'Elvis UK 78 r.p.m.'
The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley's British 78s 1956 - 1960
Review by Nigel Patterson / Piers Beagley
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Co-authors John Townson and Gordon Minto's new 228-page book is the ULTIMATE guide to Elvis’ UK 78rpm releases between 1956-1960.
The new volume:
- Examines in scrupulous detail, and extends considerably, previous information relating to Elvis 78rpms.
- This includes a history of both the HMV and RCA releases, and also provides a context for the 1950s pop scene
- Is extensively illustrated in full colour throughout, including a variety of images of Elvis himself
- Details the history of 78rpm releases in the UK generally, their popularity and their subsequent fall from favour
- Features a wealth of background information regarding this once popular medium
- Offers technical details regarding manufacturing, tax and price codes, and the role of sheet music
- Discusses each 78rpm release individually, offering a detailed and forensic commentary and scans of every release, plus relevant photographs, contemporaneous newspaper and magazine articles and adverts
- Incorporates historically significant events of the period throughout the narrative and cross-references with US releases where appropriate.
EIN's Nigel Patterson / Piers Beagley check out this fascinating book..
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'Elvis UK 78 r.p.m.: The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley’s British 78s 1956-1960'
John Townson & Gordon Minto
(Flexicover, 222 pages, Contents, Color illustrations)
Reviewed by Nigel Patterson and Piers Beagley, October 2024
Introduction
Celebrated discographers, John Townson and Gordon Minto have published the eighth volume in their popular Elvis UK series, Elvis UK 78 r.p.m.
“78s” were the dominant record type for more than 50 years before disappearing circa 1960.
Manufactured from shellac resin, rather than vinyl, they were disappointingly fragile.
Today, they hold special significance for many who grew up with them and in recent years there has been a minor resurgence in the production of 10” and 12”, 78s.
Given 78s were in their last few years of mass production when Elvis arrived on the scene, his 78s are much sought after by collectors and largely forgotten by the general fan.
EIN’s Nigel Patterson and Piers Beagley spent several (finally) sunny “downunder” days delving into what the new flexi-cover, high quality gloss paper release by Townson and Minto, has to offer.
The authors previously released:
- Elvis UK
- Elvis UK2
- Elvis UK3 (digital flipbook)
- Elvis UK (Bonus Materials) (digital flipbook)
- Elvis UK Cover Story (digital flipbook)
- Elvis UK Beyond RCA
- Elvis UK Extended
The text/information
As any collector will tell you, a good discography has to be exhaustive, if one is to know how to differentiate between the often, many sleeve and label variations, of a release. Townson and Minto have done their homework and the information in Elvis UK 78 r.p.m. is exhaustive.
Some pages have a “scrapbook” feel, being dotted by various press clippings and photos.
All manufacturing and catalogue information is provided plus production errors and variations are clearly identified. The authors also include valuable explanatory information about the key elements of Elvis’ British 78 r.p.m. releases.
Some of the many interesting sections include:
- 78s – A Brief History
- Tax and Price Codes
- Rarity
- Elvis’ HMV catalogue
- History of Sun Recordings Issued by HMV
- That photograph
- Month by month sales charts
- You Ain’t Nothing but a Critic
- Label Detail Change – January 1959
There are also multiple ‘bonus chapters’ on subjects as diverse as RCA producer Steve Sholes, composer Claude DeMetrius, ‘The Truth About Me’, ‘Demos’, as well as the importance of ‘Sheet Music’ including the surprising fact that... “at one point Radio Luxembourg featured a sheet music Top 20 providing its listeners with a countdown to number 1, just as they did later on with record sales”.
Elvis' first HMV single, 'Sung by Elvis Presley with Rhythm Accompaniment’ as noted on the label
The authors are renowned for writing thoughtful, informative and revealing text, and Elvis UK 78 r.p.m. is no exception. For example:
Having issued an iconic, though unusual, recording, the task of selecting a suitable follow-up to ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was always going to have been a tricky decision. Indeed, in record company circles, the choice of a follow-up single has always been considered a critical one - no one wanted Elvis to be a one-hit wonder! In the end, the chosen track, the ballad, ‘I Want You, I Need You, I Love You’, was much closer to mainstream ‘pop’ music of the time and nothing like its illustrious predecessor. But with all the publicity (both positive and negative) generated by his television and live-appearances, Elvis’s general exposure and the teenage euphoria that ensued, the song was a safe bet and a guaranteed hit.
Nonetheless, the song – an original piece of material offered to Elvis – was recorded in very odd and difficult circumstances…….
As Townson and Minto record, while “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” was indeed the follow-up single to “Heartbreak Hotel" in the US, in the UK it was preceded by another rocker, “Blue Suede Shoes” (“B” side: “Tutti Frutti”).
Collectors rely on the most obscure of detail in determining whether a particular record is or ultra-rare. Townson and Minto don't let them down:
Jailhouse Rock/Treat Me Nice: Variation 4. This is identical to Variation 3 except that it features the remnants of what would have been an E/T tax stamp. This code was introduced on 8 April 1959 and would continue to be used until August 1960 and so, it was the only one in use during the period when 78s were still on sale.
At another point in the book, they discuss the “February 1958” release of Don’t/I Beg of You:
One of the puzzling things about this release was the fact that it was issued so quickly after ‘Jailhouse Rock’ had been released (the latter had been issued on 17 January though its intended release date had been 10 January). However, owing to the incredible demand for ‘Jailhouse Rock’, Decca, the company handling the RCA catalogue in the UK, had deferred its release until in order to meet the advance orders claimed to be in excess of 250,000 copies. And while the latter single entered the charts at the number the number one position, a position it held for three weeks, the question remains why RCA / Decca chose to issue the follow-up so soon?
Reflecting the diminishing importance of 78s, the relative treatment afforded 45 rpm and 78 rpm singles is highlighted in this passage about the April 1957 single, Too Much/Playing for Keeps:
RCA chose to issue the coupling ‘Too Much/Playing for Keeps’ and created another first by issuing the 45rpm version in a full colour sleeve. Nothing so fancy for the 78 though, which continued to be issued in the standard 78rpm sleeve.
The narrative also reveals what was the only Elvis 78 to hold #1 on the “monthly sales charts” and what was the top hit when other Elvis 78s peaked on the chart.
Due to the deletion of Elvis HMV singles it is interesting to discover that RCA released the alternate double-side ‘All Shook Up’ / ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ as a 78rpm in November 1958. This coupling, and the RCA follow-up ‘Hound Dog’ / ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, would become very collectable since they obviously did not sell as many as the HMV original 78rpm releases..
… .. Both songs were not new as they had been issued previously by HMV. However, as we have seen, these were not re-issues of original couplings but rather songs that had appeared on now-deleted HMV singles. Basically, they were ‘greatest hits’ singles which combined the four best-selling A-sides to form two unique, UK-only singles. As far as anyone knows this had never been done before.
The authors were confronted with the odd mystery during their research, including one relating to a variation of the Blue Suede Shoes/Tutti Frutti single:
Regrettably, we’ve drawn a blank when trying to provide any meaningful background information about the mysterious variation 2 entry which listed the name ‘Ed C. Bens’ on the B-side [Tutti Frutti].
A minor issue with the text is that I would have liked the font size to be slightly larger. This would have benefitted those readers whose eyesight isn’t as sharp as it used to be.
Proofreading of the book was obviously excellent as we only noticed a couple of minor typos, one is (page 7) where singer David Whitfield is listed as ‘Davis’ Whitfield (here I must admit a guilty pleasure is currently having Whitfield’s full recording of the stirring William Tell television series theme song on regular replay on my car usb).
UK October 1957 chart showing Elvis with four singles in the top twenty!
The images and archival material
The front cover picture design is neat with Elvis relaxing on a comfortable lounge chair beside an old-style "wind up" HMV "Nipper" gramophone.
For each listing, all known “variations” of the A and B sides of the label are shown. Unlike 45rpm singles which would increasingly feature a picture cover, 78s generally came in a generic sleeve, with the exception of several titles, which again, are included in the book.
I have always found the HMV pale blue/aqua coloured labels to be more attractive than the RCA black and silver labels and the 4-page chapter “That photograph” presents a series of images about how the cover image for Elvis’ first LP, Elvis Presley, was sourced and used. While this is not directly “78” related, it is of historical importance for a number of reasons, and a great “off-subject” inclusion in the book.
There are also several picture covers, and interspersed within listing images and information are many “from the time” news clippings which add historical interest.
Due to there being no picture covers for Elvis’ 78rpm releases this book obviously features more about the record labels and so there are might be fewer sleeve photos of Elvis than you might imagine. However the authors do feature some intriguing images from the time.
These include publicity and in-studio shots of Elvis, while a number of the many music magazine covers immediately grab your attention. How exciting it must have been to be there as Elvis exploded onto the music scene!
Elvis UK 78 r.p.m. features the customary array of interesting archival material including music magazine and general press news, promotional ads, record company release information, pop charts, magazine covers, etc. Not surprisingly, due to their age, a few archival items are of lesser quality. I have a soft spot for archival material as they are a primary source of information and reflect how Elvis was viewed and promoted in his initial hey-day.
In the chapter “Introducing…. Elvis Presley!” it is fascinating to discover how delayed the media coverage was in the UK about music’s newest sensation.
“.. In the UK the name Elvis Presley was rarely, if ever, mentioned until much later for, at that time, there was no mechanism in place to issue his records until March 1956. Nor did he appear on UK television either.
However, notwithstanding those impediments, there was actually a short piece about him in a music paper - Melody Maker - in December 1955, and this is generally thought to be the first time his name had been mentioned in a UK publication.”
UK publication ‘Picturegoer’ published a feature about him in February 1956. With the headline ‘Look out, girls – The Cat is here’, Henshaw, using his best embellished language, introduced Picturegoer’s readership to Elvis Presley.
It includes the fabulous….
“Imagine a young man with the looks of Audie Murphy, the physique of a Rock Hudson and the song-sales technique of a Johnnie Ray. Now you have some kind of idea of the appeal of America’s latest “pop” records heart-throb.
His name is Elvis Presley. He grew up in the magnolia state of Mississippi and now, as the “king of bop and blues,” has hit the Western swoon brigade like a bomb. He wraps up songs such as “Cryin’ Heart Blues,” “Gone,” “Give Me More, More, More (Of Your Kisses)” “Mystery Train” and “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” – the disc that marked his debut on the major
R.C.A – Victor record label in the States.
And, to paddle his rhythm, romance and blues, Presley dresses in the style of a casual plate, with the pre-dominance motif of pink, white and black.”
A 1956 article in New Musical Express (aka NME) is controversial and the authors devote two revealing pages to it. Its headline was:
'The world’s most controversial singer writes for YOU! HERE IT IS - THE FIRST ARTICLE EVER WRITTEN FOR A BRITISH PUBLICATION BY THAT DYNAMIC RECORDING IDOL – ELVIS PRESLEY'
And we can’t help wondering if any readers of this review were among the lucky fans to obtain one of the 10,000 “free” Elvis 78rpm records on offer through the Weekend Mail in 1957? The record was Elvis Answers Back! (aka Elvis Presley: The Truth About Me).
The book also features a comparison of the chart top ten between 1956 and 1960 which is revelatory p7 about changing times in popular music, and information about the overlap in both HMV and Decca (RCA) releasing Elvis 78s is arguably collectors’ heaven.
Due to the label overlap there is also the fascination of both HMV and RCA wanting to publicise their new Elvis releases in the media at the same time. This would, of course, have helped Elvis’ exposure even more.
A few photos are quite small – they would have looked better as slightly larger images.
Conclusion
We learned a lot from Elvis UK 78 r.p.m. While it is targeted as discography buffs, it can also be enjoyed by the casual fan as it is rich in information and interesting imagery. The additional topics included by the authors also add extra fascination.
As Elvis 78 rpm releases were only available in the UK for a relatively short time, the book is a particularly important record of what is often a “forgotten” part of Elvis Presley recording history.
And given its detailed text, individual release information, record images, and ancillary “historic” information, it is an indispensable reference tool for all serious collectors and students of the Elvis Presley story. ‘Discogphiles’ will undoubtedly treat it with due reverence.
Visit Elvis UK site to buy 'Elvis UK' books - 'Elvis UK 78rpms' priced at £30 (includes p&p for UK buyers).
Read EIN and Elvis-Day-By-Day joint review of “Elvis UK Extended” and other Elvis UK releases
Comment on this review
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
-Copyright EIN October 2024
EIN Website content © Copyright the Elvis Information Network
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One of our favourite images from the book. "Mah boy, Mah boy" how things have changed!
'Elvis UK - Beyond RCA' "Physical Edition" Review: To satisfy collectors who need physical versions of books rather than E-Books, UK authors John Townson and Gordon Minto have published the soft-backed PRINT COPY of 'Elvis UK Beyond RCA The Ultimate Guide To Elvis Presley's British Non-RCA LPs 1974-1997'.
It is a second edition, updated and slightly revised. The book is a newly written 377 pages, with fully comprehensive text and follows on from our previous publications in the Elvis UK series, each of them acclaimed by collectors, and provides the ultimate guide to Elvis’s non-RCA LP album releases issued in the UK between 1974-1997.
This new volume complements - and extends considerably - information relating to these particular releases included in our original books Elvis UK, published in 1987, and Elvis UK2, published in 2002
The softback book is being sold exclusively through Now Dig This / Elvis The Man And His Music.
It retails at £45 (includes p&p in the UK) overseas customers will have to pay the higher postage costs.
... EIN's copy has not arrived in Australia yet so our good friend Kees Mouwen has posted this additional review to add to our original digital flip-book detailed examination.
Go here to understand more about this new soft-cover version of this essential book for Elvis collectors
(Book Review, Source:EIN/EDayByDay) |
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Interview: 'ELVIS UK3' authors John Townson & Gordon Minto: Recently published 'ELVIS UK3' The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley's British CD Releases 1983-2005' by co-authors John Townson and Gordon Minto comprises 1400 pages with over a million words plus 4,000 plus high quality black and white and colour illustrations.
It is a massive undertaking that provides the definitive guide to Elvis's UK compact disc releases from the ' The Legend' - the world's first ever Elvis compact disc in 1983 - in meticulous and unprecedented detail.
Every single, RCA, FTD and third party album (all 450 of them!) issued up to 2005 are written about individually in fascinating detail, arranged in chronological order, carefully cross-referenced, while charting and describing company and industry developments along the way.
With such a massive book EIN readers have asked questions such as..
- Who is this book actually aimed at?
- Did you learn particular new insights into RCA's marketing on Elvis?
- How important was Roger Semon in changing Elvis' musical legacy
- Was 'The King Of Rock n Roll' box-set the true turning point?
- Should RCA have stuck to 'The Beatles' approach of only one essential release per year?
- Why is it a digital release and not a hard-back?
EIN's Piers Beagley interviewed authors John Townson and Gordon Minto to find out more about this amazing work ...
Go here to their fascinating and detailed interview
(Interviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)
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Book Review - 'ELVIS UK3': Recently published 'ELVIS UK3' The Ultimate Guide to Elvis Presley's British CD Releases 1983-2005' by John Townson and Gordon Minto comprises 1400 pages with over a million words plus 4,000 plus illustrations.
This examination of Elvis’ British releases is an incredibly detailed narrative and visual record of his CD releases in the UK from 1983 to 2005. The first Elvis CD, 'The Legend' (3CD), was released in the UK in December 1983. Reflecting the fledgling nature of the format, UK fans had to wait another 12 months until the release of not one, but three, Elvis albums, in December 1984. By that time, the flood gates for the CD medium were starting to strain.
As with the authors’ earlier two volumes on Elvis UK vinyl releases, the information in Elvis UK3 is exhaustive.
To say that Elvis UK3 was well-researched would be a serious understatement. There is so much information in this book that it is difficult to comprehensively review it all. While many collectors will be most interested in the technical details for each entry, the author’s narrative is excellent.
Released using the flipbook format EIN tested Elvis UK3 on four platforms - a 28” computer monitor, 14” tablet, iPad 8 and a 6.5” android mobile phone.
EIN's Nigel Patterson has spent plenty of time reading through this massive work and here presents his in-depth review ...
(Book Review, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)
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'Elvis UK - Beyond RCA' Book Review: UK specialists John Townson and Gordon Minto's new book 'Elvis UK - Beyond RCA - The Ultimate Guide To Elvis Presley’s British Non RCA LPs 1974-1997' flipbook follows on from their previous publications in the Elvis UK series.
This book..
• Is extensively illustrated in full colour
• Features a host of background information including a chronological list of all the albums included
• Deals with each album individually, in a detailed and forensic way, while the text is amply illustrated with scans of every known cover and label variation, relevant photographs, and scans of contemporaneous newspaper and magazine articles
• Includes background information about each release including historically significant events of the period
• Contains hitherto unpublished information from company files
• Includes a wealth of background information relating to the record industry incorporated throughout the text.
The incredible trio Nigel Patterson / Piers Beagley and Kees Mouwen (Elvis Day by Day) combine forces to check out this very detailed Digi-book.
(Book Review, Source:EIN/EDayByDay) |
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'Elvis UK Cover Story' Book Review: Elvis experts John Townson and Gordon Minto recently published their new (digital) book 'Elvis UK Cover Story: The Ultimate Guide To Elvis Presley's British EP & LP Sleeves 1956-1977' designed to add to and complement their original 'Elvis UK' book.
It is a 286 page, fully comprehensive book, providing the ultimate guide to Elvis’s EP and LP album sleeves released in the UK between 1956-1977.
Extensively illustrated in full colour and arranged in sections, this book addresses a wide range of topics including back cover photos, printing companies, sleeve notes, etc.
There are extended sections including 'Front Cover – Fact File', and 'For UK Fans Only' an in-depth study of those albums that originated in the UK, or were only ever available in the UK.
It includes a wealth of background info incorporated into the text.
It is a downloadable digital flip-book stored on your own device.
Reading through this fact-filled investigation, the amazing thing EIN discovered was just how many sleeve variations, UK only releases, and cheap RCA / Parker design decisions there were.
For the world’s biggest superstar some of their marketing decisions were truly bewildering. And some of their design choices total madness.
EIN's Piers Beagley spent plenty of time enjoying the craziness of RCA's vinyl marketing though the ages - as well as spinning his old UK vinyl .. see his review...
(Book Reviews: Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
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'The World of FTD' In-Depth Review: The new deluxe book 'The World Of FTD' has been received by some lucky fans and Elvis collector Mike Lodge has provided EIN with a very detailed review - of well over 3 thousand words!
The book was authored and designed by Keith Flynn with input from a large number of other Elvis specialists including EIN's Piers Beagley, EM&HM's Trevor Cajiao, Geoffrey McDonnell, Gordon Minto and many others.
It is 1,200 pages, hardbound three book set, chronicling every release by FTD.The book also features 100s of high-quality photos from the collection Erik Lorentzen
KJ Consulting are proud to publish this Box Set which weighs 8 kilos.
Go here to see his very detailed review - plus more new preview pages - EIN thanks Mike Lodge for the review
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet)
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