hits by the Beatles.
Presley, the world's top-selling pop star, with more than 1 billion
records sold, died of a drug-induced heart attack at the age of 42 on
Aug. 16, 1977.
According to music experts, 68 of Presley's singles reached the
American Top 20 in his career.
Native
Torontonian David Bendeth is the man who made Elvis Presley's classic
No. 1 songs sound even better on the current top-selling CD.
LOS
ANGELES (Reuters) - Elvis rolled the Stones on the U.S. pop album
charts, depriving the veteran rockers of what would have been their
first No. 1 album in 21 years, according to sales data issued
Wednesday.
