TAKE ME TO THE FAIR

Released in April 1963, It Happened At The World's Fair was Elvis' twelfth motion picture and to celebrate sixty years since its release we look back at the movie and the soundtrack.

Elvis travelled to Hollywood on 28 August for pre-production work on It Happened At The World's Fair. It was the first film in a four-picture deal with MGM. The film's producer, Ted Richmond, wanted to follow the success of previous Hal Wallis produced Elvis movies, choosing colourful locations in which to set the story. He also called on the services of Norman Taurog, Elvis' favourite director. The screenplay was written by Si Rose and Seaman Jacobs.

Concerns were raised early on that shooting might have to be delayed due to Elvis having a bad cold. This also cut short a recording session held on 30 August at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.

Feeling better, the following day Elvis reported to MGM for a wardrobe fitting. The total cost of his wardrobe for the movie amounted to almost $10,000 and included ten suits and two cashmere coats.

Location shooting started on 4 September in Seattle during which time Elvis and his entourage stayed at the Doric New Washington Hotel. Among the locations in Seattle were the Seattle Center Monorail and The Space Needle. Other scenes were filmed near Camarillo in California.

With location shooting completed by 13 September they all returned to Hollywood where filming would continue at the MGM studios throughout the remainder of September and into October. Filming would end on 9 October and the rest of the day was allocated to a series of publicity stills.

With only two songs, Relax and Happy Ending, completed and an unsuccessful attempt at Take Me To The Fair, at the August recording session a second session had been booked at Radio Recorders on 22 September. All the remaining songs required were completed on this day during a session that lasted just over eleven hours.

Musicians on the session were, Scotty Moore (guitar), Billy Strange (guitar), Tiny Timbrell (guitar), Ray Siegel (bass), D. J. Fontana (drums), Frank Carlson (drums), Dudley Brooks (piano/organ), Clifford Scott (saxophone) and The Mello Men (vocals). The Jordanaires provided vocals on the earlier recordings but were unavailable for the 13 September session and The Mello Men took their place.

Songwriter Don Robertson, who had written two of the songs for the movie, I'm Falling In Love Tonight and They Remind Me Too Much Of You, was also invited to the session and played piano and organ.

It was the two Robertson compositions that were tackled first. Having already recorded four of his songs previously, it was obvious he was one of Elvis' favourite songwriters and this showed in the recording of the two love songs recorded on this day. Elvis was determined to produce the right feeling for both songs and worked hard to create satisfactory masters, recording eight takes of I'm Falling In Love Tonight and nine of They Remind Me Too Much Of You. There was no debate that these were the two best songs recorded for the album.

One Broken Heart For Sale was recorded with and without the extra verse that was included in the film. Not in the same class as Return To Sender, also written by Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott, it was the best of the rest.

The remaining tracks were bland, movie songs and material that Elvis should never have recorded... Cotton Candy Land, How Would You Like To Be, Relax, Beyond The Bend, Happy Ending and a re-recording of Take Me To The Fair. The latter was originally going to be the title of the movie but when changed to It Happened At The World's Fair all the effort in re-recording the song was wasted.

Alongside Elvis, the movie also starred Gary Lockwood, Joan O'Brien, Yvonne Craig and the young Philippine born actress Vicki Tiu. In an interview she talked about working with Elvis and how nervous and lonesome she felt being so far away from home. Recalling how they had to do thirty takes of a scene during which she kept forgetting her lines, she said, "He showed a lot of compassion. I will never forget his kindness and patience."

Tiu wasn't the only youngster in the movie. A young lad, Kurt Russell, appears in a  scene where Elvis, who wanted to see a nurse he fancied, pays him 25-cents to kick him in the shins. Elvis wore a pad as it took more than one attempt to get it right. Russell would go on to be a successful Hollywood actor and, in 1979, would play Elvis in the movie Elvis. In an interview with GQ, Russell talked about his role in the movie, "One time I got close to the edge of it and he looked at me, because he really trusted me, and went 'stay on the pad.' What a nice guy he was. He was 27 years old. He was really cool. An incredibly nice guy."

In the movie Elvis played Mike Edwards, a crop-duster pilot who, along with his partner Danny (Gary Lockwood), find themselves in a dilemma. Danny has spent the money Mike had saved to pay off their debts. If the debt isn't paid they would lose their aircraft, which had been taken by the local sheriff. They were given one week to settle or the plane would be auctioned.

Hitch-hiking they are picked up by an apple farmer, Walter Ling (Kam Tong), and his niece, Sue-Lin (Vicky Tiu) and end up in Seattle, at the World's Fair.

With her uncle called away on business, Danny persuades Mike to look after Sue-Lin and take her around the fair. During a visit to a doctor Mike sees, and falls for, an attractive but stubborn nurse, Diane Warren (Joan O'Brien) but she resists his advances.

In an effort to go back and see her, Mike pays a boy 25-cents to kick him in the shin. Diane is persuaded to give him a lift back to his apartment. They have dinner at the top of the Space Needle but unbeknown to Diane, he is also courting Dorothy Johnson (Yvonne Craig), a previous acquaintance.

More problems arise when Walter fails to turn up the next day to pick up his niece. Having to stay with Mike, Sue-Lin, realising he likes the nurse, pretends she is ill so that Diane will come to the apartment and see Mike again.

When she realises he is not related to Sue-Lin, she informs the welfare department who take the girl away. Meanwhile Danny has fallen in with a smuggler Vince Bradley (H. M. Wynant).

Everything works out in the end when Mike and Danny, along with local law officials, subdue the smuggler and Sue-Lin is reunited with her uncle.

The movie has a 'Happy Ending' with Mike and Diane finally realising they are in love with each other.

It Happened At The World's Fair opened in Los Angeles on 3 April 1963 and nationwide on 10 April 1963. In the United Kingdom it opened on 30 May and other countries first saw the film in the months that followed. By the end of the year it had box-office receipts totalling $2.25 million and was ranked #55 in Variety's top grossing films of 1963.

Reviews weren't great with Variety writing, "This is apt to be tedious going for all but the most confirmed of Presley's young admirers. The 10-count-'em-10 tunes he sings may be cause for rejoicing among his most ardent followers but, stacked up proportionately against the skinny story in between, it seems at least three too many. Admitting the slim scenario, so many warbling interruptions upset the tempo of the yard and prevent plot and picture from gathering momentum." However, they did go on to praise the stars, "Presley effortlessly executes his customary character -- red blooded wolf on the crust, clean-cut nice guy at the core. Lockwood, as his gambling-chum, makes a good impression. O'Brien is easy to look at. Little Miss Tiu is tiu precious for words."

Writing in the Los Angeles Times, John L. Scott had a similar view, "It must be said that unless you're a Presley fan, the 10 songs he offers while plinking a guitar or ukulele can grow tedious, while the frivolous backgrounding story is turned on and off between tunes."

The New York Times were just as scathing in their review, "Elvis Presley's budding dramatic talents have been neatly nipped in the Seattle story, which emerges as a dismal parody of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals of old. Burdened with a dozen tuneless songs and a plot requiring him to play guardian to a mercilessly cute Chinese waif, the crooner merely swivels ingenuously through a morass of cliches."

The press may have been less than impressed but the cinema owners had a different view based on comments made to Box Office. One said, "This is a very good picture. I hope the film companies continue to make big productions out of the Presley's. He is my top star and there is nothing else that comes close to him." Another commented, "Elvis is always box office for me and he did it in this one too. The shots of the World's Fair were good. My people are always satisfied."

The film was released under a number of different titles in other territories, as shown in some posters reproduced above. In France it was titled, Blondes, Brunes et Rousses which translates to Blonde, Brown and Redheads while those in Spanish speaking countries would have gone to see Punos Y Lagrimas, which in English would be Punches and Tears.

Other foreign titles, and their English translation, included Austria - Bruchlandung in der Ehe (Marriage Crash), Denmaek - Elvis i den syvende Himmel (Elvis In The Seventh Heaven), Finland - Sydan tarjolla (Heart Available) and Germany - Ob blond, ob braun (Whether blond, whether brown).

Several publicity items were produced to promote the movie including posters, a 12-page press book and various publicity stills. There were also lobby cards produced for the UK and USA for use in the cinemas with two different sets available, one featuring eight cards and another with twelve cards. The set of twelve featured the same cards as the set of eight with four additional cards. On the movies re-release a set of black and white lobby cards were produced, featuring eight different scenes from the earlier colour sets.

Publicity material included the tag lines - 'Elvis singing, swinging, romancing in It Happened At The World's Fair' and 'Swinging higher than the Space Needle with the gals and the songs at the famous World's Fair.'

Several movie and music magazines featured images from the movie on their covers including, Photoplay, Film Review, Kine Weekly, Records Magazine, Pop Pics and Hit Parade. 

The soundtrack album (LSP/LPM 2697) was released in April containing just ten songs. It reached #4 although, with sales of around 300,000, it must have been a major disappointment when compared to the previous soundtrack album, Girls! Girls! Girls!, which shifted more than double that quantity.

The Colonel had been pushing for the album to be released in a gatefold sleeve with a photospread. RCA, needing to cover the additional cost, planned to sell the album under their deluxe series allowing them to charge an additional $1 over the standard cost of an album. Whilst the increase in price would benefit both RCA and Elvis, the Colonel soon backtracked, wanting to continue his belief that the fans were given value for money... the album only contained ten songs and had a running time of just over 20 minutes so charging an extra $1 would have been a step too far!

The previous soundtrack album, Girls! Girls! Girls!, had dispensed with the use of filmstrips as part of the cover design. However, the design element returned for It Happened At The World's Fair although, unlike the Blue Hawaii soundtrack album and the Follow That Dream and Kid Galahad extended play releases, the film strips on the back sleeve contained the track titles along with other text and not just photos.

The only single released from the album paired One Broken Heart For Sale with They Remind Me Too Much Of You (RCA Victor 47-8134) and with a running time of just one minute and thirty seconds it became the first Elvis single that failed to reach the top ten, stalling at #11.

In 2003 the soundtrack was released on the FTD label as part of their 'Classic Album' series, although it is hard to categorize the album as a classic. Along with the original ten tracks there was a wealth of bonus tracks, alternate takes and false starts including the version of One Broken Heart For Sale with the extra verse, alternate takes of Beyond The Bend, Cotton Candy Land, Relax and Happy Ending. An acetate copy of Take Me To The Fair, from the August session, is also included but the quality is poor compared to the other tracks. The highlights from the bonus tracks has to be the two Don Robertson songs. Listening to the album you can tell how much Elvis loved the songs and it shows in his efforts to produce a satisfactory master.

The twelve-page booklet included session details, a brief synopsis of the film and a day-by-day look back at the few months during which the film was made and released. A mix of colour and black & white images along with lobby cards, record sleeves and other memorabilia completed the package.

If there are enough unreleased outtakes for it to be included in the FTD 'Sessions' series remains to be seen, but I'm sure if they can scrape together a few minutes of unreleased material it is a possibility. 

Over the years It Happened At The World's Fair has been issued on video, DVD and Blu-Ray in varying quality.

While It Happened At The World's Fair is far from being one of my favourite Elvis movies or soundtracks it was fun to watch again and listen to the soundtrack during the writing of this blog.

PLEASE PLEASE ME

On 22 March 1963 The Beatles released their debut album Please Please Me and to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary we look back at the recording, release and reception of this classic album.

Photo (c) Unknown

The Beatles had audition for Decca Records in January 1962 but were turned down. Their loss was EMI Records gain as, in May, they signed a contract with EMI who offered them a contract with their Parlophone label. The label was run by George Martin who had previous success with comedy records by artists including Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Bernard Cribbins. Martin would become known as the 'fifth' Beatle due to his involvement in the groups recorded output. At his first session with them on 6 June 1962 he was, at first, unimpressed with their songs and playing. In the control room he asked them individually if there was anything they didn't like... George Harrison replied, "I don't like your tie." This broke the ice and set up a working relationship that would produce a series of classic albums and hit singles, the like of which had never been seen before.

The Beatles released their first single, Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You (Parlophone 45R-4949), on 5 October 1962 and it reached a respectable #17 in the UK. Three versions of Love Me Do had been recorded during sessions on 6 June, 4 September and 11 September with three different drummers playing on the track. Pete Best played on the first recording but was dismissed from the group soon after. On the recordings made a few weeks later it was Ringo Starr who was behind the drum kit, although Paul McCartney wasn't happy with his drumming, feeling it could be better. For the third attempt session drummer Andy White played the drums while Ringo Starr had to settle for playing the tambourine.

Photo (c) Dezo Hoffman

P.S. I Love You had been attempted at the first session in June but it was the version recorded on 11 September that became the B-Side to their first single. Once again Ringo had to step aside and only played maracas.

Interestingly two versions of Love Me Do were issued. Early copies of the single featured Ringo Starr but from 1963 all future copies of the song featured Andy White, including the version that would appear on their debut album. To avoid any future issues the tape featuring Ringo was apparently destroyed. You can tell which version you are listening to as the one without the tambourine features Ringo on drums and is from the 4 September session while the one with the tambourine features Andy White and dates from 11 September.

The first recording, featuring Pete Best on drums, finally found a release on Anthology I, released in 1995 and one of three 2-CD sets released to coincide with the The Beatles Anthology TV series.

A second single was released on 11 January 1963, Please Please Me/Ask Me Why (Parlophone 45-R 4983). Chart success depends on which 'hit parade' you choose to follow as each pop newspaper had its own. Melody Maker, Disc and New Musical Express all placed Please Please Me at #1 while it only registered at #2 on Record Retailer's listing.

Ask Me Why had been attempted at the 6 June session while Please Please Me was first recorded on 11 September towards the end of the session. Written in a style more akin to Roy Orbison, it was considered 'dreary' by George Martin who suggested it would work better in a faster tempo with tighter harmonies and wanted them to go away, work on the song and bring it back for the next session. Unfortunately none of the earlier versions exist as the tapes were erased/destroyed... fortunately in future this would not be the case and most, if not all, of the The Beatles session tapes were kept.

They returned to Please Please Me and Ask Me Why at a session held on 26 November 1962. The session saw the return of Ringo Starr and the talk of using a session musician was never raised again. Satisfactory masters were taped with Martin telling them, "You've just made your first number one." He was proved right.

All four tracks from their first two singles were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and would be included on their debut album. A minor dispute between the two composers meant these early singles and their debut album saw all their songs credited to McCartney/Lennon, although this would change in late-1963 and the classic song-writing credit of Lennon/McCartney would appear on all future songs written by them.

Following on from the success of both singles, George Martin wanted them to record an album. His first idea was a live album to be recorded at The Cavern in Liverpool but having visited the venue and realising the acoustics were unsuitable the idea was dropped.

They already had four songs so plans were made to record a further ten tracks to complete the album. Martin recalled, "I asked them what they had which we could record quickly, and the answer was their stage act."

Morning and afternoon sessions were booked at the EMI Studios in St. John's Wood (later renamed Abbey Road Studios) where the previous sessions had taken place. The date was set for 11 February during a break in their first national tour.

George Martin produced the session with Norman Smith and Richard Langham sharing the role of engineer.

Photo (c) Unknown

At the morning session, 10am to 1pm, they recorded two tracks, There's A Place and Seventeen (working title of I Saw Her Standing There). Both tracks were written by McCartney/Lennon. The group worked through the break and at the second session, 2.30pm to 6pm, finished masters of A Taste Of Honey, Do You Want To Know A Secret and Misery were completed. Further attempts at There's A Place and Seventeen (I Saw Her Standing There) were also completed. With the exception of A Taste Of Honey, which was written by Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow and featured in the film of the same name in 1961, all the songs recorded during the second session were McCartney/Lennon compositions.

An evening session had been added during which the remaining five songs, all cover versions, needed for the album were recorded. First up was Anna (Go To Him) written by Arthur Alexander and a minor hit for him in 1962. Recorded in just one take and featuring a lead vocal by Ringo Starr was a cover of The Shirelles Boys followed by the Gerry Goffin and Carole King composition Chains, a hit for the girl group The Cookies. Another Shirelles hit, Baby It's You, written by Burt Bacharach, Mark David and Barney Williams was the penultimate song recorded on this day.

With time moving by fast and the studio gearing up to close down for the night they needed one more song. Discussing various options over a coffee in the canteen it was decided to wind up the days work with the old Isley Brothers hit Twist And Shout, written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell. John Lennon had been suffering from a cold and sore throat throughout the session but sang a blistering version of the song which must have almost shredded his vocal chords. Often wrongly credited as being recorded in one take there were actually two takes recorded. However, Lennon couldn't better his first attempt. After the session George Martin was quoted as saying, "I don't know how they do it. We've been recording all day but the longer we go on the better they get." Lennon later remarked, "The last song nearly killed me!."

They also recorded Hold Me Tight, the first number and only McCartney/Lennon song recorded during the third session, which was surplus to requirements, ended up unreleased and would suffer the same fate as the early takes from their first two singles... erased or destroyed. They would return to the song for their second album, With The Beatles, released in November 1963.

As Mark Lewisohn wrote, "There can scarcely have been 585 more productive minutes in the history of recorded music. For in that small space of time, The Beatles recorded all ten new songs for their first long-player."

On 11 January George Martin added piano to the song Misery and a few days later mono and stereo masters of the album were produced by Martin. The Beatles weren't present for either of these sessions.

Please Please Me was released in the UK on 22 March 1963 and, as was normal record company practice at the time, was issued in mono only. It would be a month before a stereo version was released. Back in the 1950s and early-1960s 45rpm singles were the most popular format for pop music and long playing albums were often reserved for other musical genres like classical and jazz. 

The albums title, despite being an obvious choice considering the success of the single, was not George Martin's first choice. He originally suggested giving the album the title Off The Beatle Track but good sense prevailed. However, his suggestion would find a use as it became the title of his own album of orchestral versions of Beatles songs. As an honorary fellow of the Zoological Society of London he also had the idea of photographing the group outside the insect house for the albums cover, the request was declined.

The image used on the cover was taken by theatrical photographer Angus McBean on the stairwell at the Manchester Square offices of EMI Records. The photograph was taken in December 1962 and was one of several taken that day. Wearing burgundy suits, pink shirts and black ties various poses were captured. Three of the shots were used on future releases, the most important being the cover of Please Please Me. Six years later he would create the same images for use on the ill-fated Get Back album. It was never used and a different photo appeared on Let It Be. However, the photo was eventually used along with the 1962 shot on the greatest hits packages, The Beatles 1962-66 and 1967-70.

Angus McBean's stairwell photo wasn't the first choice though. Dezo Hoffman was present at the 11 February session and captured several images of the group. As a cover image was required he captured the group posing 'chorus line' style on the steps of the studio. As Hoffman stated, the photo did not work although he would have many more published over the next few months.

Photo (c) Dezo Hoffman

Liner notes were written by publicist Tony Barrow. and in part read... 'The Beatles had been voted Merseyside's favourite outfit and it was inevitable that their first Parlophone record, Love Me Do, would go straight into the top of Liverpool's local hit parade. The group's chances of national chart entry seemed much more remote. No other team had joined the best-sellers via a debut disc. But The Beatles were history-makers from the start and Love Me Do sold enough copies during it's first 48 hours in the shops to send it soaring into the national charts. In all the busy years since pop singles first shrank from ten to seven inches I have never seen a British group leap to the forefront of the scene with such speed and energy.'

Reviews were good with Norman Jopling, writing in the 30 March 1963 issue of Record Mirror, that for a debut LP the album is "surprisingly good and up to standard." He went on to say the album contained many tracks that could have been released as singles, such as I Saw Her Standing There and Misery. He also praised the packaging, writing that the cover image and sleeve notes provided extra value.

Author Jonathan Gould would echo Jopling's comments about the packaging stating that the albums packaging contributed to its success, promising fans 'glossy cover art' and a greater companion to the music than the plain paper packaging then offered by singles.

In a 5 April 1963 review headed 'Please Please Me - 14 Thrillers', Allen Evans wrote, "Fourteen exciting tracks, with the vocal-instrument drive that has put this Liverpool group way up on top in a very short time. The title tune and Love Me Do are well known, but there are twelve other thrillers, including John Lennon's singing of a torrid Twist And Shout, and The Shirelles Baby It's You, Boys, with drummer Ringo Starr shining; and a pippin of a duet of Misery by John and Paul ; and lead guitarist George Harrison is powerfully evident throughout."

The album reached the top of the UK album charts in May 1963 where it stayed for 30 weeks before being knocked off the summit by the groups second album With The Beatles. An incredible achievement when you consider the charts were dominated by soundtracks and easy-listening vocalists at the time.

In America, where EMI's subsidiary Capitol Records had been offered the chance to release Beatles material but turned it down, it was the small Vee-Jay Records who took up the opportunity to bring The Beatles to an American audience.

They released the single Please Please Me/Ask Me Why (Vee-Jay VJ 498) in February 1963 but it failed to chart. They originally planned to release the Please Please Me album as per the UK release with fourteen tracks but ended up trimming it down to the standard twelve track album, as popular in America at the time, and left off the two tracks that had been issued as a single. It was also given a new title, Introducing The Beatles (Vee-Jay VJLP 1062) and was released in July 1963.

Capitol soon realised they had missed out and with Vee-Jay losing interest future Beatles material would be issued on the Capitol Records label.

Some songs from the album also made it onto three extended play releases. A popular format in the 1950s and 1960s, these offered four or five tracks in a laminated sleeve looking a lot like miniature albums. They were often seen as a showcase for the best tracks from an album although some artists, not The Beatles, released all the tracks from their current album on three or four separate extended play releases. Priced midway between the cost of a single and an album they offered good value.

The first three Beatles extended play releases on Parlophone all featured material from the album.

Released on 12 July 1963 Twist And Shout (Parlophone GEP 8882) bought together four album tracks, Twist And Shout, A Taste Of Honey, Do You Want To Know A Secret and There's A Place. The cover photo, taken and designed by Dezo Hoffman, showed the four members of the group jumping off a wall.

The Beatle's Hits (Parlophone GEP 8880), released in September 1963, featured both Please Please Me and Love Me Do on side two and two other hits, From Me To You and Thank You Girl on side one, neither of which were taken from the album. The cover showed the group against a white background and was taken by Angus McBean in his studio.

The third expended play to feature material from the album was released in November 1963. The Beatles No. 1 (Parlophone GEP 8883) opened with I Saw Her Standing There and also included Misery, Anna (Go To Him) and Chains. The cover was an alternate shot from the Angus McBean album cover photo session at Manchester Square.

All three hit the top spot on the UK EP Chart and also managed to enter the UK Singles Chart with Twist And Shout reaching #4 and selling over 800,000 copies, The Beatles Hits peaked at #17 and The Beatles No. 1 stalled just outside the top twenty at #24.

In the UK Please Please Me was released in numerous incarnations giving collectors a wide choice, and headache, when collecting the various versions... mono, stereo, re-issues etc. To give details of all the various releases is way beyond the scope of this article and I would point anyone interested in finding out more to the many books and magazines that are available.

While the album may never be a candidate for the deluxe treatment given to other albums like Revolver, The White Album, Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band I do feel Please Please Me is worthy of a deluxe release. I hope one day that a release featuring both the mono and stereo versions of the album with outtakes, of which there are enough for a couple of discs, along with a booklet of comprehensive liner notes, photos and memorabilia can be considered.

Please Please Me is in my top three favourite Beatles albums and one I return to often. I think the sequencing of the tracks was perfect and whenever I play the album I realise those opening couple of lines are some of my favourite opening lyrics of any album in my collection - 

THE WHO

Formed in 1964 in London the The Who consisted of Roger Daltrey (lead vocalist), Pete Townshend (guitar), John Entwistle (bass) and Keith Moon (drums).

One of the most influential bands of the 20^th century they introduced many styles including using large PA systems and guitar techniques. They were part of the mod movement and the first to develop the idea of the rock opera.

Their first single was I Can’t Explain, released in 1965, and a top ten in the United Kingdom. They followed with a string of hits during the 1960s including My Generation (1965), Substitute (1966), Happy Jack (1966), Pictures of Lily (1966), I Can See For Miles (1967), Magic Bus (1968), Pinball Wizard (1969) and I’m Free (1969).

More hits followed in the 1970s and 1980s with Won’t Get Fooled Again (1970), 5.15 (1973), Squeeze Box (1975) and You Better You Bet (1981).

Success in the UK didn’t follow in the USA where I Can See For Miles was the bands only top-ten single.

Surprisingly they never achieved a number one in the UK, and their best chart position was with My Generation and I'm A Boy, both of which reached number two in 1965 and 1966.

Released in 1965, My Generation was the bands first album. Reaching number five in the UK, it failed to chart in the USA where it was issued with the title The Who Sings My Generation. More albums followed, A Quick One (1967), The Who Sell Out (1967), Who’s Next (1971) their only number one album, The Who By Numbers (1975) and Who Are You (1978).

Critical and commercial success came their way with the two concept albums released in 1969 and 1973 with Tommy and Quadrophenia, both reaching number two in the UK and number four and two respectively in the USA. Both albums were adapted into successful movies.

Released in 1975, Tommy is a satirical, fantasy, drama film written and produced by Ken Russell. Based on the rock opera album it told the story of a deaf, dumb and blind kid who becomes a pinball champion. The film featured the band members along with Oliver Reed, Ann Margret, Eric Clapton, Elton John and Jack Nicholson. Awards came Ann Margret's way when she received a Golden Globe for her performance. She was also nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. Pete Townshend received an Oscar nomination for adapting the music for the film. The film won Rock Movie Of The Year at the First Annual Rock Music Awards in 1975.

Directed by Franc Roddam and released in 1979, Quadrophenia, differed from Tommy in that it wasn't a musical and none of the band appeared in the film. Starring Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Sting, Toyah Wilcox and Mark Wingett it was set in London in 1964, when youths were either mods or rockers. The Mods dressed in sharp suits, rode scooters and were into current pop music while the Rockers rode powerful Triumph and BSA motorcycles, wore black leather and listened to rock 'n' roll. The two factions end up in a violent brawl in Brighton. 

The Who were also a major draw on the concert circuit. In 1967 they played the Monterey Pop Festival and other festival appearances included Woodstock and The Isle of Wight. Several live albums were issued starting in 1970 with Live At Leeds, a number three UK hit, followed by Who’s Last (1984), Join Together (1990), Blues In The Bush (2000) and View From A Backstage Pass (2007).

Some of their earlier concerts were also issued on record with appearances at the Isle Of Wight Festival in both 1970 and 1984 along with a 1970 concert recorded in Hull. Some of the bands BBC Sessions also found a release as did a live performance of Quadrophenia, recorded live in London.

In 1978 drummer Keith Moon tragically died and his place in the band was taken by Kenney Jones. With Townsend’s departure the band split in 1983 although they would reform for occasional appearances including Live Aid in 1985 and a 25^th Anniversary Tour. A full reunion in 1999 found Zak Starkey, son of Beatles drummer Ringo, replace Kenney Jones on drums. Former band member John Entwistle died in 2002 delaying plans for their new album.

The Who continued to tour with a new line up of Roger Daltrey, Zak Starkey, Pino Palladino on bass and Simon Townsend, Pete’s brother, on guitar.

The Who live on stage is where a new book fits into our story. The Who - Concert Memories from the Classic Years 1964 to 1976 is written/compiled by Edoardo Genzolini and published by Schiffer Publishing.

The books format traces the concerts given by The Who during the years 1964 through to 1976 with interviews with and stories from fans who attended the shows along with hundreds of previously unpublished photos from the time. However, it is not only the fans memories as there are stories from promoters, roadies, film-makers, journalists and photographers.

Hundreds of concerts are covered including those in London (1965), Monterey Pop Festival, California (1967), Sydney (1968), Winterland, San Fransisco (1968), Marquee Club, London (1968), Woodstock (1969), New York (1971), Zurich (1972) and many more.

Most of the photos, a mix of colour and black & white, are amateur and in some cases blurry or dark but this just adds to the charm and appeal of the book. 

It is not only the live photos that are interesting. There are many back-stage photos and the occasional tape box or cassette image showing concerts recorded professionally or illegally by fans.

The anecdotes from fans about the concerts they attended are the main part of the book but there are also events from the bands career covered including their early beginnings, the recordings, the impact that both Tommy and Quadrophenia had on the public and what is considered by fans and critics alike to be their greatest album, Who's Next.

Author Edoardo Genzolini has amassed an incredible amount of details from all over the world and his dedication and enthusiasm shows in every page.

In an email to the books editor and contributor Jerry Goodwin, Pete Townshend wrote, "Edoardo's book looks wonderful. The photos are very special. His take on The Who, and on me, is intriguing and extremely insightful. I wasn't always a pleasant person to be around in the early days. It's good to see that sometimes I managed to do some decent things for fans."

This coffee-table book, about which Pete Townshend described as, "extremely insightful", is beautifully produced and printed on high-quality gloss paper which shows of the photos at their best.

Reading the text and looking at the photos makes you wish that you had been in the audience at one of these gigs... or maybe you were. The book will be well received by fans of the group and anyone interested in 1960s/1970s rock music.

With thanks to Victoria Hansen at Schiffer Publishing Ltd for providing a review copy of the book. 

ELVIS ON TOUR

Earlier last year I looked back at Elvis Presley's April 1972 tour, the proposed album and film and the article can be read here... Standing Room Only.

In this latest article I will be looking at the release and success of the movie Elvis On Tour and reviewing the new Sony/Legacy release.

Written, produced and directed by Pierre Adidge and Robert Abel, Elvis On Tour, Elvis' 33rd movie, was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on 1 November 1972.

Colonel Parker had already planned the next major event in Elvis' career, the televised Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite special, which had been scheduled for mid-November. To avoid clashing with the release of Elvis On Tour, MGM executive James T. Aubrey, requested that the special be delayed. Fortunately Parker agreed and the special was postponed until January the following year.

Unlike his previous concert film, That's The Way It Is, which concentrated on his August 1970 Las Vegas appearances, the new concert documentary followed him on his fifteen city spring 1972 tour.

As well as the concert footage, filmed in four different cities during the tour, the film also included backstage footage, rehearsals, meeting fans at airports and hotels (some of which is embarrassing) along with some some cringeworthy scenes including meeting a local mayor and a discussion with an unknown gentlemen discussing the lift and door he would use to enter the auditorium!

A short black & white sequence covering Elvis' career, while an instrumental version of Don't Be Cruel was heard, was also included. This led into footage from one of his appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show with part of Don't Be Cruel and then a complete performance of Ready Teddy.

Elvis was persuaded to allow the filmmakers to interview him and parts of the interview were used throughout the movie, linking many of the performances and scenes. As always, Colonel Parker intervened and asked MGM to not use the singer's negative comments about his music. However, his films were covered with short clips of him kissing his co-stars while a live version of Love Me Tender played in the background.

The film opened with the photo of a young Elvis with his mother and father, Gladys and Vernon, the same image that had appeared on his 1970 album Elvis Country. As the photo enlarges on the screen, Elvis can be heard saying, "My dad had seen a lot of people who played guitar and stuff who didn't work. So he said, make up your mind, he said, about either being an electrician or playing a guitar. He said, I never saw a guitar player that was worth a damn." This led into the opening titles/sequence which is accompanied by a rehearsal version of Johnny B. Goode which fitted perfectly with the images and is something we will discuss in more detail later.

The film made good use of split-screen, something that had worked well on the 1969 film Woodstock. Edited by Martin Scorsese, the split-screen allowed the viewer to focus on Elvis as well as individual members of the band.

The film cost $600,000 but would recoup that money over the months following the films release. It covered most of the expenses in the first three days when it was shown in more than 180 theatres grossing almost $500,000. In January 1973 the film grossed a further $131,000 when it was shown in Japan, to an audience of more than 52,000 movie-goers. In Variety's National Box Office Survey the film was placed at number 13.

Several different posters were produced to promote the film, along with a set of lobby cards that would feature 'front of house' at the cinema. A press book was also available with images, adverts, synopsis, cast and credits which was aimed at the press for use in the various movie papers and magazines.

Taglines included, 'MGM presents a very different motion picture that captures all the excitement of ELVIS LIVE!' and 'MGM presents the magic & excitement of Elvis live in concert.'

At the 30th Golden Globe Awards, held at the end of January, Elvis On Tour tied with Walls Of Fire to win the award for 'Best Documentary Film.' It was the only Elvis film to achieve such an award.

Reviews were mixed. The Los Angeles Times felt the film was 'unpretentious' although they did prefer the atmosphere of watching the tour over the Vegas performances featured in That's The Way It Is. Closing their review they described Elvis as an 'American institution' and felt the film was 'highly enjoyable.'

Vincent Canby, writing in the New York Times, considered the film 'okay' but remarked that the documentary just showed Elvis as he appeared in the Hal Wallis films he starred in rather than showing his personal persona.

Rolling Stone wrote, '...the first Elvis Presley movie' compared to the content of his previous films.

The split-screen effect divided opinion. In the San Fransisco Examiner, the reviewer praised both Adidge and Abel for the use of split-screen and felt they were used, 'with taste.' However, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, whilst praising the editing reckoned the use of split-screen would become too much.

Elvis On Tour was first shown on television in 1976 on NBC and has been screened many times in the years that followed both in the USA and UK. In the past few months the film has been a regular on the listings of Sky Arts here in the UK. 

It's first appearance on VHS video was in 1982 and a few years later a new edition was released which removed the split-screen footage and received substantial negative criticism. Finally making its way onto DVD and Blu-Ray in 2010 it caused further criticism when the opening song Johnny B. Goode was replaced with the medley of Teddy Bear and Don't Be Cruel due to copyright issues!! It just doesn't work and why the copyright issues couldn't be resolved is beyond me.

As I wrote in my earlier Standing Room Only article an album was originally planned that would mix live and studio material, but with his planned appearances at Madison Square Garden and RCA's intention to record the shows, the album to accompany Elvis On Tour was dropped.

One show from the tour was included on the box set Close Up, released in 2003 and some rehearsal material has been issued including the FTD releases 6363 Sunset and On Tour-The Rehearsals, but now Sony/Legacy have issued Elvis On Tour, a deluxe set that includes six CDs and one blu-ray disc.

I have looked forward to this material being released for many years and was so pleased when it was finally announced. However, I do have a few issues with the new set which I will cover in my review.

This new set includes the four concerts filmed and recorded by MGM and RCA during Elvis' April 1972 tour... Coliseum, Hampton Roads, Virginia (9 April), Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia (10 April), Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina (14 April) and Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, Texas (18 April) along with the rehearsals held at the RCA Studios in Hollywood on 30th and 31st March. Also included is a blu-ray copy of the movie.

From Hampton Roads, and featured in the movie, are See See Rider, I Got A Woman, You Gave Me A Mountain, Polk Salad Annie, A Big Hunk O' Love, Can't Help Falling In Love and the Closing Vamp. Excerpts of both Suspicious Minds and Love Me Tender also appear in the movie. No complete songs from the show in Richmond made it into the movie, while Bridge Over Troubled Water, An American Trilogy and Funny How Time Slips Away were taken from the Greensboro performance. Three further songs, Proud Mary, Never Been To Spain and Burning Love come from his concert in San Antonio.

Five additional songs were included on the Lost Performances video, released in 1992. All Shook Up, Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel, Are You Lonesome Tonight? and I Can't Stop Loving You from Hampton Roads and Release Me from Greensboro.

All four concerts are exciting and show Elvis at the top of his game, maybe the last time as far as live performances are concerned. There are many great performances and I won't go into them here as listeners will all have their own personal favourites.

The sound quality is very good throughout although a few tracks do sound muddy. This could be due to the conditions under which the shows were recorded. It has to be remembered that this was the first time that Elvis had been professionally recorded outside of Las Vegas and the venue and conditions may not have been ideal. The San Antonio show was previously available on the Close Up set but sounds much better here.

Of course, sound is very subjective and what is good for one person may not appeal to another listener. I have seen many debates on the sound quality and of course it does depend on how you listen to the music. It will never sound as good on computer speakers as on a decent hi-fi system or a quality pair of headphones. I have listened on various devices and am happy with the sound and pleased to finally have them available on CD.

The rehearsals give the listener the opportunity to hear Elvis and the band working on several songs for the upcoming tour. Among the songs featured are Burning Love, Proud Mary, Polk Salad Annie, Never Been To Spain, Release Me, Funny How Time Slips Away and For The Good Times. The latter appears ten times and does become repetitive. I guess it was a song Elvis really loved and he wanted to work hard on a great performance.

They also revisit many of the early hits, Love Me, Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, All Shook Up and Teddy Bear.

A few songs never made it into the live performances including Always On My Mind, Separate Ways, Johnny B. Goode, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and a song from his 1957 movie Jailhouse Rock, the lovely ballad Young And Beautiful.

A gospel segment finds Elvis and J.D. Sumner and The Stamps performing a number of religious tracks including You Better Run, I John, Bosom Of Abraham, and Lead Me Guide Me.

Most of the first disc of rehearsals is previously unreleased while the second has all been out before on various CDs. However, the sound is far better on this new release.

It is good to have the film on blu-ray, although from comments I have read this is old stock that was originally issued in 2010 which had the original Johnny B. Goode opening song, that played over the opening credits, replaced with the medley of Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel. Why this issue couldn't be resolved is beyond me. The reason they had to replace the song was, apparently due to issues with Chuck Berry's office over copyright. Strange then that the version shown on Sky Arts over the past few months is the original with Johnny B. Goode featured! The song is also included on the rehearsal disc so I'd love to know why the problems couldn't be sorted. While it might only be one song in the whole movie it just doesn't work and spoils the opening credits. Johnny B. Goode fitted the visual sequence perfectly whilst Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel looks and sounds amateurish.

However, I did enjoy watching the film again and, unlike earlier releases which edited the split-screen effect, it was good to watch the film as originally released, well almost.

There is talk that Baz Luhrmann, following the success of his recent film Elvis, is working on new versions of both That's The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour. I think this is just speculation and I'll be surprised if it ever happens. 

I always preferred Elvis On Tour over That's The Way It Is, and on it's original release I went to see the film several times and have watched it many more times in the years that followed. Despite my comments about the new blu-ray disc I am sure it will be watched many more times in the years to come. Hopefully one day the film will get the treatment it deserves, extra footage, original trailers and photo gallery, but I won't hold my breath.

Moving on to the packaging, which is where I have most of my issues with this set. The CDs and blu-ray are housed in gate-fold card sleeves that open out and feature many great photos from the tour. However, as with other recent Elvis releases, you need small fingers or a pair of tweezers to remove the CDs without tearing the packaging. Worse still is the blue-ray disc which is housed in its own sleeve and is almost impossible to remove from its housing.

The 32-page booklet includes notes by Elvis' friend and Memphis Mafia member Jerry Schilling which make interesting reading. Extracts from the original 1972 press book give an insight into the making of the movie from directors' Pierre Adidge and Robert Abel. The main note is written by Warren Zanes and there are excerpts from the interview Elvis recorded for the movie. Full credits include track details, with recording dates and details of what had been released previously and where they were first issued.

The booklet includes many images from the different shows along with pieces of memorabilia, posters, lobby cards, adverts, album sleeves and much more from the period.

Unfortunately the booklet does include a few mistakes, spelling errors and sentences that do not make complete sense. Worst of all is the list of musicians that manages to leave out Ronnie Tutt, the drummer who was the driving force in the band. This is unforgiveable and mistakes like this should never happen. It doesn't take much to proof read before printing but it seems that the producers don't care about quality control. They seem to have the attitude that it's only Elvis fans and they will buy anything, so why bother. It is disgraceful, especially when this set was priced at over £80!

I also recently purchased the Beach Boys set Sail On Sailor and Bob Dylan's Time Out Of Mind both of which have the CDs housed in the packaging but, unlike Elvis On Tour, they are easy to remove, less likely to get scratched and no chance of tearing the packaging when removing the discs. Furthermore, the Dylan set is housed in a strong box and includes a hard-backed booklet printed on high-quality glossy pages.

I feel Elvis deserves more than flimsy packaging and stupid errors in the liner notes. Sadly it has become more frequent over the years and the fans deserve better.

I didn't want to be too negative in my review and overall I have enjoyed this set which has been a long-time coming. Personally I feel that 1972 was the last great year for Elvis' live performances and he never again put the same effort into future live performances.

Hopefully in a future blog I will review the FTD book on Elvis On Tour which was due at the end of last year but for unknow reasons has been delayed and no confirmed details or publication date has been announced.