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1956 + HOUND DOG ~Song in the Spotlight..Record~Sessions/Wertheimer-EyeWitness Memories/TV/+1st time Live!, 1957 Live! concert H.D. end of shows.... |
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 Dec 5 2010, 04:38 PM
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#61
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 Platinum Member  Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND  |
QUOTE (SweetCaroline @ Dec 4 2010, 08:35 PM)  Awesome thread, Rex, with great detail as always. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif) Took me a day to read through it all carefully and enjoy the fantastic pictures. ELVIS' happy spirit sure showed through in those pictures. Yes, ELVIS' should have been ticked at the treatment by Steve Allen. Likely it only made us love ELVIS more for him being such a good natured soul. So ELVIS actually had the last laugh. Many thanks CAROLE.. still a lot more info to cover on HOUND DOG thru the years... ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers the "HOUND DOG" Session. 2nd July 1956: 2pm RCA Studios, New York The floor was a series of short strips of wood scaled in a sawtooth pattern of right angles. In the centre of the room lay a patch of carpet on which the musicians had placed their instruments. The assistant engineer placed mikes and said "test" to the engineer. D.J. "Sticks" Fontana tightened his drum heads, tapping and booming. Bill Black plumbed his bass. Scotty Moore tuned his guitar. Shorty Long played the piano. Elvis joined the Jordanaires in a spiritual. (IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1291555399/gallery_21960_55_1982.jpg) (IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1291555399/gallery_21960_55_107851.jpg) I took a few pictures - then they stopped for a break. --------------------   |
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Dec 5 2010, 05:50 PM
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#62
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers the "HOUND DOG" Session. 2nd July 1956: 2pm RCA Studios, New York ..Continued.. I said good morning. Elvis, eyes bright and generous, asked me, "How ya feel?" "A little tired. It should be a good session today." I had no reason to believe it one way or the other. He just cocked his head like John Wayne surveying the cattle drive and said, "Well, I hope so." (IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1291555399/gallery_21960_55_1017761.jpg) Steve Sholes in White Shirt with rolled up Sleeves! Steve (Sholes) walked in and suggested they record "Hound Dog" first. While Elvis and Steve conferred in a corner, the engineer set the levels. -------------------- |
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Dec 5 2010, 09:11 PM
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#63
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers the "HOUND DOG" Session. 2nd July 1956: 2pm RCA Studios, New York ..Continued.. Recording in those days did not enjoy the luxury of twenty-four-track tape recorders and post recording mixes. Modern artists can add or subtract instruments, overdub, change levels, and electronically alter the sound with so much range that the final product may barely resemble what was heard at the original session. Nineteen fifty-six was still in the era of monaural sound. The engineer ran single-track tape recorders and mixed the sounds as they were recorded. The entire process was restricted to the present: if it wasn't right from the beginning you had to stop and do it all over again. Patching separate takes together wouldn't do. The only way the musicians and singers knew what they sounded like was to perform a rehearsal take and listen to the playback. What the engineer heard at the moment of recording was what you got. After a cold but punchy rendition in the studio (where the sound seemed so lopsided at times that I could barely hear Elvis over the drums), everyone sat on the floor around the one speaker in the room. -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 12:17 AM
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#64
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Elvis held his forehead in his hand and concentrated on the sound. Steve Sholes stood by, shirt sleeves rolled up, his hands in his pockets, waiting for the reaction. At the end of the playback, Elvis looked up preoccupied and discontent. The engineer was concerned the drums were too loud. Elvis thought they were all right, he wanted more guitar and another run-through. -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 11:05 AM
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#65
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. The second mix was satisfactory. Steve resumed his position in the control booth. The engineer cued, "Hound Dog, take one." Elvis began,"You ain't nothin' but aaah-oooh, let's try it again." "Okay, anytime you're ready, we're still rolling. Take two." A word stuck inhis throat. "Take three." Elvis opened, didn't like the way it sounded, and tried again. -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 12:55 PM
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#66
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. "Take four." He got past the opening. As the rhythm overtook his body, he jerked and bounced, driving the beat into the music. Steve interrupted, "Elvis, we're going to have to try it again." Instead of cueing the engineer, Steve walked out of the booth and crossed over to Elvis. Calmly, he said, "You went off-mike." Elvis nodded. It looked as if they had had this problem before. -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 01:14 PM
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#67
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. "Take five" His voice cracked, the drums were too loud, somebody hit a microphone, he went off-mike again. When the musicians blew it, they jokingly made it worse. Scotty fluffed a note and then slid into a completely different riff. D.J. missed a beat and plummeted into a pirouetting drum roll. Elvis in reply mocked the lines, "Ain't no friend of mi-ine?" -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 01:37 PM
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#68
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. At around take fourteen, I stopped taking pictures. The humour that had started the session was fading and people began glancing at Elvis to check his mood. He wasn't happy. Out of seventeen takes, maybe four were complete. Not a very good record, considering the routine of a good cut after seven or eight takes which I had observed with other singers. Elvis didn't lose his temper and he didn't look for a scapegoat. At other RCA recording sessions, sometimes I had become the excuse. "I can't concentrate with the photographer here." It didn't matter that I was crouched in some corner trying to look like a piece of furniture. It was still my fault. (IMG:http://www.elvis-tkc.com/forums/uploads/1280277132/gallery_22367_50_59866.jpg) With thanks to Melanie for some of these images © Alfred Wertheimer (took all the Pictures!) -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 04:14 PM
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#69
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Elvis was unique. In his own reserved manner he kept control, he made himself responsible. When somebody else made a mistake he sang off key. The offender picked up the cue. He never criticized anyone, never got mad at anybody but himself. He'd just say, "Okay, fellas, I goofed." -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 07:25 PM
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#70
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Elvis turned away from the mike to face the wall and shook the tension from his body, jerking his arms, twisting his torso, craning and bobbing his head. When he turned back to the microphone, he ran his hands througH his hair, and in a low, determined voice said, "All right, let's try it." Take eighteen. Elvis closed his eyes, took a deep breath and grated into the microphone, grabbing the lyric and spiking it with a nastiness that made it bite. -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 08:54 PM
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#71
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Scotty's guitar found its edge and Bill's bass surged with the momentum they had been missing. By the end of the take, the Jordanaires thought they had it. Elvis wanted to try it again. At take twenty-six, Steve thought they had it. -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 11:22 PM
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#72
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Elvis still thought he could do it a little better. Four takes later, Steve called over the PA, "Okay, Elvis. I think we got it." They had engaged the law of diminishing returns. Mistakes were creeping in. Elvis rubbed his face, swept back his hair and resigned. "I hope so, Mr. Sholes." -------------------- |
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Dec 6 2010, 11:23 PM
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#73
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. The working relationship at this session was a departure from what I had seen at other recording sessions. Other artists I had covered were directed by a producer. He was the man in charge, and often the atmosphere was formal and businesslike. With Elvis the mood was casual, relaxed, joking. Steve did not dictate, he managed. And though Elvis was not a forward, take-charge character, he was clearly the one who had to be pleased. When it concerned his music, no one was more serious. -------------------- |
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Dec 7 2010, 11:18 AM
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#74
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. The recording had taken over two hours and without the air conditioner turned on (the mikes would have picked up the noise), the air in the room hung low and close. The double doors were opened, admitting cool air, the noise of vending machines and visitors with glowing compliments. Elvis combed his hair, drank the Coke offered by Junior and shrugged in reply to comments about how good the music was. Steve trod lightly: "Elvis, you ready to hear a playback?" As if bad news never had good timing, he said, "Now's as good a time as any." -------------------- |
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Dec 7 2010, 01:58 PM
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#75
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Elvis sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the speaker. The engineer announced the take over the PA and let the tape roll. Elvis winced, chewed his fingernails and looked at the floor. At the end of the first playback, he looked like he didn't know whether it was a good take or not. -------------------- |
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Dec 7 2010, 08:45 PM
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#76
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Steve called for take eighteen. Elvis pulled up a folding chair, draped his arms across its back and stared blankly at the floor. As his voice pierced the speaker grille, everyone waited for his reaction. -------------------- |
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Dec 7 2010, 11:53 PM
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#77
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Then, as if he had received a telegram bearing news that, yes, there's good rockin' tonight. popped his head up and cracked a smile. Take eighteen was a contender. -------------------- |
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Dec 7 2010, 11:55 PM
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#78
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. The engineer racked take twenty-eight. Elvis left his chair and crouched on the floor As if listening in a different position was like looking at a subject from a different angle. Again he went into deep concentration, absorbed and motionless. -------------------- |
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Dec 8 2010, 02:30 AM
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#79
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. For someone who had to wring the music from his body, he sure took it back lying down. At the end of the song, he slowly rose from his crouch and turned to us with a wide grin, and said "This is the one." While Junior took orders; turkey on rye, chicken salad, don't forget the apple pie, Pepsi, Coke ~ I picked up my lunch from the machines: a Hershey bar with nuts, another pack of Viceroys and a cup of coffee. I needed to stretch my legs so I wandered into the lobby. -------------------- |
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Dec 8 2010, 12:28 PM
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#80
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Platinum Member Group: Special Members Member No.: 21,960 Joined: 8-December 08 Posts: 10,055 From: N.W. ENGLAND |
ALFRED WERTHEIMER Remembers..."HOUND DOG" 2 July'56: RCA Studios N.Y. ..Continued.. Talking to Elvis Fans, just outside the Studio Doors... that would have been able to just hear the HOUND DOG Takes! Looking through the front door I saw three grammar-school girls watching two high-school girls standing vigil against the wall of the doorway. The teenagers had placards pasted with Elvis photos which read: "We want the gyratin' Elvis" and "We want the real Elvis." I stepped outside and took their picture. I asked them, "Hi, where you from?" "We came in from Brooklyn this morning." "What are the signs for?" "You saw the show last night, didn't you?" "What was the matter?" "Elvis was too fame. They kept him from moving and we didn't like it. We want to see Elvis move and we don't care if our parents don't like it. We want to see the real Elvis. Please, tell him what we think, okay?" "When I see him, I'll tell him. Good luck." "Goodbye." I left them as I found them, standing at attention with their backs against the wall. -------------------- |
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