MRS CAMDEN reviews. Pearl Harbor - Complete 50s LIVE

- One Night In Pearl Harbor
On March 25, 1961, Elvis Presley performed what would become his final live concert for eight years. It is without doubt one of the greatest Presley concert recordings in existence.

This MRS 'Studio D' remaster (same as the 2012 MRS version) is still the best quality version ever released sounding much, much richer with the old annoying level fluctuations and tape dropouts all fixed.
Bob Moore's double-bass can now be heard properly and the ambience and excitement of the crowd is palpable.

The cracking band features Boots Randolph, Floyd Cramer on piano, Hank Garland on guitar, Bob Moore on double-bass as well as Elvis’ usual band Scotty Moore & DJ Fontana and The Jordanaires - "The Unwashables" as Elvis calls them.

The Music.
Kicking off with a powerhouse ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ Elvis performs 15 classics and sings each one as if it were the first time he had ever performed them.
Not forgetting that he had just performed 2 similar concerts back in Memphis the month before so Elvis would have been familiar once again with working-the-crowd and the new set-list.

"It’s a pleasure to be back here in Honolula, We’d like to thank you all for coming out".
‘All Shook Up’ has a wonderful cool swing, Elvis sounds like he is loving singing it, and it has never sounded better.

While we believe the setlists from the previous month in Memphis were similar, the tracks ‘A Fool Such As I’ "you taught me how to milk a cow", and ‘I Need Your Love Tonight’ were only ever recorded live on stage this once and they are sensational performances.

For me it is the powerhouse blues 'Reconsider Baby' (one of Elvis’ favourites) that is the standout with an astounding Boots Randolph blowing up a storm. Elvis shouts, "One more time, one more time, one more time" as the crowd shriek in appreciation.

‘One Night’ is similarly a stunner. Interestingly Elvis includes some lines from ‘One Night Of Sin’ .. "Don’t call my name, it makes me feel so ashamed" .. "The things we planned, would make the earth stand still"!

‘Such A Night’ is one of my all-time favourite songs and while this is no doubt the best live version, Elvis still messes up the timing and middle-break although all is forgiven by the rocking ending.

Let’s face it the whole concert is brilliant.

Elvis for a change sings a very sincere 'Love Me' (Elvis’ best ever live performance including a lovely Scotty Moore guitar solo) and a stunningly fresh 'That's All Right' (he had pretty well dropped this from his set list since 1956) while 'Swing Down, Sweet Chariot' highlights his recent 'His Hand In Mine' gospel album.

Elvis' final 'Hound Dog' is played with such power and to be heard above the crowd Elvis real screams out the lyrics like he really means them. It's an amazing end to one of Elvis' most important concerts of all-time.

Following the concert MRS have added the earlier Hawaiian Village Hotel Press Conference. This was not on the original MRS release.
It is not the clearest of recordings as there are so many people annoyingly talking in the background. The vast majority of the recording is also taken up by the H Tucker Gratz, Chairman of the Pacific War Memorial Commission, presentation as well as Col Parker arranging various photo shoots.

Running 24 minutes it is still interesting to hear Elvis sounding relaxed and answering various questions about filming Blue Hawaii "There's quite a bit of surfing in the picture", his interest in karate, playing for the Arizona benefit and future movie contracts "I have about 11 lined up between now and 1965"!
While a nice collectable it is not an interview you'll need to revisit.

Overall Verdict: This is the best quality audio of Elvis' stunning Pearl Harbor 1961 concert and only demonstrates how ridiculous it was that that RCA / Parker could not be bothered to do a professional recording. Every Elvis fan needs to know about this great moment in Elvis' legacy. So if you previously missed out on the original deluxe MRS 2012 package then this is an essential purchase and at a neat 'MRS Camden' budget price.

- Elvis On Television 1956- 1960
The 2CDs contain the complete archival sound recordings of Elvis Presley’s television appearances from 1956-60 remastered and restored. This set includes a newly sourced version of Elvis' appearance on the 'Frank Sinatra Timex' show.

The Music.
It features an incredible 67 tracks spread over the two cds - over two and half hours of classic Elvis.

Listening back to Elvis’ very early TV performances it is hard to envisage what an astounding impact they would have had. One has to remember that when Elvis was performing on these Dorsey Brothers Stage Shows the most popular songs being played on the radio were Dean Martins' 'Memories Are Made of This', The Platters 'The Great Pretender' and Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra with 'Lisbon Antigua'. All charming, sweet, middle-of-the road songs.

Elvis’ very first performance of ‘Shake Rattle and Roll / Flip Flop Fly’ has the extra enthusiasm and energy of a newcomer who is trying to do their best under what must have been a terrifying situation. Incredibly Elvis had not even recorded ‘Shake Rattle and Roll’ at the time. One also has to remember that ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ had only been released the previous day and that Elvis was by no means a successful chart performer at the time. Elvis’ second song ‘I Got A Woman’ has even more of a raw, energetic exciting feel, way out of line to the regular artists that appeared on this rather bland TV variety show.
It was an AMAZING start to Elvis’ TV career.

The audio quality of the first Dorsey shows has been improved by MRS with a reduction in the background crackle and pops that were obvious on the old RCA release. This is a notable improvement especially on the stop/start quiet points in ‘I Got A Woman’.
Other early delights are the fabulously raucous and shocking ‘Baby, Let's Play House’ and the rocking ‘Blues Suede Shoes’.

Another interesting observation in fact is to note how small an audience reaction Elvis originally got at his first few TV performances and to then observe how the screams began to get louder and louder. By Elvis’ March 17th performance - and with ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ heading towards number one - there was no holding back on the shrieks of adulation from his new legion of fans.

The two Milton Berle shows here feature the extra introductions, the first featuring a snippet of ‘Shake Rattle And Roll’ and we also hear Milton Berle strangely being described as “Mr colour television himself”. What a shame that the only video documentation we have of Elvis’ fantastic 1950 shows are in black-and-white.

The quintessential performance here is of course Elvis’ fantastic bump and grind ‘Hound Dog’ routine from June 5, 1956 that would go on to shock the nation. The astounding thing to remember is that Elvis would not record this classic number one single until the following month.

The second CD kicks off with the July 1 Steve Allen show, presented here in the full and includes the ‘Yippee Yi Yo, Yippee Yi Yay’ routine that was missed from the RCA set. Once again Elvis would be embarrassed by an awful comedy sketch and this time made to sing to a basset hound.
Such was the shock of Elvis’ ‘Hound Dog’ performance on the Milton Berle show that here he was made to sing to a dog - and yet Elvis still hadn't yet recorded this already infamous track for release!

The Hy Gardner interview that follows is the best quality yet released.

The three Ed Sullivan shows are of course as riveting as they always have been. By then Elvis had achieved several chart-topping successes and there is a lovely self-assured swagger to his dynamic performances on this top-rating show.
This MRS also features the introductions and other extras that not on the RCA releases. The sound quality (same as the original MRS set) is a delight with more top-end and overall cleaner that RCA released versions.
Elvis' performances of his big hits are all sensational, plus we get that extra verse “Love me tender, love me when, we are far apart” from his October 28th performance to promote his new movie.

The key songs for me however are the rarely performed numbers such as the sensational ‘Too Much’ (what a crazy guitar solo from Scotty Moore), ‘When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again’, ‘Peace In The Valley’ and even his earliest live performance of the album track ‘Love Me’.

The final section is The Frank Sinatra show from March 1960.
As on the original MRS release we get all the segments from the program that feature Elvis, including the ‘It's Nice To Go Trave’ling’ introduction with Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop and Sammy Davis Jr and also the final farewell to Elvis with Nancy Sinatra. “You call him Mr. Presley - on account she's been spoken for.” Elvis, “That’s the way the cookie crumbles!”

The audio quality on the Sinatra songs has never been particularly good but these new 2023 MRS remasters, taken from newly found acetates, are a real improvement once again. These are clean and for once don't sound like old tape transfers. 'Fame and Fortune' is a particular delight.
If you remember the muffled rumble of the original RCA releases you will be very impressed by these new versions.
In the credits MRS thank Henrik Knudsen and Tony Stuchbury for these new acetate versions.

Overall Verdict: While a far smaller set than the original 100 page book combo, the two cds here still include all of Elvis' legendary early TV performances and in the best audio quality yet released. The 28 page booklet is nicely put together to give fans a good understanding of the timeline
Two and half hours of Elvis TV history and now in even better value-for-money. Again if you previously missed out on the original deluxe MRS 2016 package then this is a great purchase and at a neat 'MRS Camden' budget price.

- The Complete 1950's Live Recordings
The 3CD set represents the complete archival live concert recordings by Elvis Presley in the 1950’s.
All 82 tracks have been remastered and restored with 'I Forgot to Remember to Forget’ newly remastered and upgraded for this release.

While this set cannot enthrall you in the same way the 2018 MRS Deluxe set did with its 180 book, this budget release is still very stylishly designed - some excellent colour photos - and even the CDs look sharp!

The Music
The three cds feature every recorded live performance by Elvis in the fifties, with the exception of his TV appearances. Close to four hoursof key live recordings from Elvis' first nervous live performance on the Louisiana Hayride in October 1954, through to his final all-conquering December 1956 concert at the Louisiana Fairgrounds (along with a few bonus fragments of Elvis live in 1957) - it is one incredible rockin’ trip.
It is incredulous that some many recordings even exist of Elvis before he signed up to RCA and became real star and even more amazing that Elvis' very first Louisiana Hayride appearance was recorded in such good quality.

In October 1954 Frank Page noted to the audience, "hey've been looking for something new in the folk music field for a long time” yet within the year Elvis had not only left behind any “folk music field” but had created the core sound that would blast the excitement of Rock 'n' Roll to this faithful fans - as witnessed by the sensational recording of Eagles' Hall March 1955.
Even though Elvis was still labelled as the “Bopping Hillbilly” at Eagles Hall, nothing about the performance was hillbilly!

From the first Louisiana Hayride show CD1 covers the crucial touring years of 1954 through to October 1955. It is fascinating to hear the May Axton interview with Elvis from July 1955, months before she composed the groundbreaking ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ for him.

Highlights of the first CD are plentiful and it always fascinating to hear songs that Elvis did not record in the studio but would play on the road, such as ‘Tweedlee Dee’, ‘Maybellene’, ‘Hearts Of Stone’, Little Mama’.

Eagles’ Hall in March 1955 has always been a favourite recording. The very first version we have of ‘I Got A Woman’, nine months before Elvis would lay it down in the studio. It also includes the sensational ‘Good Rocking Tonight’ and ‘Baby, Let's Play House’ with Elvis singing the lascivious “Come on back with me, little girl - so we can play some house” causing female shrieks from the audience.

While some of the acetate recordings are not so clear, they have certainly been restored to the best possible quality so far. The Eagles’ Hall performance also sounds crisper with less high-end filter on this MRS release.

The August 20th 1955 Hayride performances are also some of the best and in great audio quality too. By now the band has total confidence and everyone is having a ball and even if he knew he was live on the radio Elvis joked, "I’m sick, sober and sorry".
‘Baby Let’s Play House’ is again fabulous with lots of hiccupping and laughter plus a great audio balance with Scotty’s Moore’s guitar and Bill Black’s bass rockin’ out.
For the final ‘That’s All Right’ the by now confident band plays around deliberately messing up the intro of the song and with Bill Black joining in the fun and really slapping his double-bass – another sensational performance and listen to the crowd roar.

The audio quality is the best released so far (the same version on the original 2016 MRS set) but one track 'I Forgot to Remember to Forget’ from October 1955 has been remastered for this 2023 set and the audio improvement is obvious. Before the the sound was very echoey but now it is neatly focused and you can clearly hear Elvis' acoustic guitar strumming that was rather hidden in the previous version.

CD 2 kicks off with the familiar May 1956 Las Vegas New Frontier Hotel performance and runs through to September 1956 and Elvis’ Tupelo Fairgrounds afternoon performance.

CD 3 then starts with the Tupelo Fairgrounds September 1956 Evening Show and ends with some very short snippets from Elvis’ 1957 Canadian shows.
The Tupelo Evening Concert has a much clearer audio quality, as well as being a little wilder show, plus the addition of the fabulous song ‘Baby, Let’s Play House.’ The band is much clearer here, nice guitar work from Scotty Moore, and the screams less annoying.

Elvis also adds a rockin' ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ to the setlist with the comment that the song is "getting kinda' old now." Looking back this is a cute little comment as, of course, Elvis would keep performing ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ until his last concerts in 1977! It also features a spectacularly crazy drum-break from DJ Fontana. Elvis has to beg "Would you please sit down" and the emergency announcements asking everyone to calm down, all add to the excitement. The bump and grind of the extended final 'Hound Dog' is fabulous.

The final Hayride December 15, 1956 performance from the Hirsch Youth Center, Louisiana Fairgrounds, Shreveport is another key concert. The highlight has to be the only live version of the classic ‘Paralyzed’ and it’s a cracker. ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ is also a perfect un-rushed version, the tempo slowed down and imitating the Billy Ward and the Dominoes version that Elvis would have heard earlier in 1956 in Las Vegas. Such a brilliant version and so different from the throwaway seventies attempts. ‘When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again’ is another treat from this classic concert.
Elvis ends his final 1956 concert with an all-mighty ‘Hound Dog’ as his faithful fans scream their lungs out in love and appreciation.

How amazing to compare this explosive fan adoration with his first tentative Hayride performances.

Overall Verdict: While a far smaller set than the original Deluxe MRS book combo it is a real bonus that this includes a 36 page booklet with plenty of information and photos from the time. Needless to say having all of Elvis' live 1950's performances on this one set makes for a truly historical journey. There are so many truly important performances included here and over the near 4 hours it is fascinating to hear the creation of that all important "Big Beat". Pop music would never be the same. If you previously missed out on the original deluxe MRS 2016 package then this is essential for your collection and at a neat 'MRS Camden' budget price.

'ELVIS: Opening Night 1972' MRS CD Review: Elvis’ first 1972 Las Vegas season ran from January 26th through February 23rd, 1972. Elvis was in great shape both physically and vocally, and he was once again serious about performing.
While a large number of fans think that Elvis started losing inspiration and impetus after the power-year of 1970, his rejuvenation of his first live performances in 1972 demonstrate another more positive aspect. Introducing the new songs 'You Gave Me A Mountain', ‘I'll Remember You’ , 'A Big Hunk O'Love' and the brilliant 'An American Trilogy' would enrich Elvis’ live shows for the rest of his career. So while Elvis collectors may have heard the bootleg recording multiple times before, you have never truly enjoyed this concert, or appreciated its importance, until this sessional MRS audio Remaster.
Elvis was in superb form and this set-list - along with the new MRS audio remaster - is truly sensational.
Check out EIN's detailed review here

(CD Reviews;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Las Vegas Summer Festival 1972' MRS CD Review: This 4CD set contains a varied selection of live performances drawn from Elvis’ seventh engagement in the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel during Elvis’ summer festival in the month of August 1972.
It features the 11 August Dinner and Midnight Show plus 12 August Dinner and Midnight Show. For the first time ever these performances are released in "Stereo". Bonus rehearsal tracks, recorded days before the engagement began, are also included.
The accompanying 40-page booklet includes rare photographs, memorabilia and liner notes help set the scene.
Key songs include My Way, Fever, Its Over, Until It’s Time For You To Go, American Trilogy, What Now My Love, Little Sister/ Get Back, Never Been To Spain, For The Good Times and A Big Hunk O' Love'.
Elvis was in superb form and with more new songs in his set-list sounding even better with the new MRS audio remaster it is a power-packed set.

Go here for EIN's in-depth review .
(CD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

MRS presents 'ELVIS: September 1970' in-depth Review: MRS's new 2CD deluxe set features a new previously unreleased soundboard from 2nd September 1970 and a bonus CD that covers the final rehearsals at the International Hotel on August 10th before the start of the summer festival.
In September 1970 Elvis was still excited to be back on stage and performing for his fans. Newspaper reviews of his concerts wrote about the excitement and fun Elvis was having back on-stage.
This brand-new previously unknown concert captures Elvis feeling 'loose-as-a-goose' yet still performing with a real intensity. His live versions of ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’’, 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' were truly exceptional this evening.
The accompanying 40-page booklet of the CD deluxe includes rare photographs and memorabilia taken during these engagements along with introductory notes.

EIN's Nigel Patterson and Piers Beagley check out this new collection and enjoy a hilarious ride-with-the-king.
(CD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Summer Festival 1970: The Rehearsals' In-Depth Review: MRS's new triple-CD set 'Summer Festival 1970: The Rehearsals' was released last month.
The CDs contain rehearsal highlights from one of the most memorable periods in Elvis’ career - his captivating performances at The International Hotel Las Vegas in the summer of 1970. With remastered audio and accompanying 40-page booklet the package is aimed at the general public, plus Elvis collectors who could not afford last year's FTD fan club deluxe release.
Elvis’ glorious rehearsals on 24 July at RCA studios are the real key to this release. Twenty seven classic performances and with Elvis not only rehearsing the familiar songs we would all come to know from the MGM movie but also songs he would never perform on stage.

EIN's Nigel Patterson and Piers Beagley check out this new collection and discover some neat surprises along the way.

(CD REviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

MRS 'Elvis:Back In Living Stereo' in-depth Review: The new MRS set contains 6CDs of essential 1960-1962 master recordings, plus rare alternate outtakes - including plenty of officially unreleased material - and all of the personal home recordings Elvis made during the 1960s.
The 100 page book, with text from Gordon Minto, includes rare unpublished documents and photographs, supported by a comprehensive text discussing each of Elvis’ RCA studio (non-film) recording sessions held during 1960-62.
Musically the packed cds - over seven hours - present a stunning look at Elvis recording in the early sixties before the shine wore off. The "Master" sessions nicely contrast with the looser "Outtakes" discs and with Elvis getting even more uninhibited on the Home Recordings. - Very unihibited with a certain Nancy Sharpe!

But with so much thrown into the mix, and some tracks in poor audio quality, have MRS packed "Too Much" into the one release.

Go here as EIN's Nigel Patterson & Piers Beagley check out the positives and negatives in their in-depth review.

(Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'Elvis - Made In Germany’ In-Depth Review: The new MRS 'Elvis - Made In Germany – The Complete Private Recordings’ 4CD set contains more than 3 hours of the private recordings Elvis made while off duty in Germany when he was serving as a soldier in the US army during the 1958 -1960 period and, includes rare tracks from a recently discovered tape comprising over an hour of unheard personal recordings.
The 152-page hardback book contains rare photographs and documents plus a comprehensive text provided by Gordon Minto, which discusses each of Elvis’ RCA studio (non-film) recording sessions held during 1957-58, before focusing on the private recordings he made in Germany.
The BONUS CD features the essential RCA studio masters from 1957-58.

With such an expansive book, along with hours of Elvis jamming with his friends in Germany, there is plenty to discuss as well as finding out what extra material this set contains over the official releases.

Go here as EIN's Nigel Patterson & Piers Beagley provide an in-depth review of this new MRS release

(Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

EIN's reviews of other MRS releases:

The Complete 50s Movie Masters Session Recordings

Elvis Studio Sessions '56 The Complete Recordings

The Complete Works 1953-1955

Elvis On Television 1956-1960

Elvis Live in the 50s The Complete Concert Recordings

Off Duty with Private Presley

Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley

Memphis Recording Service Volume 2 'The Rise of Elvis Presley' 1955

Memphis Recording Service Volume 1 'The Beginning of Elvis Presley' 1953-1954

'The Complete ‘50s Movie Masters And Session Recordings' In-Depth Review: This MRS 'The Complete ‘50s Movie Masters And Session Recordings' 5CD/Book combo pays tribute to Elvis Presley’s complete music recordings made for his movies during the 1950s.
The 5CDs contain the complete works of the master and session studio recordings made for each of Elvis’ movies during the 1950s, and all tracks have been remastered.
The 200-page book focuses on each of the recording sessions held for the four motion pictures made between August 1956 and March 1958.
The comprehensive text is complemented by rare and previously unseen photographs and documentation.

So what surprises will collectors discover in this new set, what is in this new collection that FTD have missed and how good will the audio sound.

Go here as EIN's Nigel Patterson & Piers Beagley provide an in-depth review of this new MRS release

(Book Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

‘ELVIS: Studio Sessions 1956' In-Depth Review: MRS newest release, a massive 3CD/172 page book compilation "Elvis Studio Sessions ‘56 The Complete Recordings". The 172-page book, with text by Gordon Minto, focuses on each of Elvis’ studio recording sessions during his first year of national stardom - from the first one in January, held in Nashville, then later in New York, before finishing his final session of the year in Hollywood in September. The full and comprehensive text is complemented by rare and previously unseen photographs and pieces of documentation.
The 3CDs contain the complete archival master and session studio recordings of Elvis Presley from 1956, along with bonus interviews. All 90 tracks have been remastered and restored. Also for the first time on CD is the complete ‘The Truth About Me’ from an original US 45rpm flexi-disc. Also included are all the out-takes from this interview.

Once again MRS release a first putting all of Elvis' key 1956 Studio Session masters onto one disc, with the addition of two other fully-packed cds of 1956 material and a stunning 172 page book. But what does this set offer over other previous releases
Go here as EIN's Nigel Patterson and Piers Beagley check out this new volume from MRS to find what is on offer. Includes stunning example photos & a detailed audio investigation.
(Book Review: Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)

'ELVIS: One Night In Pearl Habor'

'ELVIS: On Television'

'The Complete 1950s Live'

"MRS CAMDEN" 2023 releases

- Mini Review by Piers Beagley

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