a blog about elvis presley's music and records
THE MOST ICONIC IMAGE in rock & roll history was taken at the dawn of the genre’s rise to popularity. It is of a young Elvis Presley before most of the world had even heard his name, let alone his music. He is on stage, legs spread, his body pulled back from his new Martin D-28 guitar. [Continue reading]
AUGUST 16, 1977, was the day the Earth stood still: Elvis died. Very few fans were aware of his deteriorating health and we were unprepared for our own response to his death. Fans were aware of Elvis in general: his latest album, MOODY BLUE, had been released four weeks earlier and was selling better than usual. [Continue reading]
AS A SYMBOL OF POTENCY, by 1968 Elvis Presley was perceived by many as being, um, flaccid. His records had lost any semblance of allegiance to—or even recognition of—the passion and fervor of its country and blues roots. The soundtrack music he had been recording for the requisite three movies per year owed more to “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window” than to Big Boy Crudup or Hank Williams. [Continue reading]
IN 1976, the Gold Standard Series was revamped for the fourth and final time with a new ‘retro’ look. Along with the rest of the RCA catalog, the modern look and layout of the previous orange and red labels was jettisoned and the company opted for a retro look: black was back and so was Nipper! [Continue reading]
IN 1969, the Gold Standard Series was changed for the third time: the visually lifeless orange label was replaced by a more attractive bright red label. (The orange label remain as the primary label for RCA’s standard catalog singles and albums.) Otherwise, the layout and the typeface remained the same from the previous to the newest. [Continue reading]