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'Elvis UK Extended – The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley’s British EP’s 1957-2001' by John Townson & Gordon Minto. Elvis UK Books, 2024, Softcover, 502 pages, Illustrated (color) Elvis UK Extended – The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley’s British EPs 1957-2001 is the seventh release in the popular Elvis UK series of discographies. Between 1957 and 1967 HMV and RCA released 22 Elvis EPs. Fifteen years later RCA issued two Elvis EP sets (The Elvis Collection Volumes 1 & 2), each comprising 11 EP’s. In 1992 a single EP, Don’t Be Cruel, was released and in 2001 another 11 EP set, The International Elvis Presley Collection, was released by RCA and Castle Music. Elvis UK Extended – The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley’s British EPs 1957-2001 is their story. Can there really be anything new of particular interest in a book about Elvis’s vinyl UK EP releases? Many of us knew they started with the ‘Love Me Tender’ EP and wrapped by 1967 with ‘Easy Come Easy Go’. That’s only 20 or so EP releases and surely some like ‘Elvis Sails’ or ‘Elvis Sings Christmas Songs’ would only get one original print run and then be deleted. We thought that this smaller UK vinyl theme would be done and dusted in under 100 pages – “mah boy, mah boy” were we wrong! Not only did the Elvis EP get revived in 1982, with Roger Semon’s cleverly marketed ‘The EP Collection’ but all of Elvis’ EPs have had multiple numbers of reprints over the decades and all with “collectable” slight differences. And even after the release of this book, the UK based Memphis Recording Service label released various 7-inch vinyl / CD packages that fit the definition of an “Extended Play” (even with the addition of a silver disc), so Townson and Minto address a relevant and still growing part of the Elvis discography. Looking through all the details in this softcover book can be exhausting when you realise just how comprehensive the authors have been in their investigations.
Just three of the ten pages that look at the 1957 HMV EP 'Love Me Tender' and all its variations
Piers: To be honest I basically gave up collecting Elvis original vinyl when my precious collection was stolen back in the 1980s. However my first introduction to the joys of Elvis when I was at school was via my older brother’s record collection. And this included the UK ‘Such A Night’ EP, ‘Kid Galahad’ EP and a ‘Loving You’ EP. The Rock’n’Blues that ripped out of that crackly ‘Such A Night’ vinyl truly changed my musical taste forever. So despite not being an “EP” collector here were at least three EPs that I wanted to investigate. Upon discovering that there were seven different ‘Black RCA Victor’ pressings of ‘Such A Night’ along with another five ‘orange label’ re-pressings plus five cover variations, I was hooked. It is a real surprise that there were so many reprints of each EP, did RCA not realise that Elvis’ 45 vinyls would sell and sell? One of the weirdest revelations is that ‘Elvis Sails’ (do you really need to play it more than once?) had 15 reprints / variations. Surely fans who rediscovered Elvis via the 68 Special and ‘Suspicious Minds’ didn’t need a 1958 interview about Elvis going into the army, yet it was still being repressed in 1969 and again in 1970!
Three of twelve pages dedicated to 'Elvis Sails' and its variations
In the book, structurally, the main companies that released British Elvis EP’s, HMV and RCA, each has its own chapter/chapters. The RCA element is introduced with an informative overview of the company’s history. A good discography needs to include a wide range of information about each release, and Townson and Minto provide this in spades. Serious collectors will be more than satisfied with the level and range of detail recorded – the book contains all the information you need to know. This includes:
The stunning 'Jailhouse Rock' EP, along with 44 label variations, is discussed over 24 pages.
Design The page design of this 502-page softcover book is simple and consistent, and it works well with nice balance between the detailed text and glorious color visuals. Good use of white space and shaded boxes allow different aspects of each release to be easily identified. It matches the designs of the previous ‘Elvis UK’ books, and there was no need to change a winning design. Each EP is introduced with a photo of its front and back cover followed by the issue date, catalog information, and track details. The music content is easily identified by being enclosed in a grey-green box. In addition to song titles and writers’ names, the authors included contextual background to, and a brief account of each recording session, plus ancillary information. Each variation is presented in the same way. For example, there are six variations of the “labels” for the Love Me Tender EP. The visuals are clean and strong as can be seen in the accompanying page examples. Throughout the 500 pages there is a wonderful array of archival material including press reviews, photos of Elvis in the studio, sheet music covers, record industry reports, promotional ads, and a lot more. This often serves to heighten the reader’s interest and offer something different to the previously noted necessarily repetitive narrative and visual elements. Given the necessarily repetitive nature in discographies of presenting countless cover and label images and routine record information, Townson and Minto have ensured that their ancillary discussion for each release is interesting and engaging:
One example of the level of detail the authors offer, and which distinguishes their books from others, is the description of each EP sleeve which features often fascinating information, and at times obtuse facts such as:
Another example is discussion about triangular centres for the EPs:
The brilliantly collectable 'King Creole Vol.1' triangular centered EPs - and the additional point that RCA spelt 'Savile Row' incorrectly until 1961!
At another point the reader learns that some British Elvis EPs were only repressed in order to incorporate the latest purchase tax code. The authors also expose the myth that there were no inner sleeves used for UK releases, while we also learn about many other aspects of EPs including “dinking” and the story behind “solid centres”. Those interested in “behind the scenes” strategy/politics will appreciate the intriguing two-page discussion, Postscript to the E.P. Collections (about the two sets of 11 EPs released in 1992). It opens with:
For comparison purposes, the authors also provide a listing of and commentary about Elvis’ 36 American EP releases.
Piers: Investigating the three early EPs that I have from my brother’s collection I was intrigued to discover some delicious facts. My ‘Such A Night’ EP was not a unique UK compilation as is often thought but had been issued in lots of other countries except the USA. My copy was also an original 1960 print. My ‘Kid Galahad’ EP was for some reason manufactured in Italy (I need to talk to my brother about this!) It features the US number but a different label. I have been playing this EP all my life without knowing it wasn’t a UK pressing. With six tracks on the one single I always loved spinning this film compilation. In the UK there were 10 different variation/ pressings but all printed in 1962. I guess RCA UK did print huge numbers of this since there was no equivalent album.
My ‘Loving You’ EP – well I thought of it as such because it featured the album tracks - was in fact EP4 ‘Elvis Presley’ and that while it was similar to the USA EP ‘Just For You’ (it did have the same cover pic) it had the final track ‘Is It So Strange’ changed to ‘Don’t Leave Me Now’ the reason for that is explained in the book. It all gets weirder as ‘Is It So Strange’ (one of my personal favourites) was later released on the UK EP ‘Strictly Elvis’ in 1959 which had no similarities at all to the 1957 USA EP of the same name! The way the UK RCA marketing team worked copying US cover photos and EP titles but then releasing the set with totally different tracklisting is bizarre. And for some mind-numbingly stupid reason the same Elvis cover photo was used on EP4 ‘Elvis Presley’, EP12 ‘Strictly Elvis’ as well as the US ‘Just For You’. (shown above)
Kees: Piers inspired me to delve into my EP collection to see which versions I had. My favorite, the classic HMV designed 'Good Rockin' Tonight', hangs on the wall, with Bill Monroe's signature as the author of 'Blue Moon of Kentucky', so I couldn't check that one. But looking at that 1957 cover always makes me glad to see it. In this book I learned quite a few new facts about this beauty. Looking at the other EPs in my collection I was a little disappointed, no real gems … My 'Jailhouse Rock' EP was a variation 12 from 1960, easily identifiable thanks to the "E/T" tax code. This does show that the identification of records through "tax identifiers", John and Gordon discovered really works. The copy of 'King Creole Vol.2' is a variation 2, identifiable by the "Belinda" on both sides of the disc. The European version had the same cover as Vol.1 whereas the US version had a impressive, different cover. My ''Elvis Sails' is variation 11, from 1965 and 'Strictly Elvis' was variation 20, also from 1965. I did find a protective inner sleeve in the ‘Elvis Sails’ EP, but checking with Gordon Minto he confirmed that this probably slipped in somewhere the last 55 years. It makes me realize once again, that many of my older record have had a life of their own before finding their way to my record player. And finally, the last EPs in my collection are 'Tickle Me' volumes 1 and 2. The first volume is the only "variation 1" in my collection, volume 2 comes in close as a "variation 2". The more you delve into this fascinating volume the more you learn and, as you can see, one topic leads to another. One distinctive aspect I like about this book is that the authors do not take the subject too seriously and often throw in some delightful witticisms along the way such as about the ‘Tickle Me’ cover. Such a good photo that they used it twice!
The later 1980’s ‘EP Collections’ differed from the originals and are examined in full. It is important to remember that Roger Semon’s inclusion of the very collectable “GI Blues The Alternate Takes” EP featuring unreleased session outtakes along with his “Collectors Gold” in Volume 2 would lead to him getting together with RCA Denmark’s Ernst Jorgensen and their stunning work overhauling Elvis’ musical legacy. As usual the authors provide some interesting side-chapters on various related topics. For instance the chapter on The Jordanaires and their involvement with Elvis includes some great new information. The inclusion of RCA engineer Mike Walker’s memories on trying to track down Elvis original masters and also how Decca London held over 2000 RCA-tapes that they wanted “cleared-out” is both fascinating and very alarming. Piers: Back in 2001 I bought the ‘International EP Collection’ as I couldn’t believe that there were so many unique variations overseas including the Iran ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ and French ‘Paradise Hawaiian Style’ EPs. Plus I loved the fabulous covers for the Italian ‘Rock 'n’ Roll’ and ‘Il Re Del Rock ‘N’ Roll’ EP described in the book as.. “Without doubt, this was yet another one of the most stunning front covers ever seen – anywhere”.
Not only did I learn so much more about these foreign EPs – the original box-set disappointingly included no booklet – but I also gave them a spin for the first time in 20 years! If a book supplies new stories and information as well as getting you to spin your old vinyl for the first time in decades that’s gotta’ be a great recommendation. Not surprisingly, given the voluminous size of the book, the Contents section runs to a full four pages.
Overall Verdict: Whether you collect Elvis Presley vinyl or are merely interested in Elvis' record releases and their creation, Elvis UK Extended – The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley’s British EPs 1957-2001 is a first-rate release filled with interesting, important, and intriguing information. The fabulous EP cover and photos, thought-provoking side-chapters, insights from RCA’ staff plus newly discovered facts all contribute to an absorbing read. Plus it will make you want to spin your old vinyl! Go here >> Now Dig This / ETHM to order - - - - - - - Visit the 'Elvis UK Books' website
Postscript comment on 'Elvis UK' and 'Elvis On Record' (Paul Alner): All collectors will be aware that there are two major series of books detailing Elvis Presley’s British record releases, ‘Elvis UK’ and ‘Elvis On Record’. This begs the question, is there room for two major series of books on Elvis’ British vinyl releases? In our opinion YES. Both series certainly contain similar information and visuals, but there is also a reasonable amount of different narrative, image, and archival material between them. Together, the two series function well to satisfy the deep-seated need of serious collectors to acquire every variation of a record and every piece of information about it. And if that is not enough, there are the two books by the late Trevor Simpson on ‘The Best of British’ providing even more background reading on the “HMV” and “RCA” years from 1956 to 1960. Please note that the low-res p/c screen grabs used do not show the true clarity of the images or text. Book Review by Nigel Patterson /Piers Beagley / Kees Mouwen
From an MGM press book which showed an unusual method for promoting the film – and Elvis!
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