[2010-09-??] Elvis Presley "Elvis Presley: The Complete Masters"

Gary Dunaier · 20 Jul 2006

Quote:

Count your pennies, readers: Legacy is set to announce a box set that will be one heck of a collector’s item. You might want to sit down for these, especially if you’re a fan of…The King.

Elvis Presley: The Complete Masters. It’s happening. Thirty(!) discs of 711 tracks. It’s everything you could imagine for Elvis – listed as “every song Elvis recorded for release during his lifetime in a single collection” plus “103 additional tracks, rarities and a 240-page hardbound book featuring an annotated discography, album artwork, rare and classic photos, a complete song index and an essay by Elvis scholar Peter Guralnick.”

Now here’s the crazy part. This set is going to be limited to 1000 numbered copies. Call me crazy, but if soundtrack labels can print more than 1000 copies for their big-ticket releases, surely this set can sell more than just that much.

Time will tell when the set goes up for pre-order; it’ll be available here starting July 27. A final release date and track list have not been released (Legacy says September TBD), but of course we’ll let you know.

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

So this doesn't have all the bonus tracks released on domestic cd's over the last 20 years? 103 extra tracks? What about the exclusie tracks on import cd's only. I need to know what makes up the 103.

AMW · **Joined:** 26 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 4543

Robert Meagher wrote:

So this doesn't have all the bonus tracks released on domestic cd's over the last 20 years? 103 extra tracks? What about the exclusie tracks on import cd's only. I need to know what makes up the 103.

The number of alternate studio takes and whatnot that have been released as bonus tracks on Presley CD's over the years adds up to far more than 103, especially when you factor in the FTD sets. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if these weren't 103 tracks that haven't yet shown up elsewhere.

RoyalScam · 04 Oct 2006

I don't care as much about the 103 extra tracks as I do about getting all the 711 official masters remastered by Vic Anesini in one place, in album order. That's what makes this set trump the Franklin Mint set for me.

Jay · 12 Jul 2006

RoyalScam wrote:

I don't care as much about the 103 extra tracks as I do about getting all the 711 official masters remastered by Vic Anesini in one place, in album order. That's what makes this set trump the Franklin Mint set for me.

Exactly. Although I suspect that there will be some Kevan Budd mastered tracks in the mix as well.

Jamie Tate · 05 Mar 2009

How much $?

Dr. Chris Evil · 26 Jul 2006

This set will be "complete" only until the point when they discover more "unreleased tracks from the vaults."

Still, it's kind of cool to see a comprehensive collection such as this after all these years.

AMW · **Joined:** 26 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 4543

Dr. Chris Evil wrote:

This set will be "complete" only until the point when they discover more "unreleased tracks from the vaults."

Still, it's kind of cool to see a comprehensive collection such as this after all these years.

Well, there is a finite list of studio tracks that were released within Presley's lifetime. Whether or not the 711 tracks will include posthumously released songs such as "I'm A Roustabout" or "Black Star" or "Dominic" is unclear, but the total of "only" 711 sings means that the set absolutely cannot include every last alternate take of every song Elvis ever officially released since 1977. Even all of the officially released outtakes from just the Sun sessions have never been collected and compiled into a single package--but the list of original, officially released Sun masters has not changed since the 1950's.

As I understand it, the total of 711 would not include any of the songs released only as live material in the 1970's, as that would push the total well above 711 as well. (Or would it?) For example, Elvis's last single (reportedly recorded on a standard cassette player) was a live version of "America The Beautiful". Is it one of the 711? His 70's catalog is far and away his most confusing era due to the blend of live and studio material.

Dr. Chris Evil · 26 Jul 2006

I guess you're right. "Complete" could just be referring to what was issued during Presley's lifetime.

The Beatles stereo box is considered their complete works and there are no posthumous tracks included on that, so...

RoyalScam · 04 Oct 2006

Jay wrote:

RoyalScam wrote:

I don't care as much about the 103 extra tracks as I do about getting all the 711 official masters remastered by Vic Anesini in one place, in album order. That's what makes this set trump the Franklin Mint set for me.

Exactly. Although I suspect that there will be some Kevan Budd mastered tracks in the mix as well.

All Kevan Budd remasters have been replaced by newer Vic Anesini remasters on the Franklin Mint set, from what I've read. Vic did all 711 masters beginning in 2008.

[2010-09-??] Elvis Presley "Elvis Presley: The Complete Masters"

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